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Entertainment Listing: July 22
Wednesday July 22 PK’s • Carbondale Trivia, 8 p.m. – 11 p.m. Thursday July 23 PK’s • Carbondale Advertisement Eastwood & the Prairie Wolves, 9 p.m. Sunset Concert • Shryock Steps Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, 7 p.m. Friday July 24 Booby’s • Carbondale Supsuesenesa & Lobotomytes, 10 p.m. PK’s • Carbondale ...
Toyota’s New MR2 May Have Just Been Caught Testing For The First Time
Grainy phone footage from Japan may be the closest look yet at the car meant to bring MR2 back with AWD and plenty of power
Apple Plans Overhaul of MacBooks, iMac in Push to Meet AI Demand
Apple Inc. is readying an overhaul of its Mac line, seeking to capitalize on demand for powerful laptops and desktops fueled by the artificial intelligence boom.
Memphis pizza shop says business is booming after refusing service to National Guard troops
Miles Tamboli says the Memphis Safe Task Force makes the city less safe, and his pizza shop is seeing a surge of local supporters after the boycott call.
Flutter Entertainment Stock Falls as Rising Prediction Market Volumes Pressure Traditional Gambling
Flutter Entertainment stock drops nearly 4% as rising prediction market volumes from platforms like Kalshi pressure traditional sportsbooks.
Toronto Blue Jays’ Kevin Gausman Drops Honest Quote After Possible Final Home Start
Kevin Gausman addressed the possibility that he just made his final home start with the Blue Jays before the trade deadline. The post Toronto Blue Jays’ Kevin Gausman Drops Honest Quote After Possible Final Home Start appeared first on HEAVY.
Exclusive: Target aims to strengthen its tween business with new multi-year Pacsun partnership
The debut collaborative collection encompasses T-shirts, tank tops, denim and dresses, all targeted at tweens.
The 2026 NBA All-Summer League Second Team:
The 2026 NBA All-Summer League Second Team:
Lunchbreak: Vikings SKOL Chant Tops Sports Illustrated’s Ranking of NFL Rallying Cries
Minnesota Vikings Latest News
New Jersey behavioral health company acquires independent medical examination provider
Red Bank, N.J.-based PAX Health acquired Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J.-based Makraf IME, a statewide psychology and neuropsychology independent medical examination (IME) provider group operating across 17 counties. Makraf IME provides independent medical examination opinions on causality, need for treatment, maximum medical improvement, permanency and fitness for duty. The practice also provides psychology and neuropsychology IMEs, disability evaluations, […]
Three Taycans Weren’t Enough, So He Had Porsche Build Him A Special Fourth
Porsche built this special Taycan Turbo GT for a Swiss buyer who already had three of them sitting in his garage
Madisonville Community College partners with Google to offer free business workshops
This partnership offers a series of free workshops designed to help local entrepreneurs, small business owners and community members strengthen their online presence
Iran may be stronger than we thought
Three US troops were killed in the past week, and the risks are only growing.
Miami's cost of living now tops New York City's despite Florida's tax advantages
Rising property taxes, insurance premiums and 36% inflation since 2019 have pushed Miami's cost of living above New York City's for the first time on record.
When US troops die, Trump often reaches quickly for politics
The Iran war has now seen the first US troop deaths since March, with the announcements that three service members have died in recent days.
'Kimmel' Guest Host Colman Domingo Trolls MAGA With Epic Melania Trump Reminder
The actor mocked right-wing outrage over the cast of “The Odyssey.”
A quarter-century of baseball, hoops — and scaling walls of ice? Denver Sports Commission celebrates 25 years
The group responsible for bringing sporting events to Colorado says there’s more fun on the horizon.
This Rock Legend’s McLaren F1 GTR Was Crashed Twice And Could Still Clear $35 Million
Nick Mason's McLaren F1 GTR heads to auction next month and could become the most valuable F1 ever sold in public
PVAMU workshop prepares educators to teach the future of quantum science
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (July 20, 2026) – What if one of tomorrow's fastest-growing technologies could be introduced with spinning tops, flashlights, and hands-on activities? That was the idea behind QuanTime: Quantum Science Workshop for K-12 Educators, in which Prairie View A&M University partnered with Sandia National
House Momentum, Senate Headwinds, and the Return of Shutdown Politics
With the House finally beginning to break its floor paralysis, appropriations may be back in motion. However, the path to funding the government for FY27, and keeping the lights on past September 30, remains complex. Last week, the House passed the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs (NSRP) appropriations bill, which included a closely watched vote on Rep. Thomas Massie's amendment targeting aid to Israel.
