Fairy Tale Spotlight: Chex Quest 2 [Video Game Review]

"Chex Quest 2: Flemoids Take Chextropolis" is a video game developed by Digital Café. It was released in 1997. Unlike the first game, which actually came in a box of Chex cereal, you had to download this game from the internet at probably dial-up speeds. Well, I certainly was not going to do that, but many people still did. Also keep in mind that this game is really just a heavily modified copy of "Doom."

First off, let's start with a copy and paste of the story:

Chex Quest 2 starts with the Chex Warrior returning to his home planet and landing in Chex City. As he lands he notes with a little apprehension that everything is quiet... Too quiet. As he leaves his ship, it becomes apparent that the Flemoid threat has reached his homeworld! Grabbing his trusty zorcher again, he races to the rescue of his beloved home. Battling through a spaceport, a cinema, a museum, and through the city until he reaches the sewers, where he faces his biggest challenge yet: The Flemoidus Maximus! Download it now, and see if you can handle the heat!

The main difference here is that the game takes place on your home planet. This is a little like going from Doom to Doom II as far as story. Instead of "Hell on Earth," you now got the Flemoids taking over our cities. The best part of this sequel are the locations. The theater was cool. Each of the showrooms had a different film playing, although it was just a loop. Also the goofy movie posters in the lobby made me laugh.

My favorite mission was probably the museum. They showcased a bunch of classic paintings and sculptures that were modified to have Chex included in them somehow. Even though I was fighting a lot of enemies, I found myself stopping to just look at some of that art. It was very funny. Also the place really did feel like a museum.

I would say that the map design was better in the second game. Unfortunately, there are still only five maps. On the plus side, there are a lot more enemies in larger groups this time. It kept me on my toes for the entire run. The final fight was much improved by filling a huge room full of really tough enemies, but I still say that it was still not that great. If you have the LAZ Device in your inventory then you'll still blow through the fight pretty handily. I guess it was a nice try.

Other than a couple enemy changes, that's really all there is to say about "Chex Quest 2." It was good, and I should say that it is a little bit better than the first game. It improved on some things. I recommend it. If you are interested in playing it, it can be found in the mod browser of the excellent 
Doom+Doom II Remaster developed by NightDive Studios.

At the end of the game, they claim a third game is going to come out, but it never did... officially. Chex just decided to end the "Chex Quest" series before it could reach trilogy status. However, that didn't stop some people from making it anyways! I'll be playing that soon. If I can finish it, I'll write a review for it.

This blog was written on April 7, 2025.

Thank you for reading my blog! Did you enjoy it? Either way, you can comment below, or you can email me at tkwadeauthor@gmail.com. Also stop by my Amazon.com listing by clicking this link: https://www.amazon.com/T.K.-Wade/e/B07BQK9RTZ

Check out my books! Thanks!

Fairy Tale Spotlight: The Talking Parcel [Book Review]

"The Talking Parcel" is a book written by Gerald Durrell. It was published in 1974. It is a very obscure book these days. You are lucky to even find a copy. Apparently it has been out of print for quite some time, and it doesn't look like anyone really cares about it anymore. This is kind of sad since I really enjoyed reading it.

"The Talking Parcel" is a fairy tale to the tune of the Oz books. It revolves around three children, two boys and one girl---Peter, Simon, and Penelope. They find a wrapped parcel floating out on a beach, and when they open it up, there is a talking parrot (his name is actually just Parrot) inside who claims to be from a magical land called Mythologia. Apparently the land has been taken over by cockatrices, who are like large birds that shoot fire out of their beaks. And so the children agree to follow Parrot there in order to help free the people from the cockatrice's tyranny.

One thing you will notice about this story is that it is extremely British. It's in the way everyone talks, acts, and how they get along with one another. Parrot especially is the very pinnacle of a British gentleman. He even has a little umbrella and a pocket watch. He is probably my favorite character in a story that actually has a lot of endearing characters in it already.

There is a toad named Ethelred who fancies himself as a really good spy, even though everyone always sees through his disguises and lies. That said, he is actually really lovable and funny. The girl, Penelope, especially liked him because of how hard he seemed to be trying to be the perfect spy. I imagine Ethelred's creation was likely inspired by the Cold War which was happening at the time. Imagine that: a children's character based on the Cold War. It worked though!

