Author Archives: Michael Wells

Spider-Man 2: A Review

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Spider-Man 2 swings into game of the year contention in the much awaited sequel to the 2018 PlayStation 4 hit Spider-Man and follow up Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Packed with action, filled with emotion, and yet entirely familiar, Spider-Man plays it safe in its third outing – and that’s not a bad thing. 

Just when you thought it couldn’t get better, developer Insomniac Games made crucial updates to traversal that make web swinging and the new web-wings even faster ways of getting around New York City. The newest addition to the game lets both Spider-Men glide through the air and zip through wind tunnels showcasing the power and speed of the PlayStation 5. Increased traversal speeds lets you get around the increased map size with ease. Additions like Queens and Brooklyn effectively double the play area of the map compared to previous games. That much extra turf would be alot of ground to cover for your friendly neighborhood Spider-Men if not for the lightning quick fast-travel and other changes to pace of movement.

You heard that right both Spider-Men, Peter Parker and Miles Morales are both playable wall crawlers here with unique skill trees, abilities, and of course, costumes! Standouts from the vast selection are Peter’s Superior Spider-Man and a vintage red and blue tinted Classic Blacksuit reminiscent of the 90’s cartoon show. Miles has a few new suits of his own, but many are re-used from his spinoff title. If anything I wish he had more original suits, but he hasn’t been around long in the Spider-Man comics so that’s understandable. For now, I’ll keep rocking the Daft Punk inspired Miles Morales 2020 suit and the new surprisingly underrated 10th anniversary suit. 

Spider-Man 2’s story follows Peter Parker still struggling with the loss of Aunt May and in the midst of financial struggles, personal life isn’t going great for Peter which makes him a prime target for the alien symbiote named Venom. In the comics, Venom is famously attaches to a character named Eddie Brock, here Venom is used as a sort of treatment for Harry Osborn’s mysterious illness that’s kept him absent the past two games. Venom grants the powers of immense strength, agility, and regeneration, at the cost of the host’s sanity as the two slowly become bonded into one horrifying monster. Also making his Insomniac-verse debut is Kraven the Hunter, an early villain in Spider-Man’s rogues gallery with a brutal mindset and an iron will that takes him on his deadliest hunt yet. Kraven takes much of the spotlight in the story and Insomniac does an incredible job making his character so much more compelling than the gimmick he started from. Spider-Man 2 tackles heavy themes of loss, anxiety, and self-worth. Miles is given a nice degree of character arc and shines as a new beacon of hope in the story. The conclusion feels satisfying enough, although it felt like the game was just a tad bit short. I was able to beat the game and earn the platinum trophy in just 27 hours, for comparison I did the same with the first game at 49 hours and Miles Morales at a brisk 18 hours. 

Graphically, the game displays an impressively vibrant New York City with an unmatched fidelity utilizing the full power of being a Playstation 5 exclusive. This time around Insomniac was able to pack in ray tracing elements alongside the performance mode. Neon and reflective surfaces create beautiful splashes of color and immersive Big Apple experiences pop like never before. With the increased speeds of web swinging and web winging, I was thoroughly impressed at how draw distances have been remarkably improved with very minimal pop in.  

My experience with the game differed greatly from the shared experiences my friends seemed to all have in common. For me, Spider-Man 2 was a bit of a bug fest, more so than I feel a $70 full priced flagship AAA-Title should be capable of. My playthrough was full of nasty annoyances and in my 27 hrs. I managed to rack up 8 game-breaking crashes, Peter became a floating white cube now dubbed “Spider-Cube”, main characters would become floating heads frequently and many of these issues couldn’t be resolved by simply reloading a save or turning the game on or off, most of the time the game crashing would fix an issue I was having. One of the most important boss battles in the game was completely robbed of all build or tension as the villain was frozen from the beginning of the fight, his weapons floating where his now invisible body would be, taunting me all the while. Essential scenes where you play as a major character for the first time grinds to a halt as enemies refuse to spawn or their AI becomes broken leaving them standing in place refusing to move or act. 
I say this all to be clear, while yes, the game I played was a sloppy, buggy mess. It still somehow manages to push the medium of video games in a new direction. Lightning  fast load screens and fast travels, unparalleled movement and traversal, deep personal characters and interesting story elements make Spider-Man 2 is a must play for PlayStation 5 owners. My time with the game left me marveled at how fluid combat has become and how powerful the new Spider-Men are. Major advancements in Ray-Tracing and fidelity technology make swinging around NYC an unforgettable experience. Where Spider-Man might play it safe with it’s story up until Act 3, it makes up for in rich gameplay and one of the most immersive super hero experiences I can recall in a very long time. The real challenge comes in Spider-Man’s fourth outing, where we’ll have to see if Insomniac can tie up any loose ends or differentiate itself enough to warrant a fourth game. For now, Spider-Man 2 earns an 82/100, hampered only by my own experiences with a mass of bugs and glitches, a relatively short play time, and a bombastic third act that interrupts a safely-played lull a little too late.