Monkeys are surprisingly good at geometry
They may understand shapes as well as your toddler.
Former Illinois public health chief Nirav Shah drops Maine Senate bid
Before moving to Maine, Shah presided over a series of fatal Legionnaires disease outbreaks at the state of Illinois’ veterans’ home in Quincy that were linked to 14 resident deaths and the sickening of dozens of other staff and residents at the former facility.
Yankees Birthday of the Day: Red Kleinow
Kleinow was among the earliest Highlanders backstops and witness to one of the game’s most famous pitches.
Nissan’s Brake Caliper Colors Aren’t For Decoration, They’re Ranking Your Car
From silver to yellow, Nissan says its brake colors reveal far more than styling choices
AMC Entertainment (AMC) Tops Q2 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
AMC Entertainment (AMC) delivered earnings and revenue surprises of +1,300.00% and +5.79%, respectively, for the quarter ended June 2026. Do the numbers hold clues to what lies ahead for the stock?
Michigan cyclosporiasis outbreak tops 6,100 cases, health officials say
An 8-Seat Mazda Is Faster And Lighter Than A 420-HP Dodge Charger R/T
New test data shows the three-row CX-90 with an inline-six is lighter than a Charger R/T and faster at the top
Almost Half of Americans View SCOTUS as Political
Plus, Trump’s ban on transgender troops will likely return to the Supreme Court.
Rescued bald eagle may be internet-famous Jackie
Friends of Big Bear Valley is working with rescue organizations to monitor the situation.
Voices: A trade fight in Washington will hurt Utah homeowners — and small Utah businesses like mine
“This is about more than countertops,” Steven B. Lloyd writes in an op-ed. “It is about keeping the American dream of homeownership and home improvement within reach while preserving small businesses.”
Some dinosaurs could rise like giants until they grew too big
Two elephant-sized South American sauropods were unusually well built for standing on their hind legs. Digital tests showed that their robust femurs handled the enormous forces better than those of larger species, especially while the dinosaurs were young. The upright pose may have helped them reach treetops, frighten predators, or impress potential mates.
MSI quietly launches GeForce RTX 5080 INSPIRE 3X OC BLACK
MSI has added a darker version of its compact triple-fan RTX 5080. The card keeps the same clocks and cooler but drops the gold finish and RGB.
Fiddle Picnic Festival returns to Osceola
The 52nd Annual Fiddle Picnic Festival features workshops, live music, jam sessions and Hall of Fame inductions July 24-26 in Osceola.
Brent oil tops $90 as US, Iran intensify attacks in Middle East
Oil prices jumped 3% on Monday, with Brent surpassing $90 a barrel, as the United States and Iran expanded attacks in the Middle East that have curbed energy shipments in the Strait of Hormuz.
Picklesburgh brings big business boost to local Pittsburgh shops
Picklesburgh draws thousands of visitors, helps small businesses turn one pickle-filled weekend into major monthly revenue.
11 Of The Best Apple Watch Cases You Can Buy On Amazon
Durable, stylish, and highly rated by Amazon shoppers, these Apple Watch cases will protect your device from scratches, drops, and everyday wear.
Recycling Laptops And IMacs Makes PC Building Fun And Affordable Again
Building a PC used to be a fun adventure — what’s the latest, what’s the greatest, what can I afford? Well, that last question seems to have taken over and sucked all the fun out …
Shohei Ohtani drops out of Dodgers' pitching rotation indefinitely while left knee continues to recover
Bellows drops out of U.S. Senate race
Bellows is one of 13 Democrats seeking the nomination after Graham Platner dropped out.
In Maine Senate Race, Jackson Sprints Ahead of Pack, as Bellows Drops Out
Troy Jackson, a progressive, solidified his edge over his rivals in an abbreviated nominating contest to replace Graham Platner. Shenna Bellows, another candidate, bowed out.
Does summer actually make your hair grow faster?
Probably not, but it might affect beard growth.
