Welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight! I, @zombiepie, am honored to be your host as we look back at the best community-created works from the previous week!
I'm not going to beat around the bush this week, but this edition is PACKED TO THE GILLS WITH ART! So, let's jump directly into the site-related news without any preamble.
Don't forget that THE GIANT BOMB STORE IS BACK! If your order exceeds $75, the shipping is FREE. For those of you ordering internationally, because the supplier is based in the United States, please allow 7-10 business days for shipping of all apparel, and feel free to report incredibly ridiculous shipping and handling charges to support@giantbomb.com. Keep in mind, non-apparel orders will ship quicker.
Over on Discord, many were asking Jeff Grubb about possibly de-platforming from Twitter since only verified accounts will be able to create polls. It was confirmed that the Game Mess Morning polls will be transitioned away from Twitter in the future. However, Grubb and the staff feel that the community on Twitter will outlast Elon. That said, community members should continue to feel safe and welcome to bring up the topic if new events should compel the site to do something more dramatic.
Several community members have noticed that some of the older podcasts are not downloading correctly or at all. If you notice specific episodes of the Bombcast that will NOT load correctly, drop a comment over here! The message from Dylan, the new community manager, is that this has been mentioned to the engineers and a ticket has been logged and is a higher priority. If things don't get better by mid next week, drop in new comment.
Also, some are reporting that videos on Chrome are either glitchy or not working at all. If this issue is impacting you and your ability to consume content on the site, please drop a comment over here.
Giant Bomb Community Endurance Run
PersonZ's Giant Bomb Community Endurance Run XIII Shenanigans
I mentioned it last week, but did you know that it is almost time for the Giant Bomb Community Spring-time charity event known as the Giant Bomb Community Endurance Run? The event is only ONE WEEK away and you can learn how to support it!
In fact, it's worth noting that I (ZombiePie) will be a participant in the Giant Bomb Community Endurance Run, and if you have enjoyed the Community Spotlight feature on the site, please consider donating to my charity page. Even small amounts are appreciated, and if you can't donate, consider sharing the page to someone you think might be able to.
Tweets
A wise man once taught me (@tamoorh), "If a tweet doesn't add anything to the conversation, why tweet it."
— Phillip J. Woodward (@PhillJWoodward) April 21, 2023
Not sure I've lived up to making better tweets, but it's something I think about often. pic.twitter.com/yV4DRmUaCO
Another W for Dan, always up on the hip new trends.@DanRyckert @JeffGrubb @jeffbakalar @_janjerome @GBDudersFeed #B2S #Boyz2Skittles pic.twitter.com/bMpoaJ1EVJ
— Creaky Legs (@CreakyLegs) April 21, 2023
— Creaky Legs (@CreakyLegs) April 20, 2023
— DuctSauce (@DuctSauce) April 16, 2023
I only have one question regarding the Dead Island 2 embargo.
— Brad Lynch (@MarinoV1) April 18, 2023
Are there trucks?https://t.co/7aI0ojsZGS
Art
I Started A Short-Live Meme Involving Lucy James (By: @FanzXavier, @cjwoolf, @scarymask, @HalilHeyman, @Galaxias_jarvis, @CreakyLegs, @Nekrowmancer & @days_off_gaming)
I and other members of the Giant Bomb Discord noticed a particularly fun screencap from Lucy's appearance on the 04/19/2023 Game Mess Mornings and I ended up posing the screencap on Twitter for people on the internet to have their way with it. As you can seen in the montage below, the results were not disappointing.
Grubb Doggs & Two More Plain Hot Dogs (By: @1upVSCPU)
It's been a while since Grubb was doing hotdog crime in hotdog Hell, but it's hard to imagine him being able to shake away that imagine of him with buns and dogs in both hands with Dan yelling at him in the background. So, why not make designs for hotdogs using Grubb and Dan?
Tamoor - South Park (By: @MOHAMMEDFI10)
I know most have been relatively down on the latest seasons of South Park in terms of their writing and the quality of their targets, but the show's style is always a fun vehicle for reinterpreting people. Over on Twitter, MOHAMMEDFI10 imagined Tamoor as a South Park character.
You're Our Product + Mike x Columbo (By: @CreakyLegs)
People really seem to be enjoying the RoboCop Blight Club with Mike and Dan. As such, it should come as no surprise that it continues to spawn a decent amount of art on social media and this work of Photoshop goodness from CreakyLegs is especially good. CreakyLegs also imagined Mike as Columbo.
Hajime no Ippo x Grubber Lang (By: @jearum)
Grubber Lang's Punch-Out!! might be "over," but jearum went back to it as the subject of their return to making Giant Bomb fan art! The poster they made is meant to combine the current Giant Bombs staff in the style of the anime, Hajime no Ippo.
Tamoor Portrait (By: @PinkSpiderFelix)
And to round off this AMAZING showcase of community-made art, we have this stylized portrait of Tamoor by PinkSpiderFelix. As I always say, don't forget to support these artists however you can!
Activities
UUGPGC Voting Thread For Cycle Starting April 24, 2023. All Are Welcome To Vote! +
Beacon Pines Is The 8th Game Of The UUGPGC Year 2. Finish By April 24, 2023! Mark All Spoilers!(By: BIGSOCRATES)
It's time to send in VOTES for the next edition of the Giant Bomb Community Game Pass Game Club! Here are the nominees and remember to VOTE FOR TWO after you click the link. Beacon Pines is the 8th game of the Giant Bomb Game Pass Game Club! Do you have any early non-spoiler impressions or thoughts about the storybook-styled adventure game?