Eagle Distributing 90th Anniversary Block Party

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Hunter Hale, Drummer for Jesse Jenkins
Photo by Michael Wells

On November 3rd, Eagle Distributing of Texarkana celebrated it’s 90th anniversary in the city of Texarkana by partnering with Busch Light to present rising country star Priscilla Block along with Jesse Jenkins and Lil’ Skinny. The first event of it’s kind in the area’s growing entertainment district, Eagle Distributing hosts the inaugural performance in the newly constructed concert venue known as ‘The Loading Dock’ located behind the Crossties building on Broad Street in downtown Texarkana. President of Eagle Distributing, Tim O’Neal oversaw the event’s festivities, bringing the famous Budweiser Clydesdales back to town in preparation for the concert. 

Priscilla Block is an up and coming country music star known for hits “Thick Thighs”, “PMS”, and her biggest song to date “Just About Over You”. During the pandemic in 2020, Priscilla took to creating TikTok music videos and skits featuring her songs which gained popularity and made her one of the first female TikTok country stars eventually gaining just over 1.9million followers on the short form video app. Her song “Just About Over You” rose quickly in the charts, becoming the number one song in the “All Genres” iTunes category, placing herself amongst other music stars like Harry Styles and and Billie Eilish and earning her a sponsorship with Busch Light. Priscilla was also nominated for her first CMT Award for Breakthrough Video of the Year in 2022 for “Just About Over You”. 

The concert venue featured various beer stands managed by staff members of Crossties, another local business in the entertainment district, merchandise stands for performing artists, several food trucks and an opportunity for photos with the Clydesdales. The event took place on a fenced off portion of E. Front Street Festival Plaza. Tickets were $40 for general admission and $60 for VIP packages that included exclusive seating closer to the stage. Mayor Allen Brown of Texarkana Arkansas was first in line to meet Priscilla Block during a VIP meet-and-greet. “It really is wonderful having [Priscilla]. I couldn’t think of anyone better to show off our exciting new entertainment district.” 

Lil Skinny (Right) and guitarist Curt Cassidy (Left) Photo by Michael Wells

The star power of Priscilla Block wasn’t the only thing on display at the new venue, local artists Jesse Jenkins and ‘Nashville to Nashville’ American-Idol golden ticket winner Lil’ Skinny performed alongside the female country star, highlighting local talent for a night of music on the town. Lil Skinny, (Ethan Kuntz) was raised in Nashville Arkansas. At 15 years old, Skinny competed on American Idol in its 15th season, returning at age 21 to compete a second time. Skinny won a coveted Golden Ticket which guaranteed a visit to Hollywood to further progress in the competition. “Even though I might not be from here, I cut my teeth in the bars here in Texarkana.” Songs of note include hits like his newest “Let’s Have A Ball”, “Running Wild”, and “Gunnin’ ”. “This place has always felt like home to me, its always treated me right.”, said Skinny. 