Mythologia is a pretty good name for this fantasy world. Most of the creatures there are mythological animals such as unicorns, dragons, sea monsters, will-o'-the-wisps, werewolves, firedrakes, and mandrakes. There are also regular talking animals living there as well.

Hilariously there is a colony of extremely cowardly weasels. Oh my god, I loved the weasels. They were presented in such a cartoonishly, cowardly way with really good comedy beats. In fact, most of the humor is extremely spot on throughout this book. This is a very funny book that will put a smile on anyone's face. The author went into it with humor in mind, but it is still there to entertain the young child.

Did you know that "The Talking Parcel" was made into a feature length animated film? It came out in 1978, and I have watched it. It's pretty darn good, although the animation can be a little wonky at times. Also the two boy characters, Peter and Simon, were omitted for the movie. It was only Penelope going on the adventure. It's a truncated, somewhat altered story, but it carries you through the main points of the book just fine.

I am giving a high recommendation for both the book and the movie for "The Talking Parcel." I literally have no idea why this story fell out of public favor. It's really a solid adventure that can be enjoyed by young and old. I guess sometimes this sort of thing happens. Finding the book is doable, but it's a lot easier to watch the movie on YouTube. Either way, I do recommend you experience this story any way you can. It's worth it.

This blog was written on April 7, 2025.

Thank you for reading my blog! Did you enjoy it? Either way, you can comment below, or you can email me at tkwadeauthor@gmail.com. Also stop by my Amazon.com listing by clicking this link: https://www.amazon.com/T.K.-Wade/e/B07BQK9RTZ

Check out my books! Thanks!

Fairy Tale Spotlight: Chex Quest [Video Game Review]

"Chex Quest" is a video game developed by Digital Café. It was released in 1996. This game cost as much as a box of Chex cereal, which at the time could have been as low as $3.00 in some areas. The reason for this was because it was included in the actual box of cereal. Yes, this was a full video game for PC that was packaged in with the cereal itself. As far as I know, this is the only time this has ever happened.

Like many people at the time, I was one of the kids who bought and played this game. Of course, it might be better to say that my dad bought the cereal, and I played the game. This was probably my second year with an actual computer, and the only thing I really wanted to do on it was play games. Us kids had to get them in any way we could, and most of the time the main method used was begging. In this case, the game's price was extremely reasonable.

Here is a copy and paste of the game's story:

Chex Quest begins with an emergency meeting of the members of the Intergalactic Federation of Cereals. In it, it is brought to everyone's attention that a volcano exploded recently on the surface of Bazoik, a peaceful mining planet renowned for its quality nutritional products. The Chex Squadron captured fragments from the explosion, and discovered that they contained strange, slimy larvae of a creature from another dimension. When exposed to nutritional substances, these larvae abruptly grow into huge, slimy creatures with the capacity to launch slime as a weapon from their bodies. When a member states that there has been no trouble reported, the Commander addressing the members states that communications with Bazoik have been interrupted, and the Federation cannot contact anyone.

Luckily, the scientists from the Federation have found a way to counter the threat. Although conventional weapons do not affect the slimy invaders, the scientists have modified the "zorchers", the main weapon of the Federation, to effect a transportation of any object into another dimension, and this is demonstrated to those present.

With this new weapon the Federation believes that it can subdue the threat by sending a lone volunteer to the surface of Bazoik. The crowd discusses this for a moment, and a warrior from Chex Squadron declares he is willing to take the rescue mission. Taking his ship, he flies to the planet and begins his quest.

So as you can see, the whole game is a marketing gimmick to promote their cereal. It's extremely silly and obviously marketed towards children. That makes sense since it was delivered in a method that mirrored the toys originally included inside cereal boxes. But here's the weird thing... the game was actually really fun.

The reason for this was that "Chex Quest" was actually a re-skin of another game that was popular around this period... "Doom." Everything about this game just screams "Doom", but clearly everything is different. All the violence is gone. In fact, the story even suggests that your weapons are not killing the enemies but rather transporting them to another dimension. And yes, it does look like that in the game. It never looks like you are killing anyone. But for some reason, the game still feels very tactile and engaging, and the transportation effect for the enemies is actually kind of well-animated.

