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brianbarnett.bsky.social
Brian Barnett | Ribnax
@brianbarnett.bsky.social
2.5K followers 900 following 1.8K posts
He/Him

Co-Founder & Editor-at-Large @skyboxcritics.bsky.social

SkyboxCritics.com
https://www.patreon.com/c/skyboxcritics

Writer @ IGN, GameSpot, Kotaku, etc.

Podcaster | Singer | Drummer

http://linktr.ee/ribnax | Inquiries: [email protected]
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brianbarnett.bsky.social
Brian Barnett | Ribnax @brianbarnett.bsky.social · Nov 25
Hey, everyone! I'm Brian Barnett. I am a singer, drummer, songwriter, & video game critic, podcaster, & guide writer

I write for @ign.com, GameSpot, @kotaku.bsky.social, etc, & was full-time on the IGN Wiki team for a bit

Community is incredibly important to me, so I try to build it wherever I can
brianbarnett.bsky.social
Combining tier lists from 15+ different pro / high level / streamer players, here's the most up-to-date version of my @marvel-rivals.bsky.social aggregated Season 5 tier list 😘
70-69 points: gambit, daredevil, sue, psylocke, hela 67-61 points: magneto, emma, angela 59-51: cap, jeff, rocket, groot, starlord, bucky, venom, jean, mantis 47-40: namor, luna, iron fist, peni, moon knight, adam, punisher, loki, wolverine 38-31: strange, reed, cloak, storm, hawkeye, magik, hulk 28-17: thing, blade, thor, spidey, ultron, black widow 13-1: iron man, squirrel girl, torch, black panther, wanda
November 25, 2025 at 5:40 AM
brianbarnett.bsky.social
you know

theres only one letter difference between "Tom Marks" @tomrmarks.bsky.social
& "top marks"

makes you think 🤔
three cartoon characters sit behind a sign that says " judges "
Alt: three cartoon characters sit behind a sign that says " judges " and raise signs that each say "10"
media.tenor.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:10 AM
brianbarnett.bsky.social
This is amazing and i want to see more like this
brandon.insertcredit.com Brandon Sheffield @brandon.insertcredit.com · 22h
We did something different with the credits for Demonschool. We used this format: name, title, lengthy description of what they did. Often you see credits in games where you don't know what the credited developer was actually responsible for. We wanted to give people proper, actual credit.
Credits for Brent Porter (3D art lead) and Catherine Menabde (2D art lead) are shown here. There's a lengthy description of what they did, with a pastiche of various Demonschool characters underneath, messing around with a computer.
November 25, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
stupidartpunk.bsky.social
Jesus I see what you’ve done for other people, and I want that for me Meme
November 24, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
zoewithasword.bsky.social
And folks this is why even if you choose not to be in a union--for whatever reason--you still owe your co-workers solidarity. The discussions were, seemingly,bcomparing salaries and talking about a company policy change to their slack server. Someone went to management and got 34 people fired.
chrisbratt.bsky.social Chris Bratt @chrisbratt.bsky.social · 1d
PMG understands Rockstar became aware of these messages after at least one non-union member of the server raised concerns about these discussions with management and this either kicked off, or contributed to, a wider investigation.
November 24, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
cyrakhis.bsky.social
My thoughts on AI anything, really.
November 23, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
alexwinter.com
DOGE was created for data theft and infrastructure dismantling and it wildly succeeded on both counts within the first few weeks of its existence. It will take a generation to rebuild what it destroyed and the breach of data is unprecedented.
carlquintanilla.bsky.social Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 2d
Bye bye, “DOGE”.

It no longer exists as a “centralized entity”, according to the Office of Personnel Management.

@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/us/dog...
November 23, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
spavel.bsky.social
Every technology problem is three social problems in a trench coat
sarahjeong.bsky.social sarah jeong @sarahjeong.bsky.social · 14d
ok one last post -- oldheads are always going to "why is the web dying.... how can we get the kids invested in the free and open web"

bro the kids can't read. that's why the web is dying. first things first
November 11, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
raynegrimm.bsky.social
Reskeeting with alt text

Yeah this has become the utter pain of what we once had. Used to be you'd run to Google for a trusted and quick search and now I try to avoid it when I can

