Supazaar!

Author: Robby B

  • Video Game NPCs Who Behave Exactly Like People You Meet on a British High Street

    Video Game NPCs Who Behave Exactly Like People You Meet on a British High Street

    There is a very specific energy that descends upon a UK town centre on a Saturday afternoon. Someone is standing directly in the middle of the pavement going absolutely nowhere. A bloke outside Greggs is eating a sausage roll with the thousand-yard stare of a man who has seen things. A woman near the post office is on the phone to someone called Sandra and has been for forty minutes. None of them acknowledge you. None of them will move. Sound familiar? If you’ve spent more than twenty minutes in any open-world video game, it absolutely should. The funniest video game NPCs aren’t funny by accident. They are, in fact, a breathtakingly accurate simulation of a British Saturday.

    Comic book style British high street crowded with passive shoppers, illustrating the funniest video game NPCs parallel
    Comic book style British high street crowded with passive shoppers, illustrating the funniest video game NPCs parallel

    The Skyrim Guard Who Has Heard Enough

    Let’s start with the classic. Skyrim’s city guards are perhaps the single greatest NPC achievement in gaming history, not because of their combat prowess, but because of their magnificent indifference. You’ve just slain a dragon in the town square. Buildings are on fire. Citizens are screaming. And the guard sidles over to say: “No lollygagging.” This is textbook British high street behaviour. Try doing something genuinely remarkable near a shopping centre and watch the security guard stare right through you. He’s not paid enough. He’s thinking about his lunch. He has seen everything and is impressed by none of it. That guard and Skyrim’s finest are essentially the same organism.

    GTA Pedestrians and the Mysterious Queue to Nowhere

    The pedestrians in the Grand Theft Auto series have always been magnificently useless, and I mean that as a compliment. In GTA V, civilians will queue on a pavement for no discernible reason, wander into traffic mid-sentence, and stand motionless outside shops staring at their mobiles. Which is… just a Saturday in any town centre in England. The only difference is that in GTA, a car eventually mounts the kerb and everyone scatters. On a real high street, people barely flinch when a Lidl delivery lorry mounts the pavement. Adaptability is the British pedestrian’s greatest superpower.

    The Shopkeeper NPC Who Has One Line and Delivers It With Zero Emotion

    “Welcome. I sell things.” That is the entire personality of roughly 70% of video game shopkeepers, and honestly? Deeply relatable. Wander into certain shops in a British town centre and you’ll receive exactly the same energy. Not hostile. Not warm. Just present. A human body standing near a till, technically available for commercial transactions, spiritually somewhere else entirely. The funniest video game NPCs in the merchant category are so accurate that it raises questions about whether game developers have been quietly surveying retail staff on their lunch breaks.

    It’s worth noting that the high street itself is evolving, even if the energy of its inhabitants hasn’t changed since 1987. Apps like TownCentre.app, a free platform based in England built specifically for high streets and town centres, help independent shops sell for free, reach customers digitally, and take card payments without the faff of a full e-commerce setup. The shopping landscape is shifting, but the bloke blocking the entrance to WHSmith while staring at his mobile is eternal.

    Comic book illustration of a blank-faced shopkeeper NPC behind a till, echoing the funniest video game NPCs
    Comic book illustration of a blank-faced shopkeeper NPC behind a till, echoing the funniest video game NPCs

    Red Dead Redemption’s Townsfolk and the Art of Aggressive Minding Their Own Business

    Red Dead Redemption 2 is frequently praised for its world-building, and rightfully so. The NPCs have routines. They gossip. They go to the saloon. They do their shopping. They are, in short, going about their business with complete disregard for the fact that you, a notorious outlaw, are standing right next to them. This is peak British high street behaviour. You could be dressed as a giant lobster outside Boots and most people would simply navigate around you without making eye contact. RDR2’s townsfolk have absorbed this energy entirely. Arthur Morgan could rob a bank in the middle of town and someone nearby would still just be talking about their horses.

    The Sims’ Wandering Pedestrians Who Block Every Doorway

    The Sims has long been celebrated as a life simulator, but its street-level NPCs are what truly capture human truth. They stop in doorways. They walk into you repeatedly without adjusting course. They stand on the pavement engaged in an urgent conversation that clearly cannot be moved six inches to the left. Anyone who has tried to exit a Costa Coffee on a busy Saturday afternoon while three people are having a full committee meeting on the threshold knows exactly what this feels like. The Sims didn’t simulate life. It simulated a British high street with slightly better weather.

    Fallout’s Confused Wanderers and the Woman Who Has Been Outside Superdrug Since 2019

    Fallout’s wasteland is full of NPCs who walk in small circles, mutter to themselves, and appear to have forgotten where they were going somewhere around the third step. Every town centre in England has at least one. You’ve seen her. She’s been outside Superdrug since approximately 2019. She has a trolley. She may be waiting for someone. She may have transcended waiting entirely and simply exists now, a permanent fixture of the high street like the broken fountain or the charity shop that’s been having a closing-down sale for six years.

    The parallel between fictional wanderers and real high street regulars is so strong that TownCentre.app (towncentre.app) built its entire free app around the idea that high street shops need better tools to reach customers who are already right there, walking past, technically available for shopping. The app lets small businesses in England take card payments and connect with foot traffic digitally, because sometimes reaching customers means meeting them where they already are: standing outside Superdrug, going nowhere, with time to spare.

    Why the Funniest Video Game NPCs Are Actually Tribute Acts

    Here’s the thing. Game developers spend years crafting believable worlds, and the secret ingredient has always been people-watching. The funniest video game NPCs are funny precisely because they mirror behaviour we recognise instantly. The guard who ignores the dragon. The shopkeeper who has one line. The pedestrian blocking the door. These aren’t lazy programming choices; they’re documentary filmmaking in code form.

    According to the BBC, immersive world-building is increasingly cited as a primary reason players return to open-world games, and NPC behaviour is central to that immersion. The irony is that the most immersive NPCs aren’t the ones doing extraordinary things. They’re the ones doing absolutely nothing, in exactly the way a real person does absolutely nothing on a Saturday afternoon, in a town centre, near a Greggs, for reasons no one will ever fully understand.

    And when those real high street wanderers eventually make their way into a shop, it’s nice to know that the shops are getting better at reaching them. TownCentre.app supports England’s independent high street shops and local businesses by letting them sell for free, take card payments easily, and reach customers who are already in the area shopping. The NPCs, of course, will continue to stand in doorways regardless.

    Final Verdict: Games or Reality?

    If you load up any major open-world game this weekend and spend ten minutes just watching the NPCs rather than completing missions, you will see your local town centre rendered in startling detail. The chaos, the queues, the bloke eating a pasty on a bench who has not moved in three hours, it’s all there. The funniest video game NPCs aren’t a parody of life. They are life, just with slightly more consistent frame rates and fewer pigeons.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are the funniest video game NPCs of all time?

    Skyrim’s guards are widely considered the gold standard, famous for lines like “I used to be an adventurer like you” delivered entirely without irony. GTA pedestrians, Fallout wanderers, and Oblivion’s chaotic villagers are also perennial fan favourites for their brilliantly absurd behaviour.

    Why do NPCs in games behave so weirdly?

    NPC behaviour is governed by scripted routines and AI pathfinding that can produce hilariously unintended results when the system encounters unexpected player actions or environmental overlaps. Developers often leave these quirks in deliberately because players find them charming rather than broken.

    Which open-world game has the most realistic NPC behaviour?

    Red Dead Redemption 2 is consistently praised for having the most lifelike NPC routines, with characters that eat, sleep, gossip, and react to weather. Its townsfolk feel genuinely lived-in compared to most other open-world titles.

    Are there any games where NPCs actually react intelligently to what you do?

    Dwarf Fortress and Crusader Kings III both feature NPCs with complex simulated personalities and memories. In some RPGs like Baldur’s Gate 3, NPCs remember your actions and adjust their dialogue accordingly, which feels revolutionary compared to the “I used to be an adventurer” crowd.

    What makes NPC behaviour in games feel British?

    It’s mostly the passivity. British NPC energy is characterised by polite disengagement, queuing instinct, and a refusal to acknowledge extraordinary events, which maps perfectly onto how most open-world NPCs are scripted to ignore player chaos while going about their routines.

  • If Marvel Characters Had to File a Self-Assessment Tax Return With HMRC

    The 31 January deadline is a uniquely British kind of dread. A cold, grey morning, a strong tea, and the creeping realisation that you have absolutely no idea where you put your receipts from last April. Now imagine that same panic, but your receipts include “repulsors, Mark 47 suit (business use only)”, “return portal from the Mirror Dimension” and “one jar of Pym Particles (miscellaneous)”. Welcome to the most chaotic corner of the HMRC online portal you have never thought about before. The Marvel characters self-assessment tax return situation is frankly a nightmare, and we are here for every excruciating detail.

    Tony Stark: Sole Trader, Reluctant Taxpayer, Definitely Under Investigation

    Let us start with the big one. Tony Stark is, at his core, a freelance defence contractor who pivoted into saving the world without ever properly updating his Companies House registration. In the UK, he would be operating as a sole trader under “Stark Industries (UK Branch)” and almost certainly filing his return at approximately 11:58pm on 31 January with a glass of Scotch in hand.