Jesse Jenkins Photo by Michael Wells

Jesse Jenkins, the opening act of the event, is the only Texarkana native to take the stage, previously releasing his debut album “Texarkana” to local acclaim. Jesse may be new to the music industry but music isn’t new to him. Jesse has spent years performing bar-hopping and small format gigs in the city of Texarkana and surrounding areas, releasing singles like “Make Me Stay”, “Go to Hell”, and his newest song “Lie to Me” which was released alongside the biggest performance of his career to date. “As an up and coming artist this event was such a blessing because it allowed me to share my message.” said Jesse. Speaking on the importance of concerts that present local talents, Jesse said “I think There are a lot of voices that need to be heard. There are so many musicians and artists that don’t have a stage, but need to share their talent. Events like this allow that to happen.” 

An estimated 1,200 concert-goers attended the event, packing into The Railyard’s standing room venue. Highlights include the awarding of a $10,000 Folds of Honor scholarship to recipient Jordan Rogers of DeQueen Arkansas. FOH is dedicated to providing military and first responder servicemen and women and their families an opportunity to pursue higher education with financial assistance. Other featured highlights include Jesse Jenkin’s repertoire of original music, Lil’ Skinny’s “Long, long legs”, and Priscilla Block shotgunning Busch Light’s like they were water. The event highlighted small town’s, local artists, and a night of country music enjoyed by many.  

Campus Spotlight: No Fear Career Fair

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Texas A&M University-Texarkana is hosting a ‘No Fear Career Fair’ on Friday, October 27th, the event will be held in Eagle Hall from 12pm-2pm. Boasting a variety of vendors, the event isn’t limited to a specific handful of majors, instead, it encompasses the wide range of talent that A&M offers. “We encourage all students to attend.” Says Tommy Tye, TAMUT’s College Experience Coach and lead coordinator of the event. “The event is open to all students and majors…You never know what the employers are looking for.” 

The goal of the event is to connect students with potential future employers in fields that align with course offerings at TAMUT. This can be a daunting challenge for students worried about making good first impressions. Tommy offers advice to students, “Face your fear and do it. Getting a job isn’t easy, but if you don’t face the discomfort you’ll never grow.” He continued, “The worst they can do is say no, and even if they do, you’ll have bettered your networking skills.” 

Tommy also recommends visiting booths from smaller companies, “Small local companies sometimes are even better than the big wigs when it comes to career opportunities. You just have to know where to look.” Some of the local businesses expected to be present are Christus Saint Michael’s, Texarkana Texas Police Department, and Ledwell Machinery.

Months of preparation allowed TAMUT to gather 19 vendors from outside of campus and 4 internal vendors for a total of 23 unique booths available for students to interact with. This year’s career fair differs from previous ones that had a smaller focus on just a few majors. After new research showed the ineffectiveness of focused events on smaller campuses, the Advising and Career Experience (ACE) team expanded the event to a campus-wide career fair. 

The team at ACE invites you to visit the No Scare Career Fair and network with potential future employers. Any questions or inquiries can be made by contacting Tommy at ttye@tamut.edu or by calling the ACE Center at (903)-334-6690. The ACE Center is located on the first floor of the UC building.

Dr. Joy Hutchinson: The Next Generation of Counseling

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Dr. Joy Hutchinson is the newest addition to Texas A&M-Texarkana’s Counseling program. She joins the faculty as the Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator of Counseling. Counseling wasn’t always in the cards for Dr. Hutchinson, she worked as a Paramedic for ten years in the city of New Orleans. Her time working as an EMT provided valuable insight to a side of first responding that many don’t see. When asked about what shaped her career path, Dr. Hutchinson said, “Listening to my friends and hearing them talk about…when they did see counselors and how the councilors were so ill prepared to work with that population…and losing friends to suicide and substance use.” Joy left her third year of nursing school after creating a survey that showed an overwhelming demand for mental health options among first responders, beginning her journey into the field of counseling. 

After teaching through her doctorate program at the University of Memphis, Dr. Hutchinson finds that she prefers TAMUT’s class sizes. “I like the smaller size, just because of having that personal relationship with [The Students].” She continued, “I’d like us to grow because I’d like to…bring in more faculty. I think it’s important for everybody to get varying perspectives…there’s not one way to offer counseling.” Dr. Hutchinson went on to speak about the offerings of the counseling master’s program. “You’d be able to use your degree that you gained…no other degree is going to bar you from joining our counseling program. Our doctorate degree is the same.” The program also offers supervised local internships to gather real world experience, “In Practicum, we get your feet wet…[The Student] finds local community partners…they do their work there.” 