A lot of the fun of the game probably comes from the whole novelty of playing a cereal game. I'm not joking when I say that this may be one of the best marketing tactics ever devised by anyone ever. They probably sold more cereal that year then ever before, and it may have even kept them successful for years to come. People from that year remember what they did, and some of them still play this game. The whole idea is just really cool and shows that love can and probably should be taken even in the marketing of a product.

That said, the game is not perfect, although its flaws are rather negligible. For one, some of the weapons, called "zorchers" in the game, are a little hard to aim. "Doom" always had their weapons facing straight ahead to give you a sort of "iron sight" feel. But some of these zorchers are tilted slightly at an angle which confuses me as to where I should be aiming. Also this game is kind of short. It's only five maps long. Those maps are all good though and vary the environments enough so that you feel like you traveled to different places. Personally, I wish they had made it at least as long as the original "Doom" release (nine maps), but I'm just nitpicking.

"Chex Quest" has a rather disappointing final boss. It's just a wall that occasionally fires a slow-moving snot ball at you. They give you the "Laz Device" here, the game's equivalent to the BFG9000. You pretty much can just hit it twice with that weapon, and the game is beaten. That said, the map leading up to that point was very good. It also ends on a story cliffhanger and mentions a sequel that is going to come out.

The sequel did actually happen, but it was released as an online download. Back then we were all on dial-up internet, and the time it would take to actually download a full game was not always something we were willing to put up with. The same applied for me. I have never actually played "Chex Quest 2," but that is about to change.

Despite the fact that "Chex Quest" is completely silly, non-violent, and really just a marketing gimmick, it showed an amount of love that was hard to come by through the soulless marketing companies of the world. I do so absolutely recommend it. If you want to play it, there are several versions of it available in the mod browser of the excellent "Doom+Doom II Remaster from NightDive Studios. Remember, the game is a Doom mod, so why wouldn't you find it there? Go play it, and honestly it wouldn't kill you to buy a box of Chex while your at it. Not joking.

This blog was written on April 7, 2025.

Thank you for reading my blog! Did you enjoy it? Either way, you can comment below, or you can email me at tkwadeauthor@gmail.com. Also stop by my Amazon.com listing by clicking this link: https://www.amazon.com/T.K.-Wade/e/B07BQK9RTZ

Check out my books! Thanks!

Fairy Tale Spotlight: Hell to Pay [Video Game Review]

"Hell To Pay" is a video game developed by Wraith Corporation. It is a 32-map episode for Doom II that was released in 1996, two years after Doom II actually came out. It was released in retail stores for $14.99, so this was a professionally made and released Doom II mod, which is pretty cool. It is non-canon, however it does claim to be a continuation of the Doom II story, although two hundred years later.

Where to begin with this one? I suppose I can copy and paste the story for you, since that was only available in the manual anyways. Here it is:

"Two hundred years have passed since a lone marine stood against the forces of Hell. Bone weary from the conflict, and thinking they were finally safe, mankind shunned the ways of war and devoted themselves to turning Earth into a paradise.

A decade ago, all of that changed. Near Jupiter, a wormhole opened. A vast alien armada quickly established on Io, Jupiter's volcanic moon. Without warning, the alien fleet descended upon an unsuspecting Earth.

Many rushed to greet the alien visitors, only be dismembered by the killing machines disgorged by the hellish alien ships. It was soon obvious that the aliens were bent upon savage colonization. Some even tried to defend the planet, but it was hopeless.

Billions died. They were the lucky ones. Those that remain bowed down before their new metal masters and meekly accepted the living Hell that awaited them in the Slave Pits.

The physically fit were pressed into labor under inhuman conditions. Those who weren't or who could not perform to the satisfaction of their masters were led away never to be seen or heard from again. No one really knew what happened to them, but there were rumors too horrible to believe.

But it wasn't the metal demons who were feared the most, rather the sadistic and twisted among you who were led away only to come back transformed into trustee guards. The way they looked at you with a hunger in their eyes was enough to send shivers down your spine.

But unlike the other slaves who have given in to fear, you have let the hate burning in your heart give you strength while you waited for your opportunity to strike back. But the worst has happened, one of your fellow slaves whom you told of your plans was turned into a trustee. You have been arrested and thrown into a holding cell.