Legit ruined their own product to the point of being unrecognizable
An image depicting a drawing of side by side Google search results. The title says "Googling stuff..." With the left side saying "... Then" Then a drop down with/"search results:" and "the thing you want" in a lavender box On the right it says "... Now" with a drop down that features a VERY long list of things starting with ai nonsense, 3 iterations of "sponsored result" a box featuring "people also ask", a sub box saying view products with images and what is likely the top of the lavender box that would Contain "the thing you want"
November 23, 2025 at 12:14 AM
brianbarnett.bsky.social
And of course, in the 48 hours since I posted this, the number of tier lists have doubled

SO

here's the updated, aggregated tier list (including new lists from iRunShibb, Cozy, TeamCaptain, CaptainCoach, and DuckFilms):
November 22, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
ashlikeadragon.bsky.social
hey, i'm looking for work! full-time or freelance 💜

journalist, critic, author
proficient in features, criticism, reporting, reviews, previews, news, guides

words at lost in cult, RPS, VGC, unwinnable, gamesradar+, polygon, EDGE, PLAY

muckrack.com/ash-like-a-d...
[email protected]
'Few games capture the spirit of indie game development quite like VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action. What initially started out as a short game for a Cyberpunk Game Jam back in 2014, soon became a standout indie hit. VA-11 Hall-A delivers a heartfelt story of happiness in the depths of disaster, draped in a unique cyberpunk aesthetic and set to a distinctive synthwave soundtrack to match. It’s a truly remarkable visual novel, and the perfect choice for our Design Works range. Produced in collaboration with Sukeban Games and Ysbryd, VA-11 Hall-A: Design Works explores the corrupt metropolis of Glitch City, its culture, and the people who frequent the game’s beloved hole in the wall, VA-11 Hall-A. Written by talented journalist and author Ashley Schofield (Polygon, EDGE, Unwinnable and VGC), you’ll hear how this world came to be and the cyberpunk touchstones that inspired it — all the while lending insight into the history of Venezuela, where the team is located, and the unique challenges of developing a game there. VA-11 Hall-A: Design Works will be a celebration of this beautiful indie masterpiece, and the people that made it all possible. Alongside contemporary interviews with writer/programmer Fernando Damas and artist/designer Christopher Ortiz conducted exclusively for VA-11 Hall-A: Design Works, the book also features a collection of highlights from the ‘Daily VA-11 Hall-A’ blog posts directly from Sukeban.moe. You can also expect deep dives into the development of the game’s prototype and prologue; the bartending mechanics that put you in the shoes of disaster bisexual bartender Jill Stingray, and interviews exploring its iconic synthwave soundtrack/jukebox with composer Michael Kelly. VA-11 Hall-A: Design Works features detailed insight into the game’s early concepts and development, an exploration of Glitch City itself, and a deep dive into the programming, art and soundtrack — an unmissable read for any fan.' A magazine cover of Unwinnable Monthly #191, with the feature being my essay 'I Don't Want To Be This Kind of Animal Anymore' and art by Shafer Brown. An excerpt reads: In the dark times, should the stars also go out? 'Revachol is still. Silent. Decades of unrest, corruption and capital gain have reduced it to a shell of a city. And yet, under these sullen skies, a miracle is happening. The limbed and headed machine of pain and undignified suffering is firing up again.' My review of Hollow Knight: Silksong for Video Games Chronicle. 'Hollow Knight: Silksong review: A game that intends to make you suffer, even to its own detriment. Team Cherry’s sequel has a clear mission statement, but doesn’t seem to consider the consequences. 3/5 stars.' My review of Demonschool for Rock Paper Shotgun, included in RPS' Bestest Bests category. 'Demonschool review Saturday morning carcasses.'
November 22, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
radiantg.bsky.social
If you like Studio Ghibli, Knives Out, The Owl House, or Frankenstein, here’s what the creators are saying about A/I.

🚫 SAY NO TO GEN A/I 🚫
"Whoever creates this stuff has no idea what pain is. [...] I never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all. I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself. - Hayao Miyazaki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli was "utterly disgusted" when he was shown an A/I demo in 2016 Yeah, f*** A/I. It's something that's making everything worse in every single way - I don't get it. I mean, I get it in a 'This makes sense to save money by not paying artists' way? But then, what the f*** are we doing? Is this where we want to be?" RIAN JOHNSON ON THE USE OF A/I Hollywood Dana Terrace Unsubscribe from Disney+, Pirate Owl House. I don't care. Fu*k gen A/I NEWS THE OWL HOUSE CREATOR DANA TERRACE ON DISNEY + SOON HAVING A/I-GENERATED SHORT-FORM CONTENT FROM USERS Source: X | ®DanaTerrace @FandomWire | FandomWire.com Guillermo Del Toro “I'D RATHER DIE THAN USE GENERATIVE A/I.”
November 22, 2025 at 3:14 AM
brianbarnett.bsky.social
watching videos about Fred Rogers

