Ryusoulger Episodes 10-13

While giving the old brain a Captain Crunch branded sugar boost before sitting down to tackle this recap I had an odd realization about Ryusoulger when contrasted with what I would consider better Sentai series. For this comparison let's use Kakuranger which was one of my first experiences with the franchise and still a favorite to this day. That group of heroes lived out of a food truck as they traveled around Japan which meant most of their nights were spent sleeping in tents with the four guys sharing one or perhaps crashing outdoors while the only lady, Tsuruhime, had her own tent. Given how they lived a bohemian lifestyle notions like hygiene were sometimes and issue. Now consider this current team of heroes. We know the original trio live with the Tatsui family yet we only ever see the main work area of the home. There's no kitchen, no bathroom, and especially no bedrooms or even bunks for that matter. Furthermore we have zero clue where Bomba and Towa live as the pair either stop by to visit the others or are found wandering the streets. I'd say they must live on the streets like vagrants except they are exceptionally clean all the time. What's throwing me off here is that Ryusoulger, despite being a kids show, has no problems tackling emotional issues like suicide and depression yet can't be bothered with convincing me these characters are actually alive and not some sort of reverse Toy Story beings that only come to life when we're viewing them. That's part of why I find my mind wandering during the show sometimes and why, even with it's deeper qualities, I'm still not completely sold on it. At the moment let's catch up with what's been going on.

Story:

The story of late has been making a transition from the batch of straight-up character pieces to larger plot points. In fact our last traditional hero focused tale was all about Asuna who really needed the boost. Question is whether episode nine was enough to help her out, and the answer was... yes... mostly. She's still suffers from having a pretty flat personality in the following outings but we did get a nice self-contained adventure that showcased deeper levels of caring, emotional stability, and courage.

The following two episodes concerned themselves with the introduction of another dinoknight, one with a hobby for riddles. Initially both the heroes and villains fail to sway this giant beast to their side until it is discovered that the dinoknight has formed a friendship with a young boy awaiting eye surgery. The baddies kidnap him while our team earns the dino's trust by properly answering a riddle with a simple honest response. This becomes sort of a loose two-parter because the main conflict is resolved but the minosaur carries on and offers some challenges by projecting illusions onto smoke/steam. Neither of these installments are bad so much as basic. There's a few decent lines, the occasional spiffy action beat, and a few odd plot-threads. Besides the new dino we discover that Mr. Tatsui may be receiving psychic projections or is maybe just far more eccentric than previously thought. Also the Druidions are being aided by Gaisorg who we'll talk about later.

Episodes fourteen was really quite nice and a far better example of what I'd like to see from this series. There's a monster who can make people tell the uncensored truth, revealing strained relationships among the heroes while the beast can also flawlessly predict attacks. The host for this particular Minosaur is the Prime Minister, a Ryusoul tribe woman who left the confines of their hidden life long-ago and has lived among regular humans for centuries while slowly being tormented by watching loved ones age and day as she continues to live long afterward. She encourages Bomba and Towa to let the Minosaur live long enough so that she might finally die in exchange for information regarding their missing master. Towa is deeply tempted by this offer but it holds no sway over Bomba who belives the PM to be a fool who refuses to deal with the hand she's been dealt. It's also revealed that she also has contact with Gaisorg before she takes off and leaves her responsibilities behind. Perhaps we will see her again.

Heroes:

The major benefactors from this set of episodes are Asuna and Bamba. She gets to showcase the more caring side of her personality and also develop her connection to Melto by both chewing him out and offering encouragement in apology. Bamba on the other hand still walks the weird path of being possibly the least-developed character who still feels the most three-dimensional. The guy has such a cool manner and strong sense of honor that makes him very easy to cheer on. What he needs now is to be paired off with someone who challenges him more than his brother or Kou.

On the matter of the new dinoknight something stands out as odd. Of the six of these robots only two are shown to have personalities while the other four are often ignored. I can barely recall the last time Towa's robot even appeared. I wouldn't even complain about it normally if it didn't seem so odd. Each of these is a toy to sell to the kiddies and collectors so how is it decided which ones actually get to have dialogue and storylines?

Villains:

Let's start with the bad news; Gaisorg is back. Yes that motivationless hunk of living armor from the Strongest Battle mini-series has made his return. Right now he's taking up the role of freelance villain so lord knows what the plan is for him. Seeing as he's been with us longer than this show it better be for one damn good pay off. Other than him things are continuing as they were before with Wyzul being a far more entertaining foil than his predecessor.