The opportunity you've been waiting for hasn't arrived. The other slaves had been looking towards you to lead the revolt. As the trustees lead you away, you saw in their eyes that they had lost of hope. As the trustee opens the cell, you shudder as you remember the rumors of a "Final Solution".

Filled with rage, you slay the trustee with a savage blow. You grab his pistol and emerge from the cell screaming, 'There's gonna be HELL TO PAY!'"

So even though it is technically a sequel, it is also really its own thing at the same time. Most of the enemies have been altered or changed entirely. The imp looks a bit different. The lost souls have been replaced with floating spheres of liquid metal. The Cacodemon, Mancubus, and Pinky Demons are now robots, although they still act the same way. A few of the weapons changed as well, such as the Plasma Gun and BFG9000 which are now a blue and red tridents respectively. Everything works the same though. All that was changed were the looks and some of the sound effects.

This game tried some really interesting things. Not all of it worked well, mind you, but they tried. For example, there was one map where you are in a spaceship. You approach an airlock, pick up a protective suit, and actually perform a space walk for a little while. They tried to simulate being able to float around and even move up and down, but it was all faked using the original engine. It was only convincing the moment when I went out there, but I soon realized how it just was not all that well-done.

A couple missions actually had a self-destruct countdown happening. It even displayed on the screens, letting you know how long you had. Although I am unsure how they got the screens to display like that, I do know roughly how the countdown is performed. They use something called "Voodoo Dolls." They are copies of your space marine hidden somewhere unseen in the map. Anything that happens to that clone happens to you. They probably have him on some slow-motion conveyor belt or something that takes a full ten minutes to drop it into a lava pit or some sort of instant death hazard. In that way, you can give the illusion of a countdown timer that leads to your untimely demise. Cool, yeah?

One odd thing that kept happening in these maps was that enemies constantly got stuck on doorways. I'm not sure why this happened, but it did happen a lot. This is not a normal thing that happens in Doom; at least, I am unaccustomed to seeing it. Either way, I always used the advantage against them when this happened.

Have you ever heard of the Ghost Monster Bug in Doom II? It is extremely rare, and most people who run into it will usually brag about it. It is a really unusual bug that sometimes happens when an Arch-vile revives a fallen enemy. It causes them to not only be unkillable, but they can also pass through all the walls of the entire map, basically free to hunt down Doom Guy relentlessly until the ghosts has his way. There is a way to kill the ghost, however. You have to hit him with the splash damage of a rocket, but that is very difficult and does not damage it all that much.

In "Hell to Pay," I consistently ran into the Ghost Monster Bug three or four times. If I restarted a map, I would always run into it in the same place. I actually do wonder if the developers had meant for it to happen. For a bug so rare, it is hard to believe that it was not intentional. But imagine having a Revenant chasing you around through walls, and all you can do is try and hit the wall nearest to it with rockets and hope that the splash damage ends up enough to kill it. It's maddening!

Another thing these developers did that was cool was that you got a cutscene at the beginning of every single mission. It was still just text, but this text came with an original image behind it. I looked into it, and apparently they just put in a text intermission before every mission, left the text field blank, and then just showed the image with the text already on top of it. So the text does not roll out like it does in the original game. This is something I have never seen before in a classic Doom mod.

"Hell to Pay" did a really good job at being an outer space adventure. It also did a fairly decent job at map design. You even got a spaceship with a really nice-looking cockpit. And the whole idea of going to Planet Hell to fight the demons on their actual origin planet was really cool.

This game is really good and interesting, despite its flaws. And yes, it is flawed. Regardless, I found myself getting excited for every single map that came my way. I wanted to know what new and crazy thing the developers were going to throw at me. "Hell to Pay" gets my recommendation for simply being extraordinarily unique, and, most importantly, it's fun as hell.

You can find this game in the mod browser within the excellent Doom+Doom II Remaster released through NightDive Studios. It is not a featured mod though. I kind of wish it was, but I guess it's inherent flaws strips it of that privilege. Either way, do yourself a favor and download this one.

This blog was written on April 3, 2025.

Thank you for reading my blog! Did you enjoy it? Either way, you can comment below, or you can email me at tkwadeauthor@gmail.com. Also stop by my Amazon.com listing by clicking this link: https://www.amazon.com/T.K.-Wade/e/B07BQK9RTZ

Check out my books! Thanks!