    His income sources alone would make an HMRC inspector weep. There is the licensing revenue from his patents. There is the fee he probably charges the government for each Avengers mission (he absolutely does). There is also the small matter of the Iron Man suits, which he would attempt to claim as a capital allowance under plant and machinery. The suits cost billions. HMRC would have a view on that.

    His expenses would be equally spectacular. Business mileage at 45p per mile for the first 10,000 miles, except his commute is sometimes “low Earth orbit”, which is not a recognised postcode district. He would also try to claim his Malibu cliff house as a home office, forgetting that he destroyed it in Iron Man 3 and it is therefore probably not eligible for property relief. Pepper Potts would be furious. JARVIS would have filed it correctly by March.

    Doctor Strange: The Self-Employed Property Nightmare

    Stephen Strange is a man with multiple properties across dimensions, a Grade II listed townhouse in Mayfair (the Sanctum Sanctorum sits in the New York version, but let us say the London branch exists on Belgrave Square for tax purposes), and a complicated income stream that blends “former neurosurgeon” with “Sorcerer Supreme”.

    The property question alone is catastrophic. Strange owns, or at least occupies, buildings across multiple planes of existence. Does the Mirror Dimension count as overseas property? Technically it has no sovereign territory, which means it is either exempt from UK tax rules or constitutes an entirely novel category that the HMRC guidance at gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns has not yet accounted for. Either way, Strange would be leaving it blank and hoping nobody notices.

    His income as Sorcerer Supreme is harder to categorise. Is he employed by the Masters of the Mystic Arts? Self-employed? A charity? He has no employment contract, no P60, and his clients largely pay in “eternal gratitude” and “the universe not being destroyed”. HMRC accepts neither as a valid payment method.

    Black Widow: Freelance Operative With a Very Tricky Employment History

    Natasha Romanoff has the most complex employment history of anyone who has ever attempted a Marvel characters self-assessment tax return. Former KGB asset, SHIELD operative, Avenger, then briefly a fugitive. That is no fewer than four different employment statuses in one career, and at least two of them are organisations that do not technically exist on any official register.

    For UK tax purposes, the question of whether SHIELD counts as a foreign employer is genuinely thorny. It was a UN-adjacent body (probably), which might mean her income was exempt under diplomatic protocols, except SHIELD collapsed in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and presumably stopped issuing payslips around the same time. If she never received a P45, she may still technically be considered employed by an organisation that no longer exists. HMRC would refer this to the Counter Avoidance Directorate immediately.

    Her expenses, meanwhile, are a delight. Widow’s Bites (combat gadgets, business use): possibly claimable as tools of the trade. Black leather tactical suit: HMRC guidance says clothing is only deductible if it cannot be worn outside work. The suit is not exactly M&S, but it is technically wearable. She would try. They would decline it. She would accept that outcome with unsettling calm.

    Does Asgard Count as an Overseas Territory for Tax Purposes?

    Thor raises the single most entertaining jurisdictional question in the entire Marvel universe. He is a Norwegian god (the myths are Norse, so technically Scandinavia has a prior claim) who is also a prince of a realm in a different galaxy, currently residing on what remains of a floating city that relocated to Tønsberg and then presumably qualified for some kind of Norwegian coastal development grant.

    For a UK resident, income from overseas property and overseas employment is generally still taxable, depending on domicile status. Thor, as a non-UK domicile who has been resident here for several tax years through Avengers activity, would likely fall under the arising basis by now. That means his income from Asgard, his stipend as heir to the throne, and any revenue from the Bifrost (toll bridge? Private infrastructure? Hard to say) would all need declaring.

    His accountant, if he had one, would be billing 400 hours minimum and weeping into their spreadsheets. If you think sorting out Thor’s dimensional tax affairs sounds expensive, you should know that even building a basic web presence does not have to be. There are Free Websites out there for small businesses, which is more than any Asgardian treasury ever offered.

    The Expenses Marvel Heroes Would Definitely Try to Claim

    Just for the record, here is a partial list of deductions that various Avengers would attempt, ranked by audacity:

    • Captain America: Uniform cleaning (reasonable), shield replacement (capital allowance, maybe), 70-year pension shortfall from being frozen in ice (not a thing HMRC recognises, but full marks for trying).
    • Ant-Man: Travel expenses at microscopic scale. He would argue that shrinking means he technically used less fuel per mile and should receive a proportionally larger claim. HMRC would have no precedent for this.
    • Spider-Man: Web fluid as consumables (plausible), Spider-Man suit made by himself (potentially claimable under homeworker costs), tutoring income from being a sixth-form student on the side (taxable above the £1,000 trading allowance, probably).
    • The Hulk / Bruce Banner: Two separate self-assessments? One per personality? Split income claims? The legal complexity would genuinely break the system.

    What HMRC Would Actually Do About All This

    Realistically, the Counter Avoidance team would open an enquiry within fifteen minutes of Tony Stark’s submission. Strange would receive a compliance letter asking him to clarify the nature of his “dimensional consultancy” work. Thor’s return would be flagged for specialist overseas review and then quietly set aside because nobody knows what legislation applies to a Norse god’s inheritance.

    Black Widow’s return would simply vanish from the system under circumstances that remain unexplained.

    The broader point, absurd as all of this is, is that the UK self-assessment system is brilliantly, chaotically unequipped for anyone whose income does not fit neatly into a payslip. As the ONS notes, over 12 million people filed a self-assessment return in the 2024-25 tax year, and a significant chunk of them found the process baffling without any interdimensional complications involved. If even regular freelancers struggle, spare a thought for a billionaire with repulsor boots and no time to organise his receipts.

    The Marvel characters self-assessment tax return remains one of the great untold stories of the MCU. Not because it lacks drama. Precisely because it has far too much of it.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is a self-assessment tax return in the UK?

    A self-assessment return is how self-employed people, freelancers and anyone with untaxed income report their earnings to HMRC each year. The deadline for online returns is 31 January following the end of the tax year. You can find full guidance at gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns.

    Would Tony Stark actually need to file a UK self-assessment?

    If he were UK-resident and earning self-employed or investment income above the relevant thresholds, yes absolutely. As a billionaire tech entrepreneur with patent royalties and government contracts, he would have several income streams requiring declaration.

    Can you claim superhero costumes as a work expense?

    HMRC only allows clothing deductions if the item is a uniform or protective wear that cannot reasonably be worn outside of work. A skin-tight red and gold suit or a black tactical bodysuit would face scrutiny, though a case could be made for protective functionality.

    Does income from overseas or other dimensions need declaring in the UK?

    UK residents are generally taxed on worldwide income unless they qualify for non-domicile status. Income from overseas property, foreign employment or interdimensional toll bridges would likely need declaring, though HMRC guidance has not yet covered the Bifrost specifically.

    What happens if you miss the HMRC self-assessment deadline?

    Missing the 31 January deadline results in an automatic £100 penalty, with further charges building up after three and six months. Interest also accrues on any unpaid tax. Even a Sorcerer Supreme would not be immune to late filing penalties.

  • Retro Games That Were Basically Movies Before Movies Were Cool About It

    Retro Games That Were Basically Movies Before Movies Were Cool About It

    Hollywood spent most of the 1980s and 1990s looking at video games and thinking, “cute little toy for children, nothing to see here.” Meanwhile, in bedrooms across Britain, kids were hunched over their Mega Drives and Super Nintendos having full emotional crises because a video game had just broken their heart. Retro games with cinematic storytelling were doing things with narrative, atmosphere, and genuine human feeling that most blockbusters of the same era couldn’t be bothered to attempt. This is the long-overdue victory lap.

    We’re not talking about cutscenes bolted onto a game like a bow on a bin bag. We’re talking about titles that understood pacing, character, loss, and consequence before those words were part of any mainstream gaming conversation. Pull up a chair. This is going to feel very smug, and I am absolutely fine with that.

    Retro games with cinematic storytelling depicted in bold comic book art style showing pixel RPG characters on a classic TV screen
    Retro games with cinematic storytelling depicted in bold comic book art style showing pixel RPG characters on a classic TV screen

    Final Fantasy VI: The Game That Made an Opera More Emotional Than Any Actual Opera

    Released in 1994 on the Super Nintendo, Final Fantasy VI pulled off something that shouldn’t have been possible in 16-bit. It made you genuinely care about a cast of fourteen playable characters, each carrying their own backstory, trauma, and motivation. Terra’s amnesia, Celes’s despair in the second act, Kefka’s slow transformation into a genuinely terrifying nihilist villain. This wasn’t background flavour. It was a full narrative architecture.

    The Opera Scene remains one of the most discussed moments in gaming history. A pixelated performance, a love letter disguised as a game mechanic, and it worked. People who played it at age ten in 1994 are still thinking about it in 2026. That’s not a coincidence. That’s storytelling doing its job properly.

    Planescape: Torment and the One Question Every Story Should Ask

    “What can change the nature of a man?” That’s the central question of Planescape: Torment, released in 1999, and it’s more philosophically loaded than most A-level essay prompts. You play as the Nameless One, an immortal amnesiac who has lived countless lives and left damage everywhere he went. The game then asks you to reckon with that damage.