saw some comments

if you wanna know why i love him, its doing things like this

if there was a Superman in the real world, Mr. Rogers is what he'd be like
November 22, 2025 at 2:14 AM
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
themountaingoats.bsky.social
re: roblox dude's interview crashout. the thing he wants to say but can't is "at scale, kids are gonna get hurt. that is the price for scale." the thing nobody wants to say out loud is "maybe scaling to a level where harm isn't manageable is bad, and scale should be contained"
November 21, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
kiaspeaks.us
My favorite piece of content today.
actuallychloehayes › millennials 20h serious question for the millennials... my older cousin said she used to 'burn' cds for her crush. like... with ? was that a ritual? did it work? you guys were literally practicing witchcraft just to get a text back. i'm scared of y'all. Q 2.9K
November 21, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
culturecrave.co
"Fuck AI. It’s something that’s making everything worse in every single way — I don’t get it ... what the fuck are we doing?"

— Rian Johnson

(via THR)
November 21, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
skyboxcritics.com
“Anyone can become anyone they want to”: An interview with Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined producer Takeshi Ichikawa by @edgarallanbro.bsky.social

"I want them to feel like they’ve become a completely different person after playing this game."

Read on:
“Anyone can become anyone they want to”: An interview with Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined producer Takeshi Ichikawa
A sit-down conversation with one of the minds behind Square Enix's latest classic RPG remake, Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined.
skyboxcritics.com
November 21, 2025 at 11:31 PM
brianbarnett.bsky.social
People are already making tier lists for Season 5 of @marvel-rivals.bsky.social so you know what that means:

It's time for my first S5 aggregated tier list!

(Every character in every tier is ordered by total points, and each tier break represents a gap of 2 points)
November 20, 2025 at 7:10 PM
brianbarnett.bsky.social
Marvel Rivals has an update

I log in

See how far I am from Lord with Emma

Uhhhhhhhhhh, I think I see what changed...
November 20, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
unisongameshq.bsky.social
Thank you to @skyboxcritics.com for "diving down into the terrifying and mysterious Big Spooky Moon Mining Hole in Descent of Lunaris"

You can read the fun article here:
Can a Skybox Editor Find Readers After Risking Their Life in a Dungeon? Volume 7: Descent Of Lunaris preview!
A hands-on preview with Descent of Lunaris, a spooky sci-fi DRPG from new developer Unison Games and inspired by games like Wizardry, Shin Megami Tensei, and Yume Nikki.
skyboxcritics.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
skyboxcritics.com
The Skybox Podcast 16 is out on demand! We talk about Ball x Pit, Sonic the Hedgehog X DC Comics, Lumines Arise, Descent of Lunaris, and the weird, changing landscape of console exclusives. And other stuff, too.

Patreon: www.patreon.com/posts/ep-16-...

Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/1tLV...
Ep. 16 - Ball X Pit, Lumines Arise, Descent Of Lunaris OR "Kratos' Sekiro-Like Boss Fight Against The Hindu Stack Of Turtles" | Skybox
Get more from Skybox on Patreon
www.patreon.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
thatwitchmia.bsky.social
I know it feels pointless to speak up against this. I know you feel like it won't matter. Still, it remains imperative that we call a spade a spade (or, in this case, a traitor a traitor).

The President of the United States is sprinting to normalize the murder of journalists and dissenters.
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 7d
Trump suggests Khashoggi had it coming: "You're mentioning someone that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about. Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen. But he knew nothing about it. You don't have to embarrass our guest."
November 18, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
ashlikeadragon.bsky.social
my latest review is out now!!! 💜

i absolutely adore demonschool and i feel very lucky for this review to be my first byline with rock paper shotgun, which has been a dream for a while

please give it a read!!! 💜
November 18, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
aaron.mn
Weird how our AI-boosting government is killing the IRS's free tax filing tool, only for the company who spent $3,720,000 on lobbying last year to sign a big AI integration deal for their tax software. Probably a coincidence.
moreperfectunion.bsky.social More Perfect Union @moreperfectunion.bsky.social · 7d
TurboTax is about to be integrated into ChatGPT, where customers will be guided through tasks tied to their tax filings or financial profile by the AI chatbot.

TurboTax owner Intuit is also paying OpenAI more than $100 million a year to power AI agents.
November 18, 2025 at 4:48 PM