5 Powerful Laptops Cheaper Than MacBook Air After The Price Hike
With the MacBook Air getting more expensive, a few options from Lenovo, Microsoft Surface, HP, and Asus can offer good power and value for money.
In tight Senate race, Talarico and Paxton discuss border security during campaign stops in "critically important" South Texas
A pollster and political science professor at Texas A&M's Bush School said that the candidates' visits to South Texas highlight the region's importance this year.
Hegseth’s testosterone mandate carries risks, raises questions
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth kicked a hornet’s nest with his move this week to test troops’ testosterone levels. Hegseth argues the effort, to become part of the military’s periodic health …
Victor Marx reflects the unsettling nature of today politics
Victor Marx barely won, but his victory delivers a strong statement about the nature of today's politics. It shows what happens when a party stops seriously competing and instead indulges its fever dreams.
“The best thing I have is, I have support,” James …
“The best thing I have is, I have support,” James …
Funflation Engulfs Home Entertainment as Gaming, OTT Costs Surge
Funflation Engulfs Home Entertainment as Gaming, OTT Costs Surge U.S. home entertainment spending drops as Gen Z, millennials cut back; South Korea faces similar price surges
2 US troops killed during Iranian attack, Pentagon says
The US service members were killed in Jordan on Friday after American and partner forces came under Iranian missile and drone fire, the Pentagon says.
Yankees' Aaron Judge Drops Major Injury Update About Himself
The New York Yankees superstar opened up about his injury status.
Valve Drops Big SteamVR Update Ahead of Steam Frame Launch
Valve has dropped a sizeable update to SteamVR, paving the way for what appears to be imminent launch of its long-awaited standalone VR headset, Steam Frame. Valve’s latest update brings a good slate of Steam features to SteamVR, which seems to be shaping up to be a proper VR-based operating system, now including a new […]
Tom Cruise Reveals Surprising New Look In Trailer For Movie About An Eccentric Billionaire
Check out the movie star’s wild new role in the upcoming black comedy starring Jesse Plemons and Riz Ahmed.
For Singer Judy Collins, A 'Farewell Tour' Doesn't Necessarily Mean 'Goodbye'
Despite the way her 50-city tour is being promoted, the singer admitted, “I’m always working, because I love to work, and it makes me feel happy.”
Yaxel Lendeborg: Yeah, I've talked to Steph and …
Yaxel Lendeborg: Yeah, I've talked to Steph and …
Asus releases new gaming laptop globally with Mini LED display and more powerful processor
Asus has finally released one of its long-awaited gaming laptops globally. Now available with a 1,200-nit Mini LED display, the ROG Strix G18 also features a more powerful processor and a refined design to improve ergonomics.
Next BMW M3 Hits The Track With ICE-Power And A Bold New Look
The upcoming sports sedan will feature a familiar twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six, but add a mild-hybrid system into the mix
Near-Earth asteroid not an asteroid at all
1998 SH2's story is a 30-year-long cosmic identity crisis.
Raleigh’s Hopscotch Music Festival 2026 lineup is here. List of 100+ performers
Plus, festival dates and how to get tickets.
8 Chicago officers face firing over federal small business loan fraud
The officers are among 28 cops accused of lying on government documents in order to receive funding meant to assist small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic
Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez drops out of the governor’s race
Rodriguez’s exit, which comes in the wake of campaign finance issues, shakes up an already wide open Democratic primary in the battleground state.
GSK’s drops chronic cough drug, dampening $2bn Bellus Health bid
GSK will discontinue camlipixant’s late-stage RCC programme, though it will continue the drug’s development in two forms of IBS.
Belgian GP: Max Verstappen tops Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes struggle in Spa-Francorchamps first practice
ACA and Medicaid changes hang over health earnings
Insurers and health systems already are feeling the effects of significant enrollment drops and changes in who's paying for care.
Scientists discovered a plastic-eating fungus in the Amazon rainforest that survives without oxygen and could one day help tackle landfill waste worldwide
Deep within the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest, scientists discovered a fungus with an extraordinary ability that could offer new clues in the fight against plastic pollution. Known as Pestalotiopsis microspora, the fungus can break down polyester polyurethane, a widely used type of plastic, and use it as a source of carbon.
