long pieces (25 posts)

Pieces estimated to take at least half an hour to read. These tend to be the ones I put the most effort into and feel the most proud of.

Bobby Schroeder May 19, 2026

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth review: A disappointing journey through a world of tourist traps

How my most anticipated game of 2024 ended up being kind of a slog that failed to capture what I love about the original Final Fantasy VII.

Bobby Schroeder March 25, 2026

IDW Sonic: On Lanolin the Sheep, and the problem with Sonic Twitter

A deep dive into the story of one of the most controversial IDW Sonic characters, and how algorithmic social media and fandom expectations made her so controversial in the first place. This is it, at long last: my big thesis on why the Sonic fandom on Twitter is like that, and my concern that it's starting to bleed into the comics.

Bobby Schroeder February 13, 2026

Ponett Awards 2025: My favorite stuff from the year!

In this extra-long (and extra-late) year-end recommendation list we've got candy-themed tokusatsu action, transatlantic telegraph cables, horse girls, and a whole slew of cool indie games you might've missed in 2025.

Bobby Schroeder January 12, 2026

Video game discourse grab bag: The Game Awards 2025, Expedition 33, and Silksong

In which I use 2025's two big GOTY contenders as a springboard to ramble about various bits of indie dev discourse and the state of the creative field I work in, and also the fact that The Game Awards are a joke. Maybe I'll even talk about the actual games themselves a little! Imagine that!

Bobby Schroeder November 26, 2025

Is redemption possible for Hazbin Hotel? Season 2 (and Helluva Boss) review

I've returned to Hazbin Hotel for a followup review! Season 2 is a marked improvement in many ways, but is it enough to outweigh the show's continued issues with its tone, themes, and politics?

Bobby Schroeder October 13, 2025

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds review - It's great, but...

After a few weeks of playing, it's clear that this is the best Sonic racing game ever... but when it's so close to perfection, it makes the few aspects that are lacking only stand out to me.

Bobby Schroeder October 6, 2025

Thoughts on Beast Wars and Beast Machines

I rewatched Beast Wars, the beloved early CGI Transformers cartoon that I'd argue looks good, actually, and Beast Machines, its bizarre and controversial sequel that... well, okay, I don't love it, but it's at least interesting to talk about.

Bobby Schroeder August 11, 2025

UFO 50: My 14 favorite games within my favorite game of 2024

Learn about my favorite games in this massive anthology, some of which have forever changed how I engage with retro games.

Bobby Schroeder June 23, 2025

Thoughts on Deltarune Chapter 3 & 4

Spoiler-filled thoughts where I talk about a bunch of random stuff I thought kicked ass, defend the importance of Chapter 3, and ponder where the story might go from here.

Bobby Schroeder May 24, 2025

Thoughts on IDW Transformers: The Furman Era

The highs, the lows, Furman's legacy, and, yes... the disaster that is Spotlight: Arcee, and the fact that Furman kinda accidentally made all the Transformers gay.

Bobby Schroeder April 4, 2025

Scattered thoughts from rewatching Twin Peaks

I rewatched one of my favorite shows of all time and wrote about whether or not I regret skipping half of season 2 on my first watch years ago, Anthony's theories as we were watching, Dougie Jones, and that unforgettable ending.

Bobby Schroeder January 27, 2025

My favorite stuff from 2024

It's the first annual Ponett Awards! Read on for homoerotic super robot anime, black and white slapstick comedy, crazy ambitious fangames, and many more recommendations from throughout the year.

Bobby Schroeder December 19, 2024

Bluesky: Is "better than Twitter" enough?

My experiences over on Bluesky, both positive and negative, and the ways in which I feel the design choices of the site are influencing user behavior. Come learn why I hate the Discover feed and how Starter Packs can be a curse.

Bobby Schroeder September 26, 2024

Cool comics I've been reading, September 2024

Yes, this is primarily an excuse for me to gush about Daniel Warren Johnson's Transformers and Ryan North's Fantastic Four.

Bobby Schroeder July 2, 2024

The Lara-Su Chronicles: Beginnings review

Thirteen years after announcing his new series starring the characters he created for Archie Sonic, Ken Penders has released The Lara-Su Chronicles: Beginnings. In my in-depth review I answer all your burning questions, such as: "How bad is it?" "How can this thing even exist?" And, of course, "What's up with the breastfeeding?"Continue reading...

Bobby Schroeder June 28, 2024

A tale of three Triguns

Comparing and contrasting the ways the three versions of the series portray Vash as a character, with both anime adaptations taking the source material in very different directions.