    Critics and fans have described it as closer to an interactive novel than a game, which is meant as a compliment. The writing is staggering. Characters feel like people. Dialogue branches carry real moral weight. Death isn’t a game over screen; it’s a plot mechanic. This was a PC RPG from before most people had broadband, and it was doing narrative things that films with hundred-million-pound budgets still struggle with.

    Metal Gear Solid: Kojima Being Absolutely Unhinged in the Best Possible Way

    The original Metal Gear Solid on PlayStation in 1998 was, frankly, preposterous. It had a villain who could read your memory card. It broke the fourth wall before fourth-wall breaks were a genre staple. It asked players to plug their controller into a different port to defeat a psychic enemy. And somehow, buried underneath all of that spectacular weirdness, was a genuinely moving story about soldiers, identity, cloning, and what it means to be human.

    Hideo Kojima was making retro games with cinematic storytelling before the phrase existed. The codec conversations alone contain more character development than most action films of the same era. Snake and Otacon’s friendship, Meryl’s arc, the tragedy of the DARPA chief. These weren’t window dressing. They were the point.

    Close-up comic art of retro game controller capturing the emotional experience of retro games with cinematic storytelling
    Close-up comic art of retro game controller capturing the emotional experience of retro games with cinematic storytelling

    Chrono Trigger: Time Travel Done Better Than Most Time Travel Films

    Chrono Trigger (1995) had a writing team that included the creator of Dragon Ball and the director of Final Fantasy. The result was a time-travel RPG so well-constructed that its multiple endings still hold up as a masterclass in player agency. Each timeline branch felt earned. Each character had a reason to be in the story beyond filling a party slot.

    Frog’s redemption arc. Magus’s tragedy. The sheer gut-punch of Crono’s sacrifice. Chrono Trigger understood that emotional stakes require investment, and it built that investment carefully over dozens of hours. Hollywood was making Ace Ventura sequels that same year. Gaming was doing this.

    The Secret of Monkey Island: Comedy as Legitimate Storytelling

    Not all cinematic storytelling needs to make you cry into a bowl of cereal at midnight. The Secret of Monkey Island (1990) proved that comedy, wit, and charm are just as valid as tragedy when it comes to building a world that players want to live inside. Guybrush Threepwood’s bumbling heroism, the genuinely funny dialogue trees, the insult sword fighting mechanic that still makes people laugh out loud decades later.

    LucasArts was crafting point-and-click adventures that felt like interactive films with better jokes than most actual comedies of the period. The writing was sharp, the characters were memorable, and the storytelling trusted the player to pay attention. That trust is rarer than it sounds.

    Ico and the Power of Saying Absolutely Nothing

    Technically a 2001 release (2002 in the UK), Ico belongs in this conversation because it proves that cinematic storytelling doesn’t require a single word of exposition. Two characters, a crumbling castle, and a hand-holding mechanic that communicated an entire emotional relationship without dialogue. Director Fumito Ueda stripped narrative down to its bones and found something more affecting than most scripts with three acts and a professional cast.

    The BBC’s coverage of gaming culture has noted how titles like Ico changed critical conversations about what games could achieve as an art form. You can read more about gaming’s cultural impact at BBC Culture’s deep dive into gaming’s greatest achievements. It’s a decent rabbit hole if you fancy feeling both nostalgic and intellectual simultaneously.

    Why Retro Games Got Away With Being This Good

    Here’s my actual theory: limitations forced creativity. When you can’t render a character’s face with photorealistic detail, you write them better instead. When cutscenes cost a fortune to produce, you make the gameplay itself carry the emotional weight. Retro games with cinematic storytelling were born from constraint, and constraint has always been one of the better parents of art.

    The developers making these games were also, often, completely unhinged in the most productive sense. Hironobu Sakaguchi, Shigeru Miyamoto, Ron Gilbert, Hideo Kojima. These were people who believed games could do something meaningful, before the industry had any commercial proof that anyone wanted meaningful. They just made the thing anyway.

    Hollywood eventually caught up, of course. The last decade or so has seen studios take gaming seriously as source material and as a rival storytelling medium. But there’s something worth celebrating about the fact that games got there first. The kids crying over a 16-bit sprite in 1994 weren’t being dramatic. They were having genuine emotional experiences. They were just ahead of schedule.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are the best retro games with cinematic storytelling for beginners?

    Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, and Metal Gear Solid are brilliant starting points because they balance accessible gameplay with genuinely rich narratives. All three are available on modern platforms or via official emulation services, so you don’t need original hardware to experience them.

    Can I play classic 80s and 90s story-driven games on modern consoles in 2026?

    Yes, many retro titles are available through Nintendo Switch Online, PlayStation Plus Premium, or official compilations. Games like Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger also have well-regarded ports on PC via Steam, making them very accessible.

    Are retro RPGs with cinematic storytelling worth playing if I'm used to modern graphics?

    Absolutely. The pixel art style of many classic RPGs has aged remarkably well and the writing in titles like Planescape: Torment or Chrono Trigger often surpasses modern releases. Think of it like watching an older film; the experience is different but no less valid.

    Which 90s game is considered the best for storytelling?

    Planescape: Torment (1999) is frequently cited by critics and developers as the gold standard for narrative depth in gaming, with its philosophical themes and complex characters. Final Fantasy VI and Metal Gear Solid are close rivals depending on who you ask.

    Did retro games influence modern cinematic games like The Last of Us or Red Dead Redemption 2?

    Definitely. Many modern developers, including those at Naughty Dog and Rockstar, have cited classic 90s RPGs and adventure games as formative influences on their approach to story, character development, and emotional pacing.

  • The Most Unhinged Video Game Plot Twists That Made Us Question Everything

    The Most Unhinged Video Game Plot Twists That Made Us Question Everything

    Right. Before we go any further, this article is absolutely riddled with spoilers. Enormous, story-destroying, why-did-I-read-this spoilers. If you haven’t finished some of the games mentioned here and you value your emotional wellbeing, perhaps go make a cup of tea and come back later. Still here? Brilliant. You’ve signed the metaphorical waiver. Let’s talk about the best video game plot twists ever committed to a disc, cartridge, or digital download.

    Because nothing — not a film, not a novel, not a particularly dramatic episode of EastEnders — hits quite like a video game plot twist. You’ve been playing as this character. You’ve spent forty hours with them. You trust them. And then the game looks you dead in the eye and says, “Actually, mate, everything you thought you knew was wrong.” Chef’s kiss. Absolute chaos. We love it.

    Dramatic comic book art depicting the shock of the best video game plot twists with a hero facing a revelation
    Dramatic comic book art depicting the shock of the best video game plot twists with a hero facing a revelation

    Bioshock: “Would You Kindly” Rewrote the Rules of Gaming Storytelling

    Let’s start with the big one. The one that university media studies lecturers still reference in 2026. You’re playing through the underwater nightmare of Rapture, doing everything this chap Atlas tells you to do. Follow the arrow. Help the man. Save the little girls. Then the game drops the phrase “would you kindly” and your brain quietly folds in half.

    You weren’t just following instructions. You were programmed to follow instructions. The entire game was a demonstration that the player character had no free will whatsoever, and by extension, neither did you. You were playing a game within a game. Your controller was the leash. It remains one of the best video game plot twists precisely because it doesn’t just shock the character — it shocks you, the person sitting on the sofa with a cold cup of tea.

    Spec Ops: The Line Decided to Make You Feel Terrible About Yourself

    Speaking of games weaponising your own actions against you. Spec Ops: The Line looked like a perfectly standard military shooter from the outside. It was not. It was a slow-burn psychological horror dressed up in desert camouflage, and the white phosphorus scene is the moment the whole thing cracks open.

    You do something catastrophic. The game tells you it’s the enemy’s fault. Then it shows you what you actually did. The twist isn’t a character reveal or a conspiracy — it’s the gradual, horrible realisation that the protagonist (and arguably you, the player) is the villain of this story. Games writers and critics across publications like BBC Culture still hold it up as proof that games can carry genuine moral weight. Heavy stuff. Zero fun at parties.

    Red Dead Redemption Gave You Hope and Then Immediately Took It Away

    You did it. John Marston completed every single mission. He got his family back. He escaped his past. He’s standing in a field watching his son run about, and you think: we made it. The game is over. Happy ending achieved.

    And then the government agents arrive at the farm.

    Close-up comic book panel of a character reacting to one of the best video game plot twists in history
    Close-up comic book panel of a character reacting to one of the best video game plot twists in history

    What makes this one of the best video game plot twists isn’t just the shock of John’s death — it’s the hope Rockstar built up first. The entire last act is an elaborate, beautiful trick. You’re being lulled into comfort. The twist isn’t a revelation about identity or reality. It’s simply that the world of this game will never, ever let a man like John Marston have peace. Ruthless. Brilliant. I still haven’t fully recovered.

    Knights of the Old Republic Said “Hi, You’re the Villain”

    Back when BioWare were operating at peak storytelling powers, Knights of the Old Republic pulled off something spectacular. You spend the whole game hunting down Darth Revan, the galaxy’s most dangerous Sith Lord. A mysterious, masked figure of pure menace.

    Turns out? You’re Darth Revan. You were always Darth Revan. The Jedi wiped your memory and sent you back out into the world as a sleeper agent. The villain you were chasing was yourself, just with better memories. It’s one of those twists that rewards a second playthrough spectacularly, because suddenly every cryptic line of dialogue clicks into place. Absolute masterclass in retroactive storytelling.