Action:

While many of the fight scenes aren't quite up to the level of recent series there are some definite improvements made during this batch of episodes. I was especially pleased to see the return of tracking drone photography since it's such a unique way to film fight scenes and helps to set the franchise apart.

The robot fights are still some of the best in Sentai history though, as noted previously, a good number of bots are being kept on the sidelines for some reason. This effects the otherwise interesting approach to the cockpit as well. I'd been pleased to see a set-up that allows the characters to move around or get tossed about instead of just sitting in chairs but with less robots comes less people. Instead several heroes will wait on the ground and watch the fight which may be different but lacks a certain urgency as they feel removed from danger.

Overall:

As I noted at the start of this article, Ryusoulger still hasn't quite won me over yet I feel sort of cruel to say such things. There's still a great deal of items this show is getting right but at the same time it lapses on world-building details and the threat level of the villains is all over the map. At one point we had a poisonous wolf-monster that nearly killed the entire team. On another occasion the monster unleashed devastating counter-attacks against any strike. Another week the team will get through a fight without a scratch, practically sitting down with a bag of popcorn once the robots are called out.

Things are about to change however as the sixth member is about to arrive. I will admit to finding it irritating to have yet another guy in what is already a sausage-fest of a show though I am pleasantly surprised that Gaisorg doesn't seem to be playing into his original, at least for now anyway. Hopefully the newbie can usher in a little urgency to the show and renew my quickly fading interest.

That's all for today though I'd like to give a shutout to you faithful Sentai recap readers. I've been going through the site history for an anniversary feature and it showcased just how much traffic I get thanks to these posts. So while I may not always be the most timely and can sometimes get bored with individual series I am more than glad to keep bring you all this content, be it for modern shows or classic ones which I'd like to work in somewhere.

The Great Game-a-Thon Part 1

Much as none of us may want to admit it our hobbies can sometimes get out of control. In the case of yours truly such unchecked overabundance comes in the form of board games. When starting the hobby close to six years ago I quickly sought to obtain all manner of different titles through sales, thrift stores, trades, you name it. The result I that I've often had a backlog of twenty or more titles waiting, some of them years, for a shot at the table. This phenomenon isn't unique as I've seen countless other tabletop fanatics go wild in their efforts to establish a collection only to shoot themselves in the foot when they discover themselves lacking time and storage for everything they've acquired. Who can blame them? Boards games hold a wonderful allure with their combinations of lovely bits & pieces, brain-twisting systems, and the promises of memorable times with friends and family. With this year already being marked by a variety of changes and another birthday on the horizon I decided to launch a campaign to blaze through as many titles on my unplayed list as possible. If you'd all be so kind I'd love to report on this experience and in the process perhaps share a few hints, highlights, and cautions with you.

Hanabi

The first title on our adventure was Hanabi, an award-winning cooperative card game with limited communication. Imagine playing classic Klondike solitaire alongside another person only you can't see your cards, just theirs, then add in a system for sharing limited clues about each-others hands and try to play from one to five in different suits with only a few mistakes allowed.

Despite the great praise this one has received over the years I'd avoided it until finding a thrift copy because I usually disagree with the notion of limiting communication between players. A big part of the reason I got into tabletop gaming was to get back to one-on-one entertainment and all the wonderful table talk. While I'd softened on this approach thanks to another awesome card game called Okey Dokey there was still some hesitation. Luckily Hanabi proved to be quick and compelling enough that the limitations start to fade away leaving a solid and fun puzzle for everyone involved. The experience was very surprising as I truly thought the game wouldn't match my style or be outclassed by another game and end up traded-off or sold. Instead it stands on its own and has earned a comfy spot alongside Okey Dokey.

Kaijudo

Digging into the stash of dead collectible card games I pulled out a stack of starter decks for Kaijudo. There's a whole backstory to this one involving the original Duel Masters and the eventual relaunch but in short this is an anime inspired hyper-streamlined take on the core principles of Magic: the Gathering. It was clearly made with a younger audience in mind and the result are simplifications like a much better mana system and a quick play style that makes the game ramp up and finish quickly.