Russian troops live an average of 30 minutes on battlefield: CIA chief
John Ratcliffe said the deadly conditions have been spurred mainly by Ukraine's AI-powered drones. He urged the US to learn quickly from Kyiv.
Chiseled Egyptian princesses knew their way around weapons
Before they were mummies, four royal sisters wielded the daggers, bows, and arrows 4,000 years ago.
Pete Hegseth’s Plan for ‘High T’ Troops Is a Junk Science Fever Dream
The defense secretary’s idea of administering testosterone therapy to service members of the US Armed Forces reveals little understanding of the complexity of hormones.
‘SNL’ Cast Member Announces She’s Leaving The Show After 7 Seasons
“It’s really hard to leave SNL but it does feel like the right time,” she wrote.
George Santos responds to body-shamers after ‘Special Forces’ cast photo drops: ‘Omg internet yes I’m fat’
George Santos called out body-shamers who ripped apart his and other ‘Special Forces’ contestants’ cast photos.
5 Micro Center Finds With Deep Discounts In July 2026
Micro Center is holding a back-to-school sale along with regular monthly discounts that let you get laptops, computer monitors, and components on the cheap.
Oops! Ancient Bronze Age shaman long assumed to be a man was actually a woman, DNA reveals
A DNA analysis of a 4,000-year-old skeleton buried with an elaborate metalworking tool kit near Stonehenge has revealed that the individual, long assumed to be a male shaman, was actually a woman.
COMPUTER COPS: Inside the big business of selling AI to the police
From data gathering to decision making, there’s a gold mine in police funding.
"High-T Department": Hegseth approves testosterone screening in military
Hegseth says he is authorising hormone screening to ensure US troops "operate at your absolute best".
Hegseth touts a high-testosterone military, as doctors question his claims
The defense secretary said the Pentagon will test the testosterone levels of troops 30 and over. It was unclear if the plan would affect women or military fitness rules.
Poll: Costs Are the Top Health Care Issue for Voters in the Midterms, But Fraud Tops Republicans' List As Trump Administration Pushes Crackdown
Health care costs top the list of voters’ health care priorities for the midterm elections, though more than half of Republican voters say it is extremely important for candidates to discuss the issue of fraud in government health programs, according to a new KFF Health Tracking Poll. Most voters say there is at least “some” fraud in government health programs, but larger shares of voters see fraud in the tax system, defense, and foreign aid than in federal health programs. The smallest share of voters sees fraud in the ACA marketplaces.
NFL Coach Drops Honest Admission on Chargers' Justin Herbert
Despite prolific playmaking and elite physical tools, rival coordinators question the star quarterback’s maturity and operational mastery as he fights to secure his first playoff victory.
A tale of two Trump flip-flops
The president undid everything the Logoff wrote about this week.
Windows 0-day drops the same day Microsoft releases record number of patches
HiveLegacy is a "powerful primitive" that's likely capable of other nefarious actions.
Hegseth announces new policy to test troops for low testosterone
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that he is rolling out a new screening program for “testosterone deficiency” among troops, calling it necessary to allow them to operate at their “absolute best.”
Trump drops political bomb on Minnesota Republicans with Lindell endorsement
President Trump’s endorsement of Mike Lindell is a five-alarm fire for many in the GOP. The MyPillow CEO is widely seen as the worst candidate to take on U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
EU Drops Battery Removal Requirement for Apple Watch and AirPods
The European Commission yesterday adopted new exemptions to its Batteries Regulation that free the Apple Watch and AirPods from having to offer user-removable and replaceable batteries. The EU's Batteries Regulation generally requires consumer products sold in the region to let users swap out their own batteries, a push meant to keep devices in use longer and make it easier to recover materials for recycling.
Trump: ICE should continue traffic stops after recent shootings
The president seemed to contradict his own administration's new policy
This pet gecko could help scientists unlock the secrets of cancer
An unusual leopard gecko that naturally develops aggressive tumors may become an important new model for cancer research. Scientists found its tumors share key genetic changes with human cancers, offering a rare opportunity to study the disease as it develops naturally.