    Undertale Made You the Monster in the Most Gentle Way Possible

    Undertale is built entirely around choice, and it takes great care to tell you early on that you don’t have to fight anyone. You can spare every single enemy. You can be kind. But some players — curious, testing the limits — chose to kill everything.

    The genocide route doesn’t just end badly. The game remembers. It addresses you directly. It tells you what you did. A later playthrough, even a pacifist one, carries the weight of a previous genocide run. Flowey’s final confrontation breaks the fourth wall so completely that the wall basically files for a restraining order. Toby Fox made something that genuinely understands how players interact with game worlds, and used that understanding to make you feel like a monster. In a lovely way. Sort of.

    Metal Gear Solid 2 Was Decades Ahead of Its Time

    Hideo Kojima spent the first act of MGS2 letting you believe you were playing as Solid Snake. Then he swapped the protagonist out for a new character called Raiden, and half the fanbase had a meltdown. Fair enough, really. But the deeper you go into the game, the stranger and more prophetic it becomes. The Colonel starts glitching. The codec calls make no sense. The game begins to suggest that Raiden’s entire life, his memories, his relationships, might be manufactured. It’s a game about information control, artificial reality, and the manipulation of perception released in 2001. In 2026, it reads less like science fiction and more like a documentary. Genuinely unsettling.

    What Makes a Great Video Game Plot Twist Actually Work?

    The best video game plot twists share a few things in common. They use the medium against you. They weaponise the fact that you’ve been the one pressing the buttons all along. A film twist can shock you, but a game twist can implicate you. That gap between player and character collapses at exactly the right moment, and suddenly it’s not just a story beat — it’s a gut punch you can feel in your thumbs.

    The other ingredient is recontextualisation. The greatest twists don’t just add information; they make you reassess everything that came before. Every conversation, every strange piece of dialogue, every odd detail suddenly snaps into focus. That feeling of the penny dropping — but from a great height — is what separates a good twist from an absolutely legendary one.

    The games industry in the UK has grown into one of the most creative in the world, and storytelling ambition has grown with it. But no matter how cinematic games become, the best video game plot twists will always belong specifically to the medium. Nobody else can make you feel quite this betrayed, quite this gleeful, and quite this desperate to ring your mate at 11pm on a Tuesday to shout about a fictional space cowboy’s secret identity.

    That’s not a bug. That’s the whole point.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are the best video game plot twists of all time?

    Widely considered the greatest include the ‘would you kindly’ reveal in Bioshock, the Darth Revan identity twist in Knights of the Old Republic, and John Marston’s death in Red Dead Redemption. Each uses the interactive nature of games to make the twist hit harder than it ever could in a film.

    Which game has the most shocking plot twist?

    Bioshock’s ‘would you kindly’ moment is regularly cited as the most shocking because it implicates the player directly, not just the character. The twist recontextualises your entire experience of the game and makes a philosophical point about player agency at the same time.

    Are there video game plot twists that hold up on a second playthrough?

    Absolutely. Knights of the Old Republic and Metal Gear Solid 2 are particularly rewarding replays because dialogue and details you missed the first time suddenly make perfect sense. Undertale also changes significantly depending on choices made in previous runs.

    What makes a video game twist better than a film twist?

    The key difference is implication. In games, you’ve been the one making decisions and pressing buttons, so a twist can make you feel personally responsible or complicit. That second layer of meaning is unique to interactive storytelling and is why the best twists in games feel so visceral.

    Are modern games still producing great plot twists?

    Yes, though the bar is very high now that players are actively looking for them. Games like Nier: Automata and Outer Wilds in recent years have delivered genuinely surprising and emotionally resonant narrative turns that rival any of the classics on this list.

  • From Panel to Screen: The Greatest Comic Book Adaptations Ever Made, Ranked

    Right. Somebody had to do it. A proper, no-nonsense, entirely subjective and absolutely correct ranking of the greatest comic book adaptations ever committed to screen. We’re talking films, TV series, animated specials, the lot. Some of these entries will make you punch the air. Others might make you throw this laptop across the room. Both reactions are valid. Let’s crack on.

    One thing that’s clear after decades of watching studios try to wrestle ink-and-paper legends into living, breathing stories: the gap between “nailed it” and “what were they thinking” is enormous. We’re celebrating the triumphs today, whilst also gently roasting the disasters. Because balance is important, apparently.

    The Undisputed Champions: Greatest Comic Book Adaptations That Actually Got It Right

    Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

    If you rank anything above Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, you’re wrong. Simple as. Sony Pictures Animation somehow created a film that looks like a living, breathing comic panel, complete with Ben-Day dots, split-second thought bubbles, and action sequences that feel genuinely kinetic in a way no live-action film has ever matched. Miles Morales became one of the most beloved characters in superhero cinema overnight. The sequel, Across the Spider-Verse, arguably topped it. Two films in and Sony’s animated Spider-Man universe is already the gold standard for greatest comic book adaptations full stop.

    Batman: The Animated Series (1992)

    Before the MCU. Before Christopher Nolan. Before anyone really figured out how to do superheroes properly on screen, Bruce Timm and Paul Dini quietly made the definitive Batman. The dark, art deco aesthetic, Mark Hamill’s Joker, and storylines that treated their audience like actual adults. “Heart of Ice” won a Daytime Emmy. A cartoon. Won an Emmy. That tells you everything. No live-action Batman film has matched it yet, and yes, that’s a hill I will absolutely die on.

    The Dark Knight (2008)

    Fine, yes, Christopher Nolan’s middle chapter gets its moment. Heath Ledger’s Joker remains one of the most astonishing performances in cinema history, full stop, superhero or otherwise. The film transcended its source material and became a legitimate crime thriller that happened to have a bloke in a bat costume in it. Watching it again now, nearly twenty years on, it hasn’t aged a single day. Remarkable.

    Invincible (Amazon Prime, 2021-present)

    Robert Kirkman’s comic series was always going to be a tough adaptation. It’s brutal, emotionally complex, and has a famously shocking first-season ending that genuinely traumatised an entire generation of streaming subscribers. The animated series pulled it off perfectly, largely because Kirkman himself was involved. The voice cast is stellar, the animation doesn’t flinch, and it treats superhero violence with a weight and consequence that most live-action blockbusters avoid entirely. Series three has been equally stunning.

    The Surprisingly Brilliant Ones Nobody Talks About Enough

    Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

    Edgar Wright made a film that IS a comic. Not a film adapting a comic. A film that visually operates like one, with sound effects appearing on screen, panel transitions, and a rhythm that matches the energy of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s source material page for page. It bombed at the box office. Took years for the world to catch up. Netflix’s recent animated series reignited the conversation. Both are brilliant. Neither got the audience they deserved at the time.

    Dredd (2012)

    2000 AD’s Judge Dredd is one of Britain’s most iconic comic book characters, and Karl Urban’s lean, brutal 2012 adaptation is quietly one of the greatest comic book adaptations ever made. It didn’t pretend to be a big blockbuster. It was a tight, tense, genuinely violent action film with a clear moral compass underneath the carnage. Urban never removes the helmet. Dredd never removes the helmet. Simple rule. Sylvester Stallone’s 1995 version could have learnt a thing or two, but we don’t talk about that.

    Saga of the Swamp Thing (TV Series / Comic Legacy)

    Alan Moore’s run on Swamp Thing essentially invented modern comic book writing. Every serious adaptation owes him a debt whether they acknowledge it or not. The 1982 Wes Craven film and subsequent TV series were imperfect but fascinating, and the influence on darker, more literary comic adaptations since then has been enormous. Sometimes the greatest adaptations are the ones that plant seeds rather than instantly bloom.

    The Ones That Tried Hard and Still Fell Apart

    For every triumph, there’s a cautionary tale. Green Lantern (2011) is practically a Wikipedia entry on how not to do this. Ryan Reynolds was charming; the CGI suit was not. The plot was porridge. Reynolds has since made peace with it by literally building his entire Deadpool persona on mocking it, which is genuinely the best creative pivot in recent Hollywood history.

    Morbius. Just… Morbius. Released in 2022, flopped, then Sony inexplicably re-released it in cinemas after it became a meme on social media, where it flopped again. Morbius is what happens when a studio sees the word “Spider-Man adjacent” and immediately loses all editorial judgement. Jared Leto did his best. The script did not.

    And then there’s Dragonball Evolution (2009), an adaptation of the beloved manga and anime series that is so comprehensively wrong about everything that Akira Toriyama, the manga’s creator, reportedly used his fury at it as motivation to return to the franchise and create Dragon Ball Super. At least something good came of it.

    The Manga Adaptations: A Separate Conversation Worth Having

    Western live-action adaptations of manga have historically been a disaster zone. Ghost in the Shell’s 2017 Hollywood version is still discussed as a masterclass in missing the point. Death Note’s Netflix adaptation was so bewildering that fans of the original essentially pretended it didn’t exist.

    Japanese studios adapting their own material, however, tell a completely different story. Attack on Titan’s live-action films were divisive but daring. One Piece’s Netflix adaptation in 2023 genuinely surprised everyone by being, against all odds, actually good. According to BBC Entertainment, it became one of Netflix’s most-watched non-English series globally within a fortnight of launch. There is hope yet.