The single session of play was fairly enjoyable, if not exactly groundbreaking. There were a few laughs and surprises to the extent I'd call it a good title. From what I've read the game changed dramatically later in its life introducing aspects that totally unbalanced the system, unless I ever get my paws on some later boosters that won't be a problem. What's here is a very straightforward ccg which is exactly what I sought it out for. While it wasn't an amazingly fun experience it did provide something unique in that my nephew not only seemed to slightly enjoy it but actually won our bout. Keeping this around for now and might track down some more later on.

Mystery Rummy: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

Last year I endured a few games of Phase 10 which inspired me to design a rummy style card game of my own. In an effort to learn as much about that wing of card games I watched hundreds of videos and even hunted down some special titles like this entry in the Mystery Rummy series. Each installment in the series has it's own specialties with this one being a strictly two-player affair where melds can only be played if they match the current personality of the doctor whose card changes due to various circumstances.

While I wouldn't call this a bad game exactly it was stilled affected by much of what bothers me regarding rummy titles. For one there are so many turns where there's absolutely nothing to do, to the point that even my Phase 10 loving relative (who won by the way) found it obnoxious. Rounds take forever to ramp up and even with the slight bit of fun we had it wasn't enough to make me pick this over other, better, card games in my stash. This one's going to find a new home with more love for rummy antics.

Sonar

The original Captain Sonar is supposed to be one of the greatest large group gaming experiences around. For someone like me whose table might top at five with luck that made playing the game a pipe-dream. Finding this trimmed-down version meant for less players at the local Goodwill afforded the opportunity to at least sample what all the fuss is about.

The game is essentially modernized Battleship and makes no bones to hide it. Players sit behind a huge divider and call out movements while their opponent tries to deduce their location on a dry-erase sheet and hunt them down. The key difference is how moving charges a power meter that allows for special actions like silent movement or firing a torpedo.

I had a good time with this one and would like to hold on to it though my opponent didn't seem all that pleased with it. Granted this may have been due to me stomping them out but the fact remains that if I can't get anyone to play this one then it may have to go. Fingers crossed it gets to stay.

Codenames Duet

The first absolute knockout of this marathon. I never bothered with the original Codenames as it, along with so many other word games, reportedly functions best with a large group which, need I remind you, is a luxury I lack. This two-player cooperative variation seemed like a decent option to finally get a good word game into the collection and boy did that gamble ever pay off. Not only did I enjoy my time with the game but so did my co-operative player and even some people who simply watched us in action.

The game provides an excellent back and forth with players trying to come up with one-word hints for multiple words, often without accidentally hinting at the wrong cards. It's a great brain workout and tons of fun.We went through the game a good nine times in one day sometimes winning, occasionally on the very last turn, one time losing on turn one due to a rather careless hint on my part but always having an excellent time.

Smile

Smile came and went with little fanfare when it released a couple years ago though the lovely artwork and general concept were appealing enough for me to nab a clearance copy of the shelves. In essence this is a more thoughtful take on No Thanks! With players using beads in order to avoid taking certain cards while waiting patiently for others. Some cards are positive points others negative but there's always a chance of getting rid of cards with a matching symbol which makes it a worthwhile strategy to grab that negative card in order to lose another one and get some beads in the process.

Smile isn't a showstopper or something to base your whole night around but it is solid fun and more importantly blows No Thanks! Out of the water thanks to better presentation, smart design, and more interesting scoring. This gets to stay in my library by virtue of pushing No Thinks! Out.

These games can get a wee bit suggestive.

Code of Nine

Sometimes you buy a game for the sheer audacity of what it promises to do. Of course it helps when it's also on sale for twelve bucks. That's how I ended up with Code of Nine; a worker-placement, bluffing, deduction game where each player only knows a quarter of what endgame scoring will entail.

Played this one at the game store with friends and a new acquaintance who won by losing the pair of books I knew would lose him ten points. Overall the game felt like something that would improve drastically the more a group plays it. However I don't see it getting that level of attention here which means every play-through would be an awkward dance around the weak rulebook and slightly sloppy production. I really believe some people will love this game, hopefully I can find someone like that to give this copy a home.

Sleuth

Generally I'm not the biggest fan of deduction games. Sure there's the occasionally exception but usually it's better if deduction is a small part of a greater whole rather than the main attraction. That being said I was very eager to try Sleuth due to it hailing from one of my favorite designers, Sid Sackson.