Today, Dr. Hutchinson teaches and develops the next generation of counselors through her master’s graduate program, utilizing her background in crisis management to better prepare her students for real world scenarios. She offers advice to students working through the new hustle and bustle of college life, “Have a calendar. Time management is really the big key.” She continued, “You get an assignment? Do [it] early. Just be on top of it. Schedule those healthy habits.” Joy wants students to know that her door is always open, “I’m happy to answer any questions…email me, schedule an appointment time. We’re all here to help you succeed.” 

Dr. Joy Hutchinson’s office is located in UC 245, she encourages students to contact her with any questions about the counseling program by emailing her at ehutchinson@tamut.edu. Student Counseling Services is located in UC 420 and is open Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm, to schedule an appointment, contact them by calling (903) 334-6613 or by emailing  counseling.services@ace.tamut.edu.  

Axel Diaz: Fight for Life

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Axel Diaz

Axel Armando Diaz Juarez was born in the city of Oaxaca, Mexico on March 6th, 2002. The same year, his father left the country and entered the United States for work. In his father’s absence, Axel grew up with his Grandfather. Around age 10, Axel’s grandfather passed away, and the patriarchal duty fell upon his uncle. During this time, Axel found himself at the end of some disciplinary troubles. “I’m ashamed to say it…but I was the bully, always picking on other people, really bad grades, all that stuff.” His uncle, in looking after Axel, took him to his first Taekwondo class, “He was like,You wanna hit someone? Okay let’s go [To Taekwondo].-At least here, you’re not gonna get in trouble”. Influenced by his admiration for action heroes like Jean-Claude Van Damme and Jackie Chan, Axel discovered his fondness for martial arts. “Once I started training in Taekwondo, I was like, I can do that! I can do this! And I like it.” From then on, his training in the martial arts began to feel like home. 

In 2015, Axel joined his father in America, he referred to this as a “Complete culture shock.” He said, “I got here on a Saturday, then Sunday we went shopping for clothes because I didn’t bring anything, and then Monday I was in school.” Axel spent time with his father’s wife, Katy Diaz, who taught at Redwater Middle school where Axel attended. Being new to the country, Axel didn’t speak fluent English so he received help from two elementary teachers. “I feel like I learned more in those 6 months at Redwater because I didn’t have an option.” He continued, “Whenever I moved to Texas High and I had a lot more people to speak Spanish to, then it became a little more challenging to learn English.” It was here however where Axel met two inspiring teachers that introduced him to his favorite subject; History. “Its funny, whenever I was younger I used to hate history… Like, what’s the point? I don’t care what a person did back in the 1800’s.” He attributes his fondness to his teacher’s teaching styles, citing their passion for the subject and that, “They didn’t make it boring.”  

In his junior year of highschool, Axel was reintroduced to a local Taekwondo class. “The first time that I walked through those doors, it felt good, it felt like home.” Axel split his time between school, training, and working, eventually taking on a new position as an assistant instructor at his gym. “I went to work and it’d just tear my soul out, whenever I went to Taekwondo I realized I was really happy there.” Early on, he found it difficult to explain concepts like self defense to kids after seeing how different life was for them compared to his hometown. “How do you justify standing there getting hit, so that you can hit someone back?” He continued, “As much as I hate to say it I kind of grew up in a hostile environment… I kind of grew up knowing what it was like to get hit.” As he gained more experience, his love for teaching was truly realized. “Whenever I was helping the kids..teaching on my own, whole classes full of kids and I was like, you know what? I think I *can* convey my messages.” He continued,”If I wouldn’t have been in Taekwondo, I wouldn’t have come to the realization that I could teach.”

Now a second degree black belt, Axel has invested several years into his training and has garnered numerous awards and trophies, going so far as to win consecutive national titles for 2020 and 2021. Axel is currently working towards completing his education degree and teacher’s certification. He plans on becoming a social studies teacher, eventually moving into history and hopes to teach at the collegiate level. He continues to teach alongside Gary Jones at the East Texas Martial Arts in Wake Village.