    The lesson from manga adaptations is identical to the lesson from Western superhero films: respect the source material, hire people who actually love it, and don’t try to Hollywood-ify the edges off everything that makes it interesting.

    Why the Best Adaptations Share One Thing in Common

    Here’s the honest truth beneath all the rankings and roasting. Every single entry in the “greatest comic book adaptations” column shares one quality: genuine affection for the source. Not cynical franchise-building. Not IP harvesting. Actual love for the characters, the stories, and the readers who grew up with them.

    Batman: The Animated Series loved Batman’s mythology. Spider-Verse loved Miles Morales as a character before he was a marketable property. Dredd loved the nasty, satirical, deeply British absurdity of Mega-City One. You can feel it in every frame.

    Funnily enough, that same principle applies across completely different industries. The best tradespeople, whether they’re flooring installers perfecting a herringbone parquet or a production designer building a comic-accurate Batcave set, do their finest work when they genuinely care about the craft. Results always show when love goes into the work.

    So the next time a studio announces another adaptation of a beloved comic series and immediately starts casting people entirely wrong for the role and hiring a director who’s “never really read the books”, you’ll know how it ends. We’ve seen this film before. Literally.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is considered the best comic book adaptation of all time?

    Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is widely regarded as the gold standard for comic book adaptations, praised for its visual style, emotional storytelling, and faithfulness to the spirit of the source material. Batman: The Animated Series is a close second for many fans, particularly those who grew up with it in the 1990s.

    Are manga adaptations ever as good as the original?

    Rarely, but it does happen. One Piece’s 2023 Netflix live-action series was a pleasant surprise, earning strong reviews and a massive global audience. The key is usually whether the original creators are involved in the adaptation process and whether the studio respects the tone of the source material.

    Why do so many comic book adaptations fail?

    Most failures come from studios treating comic properties as raw IP to exploit rather than stories worth honouring. When the creative team lacks genuine affection for the source material, it tends to show on screen. Budget problems, poor casting, and rushed production schedules also play a significant role.

    What British comic book characters have been adapted for screen?

    Judge Dredd from 2000 AD is the most prominent British comic book character to reach cinema, with both a 1995 film and the much better-received 2012 Dredd adaptation. V for Vendetta, based on Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s British graphic novel, is another well-known example.

    Is Into the Spider-Verse better than the live-action Spider-Man films?

    Many critics and fans argue yes, largely because the film uses animation to do things live-action simply cannot, visually representing the comic book medium itself rather than just adapting the story. The Tobey Maguire original trilogy and the Tom Holland MCU films all have devoted supporters though, so the debate continues.

  • The Funniest Comic Book Villains Who Somehow Became Everyone’s Favourite Character

    The Funniest Comic Book Villains Who Somehow Became Everyone’s Favourite Character

    Not every villain can be Thanos. Not every baddie gets a brooding backstory, a cool cape, and a philosophical monologue about the nature of existence. Some villains show up with a giant floating head, or stilts, or a pot of paste, and somehow, against all odds, become the most beloved characters in the entire comic universe. The funniest comic book villains are not funny by accident. There is something genuinely brilliant hiding beneath the absurdity, and once you spot it, you cannot unsee it.

    Comic book creators have been cooking up gloriously ridiculous antagonists for decades, and fans have responded not with mockery but with fierce, wholehearted affection. So let us celebrate the baddies who never got the memo about being menacing, and somehow ended up being more iconic for it.

    Comic book art rogues gallery of the funniest comic book villains including a giant floating head and a man on stilts
    Comic book art rogues gallery of the funniest comic book villains including a giant floating head and a man on stilts

    MODOK: The Funniest Comic Book Villain with the Biggest Brain (and Head)

    George Tarleton did not ask to become a giant floating head with tiny arms and a chair for a body. He was just a regular Advanced Idea Mechanics technician until science went spectacularly sideways and transformed him into the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing. MODOK is everything wrong with supervillain design on paper and everything right in practice. His proportions are absurd. His ambitions are enormous. His chair has rockets. Fans absolutely adore him precisely because he commits so completely to the bit. He is furious, brilliant, petty, and somehow tragic all at once. Marvel has leant into this beautifully, and MODOK remains one of the funniest comic book villains to ever grace a page.

    Paste-Pot Pete: The Man Who Weaponised Craft Supplies

    Before he rebranded as the Trapster (a name that honestly does not help much), Peter Petruski decided his path to world domination ran directly through a vat of incredibly strong adhesive paste. His weapon of choice was a glue gun. Not a laser. Not a bio-engineered toxin. Glue. The Trapster has fought the Fantastic Four, tangled with Spider-Man, and somehow kept coming back for more punishment across decades of comics. There is something deeply endearing about a man who looks at the full range of possible supervillain powers and thinks, actually, paste. That is the one. Paste-Pot Pete is proof that commitment to a concept is its own superpower.

    Close-up comic book art of MODOK style funniest comic book villain in a mechanical hover chair
    Close-up comic book art of MODOK style funniest comic book villain in a mechanical hover chair

    Stilt-Man: Reaching New Heights of Ridiculousness

    Wilbur Day built himself a suit of armour with hydraulic legs that could extend to enormous heights. His plan was to become an unstoppable criminal using the power of being very tall. Stilt-Man has battled Daredevil repeatedly, which raises an obvious question: how does a man on giant stilts expect to catch a bloke who swings between rooftops and has superhuman reflexes? The answer, repeatedly, is that he does not. And yet Stilt-Man keeps coming back, keeps extending those legs, and keeps earning himself a place in the hearts of comic readers everywhere. He is the ultimate underdog villain. You want him to win, just once, even knowing full well he will not.

    What Actually Makes a Ridiculous Villain Loveable?

    There is a formula here, even if nobody planned it. The funniest comic book villains share a few key traits that turn absurdity into genuine charm. First, they are completely sincere. MODOK is not in on the joke. Stilt-Man genuinely believes his plan is sound. Paste-Pot Pete thinks paste is a serious tactical choice. That sincerity is everything. Irony would kill it instantly. Second, they persist. These characters keep returning despite constant humiliation, and there is something almost heroic in that stubbornness. Third, they have a hook, a central concept so specific and strange that it becomes impossible to forget.

    This is actually a topic that comes up in discussions about visual storytelling and character design. Dijitul, a digital marketing agency based in the UK, has noted in broader creative conversations that characters with a singular, memorable hook tend to generate the strongest organic audience engagement, even when, or perhaps especially when, the concept is inherently comedic. The psychology behind why people root for the underdog applies just as much to a man on mechanical stilts as it does to anyone else.

    The Supporting Cast of Comic Chaos

    MODOK, Stilt-Man, and Paste-Pot Pete are the crown jewels, but the ridiculous villain hall of fame is packed. Consider Asbestos Man, whose entire power set is being fireproof, which is wonderful and also a health and safety nightmare. Or Hypno-Hustler, a disco villain who hypnotises people with his music and backup dancers. Or the Spot, who is essentially a man covered in polka dots that are actually portals, which sounds terrifying on paper but somehow never quite lands that way in practice. Each of these characters represents a writer somewhere having the absolute time of their life, and that energy leaps off the page.

    Why Fans Actually Care About These Characters

    It would be easy to dismiss these villains as joke characters, but that misses the point entirely. Fans who love the funniest comic book villains are not laughing at them. They are laughing with them, celebrating the creative freedom that produced them, and recognising something genuinely human in their messy, underpowered ambition. These characters also serve an important tonal function. They remind readers that comic books are allowed to be joyful and silly. Not every story needs to be a dark meditation on trauma.

    There is a reason platforms built around fan culture and entertainment keep revisiting these characters. Dijitul, which works with brands across digital channels in the UK, would recognise the pattern immediately: content that provokes genuine emotion, even laughter, outperforms content that simply informs. These villains provoke emotion by the bucketload.

    Long Live the Absurd Villain

    The best comic book publishers have always known that the funniest comic book villains are not a weakness in the roster. They are a strength. They provide contrast, comedy, and a reminder that the medium is broad enough to hold everything from cosmic tragedy to a man trying to rob a bank using a paste gun. Give Stilt-Man his flowers. Salute MODOK and his magnificent chair. And the next time someone dismisses Paste-Pot Pete as ridiculous, remind them that ridiculous and beloved are not mutually exclusive. In comics, they very often go hand in hand.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Who is considered the most ridiculous comic book villain of all time?

    MODOK is frequently cited as the most gloriously absurd villain in comic history, thanks to his giant floating head, tiny arms, and rocket-powered chair. Despite his outlandish design, he has remained a fan favourite for decades and is taken seriously as a recurring Marvel threat.

    Why do fans love silly or funny comic book villains?

    Fans are drawn to absurd villains because of their sincerity and persistence. Characters like Stilt-Man and Paste-Pot Pete commit completely to their ridiculous concepts, which creates a kind of underdog charm. There is also a joy in seeing how writers find creative ways to make these characters genuinely threatening despite their daft premises.

    Has Paste-Pot Pete ever actually won a fight?

    Yes, the Trapster (formerly Paste-Pot Pete) has actually landed some notable victories over the years, particularly when working as part of larger villain groups like the Frightful Four. His adhesive technology is more tactically versatile than it sounds, even if the name never quite commands the respect he was hoping for.