Unfortunately Sid just couldn't work his magic on me this time around. Like so many of his designs Sleuth feels very much like it respects your brain but unlike his other games it fails to respect your time or patience. Players have to manage two separate batches of cards along with a notepad that is poorly equiped to handle the level of detailed notes required. Add to that how the mystery is very abstract, figure out if the face down card is a blue opal cluster for instance, and it just feels cumbersome. For die-hard mystery gamer I'm sure this is awesome but for this group it simply didn't work. Off it goes.

Burger Joint

Almost completely forgot about this one, which should be a hint at how well it went over as my opponent and I didn't even care to finish it. Burger Joint is functional but boy is it ever dull. Players pick cubes, make buildings, get some points, and try not to fall asleep. The whole thing almost feels like a joke about dull euro-games come to life. That's a shame too as some of the designers other titles look pretty fun. This oddity however has to return to the wild.

Focus/Domination

Sid Sackson gets another shot during this marathon with an award-winning abstract strategy game and boy howdy does Focus ever make up for our lackluster experience with Sleuth. I've played stacking style abstracts in the past with titles like Cappuccino yet I was unprepared for how unique this old gem still is. The movement and capturing methods produce so many options that it threatens to make your brain hurt unless you willingly submit to a sort of zen state where all of reality amounts to towers of colored plastic. Absolutely holding on to this though I may have to ditch the old and comically large box.

Mystic Vale: Mana Storm

Among all the unplayed games there are also a few expansions to already established titles such as this little return to the crad-crafting world of Mystic Vale. The additions from this expansion, and those before it help to make the game a bit more lively though I'm not very impressed by the talismans so far. That being said the core gameplay of constructing cards piece by piece is both engauging and speaks to my inner shopaholic.

I still enjoy the game a great deal though my opponent once again noted that it seems to end too quickly for us to enjoy our fancy fully-built cards. I'm somewhat inclined to agree with means keeping this in the collection comes with a note of increasing the point limit a bit.

You want to find which piece exactly?

Star Wars: Imperial Assault

Fantasy Flight Games and I have a troubled relationship. Unlike companies such as Space Cowboys which has yet to let me down Fantasy Flight is akin to flipping a coin. Some of their productions have become all-time favorites while a few others have left me questioning why I bother with this hobby. This only gets worse when you consider their pricing structure as they tend to make expensive games with lots of expansions. As you might imagine the amount of time Imperial Assault has been sitting on the shelf has left me licking my chops with worry. Yes it was purchased on sale with store credit which is the only thing that made me willing to try it, but still, what if it sucked?

Since this one is bigger and meatier than most I decided to tackle it myself by using the companion app for a solo game. In the sense of disclosure I should note that I've tackled a fair share of complex games, I've enjoyed app-assisted games, and have worked through a myriad of messy Fantasy Flight instruction manuals. Going in I thought I had a solid grasp how the game flowed but the app left me feeling absolutely befuddled which was made worse by the constant need to go spelunking in the cavernous box for more components every few turns. Nothing like learning you should have split the cards into twenty different baggies instead of ten. The set-up and take-down times were absurd. Worst of all was that not only was I not having fun, I found myself downright angry at the experience with plenty of questions that required repeat trips into the different rule manuals. Part of the problem is the complexity of the game feels off. For me it's not simple enough to be easy-going dice throwing fun nor is it really deep enough to be fully engrossing.

As it stands I still want to like this game, and given how it has multiple modes of play there's still a chance of finding something to enjoy. Still; that first impression was easily one of the worst in my gaming life with even some trouble-free turns failing to offer excitement. There has to be more than move, check the app, read some cards, roll dice, possibly fail, dig out some more components, and roll more dice... right? I'm planing on giving it another chance but right now it doesn't seem like something that will work with my group at all. If that is indeed the case than it's better to send it off to someone who'll enjoy it.

Let's call part one finished at that. There's still a number of games to go ranging from painfully basic kids card games to massive complex titles. Fingers crossed I can have this pile largely emptied out before my birthday. For those of you waiting for Sentai recaps I swear they are coming soon, likely in time for the site's birthday in just a couple of nights. My allergies are cranked up right now so I opted for this piece as it was already mostly complete. Come back soon and we'll have plenty of silly superhero antics to discuss.