The GB Album Club 028 - Now & Them by Adam Freeland (By: @unclejam23)
The next pick for the Giant Bomb Album of the Week Club is Now & Them by Adam Freeland! Are any of you familiar with Adam Freeland's music in Rez, GTA IV, Need for Speed: Underground 2, or more? Join the discussion!
Blogs
All PS1 Games In Order: Part 022 (By: @borgmaster)
This week, it's time to explore Bottom of the 9th, PO'ed, Williams Arcade's Greatest Hits, and Return Fire as part of their quest to play every single game that released on the PS1 in North America!
What's The Greatest Video Game(s) : Buildings Have Feelings Too! & Mosaic Chronicles (By: @imunbeatable80)
For their latest "What's the Greatest Video Game" post on Giant Bomb, imunbeatable80 has a 2-for-1 special that looks at Mosaic Chronicles and Buildings Have Feelings Too!! Is either game worth a check?
Lost Judgment: TownGo vs. HellNo +
Indie Game of the Week 316: Mages of Mystralia (By: @mento)
This week, Mento attempted EVERYTHING in Lost Judgment, and I mean EVERYTHING! Were they able to get every achievement? Which mini-games or activities did they enjoy and which ones drove them up the wall? For Yakuza fans, this is for you!
Also, Mages of Mystralia is the subject of Mento's latest "Indie Game of the Week" post! Are any of you aware that this game's story is written by Ed Greenwood, the creator of the Forgotten Realms setting for Dungeons and Dragons?
Devil May Fantasy (State Of Play) (By: @broshmosh)
Broshmosh has been following the development of Final Fantasy XVI for a while and is here to talk about why the latest State of Play has them excited to play the game while still remaining bummed by Yoshi-P's comments about people of color.
The Quest For The Worst Adventure Game Puzzles - MTV's Club Dead [Part 1] (By: @zombiepie)
ZombiePie is getting into FMV adventure games on the site and this week checked out MTV's Club Dead! Read the first part of their retrospective on why it is the wildest ride ever, including an early AMAZING performance by a popular actor you might be aware of.
Fantasy Is Fantasy Is Fantasy +
Going Out Of This World (By: @infantpipoc)
It's time for a new novel review on the site thanks to infantpipoc! This time, they discuss Beatless by Satoshi Hase and relays if it is worth checking out by anyone interested in a newish cyberpunk series novel. Additionally, feeling like there's not enough appreciation for visual novels, infantpipoc decided to write about their time with Muv-Luv and share what they experienced through the Meiya route. Also, chomp.
You Were Here: Umurangi Generation and Art During Crises (By: @gamer_152)
This week on their blog, moderator Gamer_152 is looking at Umurangi Generation as an exploration of Māori myth and legend, photography, and importance and legacy of decolonization.
Discussion Threads
Do You Ever Read A Review And Add Or Minus 2 Points (Assuming /10) Because Personal Preference? (By: @topcyclist)
For those that follow and read game reviews, have you ever added or subtracted one or two points to the overall score if the game being reviewed was a genre or series you liked or disliked? What's your reaction to this concept or idea?
What Sort Of Console Games You're Wishing Them To Be Ported To PC In The Near Future? (By: @gtxforza)
Can you think of any additional console games from previous generations that have yet to come to PC but you very would much like to see release on PC? Feel free to share some pie-in-the-sky wishlist stuff in your comment.
Name An RPG You Love But Only Like Less Than Half The Main Cast? (By: @topcyclist)
RPGs put a lot of stock in their characters and you getting invested with the people you control. However, have you ever played an RPG where you didn't like most of the characters?
Post Your Favorite Game With Treasure Island Vibes (By: @emotiontheory)
How many of you like games with pirates? There's a new discussion thread on the forums where many are discussing their favorite games with "Treasure Island vibes." Here's what the community list looks like thus far!
Hot Wheels Unleashed Sequel Possibly Leaked (By: @gtxforza)
There's mounting evidence that the sequel to Hot Wheels Unleashed has been leaked. Do you buy what has surfaced on the internet? If the sequel is real, what improvements do you hope for? Join the discussion and share your thoughts.
Non Sonic Fans Or Haters Of Sonic What Would You Do Genuinely To Make Sonic "Good" If You Made A Sequel? (By: @topcyclist)
For those of you that are not fans of Sonic the Hedgehog, what would the franchise need to do or explore for you to feel comfortable to give a Sonic game a shot? Is it more odd spin-offs like The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog or do you want more retro throwbacks like Sonic Mania?
Lists
My Bets For Street Fighter 6 Season 2 (By: @justiceleaguecanada)
The Street Fighter 6 starting roster is basically "done," so Giant Bomb justiceleaguecanada decided to "place their bets" for which pre-existing characters from previous Street Fighter titles are the most likely to show up in Season Two.
Treasure Island Vibes (By: @emotiontheory)
EmotionTheory created a thread discussing games with tropical island vibes where you get to explore, find and collect treasure. They turned that thread into a list that is also taking suggestions!
Wiki Of The Week
Giant Bomb moderator Gamer_152 dedicated hours of their life and 200+ wiki points sprucing up the site's wiki page for "Tinkle Pit".
I want all of us to take some time to recognize that. Thank you Gamer_152. Thank you for adding Tinkle Pit into my life.