Fairy Tale Spotlight: The Day the Earth Blew Up [Movie Review]

"The Day the Earth Blew Up" is an animated movie from 2024. Yeah, this is a relatively new film that just exited theaters. It is also an official Looney Tunes film by Warner Bros. Don't get me wrong. I think WB is doing some horrible things to Looney Tunes lately. They are deleting or censoring a lot of their old films and completely removing the existence of Pepe le Pew. But this new movie came as a really pleasant surprise, despite the fact that a lot of people did not even know it came out. Yeah, this one slipped under the radar a little bit.

When I heard this movie existed, I immediately asked the question, "Did Sam Register produce it?" and the answer quickly came back that he did. Sam Register is a man who understands the reasons why Looney Tunes was so good to begin with, and he always tries to make sure that the formula of Loony Tunes stays true to that standard. It is the case with this movie as well.

"The Day the Earth Blew Up" stars exactly three Looney Tunes characters: Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and Petunia Pig. No cameoes. The plot is that an alien is trying to take over the Earth through chewing gum that turns the people who eat it into zombies that he can control. And before you ask, it isn't Marvin the Martian. There is a really good reason why it isn't, but that would be spoiling a vital point of the movie.

Daffy and Porky grew up with a farmer, who is always drawn in a really weird way that's hilariously inconsistent. The farmer leaves them his home and trusts that they will take good care of it after he is gone. Porky is the responsible one and Daffy is the extremely irresponsible and wacky one. It is important to note that this version of Daffy is based on the early model. He is not really a narcissist in this movie. He is just very looney and unhinged. This is the one who goes "Hoo hoo!" a lot. Yes, that Daffy!

Petunia comes in part of the way in. She is very lovable. She does taste test research for chewing gum flavoring. Porky's infatuation with her is very endearing and fun. I really like how they played off each other.

The movie is sort of a comedy horror film that takes inspirations from "The Thing" and "They Live." Daffy, Porky, and Petunia have to try and stop the invasion of these chewing gum creatures that are taking over the bodies of everyone and stop the invasion of Planet Earth. Some of the gum monsters are actually really creepy, and I believe they were intended to be. Don't get me wrong. It's still goofy as heck, but there are many moments in this movie where I was like, "Oh my god!" There is some disturbing imagery that you may find shocking, but it never goes too far.

I think the thing I like the most about this movie is just how deliberate it was in capturing the humor or the original Looney Tunes cartoons. It's so nice to see something like this in the modern day. Not to mention that this entire movie is traditionally animated. I could not really find any blatant CGI in the film. This movie took me back to the 90's where animation was still true-blue hand drawn. I loved it, and the cartoony sight gags were great as well.

If you can find a way to watch this movie, I do recommend it. It brings a classic Looney Tunes experience to the modern day without making any sacrifices. It's was brilliant, fun, and witty throughout. Any chance for a sequel, Sam?

This blog was written on March 31, 2025.

Thank you for reading my blog! Did you enjoy it? Either way, you can comment below, or you can email me at tkwadeauthor@gmail.com. Also stop by my Amazon.com listing by clicking this link: https://www.amazon.com/T.K.-Wade/e/B07BQK9RTZ

Check out my books! Thanks!

Fairy Tale Spotlight: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor [Video Game Review]

Let's just say it: Disney ruined Star Wars. They did it. All hope is lost. They should get rid of the IP, and sell it to someone who gives a damn. I grew up on Star Wars, and I truly loved it. I used to look forward to everything that would come out for it. Video games too. Even though I didn't like all of the games, it wasn't because of the writing. It was usually because the game was too hard or broken to play. I would still buy them though. But now... Now everything is in question. You can't trust the franchise anymore. The good days are over. We as a people can no longer trust Star Wars.

However...

"Star Wars Jedi: Survivor" is a video game developed by Respawn Entertainment, and unfortunately published by EA, a company I dislike. (Not as much as Disney, but it's close.) It was released in 2023. it is also the sequel to the game "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order" (2019).

The game plays a little like "Dark Souls" crossed with "Metroid." Although the combat is difficult, it is extremely fair. The hardest fights in the game are also optional and tend to be hiding cosmetic prizes in them that you really don't need.