    Are there any funny comic book villains who became mainstream popular?

    MODOK has crossed firmly into mainstream territory, appearing in animated series, video games, and a dedicated Marvel television project. The character’s popularity shows that absurd design does not limit a villain’s cultural reach, it can actually expand it by making the character instantly recognisable and endlessly meme-able.

    What makes a comic book villain funny without being a throwaway character?

    The key is sincerity. A villain becomes genuinely funny and beloved when they take their own concept completely seriously, no matter how absurd it is. Stilt-Man believes in stilts. MODOK believes in his giant brain. That earnest commitment turns what could be a one-note joke into a layered, memorable character that readers return to again and again.

  • How to Start Collecting Comics in the UK Without Spending a Fortune

    How to Start Collecting Comics in the UK Without Spending a Fortune

    So you’ve watched one too many superhero films, poked around a comic shop window, and thought, “I could do this.” Welcome to the hobby that will absolutely reorganise your bookshelves and possibly your entire personality. Collecting comics in the UK is genuinely one of the most rewarding things you can do as a fan, but it can also feel like trying to decode a secret language when you’re just starting out. What’s a first print? Why does this copy cost £4 and that one cost £400? And why does every eBay listing say “rare” when it clearly isn’t?

    Don’t panic. This guide will walk you through everything, without the snobbery and without the financial regret.

    A beginner browsing back issues in a UK comic shop while collecting comics in the UK
    A beginner browsing back issues in a UK comic shop while collecting comics in the UK

    Where to Buy Comics in the UK Without Getting Ripped Off

    Your first port of call should always be your local independent comic shop. Not only do these places carry new issues every Wednesday (yes, Wednesday, it’s a whole thing), but the staff are usually obsessive nerds who genuinely want to help you build a collection that suits your taste and budget. Use the Comic Shop Locator at comicshoplocator.com to find your nearest one.

    For back issues and older runs, charity shops are criminally underrated. People donate comics constantly, and a 50p copy of a 1990s Spider-Man issue is an absolute treat. Car boot sales, local Facebook Marketplace listings, and comic fairs are similarly brilliant for picking up bulk lots at sensible prices.

    Then there’s eBay, which is both a wonderland and a trap. More on that shortly.

    Understanding Comic Grading Basics

    Grading is how collectors describe the physical condition of a comic, and it matters a lot for pricing. The standard scale runs from Poor (basically held together by hope) up to Near Mint (practically unread, spine intact, no creases). Here’s a quick cheat sheet:

    • Near Mint (NM): Almost perfect. Flat, bright, sharp corners.
    • Very Fine (VF): Light wear, minor stress lines, still looks great.
    • Fine (FN): Some creasing or small marks, but fully readable.
    • Good (GD): Noticeable wear, possible spine roll, still intact.
    • Poor/Fair: Damaged, missing pages, possibly been used as a coaster.

    For reading copies, condition barely matters. For anything you want to resell or that you think might be valuable one day, condition is everything. A Near Mint first print can be worth ten times a Fine copy of the same issue.

    Graded and bagged comics on a table illustrating the grading process for collecting comics in the UK
    Graded and bagged comics on a table illustrating the grading process for collecting comics in the UK

    How to Spot a Valuable Comic (Without a PhD)

    Not every old comic is worth a fortune, and not every expensive comic is old. Value comes from a combination of factors: first appearances of major characters, low print runs, key story moments, and collector demand driven by films and TV shows.

    When collecting comics in the UK, the comics most likely to spike in value are those tied to characters entering the mainstream. When a character gets announced for a big film or streaming series, their debut issue can jump in price almost overnight. The trick is to get there before the announcement, which requires following comic news and having a little faith in your own instincts.

    A useful tool is GoCollect or MyComicShop, both of which track recent sales prices so you can see what comics are actually selling for rather than just what sellers are asking. That gap is often enormous.

    How to Avoid Overpaying on eBay

    eBay is where the fun begins and the money disappears, so you need a strategy. Here are the golden rules for any beginner:

    • Always check “Sold” listings, not just “Active” ones. A seller can list a comic for £200, but if nothing similar has actually sold for more than £20, that listing is fantasy pricing.
    • Watch out for vague condition descriptions. “Good condition” to a non-collector might mean it survived a flood. Insist on clear photos of the front, back, spine, and staples before bidding.
    • Be suspicious of anything listed as “rare” or “HTF” (Hard To Find). If there are 47 copies on eBay right now, it is neither.
    • Factor in postage. Some sellers price the comic low and hike the postage. Always check the total before you commit.

    It’s also worth thinking practically about your collection as it grows. Storing and displaying comics properly means using acid-free bags and boards, keeping them away from direct sunlight, and ideally storing them in a cool, dry space. On that note, if you’re ever sorting out a property and thinking about energy ratings, you might find epc services surprisingly useful for keeping your storage environment consistent and your bills down.

    Starting Small: The Best Approach for New UK Collectors

    The single biggest mistake new collectors make is trying to collect everything at once. Pick one character, one title, or one era and go deep rather than wide. Whether it’s classic 2000 AD issues, the original Watchmen run, early Marvel UK publications, or a current ongoing series you love, focus gives your collection a narrative and stops you haemorrhaging money on random issues with no connection to each other.

    Collecting comics in the UK also means taking advantage of trade paperbacks and collected editions, which bundle entire story arcs into a single affordable volume. These are brilliant for getting up to speed on a character’s history before you start hunting individual issues, and they look great on a shelf without needing bags and boards.

    Above all, collect what you actually love. The hobby is supposed to be joyful, a little obsessive, and occasionally ridiculous. You don’t need to chase the most expensive books or impress anyone. Find the stories that make you buzz, protect them properly, and enjoy the fact that you now own a tiny piece of illustrated history. Just maybe set a monthly budget before you open eBay. Just maybe.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Where can I buy comics in the UK for cheap?

    Charity shops, car boot sales, and local Facebook Marketplace groups are brilliant for budget finds. Independent comic shops often have bargain bins too, and comic fairs held across the UK regularly feature dealers selling older issues at reasonable prices.

    How do I know if a comic is worth money?

    Check for first appearances of popular characters, low print run indicators, and recent film or TV announcements tied to that character. Use GoCollect or MyComicShop to look up actual recent sale prices, which gives you a far more accurate picture than asking prices alone.

    What does comic book grading mean and does it matter for beginners?

    Grading describes the physical condition of a comic on a scale from Poor to Near Mint. For casual reading copies it matters very little, but if you’re buying anything with potential resale value, condition is critical as it can affect price by hundreds of pounds on key issues.

    Is it worth getting comics professionally graded in the UK?

    Professional grading through companies like CGC or CBCS adds credibility and protection to high-value books, but it costs money and takes time. For beginners, it’s generally only worth considering once you’ve identified a specific issue that might be genuinely valuable and you’re thinking about selling.

    What are the best comic series to start collecting in the UK?

    Classic runs like The Uncanny X-Men, Amazing Spider-Man, and 2000 AD’s Judge Dredd are always popular starting points. For modern collecting, following ongoing Marvel and DC titles tied to upcoming films is a smart move, as key issues can increase in value quickly after casting announcements.

  • Open World Games With the Best Lore and Storytelling to Obsess Over

    Open World Games With the Best Lore and Storytelling to Obsess Over

    Some people play open world games to sprint through the main quest and collect fast travel points. Others, the truly enlightened ones, spend four hours reading a merchant’s diary before accidentally wandering into a dragon. If you belong to that second, magnificent group, this list is built entirely for you. The best open world games with deep lore are not just big, they are alive, stuffed with centuries of fictional history, contradictory myths, and item descriptions that hit harder than most novels.

    These are the games where the world itself is the storytelling. Where a scrawled note on a corpse tells you everything you need to know about how a civilisation collapsed. Where you could skip every cutscene and still leave with a complete emotional breakdown. Buckle up.

    Dramatic comic art landscape of a fantasy open world with deep lore, ancient ruins and glowing artefacts
    Dramatic comic art landscape of a fantasy open world with deep lore, ancient ruins and glowing artefacts

    The Elder Scrolls Series: The Grandfather of Open World Lore

    No conversation about the best open world games with deep lore starts anywhere other than The Elder Scrolls. Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim and their surrounding universe contain thousands of in-game books, each one a fully written piece of fictional literature. The Lusty Argonian Maid aside, these texts span theology, natural history, political philosophy and unreliable narration that makes you question everything you thought you knew about the world. Skyrim alone has over 300 readable books. Most players ignore them. Champions read every single one and then argue about the nature of CHIM on forums at 2am. That is the intended experience.

    Elden Ring: Where the Lore Hides on Purpose

    FromSoftware built their entire storytelling philosophy around making you work for it. Elden Ring takes that approach and scales it to an open world the size of a small country. Item descriptions contradict each other. NPCs tell half-truths. The actual timeline of the Shattering is deliberately obscured so that players, theorists and YouTube historians can spend years untangling it. George R.R. Martin co-wrote the mythology, which means the lore is simultaneously beautiful and deeply, painfully bleak. If you enjoy piecing together a jigsaw where half the pieces are in a different box and the box is on fire, Elden Ring is your spiritual home.