Hammer Frankenstein Series Review Part 2

It's currently staycation time for CosmicSparky, a rare treat that makes up for its lack of glamour with pure freedom. Essentially I'm house-sitting with less people than usual to deal with and smaller chores to boot. Naturally I've been spending this time with my oh so many interests be it clearing through a small hill of board games (expect more on that soon) or catching up on some movies I've been meaning to watch. In a classic snowball effect the act of ignoring updates in order to do all this stuff leaves me with an ever increasing amount of content for further updates. So let us call an end to this cycle of sluggishness by wrapping up a feature I began some months ago. Let us finish our overview of the Hammer studios Frankenstein series by looking at the final three films in the franchise.

Frankenstein Created Woman

A massive upgrade over its immediate predecessor, this fourth outing finds our mad scientist stepping away from his usual antics of patching dead bodies together. He’s seen the extent of that research for now. Instead his aims have shifted to far more esoteric notions like preservation of the soul.

I'd like to preserve as much of the story as possible for you all as I find this to be a film that rewards patience. In fact nearly the whole first hour of the film has little in the way of traditional horror to offer, opting instead for whacko science and interpersonal drama. That build-up makes the eventual terror all the more thrilling. What I can at least offer you is the nature of this films monster. A young woman who undergoes a soul transplant thus the title of the film.

As for Frankenstein himself he is physically damaged, presumably from the castle explosion that capped off the previous movie though it is never outright stated to my knowledge. This results in him always wearing black gloves and relying on assistants to carry out his work since his hands aren’t what they used to be. His physical abilities aren't the only thing that has softened as we find him to be a more sensitive person than in past films with the ending actually showcasing some remorse on his part.

It cannot be stressed enough how this is absolutely one of the best Hammer films. From the atmosphere, storytelling, characters, and eventual horror this delivers on every front. Easily one of the best entry points for those curious in Hammer films.

Frankenstein Must be Destroyed

In a rather unexpected display of quality the fifth film in this franchise nearly overtakes the fourth to claim the title of best installment, Sadly a few sloppy choices weigh this one down just enough to come in second place, but man what a silver medal it is.

The plot is fairly complex considering how stripped down the science and monster elements are. Instead of hulking monstrosities or mystical soul tomfoolery this is straight up about brains. Franky wants to perfect the process of storing brains long after the original bodies have died. He was never able to complete the formula but a fellow associate of his solved the issue. Only problem is that former associate has gone nuts and is locked away in an asylum. Frankenstein must free his friend & fix the poor guys brain banana and he's forced a young couple into helping him. Further developments I'll leave unspoiled.

There are two key factors that make this such a fine film. The first is the aforementioned storyline while the other is Peter Cushing at the top of his game. While he played this character a bit softer in part four he transforms into the most dickish and self-assured version seen so far. Nearly every moment spent with this character is pure bliss which is odd when you take into account how much nastier his behavior has become. In an odd twist the doctors physical health seems much better as he's able to do much more on his own rather than depend fully on assistants. Still the point is this isn't a movie you watch for a monstrous creation. It's one to watch for the best mad-scientist ever.

As was noted earlier there are a few tidbits keeping this one from the top spot. One of these is a controversial rape scene that was tossed in to spice the movie up against the wishes of the stars and director. I don't find this part as problematic as some have claimed mainly because it calls back to how Frankenstein treated women like trash in the first film, remember when he locked his mistress in with the monster? That being said the scene is obviously an afterthought as it is never referenced again and merely exists to shock which is not the way to handle sensitive subject matter like this. The other big issue is a recurring comedic sub-plot involving bumbling police failing to track down Frankenstein. Much like the assault this bares no weight on the primary plot and is only used to lighten the mood with the actual result being a bloated run-time.

It may be troubled and sloppy on occasion but Frankenstein Must be Destroyed really feels like something special. It seemed like the studio wanted to send out the series on a high note, which they nearly did. You know how the film industry is however. It wasn't long before the series returned.

Note: There is some debate over the actual length of this series as the sixth Frankenstein film produced by Hammer was a more light-hearted take on the original tale, essentially a funny reboot, called The Horror of Frankenstein. Some viewers choose to keep this title as a totally separate piece of work which is the method I'm applying to this article. Later in the year once Scream Factory brings the movie to blu-ray I may give it a proper go-over.

Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell

The final film is often given the cold shoulder by many and the first time I saw it I found the response hard to understand. That may have been due to my slimmer experience with Hammer's work at the time having only seen a few films, with this being possibly the second of their Frankenstein films I'd encountered. Having revisited it I can now see some of what bothers people about this entry though I still believe it does enough right to keep from becoming the worst entry in the series.