Researcher Drops New Windows Zero-Day PoC Hours After Microsoft Patch Tuesday
LegacyHive is a PoC for a Windows ProfSvc privilege escalation flaw that works after the July 2026 update, but the public build needs extra credential
Curiosity Blog, Sols 4947-4953: Gale Crater Then and Now
Written by Alex Innanen, Atmospheric Scientist at York University, Toronto
PrismML Releases Bonsai 27B: 1-bit and Ternary Builds of Qwen3.6-27B That Run on Laptops and Phones
PrismML released Bonsai 27B: ternary and 1-bit builds of Qwen3.6-27B retaining 94.6% and 89.5% of FP16 at 5.9GB
Michigan health officials urge residents to avoid bagged lettuce as Cyclospora outbreak tops 3,300 cases
Michigan health officials are urging residents to avoid bagged lettuce and salad mixes while investigators work to identify the source of a cyclospora outbreak that has sickened thousands of people in the state and more than 5,000 nationwide.
Trump administration orders ICE to suspend most vehicle stops after deadly shootings
The suspension is not absolute and there's room for exceptions when executing a criminal warrant or working with partner agencies.
Trump revives his decades-old Iran warning as US ramps up military pressure: 'remarkably consistent'
A 1980 video clip shows Trump urging the U.S. to send troops into Iran during the hostage crisis, resurfacing as CENTCOM resumes a naval blockade.
Window World 450 Race Week Entertainment: Hauler Parade, Trackside Live, Driver Autographs & Live Music
NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — When race fans from around the world arrive for the first NASCAR Cup points race in 30 years at North Wilkesboro Speedway, they'll find four days of entertainment off the track before the green flag drops for the Window World 450 on July 19. Race week will include a Cup Series …
What could trip up Sean McVay’s Rams offense?
Is this what stops the Rams from reaching the Super Bowl? Warren Sharp thinks so
47 revelatory hours with Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
To review this month’s supposed remake of 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, I must first correct the record. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced isn’t a game about pirates (and assassins) in the 18th century Caribbean. Sure, sure, that’s what the trailers would have you believe. They’ve go their clips of Edward Kenway swinging his swords and steering his pirate ship into cannon-blasting combat against British frigates. Is Resynced truly a pirate game? Of the 47 hours I spent playing Resynced over the past few weeks, I will admit I spent maybe 44 (?) of them collecting plunder with Blackbeard, drinking rum with Anne Bonny and debating the pros and cons of the lawless pirate-run settlement Nassau with Benjamin Hornigold. I may in fact have spent dozens of hours sailing to remote islands, reading treasure maps, opening messages left in bottles, sinking the odd Man o’ War with a well-timed broadside, collecting sea shanties for my crew, befriending a pet monkey, and hunting whales. I am nevertheless neither so Gullible nor so Narrow-Minded as to call the magnificent Resynced a “pirate remake.” Oh no. Forget any reviews of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced you may have read. Forget what you yourself may have played, if you’ve spent any time with the game since its launch. What Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is really about I’m here to give you the scoop (spoilers for Resynced’s Animus menu lore, which many players are probably not going to see): Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, the new game whose development was led by Ubisoft Singapore, is set in the year 2096. It’s about a societal split, about revolution, about an old Assassin’s Creed adventure repurposed in the series’ distant future as propaganda or samizdat. It’s about the overheated future of 2096, essentially conquered by the series’ well-established nefarious Templar-run company Abstergo. (In this future, Abstergo is, among other things, remaking a 2013 pirate movie called Devils of the Caribbean, but this time in VR. The VR version will be backed by a marketing plan that involves AI influencers, a 10,000-avatar “metaverse premiere event” and that manufacturing of memes aimed at “50 million VR nodes.” See what I mean about Abstergo being evil?) Resynced is about a late 21st-century population mollified by the widespread use of Abstergo’s Animus devices which let people experience the lives of historical figures culled from “genetic memories.” It’s about an insurgent faction of Assassins. And it’s about a plan to wake the population into revolutionary fervor by showing them the memories of 18th century pirate Edward Kenway, who—as depicted in the original Black Flag and again in Resynced—gradually comes to an understanding about the Assassins of his day and their centuries old fight for freedom. Resynced is also about an AI developed within the late 21st-century Animus, called Ego. It has found a way to alter genetic memories, to create and show Animus users false ones. The game is about Ego’s efforts to tell the people experiencing Edward Kenway’s memories that Kenway was wrong, that fighting against order is