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If you venture beyond the familiar, straightforward games created by Square Enix, you’ll find that the PlayStation 2 era was a time of bold experimentation. While the main Final Fantasy games focused on dramatic storytelling, other developers were completely reimagining what role-playing games could be. They created open, free-roaming worlds, challenging combat systems, and stories that weren’t afraid to move away from traditional turn-based battles in favor of real-time action. Looking past nostalgia, you’ll discover a handful of truly remarkable games that broke the mold.

The film industry is still full of new ideas, but recently, bringing back older movies has become a major trend. We’ve seen lots of reboots, revivals, and re-releases, and while some have been successful, many haven’t lived up to expectations. However, there are a few films that are so well-made and perfect that any attempt to change or update them would likely make them worse.

Although both Lost and Twin Peaks are mystery dramas, they tell stories in very different ways. Lost builds suspense by constantly adding new puzzles, keeping viewers eager for solutions. Twin Peaks, on the other hand, focuses on creating a disturbing atmosphere, valuing the experience of the mystery more than actually solving it. Both shows are uniquely styled, and one recent HBO drama particularly shines because it successfully blends elements of both these classics.

Looking at how Sauron was defeated – who made the key choices and where they were when it mattered most – Frodo doesn’t stand out as much as you might think. Five other characters in The Lord of the Rings actually had a bigger impact on how the story unfolded than Frodo did.

Wizards of the Coast recently announced that the Magic: The Gathering universe features its own magical school, Strixhaven, and that they currently have no plans to explore other magical worlds. While they didn’t mention Harry Potter by name, it’s obvious they’re referring to schools like Hogwarts. Although some Harry Potter fans might be upset, I believe this is a good choice for Magic: The Gathering for several reasons.

James Gray’s film Ad Astra, which premiered in Venice and was released in theaters in September 2019 (Gray co-wrote the script with Ethan Gross), wasn’t the typical action-filled sci-fi movie. This disappointed some fans at the time, but seven years later, the film feels even more powerful, moving, and important than it did initially.