The early focus is on a budding young doctor with an obsession for Frankenstein's teachings. He spends his time on experiments to produce life and stitch-together body parts as illustrated in books by the old baron. He's soon found out and sent to a madhouse where the staff and inmates treat him rather poorly, that is until the asylum's surgeon arrives.

Since we last saw him Frankenstein has once again changed his name, this time to Dr. Carl Victor. He lords nasty secrets over the director of the madhouse which essentially allows him to run the joint in secret while maintaining a secret lab to further his work. His only helper at the moment is a mute female inmate though he soon takes the new arrival under his wing as well. This proves to be a godsend as the series continuity has reverted to his hands being burnt and near-useless again.

Unlike the past two adventures which concerned themselves with matters like the mind and soul this one takes Frankenstein back to his old ways of picking and choosing bits & pieces with the asylum serving as a living supermarkets for supplies. The newest creation is based on the body of a neanderthal man who is soon given the eyes, hands, and other aspects of gifted yet troubled people. I'll leave you all to find out what else goes down though there is an odd flip on the fourth film's ideas with it being presented that a body might be able to override a new brain, though little is done with this concept.

You can probably guess that the story is a bit slim for this outing which means madhouse antics and a grim attitude are left to fill in the run-time. And that's really the trouble here as this is by no means an awful film, just very empty. Even the way it ends is anti-climatic as it hints that the good doctor will simply continue to develop his theories and destroy lives forevermore. It makes for an interesting flip from Hammer's other big series, Dracula. In those films the immortal fiend is killed time and time again, never able to achieve his greater goals. Meanwhile this completely mortal man never fails to carry on.

And thus I mark yet another horror series complete (mostly anyway). By and large I'd say this collection of films is a success despite stumbling blocks like the continuity issues and the boring third installment. If nothing else I highly advise you all seek out the fourth and fifth films as they mark a strange occurrence of later installments being far greater than their predecessors. With that done there are only two other Hammer produced series for me to complete. First the Mummy, of which I've seen half of them, and then Quatermass of which I'm missing one... I think. For now I assure you updates will be picking up posthaste as there are plenty of items to share with you all.

The Drinks of Summer.

Despite what the crazy Michigan weather may have to say on the matter we are by all rights in the grip of Summer. Yes, our least favorite season here at CosmicSparky is just about in full swing but the aim is to make this one stand out for more reasons than mosquito bites and allergies. Of course striking out to find adventure and gainful employment requires plentiful amounts of hydration and energy. Lucky for all of us there are a bevy of new drinks to quench our thirst during these long days. A few of them like the one picture above don't even come in bottles or cans, forcing us instead to fill-up large cups from the gas station to later pair with Godzilla movies and old video games. The spread within the first photo nearly provides a perfect lazy Saturday save for the absence of American Gladiators reruns and cheese balls. Due to the odd nature of a few of these drinks we will forgo the traditional rating systems, you'll soon find out why.

Mtn. Dew Cyclone

That deep red slurry within the header photo is a new Mtn. Dew flavor exclusive to Speedway convenience stores. This particular item requires a certain personal disclosure on my part as I should explain that I don't care for fountain soda. The perfectionist within me demands the consistent results of canned or bottled drinks over fountains that can totally screw up the ratios. Never the kind to miss out on some new Dew I swallowed my pride and grabbed a forty-odd ounce cup.

Cyclone is described as a citrus punch which is sort of a cop-out when you think about how many citrus fruits there are, is this Buddha's palm flavored? Actually that's still something of a mystery to me as there's something mysterious to this concoction. From scent to flavor nothing truly stands out other than this being red and fruity. Only there's a little dankness to it that provides a sort of cough-syrup vibe which should be disgusting only it's still pretty good. I started to share the drink in order to get some other opinions, and confirm I wasn't losing my mind. The standard reaction was yummy with a hint of Robitussin. My older brother spat it out claiming it reminding him of Rock & Rye which he hates for some twisted reason.

Cyclone is why I decided to skip a rating system since I have no clue what sort of rating it possibly deserves. On one hand I found it kind of icky yet that didn't stop me from consuming massive quantities. Without a doubt this is an experience above anything else and that's what should inform your decision about getting it. I'd advise gathering a few people before getting a giant cup to pass around.

Mtn. Dew Liberty Brew

Not content to rest on one special flavor Mtn. Dew has also released Liberty Brew, a patriotic salute to these united states. Believe it or not there's a third new Dew out there as KFC has an exclusive as well, though I've yet to get some.