folly, that we should crave a world where “compliance is rewarded with power.” Who are we in this game? We’re an unnamed Animus user in 2096 who experiences Kenway’s journey virtually. At four moments during Kenway’s exploits in the Caribbean our virtual jaunt can be interrupted for 10-15 minutes, as we explore Animus “rifts” where Ego explicitly tries to tell us how wrong Kenway was. None of this is what 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag was about, of course. That was a different game, even if you also spent dozens of hours pirating as Kenway in that game, across missions and a map that’s been faithfully reintroduced and rebuilt for Resynced. The 2013 Black Flag was about you playing as an unnamed researcher newly hired in 2013 by Abstergo Entertainment, the video game development wing of the Templars’ evil-corp. In that game, you were assigned to use the Animus to dive into the genetic memories of Desmond Miles, a man who died in Assassin’s Creed III and who was descended from a long line of Assassins (and at least one Templar) whose adventures were featured across the prior AC games. In 2013’s Black Flag, your mission was to plumb the Edward Kenway experience for material that Abstergo could use in productions such as the motion picture Devils of the Caribbean, though the Templars had some ulterior motives for the assignment. Resynced is therefore not a remake of 2013’s Black Flag. It’s a sequel. It is a new game about a new exploration of Edward Kenway’s pirate/assassin journey, set 83 years after the framing sequences of the original game. Resynced provides a new narrative framework that, thanks to the concept of an AI that wants to alter historical memories, arrives with creative justification to tweak a now-classic 13-year old game. That makes Resynced, already a hot seller, a tantalizing hint of where Ubisoft could go with a line of Assassin’s Creed remakes. They could remake the first game, the Ezio games, even the recent ones set in ancient Egypt and Greece. And for each, they could not just modernize the graphics and controls but expand and alter their sequences of events to use them as reference points for a conflict set in the late 21st century, as rival factions try to weaponize historical memories. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, even when that work consists of ravings about Assassin’s Creed’s modern day plot, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe A story most players will probably miss If you didn’t know any of this, I’m not surprised. If you played the game and still didn’t catch it, I’m not a bit shocked. If Ubisoft has no plans to do more of this, I won’t fall down. Almost all of what I’ve described is optional and missable in Black Flag Resynced. I nearly missed it myself, as I planned for a breezy playthrough of an old Assassin’s Creed favorite. Instead, I found myself in a 40+ hour hunt for the “real” story, buried deeper in Resynced than any gold-filled chest. The story of 2096 is Resynced’s meta-story, told in two remote pockets of the game: 1) four optional playable “rifts” that players may find as they proceed through Resynced’s pirate fantasy , 2) in dozens of text files tucked three menus deep in the game’s barely-interactive Animus hub. Assassin’s Creed games have almost always had a meta-story about people in the 21st century (usually matching the game’s release year) and their connections to the main history portions you play. Those meta-stories have always been squeezed into the margins, though seldom as severely and as, uh, graphiaclly simple, as in recent games. Back in 2013, the modern-day exploits of you as an Abstergo Entertainment employee were prominent. They were portrayed via first-person portions that occasionally interrupted the third-person Kenway experience and could be explored for hours, complete with their own missions, side quests and puzzles. Resynced’s 2096 story—of Assassin “Watchers” vs. Abstergo/Tempar goons, of rogue AIs, of panicking scientists, of a woman wondering why her Animus-addicted husband is muttering about Mary Read (“What does he mean by Assassins?”), of a fight for the population’s hearts and minds via varying interpretations of Edward Kenway’s life choices—is mostly told through unlockable text files. The files are interesting. Offered via diary entries, intercepted chats and news reports, they present varied perspectives of a world in crisis. One set works as a narrative puzzle as it reveals the Rashomonic interpretations of a massacre, or was that a successful Assassin hit? Another favorite reveals the rising bitterness of a person who, through Edward Kenway’s journey, now shakes at the ignored evil around him. One surmises that Ubisoft is averse to putting the Assassin’s Creed’s meta-story in the way of more marketable pirate playgrounds and ninja/samurai epics. Instead, we get a better-than-nothing text-in-menus approach introduced in 2025’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows. In Shadows, players unlocked the meta-story text files largely via time-gated missions that called on the user to kill X number of enemy type Y, clear three enemy castles, re-win a three-phase fighting tournament, and other grinds. Time restrictions