Logo for Byte Magazine at Ball State University

Hot Takes




“Show Dogs” is a new pedigree of lame animal comedy

Show Dogs is one of the worst examples of condescending family  entertainment this reviewer has seen in a long time. With extremely low  production values and extremely shoddy writing, it is extremely hard to  recommend to anyone who doesn’t feel nostalgic for an age of film making  where movies like this were seen as tent pole films for studios across  the board. However, if you have a sweet tooth for schlock like this  and/or have younger family members who have an affinity for dogs… you’re  still better off watching Air Bud and its cosmic smorgasbord of  sequels. 


“Solo: A Star Wars Story” can be fun, but blends into a crowd all too well

'Solo: A Star Wars Story' has a lot of problems. Its writing is  inconsistent, it’s too visually muddy, it needed to be about 20 minutes  shorter, and it needed to have its own legs to stand on. Despite all of  that, there are enough great action sequences and good character moments  that the film can’t be written off as completely terrible. It can,  however, be written off as bland and forgettable. Much like Han Solo  himself, the film is enjoyable, but flawed and ultimately unimportant. 



‘My Hero Academia’ Season 3, Episode 7: “What a Twist!”

 This episode wrapped up an arc and began the next one. It dealt a lot  with the aftermath of the attack, and highlighted what UA is going to do  next. The animation is beautiful and shows some interesting scenes. It  deals with the loss of a friend and how people feel about that. Overall,  the episode helps excite the viewer for what is coming up next. 


‘Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux’ is an underwhelming port of a classic game

 'Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux' is a tough game to really  judge. All the parts I love about the game are present in the original,  and the things added by the port ranged from neutral additions to  actively ruining the experience. However, the original isn’t exactly  easy to find for a low cost, despite its age. For those who are just now  getting into actual 'Shin Megami Tensei' titles, 'Strange Journey  Redux' will offer a great introduction with just enough anime to keep  'Persona' fans enticed. For longtime 'Shin Megami Tensei' fans who still  own a copy of the original, wait for a sale before buying the port.  There wasn’t enough effort put into the port to make it worth the full  cost. 



‘Deadpool 2’ puts forth maximum effort

The humor in 'Deadpool 2' makes the movie worth watching and makes it an  enjoyable experience. It’s fun to try and catch all of the references.  The characters were enjoyable and grew throughout the movie. The action  looked awesome, and the humor even showed up in serious moments. 


The Coven S4E11: Bullyhunters

 So it's no  secret that gaming online can be a really toxic, and playing online as a  woman or a person of color comes with the hazard of ten year olds  targeting you for that. There's plenty of evidence of this kind of  griefing online, but what can be done? Systemic overhaul of the  problematic culture around gaming? Turning off voicechat? No... clearly  the only effective solution is hunting the bullies down. 



School shooting simulation 'Active Shooter' set to release June 6 on Steam

A game that appeared on the Steam storefront today that will allow players to play as a school shooter is causing controversy, especially in light of the shooting at Santa Fe High School on May 18th. According to testimony from Russian developer Revived Games, the game will allow players to play either as an active shooter armed with an assault rifle, a member of a responding SWAT team, or a civilian, in what the developer calls a “survival mode.” 


‘My Hero Academia’ Season 3, Episode 6: “Roaring Upheaval”

 This episode was a different take on the attack on the training camp  with some of Class 1-A being attacked by a classmate who cannot control  their quirk. All of the villains of the Vanguard Action Squad are shown,  and the viewer is able to see each creepy persona of the team. The  fighting once again looks beautiful, and the stakes appear to be at the  highest yet.