The novelty pitch for Liberty Brew is that it has fifty flavors crammed into a single drink, a claim likely to raise eyebrows in disbelief. Upon opening a bottle you'll find a scent that supports this multi-flavor concept in that it's not easily identifiable. The smell exists in the same realm as lighter Dews like White Out or Voltage and has a real refreshing pop to it.

So how about those fifty flavors? Well that's where things get iffy. With each drink you can discern a variety of different tastes, some sweet, some fresh, even a little bit of spice, but whether or not there are really fifty is a matter of discussion. What matters most is whether the notable flavors are any good and to that I say yes with one issue. Usually when you're thirsty you want something specific, be it a cola or fruit juice, but when you make a drink where the flavor is a little bit of everything it doesn't fully satisfy.

For me personally I have an extra criteria for this drink. As my birthday is the fourth of July Liberty Brew inadvertently finds itself marked as a potential celebratory drink for yours truly. Possibly the biggest recommendation or condemnation I could give it is whether or not it would be present at my birthday BBQ. On that front I'd say probably, yea. It's not the best item to come from this brand but I'd still take it over a few other offerings since it's fun and refreshing. Plus I'm guessing there are some real mixed drink opportunities.

Dr Pepper Dark Berry

Speaking of my birthday; it looks like I'll be treated to some fine pop-culture with the combo of Stranger Things and Spider-Man, the latter of which has inspired Dr. Pepper to bring out a new formula called Dark Berry.

This one's gonna be short and sweet because there's honestly not much to say about Dark Berry because it's not all that different from regular Dr. Pepper. No doubt there's an added level of berry to the mix and it's quite pleasant but no way is this going to stay around as a permanent addition to the brand. Gross as it may sound to some the berry flavor seems more pronounced when the drink is warm, just a further example of how low-key the flavor is. Don't mistake that as a denouncement however as I really do enjoy Dark Berry, much the same as I enjoy normal Dr. Pepper, just don't go in expecting a game-changer.

Red Bull Summer Edition Beach Breeze

When putting this article together I nearly forgot about Beach Breeze, which should probably serve as a review in itself. Longtime readers know I'm not huge on Red Bull save for the occasional stroke of inspiration like that pomegranate holiday blend. Sadly this new Summer flavor just doesn't inspire much admiration. From the scent to the taste it's just a slightly more perky and sunny take on regular Red Bull formula. For brand fanatics that may be enough but for me it was simply in one end and out the other.

Pepsi Berry

The good Doctor isn't the only one hopping on the berry bandwagon as Pepsi has released a berry blend of its own. Unlike the more subdued nature of our previous drink this one is undeniably drenched in berry flavor, particularly my favorite, the blueberry.

Something really interesting about this and the other two new Pepsi flavors is how the company is using actual juice, not artificial flavoring, while standing by corn-syrup for the sweetener which makes for this weird meeting ground of food theories. The result is much stronger than the usual fruity colas which I imagine could be a turn-off for some as the blueberry brings a tart punch to the experience.

Overall this is very fruity, flavorful, and would earn higher marks from me if it where to use actual sugar like that delicious peach coke. What also doesn't help matters is that Pepsi launched something so much better right alongside this.

Pepsi Mango

In the entire realm of fruit three flavors vie for my absolute dedication. We've already mentioned two of them being blueberry and peach but Pepsi corp saw fit to bring the third into the mix with Pepsi Mango.

Much of the same analysis regarding the berry edition applies here. The company once again uses actual juice to add flavor which means the mango is loud and proud. From the instant you open a can there is no doubt about what you're drinking. I suppose if you're one of those strange folk who doesn't enjoy mango than this isn't for you but for those of us who aren't pod people this is a fantastic cola.

More than any other drink in this entry I think Pepsi Mango is the one most deserving of being instated to full-time. It's unique, incredibly sweet, and wonderful on so many levels with the only drawback being the usage of corn-syrup. In a wave of largely outstanding new drinks it takes the crown.

And with that I'd say we're nicely caught up with the drinks of Summer. Granted there are more out there along with another wave of snack foods and breakfast cereals, 2019 really is the year of breakfast. What I'm saying is keep an eye out for more snack reviews in the coming weeks. As for you Sentai recap readers, that should be the next post as I've been fiddling with the format. Got a few other topics backlogged as well so expect some variety this Summer rather than my usual allergy riddled ravings.