on accessing these missions and unlocking the files meant it could take players months to access the full story in-game. But even in the most hardcore Assassin’s Creed hangouts, the fanbase instead seemed to throw up their hands rather than grind to keep up. In Resynced, Ubisoft has shown some mercy, diminishing the amount of new text files that are tied to timed grinds. Now, most of the text-based 2096 lore are associated with “data file” collectibles that players can find in the world. That includes a batch of written entries that explain a historical link between the feudal Japan era in Shadows and the piracy adventures in Black Flag. Players who explore a lot will find dozens of data files, though the game does not appear to offer any in-game tracker for finding each one. You just need to keep looking for them. As of this writing, I have most of them, but not all. I can’t find any full guide for them online. And even Ubisoft’s optional $5 microtransaction that reveals lots of items in-game does not appear to reveal the locations of the text files (at least the official description omits them from its collectibles list). That’s not a huge bother, because tracking the data files down compelled me to re-explore the waves and islands of Black Flag. That was a thoroughly pleasant task to do for the first time in a dozen years. I expect many players, though, will be content to wait for the files to be reproduced in an online AC wiki somewhere, the easier to read on a web page. It may not seem enticing to play a video game in order to gradually unlock pages of text to read. Why not, you may ask, just read a book, where they put the pages in order? For one, they’ve not tucked this latest installment of Assassin’s Creed’s meta saga in a book. I also enjoy the unordered delivery, the dawning comprehension of a story about 2096’s desperate people and questionable tech, which I glimpsed first at its middle, then the end, then the front, then other moments in between1. I am also enamored with the idea of the Assassin’s Creed games I’ve previously played, including Black Flag, being repurposed for an information war. The ideas in Resynced’s meta-story, which builds off characters and ideas in Shadows’ chunks of text, are strong. The potential of where they could go with it is exciting. As for the pirate stuff? Looks great, controls pretty well, is fun to play and oh so speedy in terms of how much of a good time you can have with each sit-down. It never gets old to chase a new shanty page across a rooftop, bombard a fort with upgraded mortars or use a diving bell to explore sunken wrecks (hats off to the team at Ubisoft Barcelona that worked on the underwater portions in Resynced; that team is now facing layoffs, such is the misery of modern gaming and oft-troubled Ubisoft). New pirate missions in Resynced involving new ally characters are brief, dramatic and add more to Edward’s story, even if the gameplay perks they provide barely enhance the gameplay. A new denouement for high-class pirate Stede Bonnet is affecting; a new hunt for Blackbeard’s treasure is a welcome extra moment. A new epilogue to hunt down a pirate killer, on the other hand, over-complicates Kenway’s character. The ending credits remain my favorite of any game I’ve ever played. Black Flag provides great source material. The revisit is well-made and a great sign of what could be. It is offered in a different wrapper that hints at an opportunity for more interesting remakes to come, should Ubisoft choose to pursue such treasures—and as we brace to resist or comply with an Abstergo future. 1 The messages that Edward Kenway finds in bottles tell another out-of-order story, one about a man reckoning with the strange memories and voices he’s heard in his head since he was a boy. That tale was also in the 2013 game and develops into one of Black Flag’s most compelling character arcs. In Resynced, it has lost its climax, because the bottle story previously paid off in the halls of the first-person Abstergo Entertainment, which is exclusive to the older game. An altered resolution, written by the 2013 game’s lead writer is fine, doesn’t invalidate the 2013 version, but makes for an inferior final note.
Astronauts take first X-rays in space
A SpaceX crew scanned a hand and other body parts during a recent mission.
Utah Jazz guard Trey Alexander was taken from the …
Utah Jazz guard Trey Alexander was taken from the …
Want to open a business in downtown New Orleans? A new program is offering cash to help.
Strip clubs, smoke shops, massage parlors and psychics are ineligible.
Billy Pie is back in the restaurant business with new Tuckahoe Shopping Center spot
After a few years focusing on selling frozen pies from other shops, Billy Fallen is warming up for his brick-and-mortar return in the West End.
Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Drops 35 points in SL win
Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Drops 35 points in SL win
North Wichita restaurant closes after ICE officers patrol parking lot during business hours
The restaurant parking lot is where a bus stops on a route from Durango, Mexico all the way to Omaha, Nebraska and back. The restaurant’s owners said many customers and