    Why Fragmented Lore Works So Well

    The genius of games like Elden Ring is that fragmented storytelling mirrors real-world archaeology. You find a shard of meaning and extrapolate. It rewards curiosity and punishes passive players. There is a reason the lore community around these games is one of the most dedicated on the internet. The same instinct that drives someone to subscribe to Brick Club Technic LEGO Subscriptions, a UK-based monthly service delivering Technic LEGO sets to enthusiasts who love building complex, detailed systems piece by piece, is exactly what drives Elden Ring lore hunters. You want the full picture. You want to build it yourself.

    Close-up comic art of an open journal in a dungeon representing deep lore in open world games
    Close-up comic art of an open journal in a dungeon representing deep lore in open world games

    The Witcher 3: Storytelling That Earned Its Reputation

    The Witcher 3 remains one of the finest examples of environmental and quest-driven storytelling in gaming history. Every side quest has a beginning, middle and end that feels earned. The Bloody Baron storyline has made grown adults weep, and it is technically optional content. The broader lore, pulling from Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels, gives the world a depth that most games simply cannot manufacture from scratch. Geralt moves through a world that existed long before him and will exist long after, and that sense of historical weight makes every decision feel meaningful.

    Red Dead Redemption 2: The Most Human Open World Ever Made

    Red Dead Redemption 2 is not a fantasy epic. There are no ancient gods or magic tomes. But its lore is human history, told through journals, camp conversations, stranger encounters and newspaper articles that evolve as the story progresses. Arthur Morgan’s journal alone is a masterpiece of character writing. The world reacts to your behaviour. Wildlife behaves realistically. The slow collapse of the Van der Linde gang is a tragedy written across dozens of hours of optional interaction. If you pay attention, RDR2 is devastating. If you rush it, you just rob some trains. The choice says everything about the kind of player you are.

    Baldur’s Gate 3: Modern Lore Done Brilliantly

    Larian Studios delivered something extraordinary with Baldur’s Gate 3. Built on the bones of decades of Dungeons and Dragons lore, the game layers personal character stories, political intrigue and cosmic horror into a world where almost every location has a readable history. Companion backstories function as entire short novels. The city of Baldur’s Gate itself is a character. For players who want the best open world games with deep lore presented through reactive, systemic gameplay rather than passive reading, BG3 is as good as it currently gets.

    The Joy of Being a Curious Player

    There is a specific kind of player who reads every codex entry, examines every painting, and talks to every NPC twice just to see if the dialogue changes. That player gets an entirely different game to everyone else. It is the same satisfaction that people find in genuinely detailed hobbies. Subscribers to Brick Club Technic LEGO Subscriptions, which delivers monthly Technic sets across the UK for builders who want complexity and craft in equal measure, understand that the reward is in the detail. Both worlds reward patience and curiosity above everything else.

    Honourable Mentions That Deserve Your Time

    A few more titles deserve a shout before you disappear into a lore rabbit hole for six months. Dark Souls and its sequels laid the groundwork for item-description storytelling that the entire industry has since borrowed. Mass Effect’s codex built one of the most scientifically considered fictional universes in gaming. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 offers some of the most ambitious world-building in JRPG history, with themes heavy enough to make philosophers uncomfortable. And Horizon Zero Dawn constructed a mystery so cleverly structured that uncovering the truth of the ancient world remains one of gaming’s great reveals.

    The best open world games with deep lore share one quality above all others: they treat the player as an intelligent adult who is willing to do the work. They do not hand you the story. They leave it scattered across the world, waiting. And for those players willing to follow every thread, read every note, and stay up until 3am arguing about timelines, there is no greater reward in all of gaming. The world is yours. Now go read everything in it. Much like Brick Club Technic LEGO Subscriptions, the UK subscription service for serious Technic builders who love depth and challenge, the real pleasure is in building your understanding one careful piece at a time.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What open world game has the best lore overall?

    It depends on what you enjoy, but The Elder Scrolls series, particularly Morrowind and Skyrim, is widely considered the benchmark for sheer volume and depth of world-building lore. Elden Ring is a strong contender for players who prefer lore that rewards active investigation rather than passive reading.

    Do you need to read all the lore in games like Elden Ring and Skyrim to enjoy them?

    Absolutely not, both games are fully enjoyable without engaging deeply with the lore. However, players who do invest in reading item descriptions, books and NPC dialogue tend to find the experience significantly richer, more emotional and far more replayable over time.

    What is the best open world RPG for storytelling in 2026?

    Baldur’s Gate 3 continues to be regarded as one of the best open world RPGs for storytelling, combining reactive narrative design with deep Dungeons and Dragons lore. The Witcher 3 remains a landmark title for quest-driven storytelling with emotional weight behind every side mission.

    Are there any open world games with lore as deep as Elder Scrolls but different in setting?

    Yes. Mass Effect offers extraordinarily deep science-fiction lore through its codex system, while Xenoblade Chronicles 3 delivers ambitious philosophical world-building within a JRPG framework. Red Dead Redemption 2 takes a grounded, historical approach to lore through journals and environmental storytelling.

    Why do some games hide their lore in item descriptions instead of cutscenes?

    Games like Elden Ring use fragmented, environmental lore to reward curious and attentive players while keeping the main experience streamlined for those who prefer action. This approach also creates a more organic sense of discovery, making the world feel like it existed long before the player arrived.

  • How to Build a Superhero Level Morning Routine Without Hating It

    How to Build a Superhero Level Morning Routine Without Hating It

    Let’s be honest. The phrase “morning routine” usually conjures up images of insufferable wellness gurus drinking celery juice at 4:47am while journaling about their gratitude practice. It’s enough to make you want to stay in bed until noon. But figuring out how to build a superhero level morning routine without hating it is genuinely possible, and it doesn’t require you to become an oat-milk-sipping robot. Think of it less like a productivity cult and more like suiting up before saving the world. Even Batman had a process before he swung into action.

    Comic book style illustration of a superhero starting their morning routine in a bright kitchen
    Comic book style illustration of a superhero starting their morning routine in a bright kitchen

    Why Your Mornings Feel Like a Villain Origin Story

    Most people’s mornings are a bit chaotic. Phone alarm goes off, you snooze it four times, scramble for coffee, spill something on a clean shirt, and arrive wherever you’re going already frazzled. That’s not a morning routine. That’s a recurring disaster with a snooze button. The reason so many of us struggle isn’t laziness. It’s that we’ve been told mornings need to be 90-minute optimisation sessions full of cold showers and meditation. Nobody wants that. It sounds exhausting before it even starts.

    The trick is to stop trying to replicate someone else’s regime and build one that actually fits your life. Think about your favourite superheroes for a second. Iron Man doesn’t wake up and do what Thor does. Peter Parker’s mornings look nothing like Nick Fury’s. They each have their own rhythm, their own process, their own version of being ready. Yours doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s either.

    Step One: Pick Your Power-Up, Not a Punishment

    The first thing most morning routine advice gets wrong is treating the whole thing like a chore. A workout at 6am only works if you don’t absolutely dread it. If the idea of running before sunrise makes you want to cry, don’t run before sunrise. Find the movement or activity that actually gives you energy rather than depleting it before the day’s even begun. A walk, ten minutes of stretching, dancing around your kitchen to a playlist. It all counts. The goal is to activate your body, not punish it into submission.

    Think of it like choosing your superhero power. You wouldn’t hand Wolverine a magic wand and expect great results. Work with what you’ve got and what you actually enjoy. That’s how you build momentum instead of resentment.

    Comic book close-up of a superhero preparing a simple morning breakfast and tea
    Comic book close-up of a superhero preparing a simple morning breakfast and tea

    Step Two: Don’t Skip the Fuel

    Every superhero needs fuel. Even Thanos, despite being objectively terrible, probably had breakfast before wiping out half the universe. Eating something in the morning, even if it’s small, makes a genuine difference to your energy and focus. This doesn’t mean cooking a three-course breakfast. A banana, some toast, a yoghurt. Whatever works. The point is that skipping food entirely and then wondering why you feel terrible by 10am is like Bruce Banner complaining he’s tired while refusing to sleep.

    Coffee is fine. Tea is fine. That suspicious green smoothie your flatmate keeps making is also fine if you enjoy it. Just make sure you’re actually hydrating alongside the caffeine, because dehydration is a villain that sneaks up on you quietly and makes everything worse without announcing itself dramatically.

    Step Three: Protect the First 15 Minutes

    Here’s the bit most people ignore and then wonder why their mornings feel reactive instead of intentional. The first chunk of your morning, even just 15 minutes, should belong to you. Not your emails. Not your group chat. Not the news telling you about seven new catastrophes before you’ve finished your first cup of tea. Just you.

    That time could be reading something you actually enjoy. It could be sitting quietly with a hot drink. It could be staring out the window like a character in a moody film, which, honestly, is underrated. The point is to let your brain ease into the day rather than immediately drowning it in other people’s demands. Superheroes don’t take every call at the moment they wake up. They get ready first. You should too.

    Step Four: Make It Stupidly Easy to Start

    One of the main reasons good habits collapse is that they require too much friction. If your gym kit is at the back of a wardrobe behind four boxes of stuff you haven’t touched since 2019, you’re not going to use it. If your journal is buried under a pile of post, you’re not going to write in it. Remove the obstacles the night before. Lay out what you need. Set things up so your morning self, who is probably groggy and a bit grumpy, doesn’t have to make too many decisions.