The story is surprising well written. It continues the adventures of Jedi Cal Kestis as he attempts to fight against the Empire after they destroy the Jedi Order. Along the way he meets friends willing to help him, both old and new. A lot of the characters from the first game are old now, but they still have their charm. I actually love the cast of characters in both games. They are very likable and engaging.

This particular game has to do with a lost planet that is protected by a dangerous vortex. It could be used as a haven for the remaining Jedi, and Cal is going up against an ancient Sith that's been trying to steal it for himself. That's the basic plot of the whole thing. I don't want to go much further into story spoilers. This game is full of twists and turns that are best experienced during the playthrough.

If you are wondering if Disney put any of their franchise-ruining prerequisite stuff in it, they did! Yep, there's a gay couple in it and everything! (Don't worry; they're hilarious.) But most of these things don't really get in the way of the game. They feel more like little virtue signals that are shoved off to the side so that the main part of the game can be kept front and center. You might not even notice them. It seems to me that the developer put them in to fill quotas and then focused more on the story they knew would sell the game. My point is: don't worry about them.

Listen to me carefully when I say this: This is a good game. I really enjoyed playing it, every moment of it. It brings back what made Star Wars so much fun in the old days. It's Star Wars done right. But you have to understand something: That doesn't mean Disney is fixing Star Wars. In fact, everything Disney had to do with this game was actually bad. But there is far more good here than bad, quite enough to play and enjoy it.

I do recommend this game. If you have not completely lost your love for classic Star Wars, then this game is waiting for you to play it. It's good. It's very good. It's also going to be a trilogy someday. I'm actually looking forward to it. I want to see where the story finally ends. But let's be honest: despite this game being genuinely good... Star Wars is still... basically... dead. (And Disney killed it.)

This blog was written on March 25, 2025.

Thank you for reading my blog! Did you enjoy it? Either way, you can comment below, or you can email me at tkwadeauthor@gmail.com. Also stop by my Amazon.com listing by clicking this link: https://www.amazon.com/T.K.-Wade/e/B07BQK9RTZ

Check out my books! Thanks!

Fairy Tale Spotlight: Scientist [Video Game Review]

"Scientist" is a video game developed by Roland van der Velden and Thomas van der Velden. It was originally released back in 2002. This is a heavily modified map pack for Doom II. You might remember the author from my review of "Harmony." This has a very similar feel to it, but it is more based on the Doom universe this time. You actually play as Doom Guy.

Although there is no official story text released for this one, the idea of it is very clear right from the start. You are chasing down a mad scientist who is doing some very terrible things involving hell and demons. He's basically replacing the UAC in this one.

This is a 20-map campaign with no secret levels. Most of the enemies you remember from Doom II are present, but some are edited to look a little different. There is a new enemy that flies around and attacks you, and, if you kill it, it releases a lost soul. Some of the weapons are different too. The chainsaw was replaced with some gloves that can shock enemies when you touch them. The BFG9000 is the same, but now it is thrown like a grenade.

The whole design of "Scientist" is both familiar and unique. The authors used a lot of unique textures to make everything look new and fresh. This is something they excel at. It sometimes feels like a non-Doom game, but the monsters are all clearly familiar.

The thing that I liked about this one was that you really feel like you are chasing the Scientist as you go along. In a number of the missions, you run into him and can briefly fight him. He always teleports away before you can finish him off though. This is cool. In most Doom stories, the antagonists are mentioned in the story, but you never really get to see them. It's all just a story for you to think about as you play. But no... you can see this Scientist as he does his work and continues to flee away from you. Brilliant! This is the only Doom game that did that well!

The game also culminates in a great final boss fight with the Scientist. I loved to finally get to finish him off after all that chasing. That's how you do a chase story!

I do recommend "Scientist." If you are interested in it, it is listed as a featured mod in the excellent Doom+DoomII Remaster released by NightDive Studios. Pick this one up!

This blog was written on March 23, 2025.

Thank you for reading my blog! Did you enjoy it? Either way, you can comment below, or you can email me at tkwadeauthor@gmail.com. Also stop by my Amazon.com listing by clicking this link: https://www.amazon.com/T.K.-Wade/e/B07BQK9RTZ

Check out my books! Thanks!