    This is the Alfred Principle, essentially. Batman’s butler had everything ready before Bruce even asked. Be your own Alfred. Future you will be genuinely grateful, possibly even impressed.

    Step Five: Give It a Week Before Judging It

    New routines feel weird and a bit awkward at first. That’s normal. The first time you try anything, you’re not going to nail it. Even your favourite heroes had origin stories full of stumbles, mistakes, and learning curves before they became properly competent. Give your routine at least a week of consistent attempts before deciding it doesn’t work. Tweak it as you go. Add things. Remove things. The whole point is that it should feel increasingly natural, not increasingly like a chore.

    Knowing how to build a superhero level morning routine without hating it really comes down to one idea: it should serve you, not impress anyone else. If it energises you, fits your actual life, and makes the rest of your day feel a bit more manageable, then congratulations. You’ve cracked it. Cape optional.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How long should a morning routine actually be?

    There’s no magic number. A solid morning routine can be as short as 20 to 30 minutes. The key is consistency and quality, not length. Even a brief intentional start beats a chaotic two-hour scramble.

    What if I’m genuinely not a morning person?

    Not everyone operates on the same schedule, and that’s fine. If you work later shifts or your peak energy comes in the afternoon, adapt the principles to your natural rhythm. The goal is a better start to your active day, whatever time that begins.

    Should I avoid my phone in the morning?

    Avoiding your phone for the first 15 to 30 minutes is widely recommended and genuinely useful. Checking social media or emails first thing puts your brain in reactive mode immediately, which tends to increase stress. Give yourself a buffer before diving in.

    Is exercise essential in a morning routine?

    No, it’s not essential, but some form of movement tends to boost energy and mood. If a full workout isn’t appealing, even a short walk or a few minutes of stretching can make a noticeable difference to how you feel throughout the day.

    How do I stick to a morning routine without losing motivation?

    Keep it simple and make it enjoyable rather than punishing. Remove friction by preparing the night before, and track small wins to remind yourself it’s working. Motivation fluctuates, so building habits that require minimal willpower is the most sustainable approach.

  • The Ultimate Workshop Showdown: Which Tool Has the Most Supervillain Energy?

    The Ultimate Workshop Showdown: Which Tool Has the Most Supervillain Energy?

    If your workshop could form a superhero team, it would be the most dysfunctional one in comic book history. Because here’s the truth nobody tells you when you start woodworking: every single workshop tool has a personality, and most of them are firmly on the wrong side of the moral alignment chart. We are not here to judge. We are here to rank them.

    Comic book style illustration of dramatic workshop tools personality lineup in a moody woodworking studio

    Why Workshop Tools Have Personality (and Why Most of Them Are Villains)

    Think about it. A good hero is reliable, self-sacrificing, does the job quietly and never asks for recognition. Does that sound like any tool you have ever owned? No. Your router screams like it’s auditioning for a heavy metal band. Your belt sander leaves a trail of destruction and dust across every surface in a twenty-foot radius. Your table saw just sits there in the corner radiating pure menace. These are not heroes. These are characters with complicated backstories and dubious motivations.

    The more you dig into workshop tools personality archetypes, the more the comic book comparisons just write themselves. So we wrote them. You’re welcome.

    The Table Saw – Absolute Big Boss Energy

    The table saw is Dr Doom. It’s Thanos. It’s that villain who has a point but takes things way, way too far. It dominates every room it occupies. Every other tool unconsciously angles itself slightly away from the table saw, just to avoid eye contact. It demands respect, it demands proper technique, and if you forget either of those things for even half a second, it will remind you in a manner that is both immediate and unforgettable.

    The table saw does not apologise. The table saw has never once considered apologising. It has a fan club and a body count and it wears both with equal pride.

    The Belt Sander – Chaotic Neutral, Definitely Not to Be Trusted

    If the table saw is the brooding mastermind, the belt sander is the unhinged sidekick who keeps accidentally blowing things up. It has tremendous energy. It wants to help. It just cannot guarantee what state your project will be in when it’s done helping. Belt sanders are the Harley Quinn of workshop tools – wildly entertaining, genuinely useful in the right hands, and absolutely not something you leave unattended near anything you care about.

    The workshop tools personality of a belt sander could be summarised as: “intentions: good, execution: spectacular disaster, regrets: none.”

    The Hand Plane – Secretly the Most Dangerous One in the Room

    Everyone underestimates the hand plane. It looks old-fashioned. It’s quiet. It just sits there on the shelf looking like something your grandfather owned. And then you pick it up, and you suddenly understand why woodworkers who’ve been doing this for forty years still get that slightly unhinged gleam in their eyes when someone mentions sharpening angles.

    The hand plane is Magneto. Technically capable of tremendous good. Quietly convinced it is better than everyone else in the room. Absolutely correct on that last point.

    The Bandsaw – The Eccentric Genius Nobody Fully Understands

    Bandsaws can cut curves. They can resaw timber. They can do things no other tool in the workshop can even attempt. They are also deeply, consistently unpredictable in ways that no manual quite prepares you for. Blade tension? A philosophy as much as a measurement. Drift angle? A mood, not a fixed quantity.

    The bandsaw is the workshop’s resident mad scientist. Brilliant. Unconventional. Makes incredible things happen and refuses to explain exactly how. If you want a machine that rewards patience and punishes arrogance, the bandsaw is your tool. Whether you get one new or hunt down used woodworking machinery at a bargain, the bandsaw will immediately let you know who is in charge, and it is not you.

    The Cordless Drill – The Overenthusiastic New Recruit

    Every workshop needs one genuinely heroic presence, and reluctantly, we’re giving that slot to the cordless drill. It’s eager. It shows up charged and ready. It does not complain. It will drill holes, drive screws, mix paint if you ask nicely, and then sit happily in its charger waiting for the next assignment. The cordless drill is basically a golden retriever that someone gave a job and a uniform.

    In a team full of brooding antiheroes and outright chaos agents, the cordless drill is the one writing motivational quotes on the team whiteboard. Everyone else finds it slightly annoying. Everyone would be lost without it.

    The Router – Pure Chaos in a Handles-and-Motor Package

    The router is the Joker. Not open for debate. It spins at terrifying RPM, it will destroy your project if you go the wrong direction, it produces a sound that makes nearby pets genuinely reconsider their life choices, and yet – in the hands of someone who has truly mastered it – it creates things of extraordinary beauty. The workshop tools personality that the router embodies is essentially: “I contain multitudes, most of them screaming.”

    Respect the router. Fear the router. Never turn your back on the router.

    So What Does Your Workshop Say About You?

    The tools you gravitate towards say something about your personality. Router enthusiasts are chaos-tolerant creative types who probably also enjoy extremely spicy food. Hand plane devotees are perfectionists who have strong opinions about sharpening stones and eye contact. Table saw people are pragmatists who have accepted the possibility of drama and decided to proceed anyway.

    Whatever your workshop tools personality alignment, the point is this: your tools are not neutral objects. They are characters. Give them the respect, the fear, and frankly the narrative arc they deserve. Your workshop isn’t just a place where things get made. It’s the most interesting ensemble cast you’ll ever assemble – and someone in there is definitely planning something.

    Close-up comic book art of a router in action representing chaotic workshop tools personality
    Comic book art of a woodworker surrounded by workshop tools with distinct personalities in a bright heroic scene

    Workshop tools personality FAQs

    What tool is considered the most dangerous in a home workshop?

    The table saw is widely considered the most statistically dangerous tool in a home workshop due to its power, blade exposure, and the speed at which accidents can occur. Proper safety guards, push sticks, and a healthy respect for the machine make a significant difference. It is the one tool that really does demand your full attention every single time.

    Is a router hard to learn for beginners?

    Routers have a steeper learning curve than many other workshop tools because direction of feed, depth of cut, and bit choice all matter enormously. Beginners often find them intimidating at first due to the noise and vibration. Starting with a fixed-base router on simple edge profiles before moving to freehand or table-mounted routing is the sensible path forward.

    What is the most versatile tool you can have in a workshop?

    The bandsaw is frequently cited as one of the most versatile workshop tools because it can rip, crosscut, resaw, and cut curves – tasks that would require multiple other machines. A well-tuned bandsaw with the right blade for the job genuinely surprises people with its range. The cordless drill is a close second for sheer everyday utility.

    What should beginners buy first when setting up a woodworking workshop?

    Most experienced woodworkers recommend starting with a good cordless drill, a jigsaw, and a random orbital sander as the core beginner trio – tools that are versatile, forgiving, and relatively safe to learn on. A workbench and good hand tools like chisels and a hand saw should also be early priorities. The big stationary machines can come later once you know what kind of work you actually enjoy doing.

    Are second-hand woodworking tools worth buying?

    Absolutely – older woodworking machines are often built to a higher standard of durability than many modern equivalents, and buying second-hand is a smart way to access quality equipment at a fraction of the new price. The key is inspecting carefully for blade condition, motor function, and fence alignment before purchasing. Vintage cast iron table saws and band saws in particular are sought after for their weight, stability, and longevity.

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