Can you believe that I’ve actually never played Slay the Spire? I feel like I should have by this point, but I also feel like I have a general idea of the shape of it just by playing so many games that are derived from its basic formula. There’s a certain type of game, and
Ask any modern gamer about the trajectory of titles in certain franchises, and you’re more than likely going to hear similar things about the most popular franchises. On one end, you’ll have the Call of Duty or Maddens of the world pumping out endless sequels that are picked up year after year. On the other,
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has read more than a few of my reviews to know that I like games in the general metroidvania sub-category. That having been said, they are also still a genre I tend to be critical of; just like any other sort of game, it’s possible to
When I saw that Devolver was publishing another nostalgic 8-bit inspired game, I must admit it caught my attention. I’ve generally been a huge fan of the games they support such as last year’s Cult of the Lamb, and I’m always a sucker for games with a strong aesthetic choice. So, of course I had
Rhythm games are kind of my passion. If I’m not busy pouring time into a JRPG (or wasting away my days in Final Fantasy XIV), you can usually find me jamming away in some sort of musical experience. Project Diva, DJMax, Taiko no Tatsujin…hell, even music adjacent games like Tetris Effect get a ton of
My favorite types of games to write about are the ones that you can tell have been made with love. I know that sounds a little obvious, but not every game gives off that specific aura. Because of that, the ones that do tend to shine all the more. Tchia, a new open-world adventure title
I forget exactly when it was I stumbled across Tower Hunter: Erza’s Trial on Steam long ago, but it was at least at a point when the odds of getting new metroidvania titles seemed… not great. So it was a while ago, and it definitely predates my working here. The game launched into early access,
At least as far as pre-release reception is concerned, Forspoken has something of a hill to climb with its release. Despite flashes of an expansive open world and impressive-looking magical combat, the marketing focus highlighting protagonist Frey’s reactions to the world around her occupied a majority of discourse surrounding the game. Now, after being the
There’s something to be said about the allure of resurrecting long-dormant franchises, especially when you’re the kind of person who latched onto one of them when it was originally released. It’s a chance to breathe new life into your creation, and also a chance to adapt to the times. In recent memory, I’ve seen (and
Taking a creative work of one medium and adapting it into another is something we’ve all seen time and time again. The process of turning novels into films, for example, is an undertaking that’s consistently taken place for as long as both media formats have existed.
How do you feel about classic action games from the 16-bit era? Because that’s going to inform a lot about how you feel when it comes to Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider. The 16-bit era of console gaming had a slightly disjointed start, with the Sega Genesis having launched a solid two years before the Super Nintendo
The Bayonetta series is probably one of the most infamous cult classics coming out of studio PlatinumGames. The original, way back in ye olde days of 2009, gained a number of fans…but not enough for original publisher Sega to consider the series viable. That’s where Nintendo swooped in, reviving the series with a second entry
Is there anything in gaming as immediately tantalizing as player-versus-player castle siege gameplay? I’m earnestly asking here, as the concept has consistently found its way into the designs of many a game, all the way from earlier MMORPGs like Dark Age of Camelot in 2001 to more focused competitive games like Chivalry and its 2021
“This looks just like old school Persona!” That’s the reaction I heard ringing out from everyone who saw Demonschool on the PAX West show floor. And, to be honest, it’s hard to blame them. An inferred school setting, the isometric camera view present in many screenshots, battle screens with large tall sprites…it does look vaguely
If there was a “dad” version of any genre of gaming, it would absolutely be the “historically accurate FPS” side of the whole spectrum. Oftentimes, they revolve around World War I and II, though the focus tends to lean towards pivotal battles or specific battlefields that try to emulate the feel of the era they’re
Finally revealing your passion project to the world really is something every artist looks forward to. Having the opportunity to do so at one of the largest conferences for the medium you’re working in? All the better. This was the opportunity Eric Manahan of The Matte Black Studio had at 2022’s PAX West conference. The
More and more, I feel like the most important thing in a game’s genre is how it decides to defy it. The way developers take the broad strokes and general idea of the genre and present you with something that feels fresh and new, or at the very least hasn’t been seen in a while.
Santo Ileso was brought to life in Las Vegas last week as select media was invited to experience Saints Row – the reboot from developer Volition being released next month on August 23. Saints Row comes nine years after the last release in this series, and more than fifteen years after the original – so what
It’s not often that I love a game at first glance, but I’ve always been a fan of that “dark cute” aesthetic. Of taking absolutely cute and saccharine critters and putting them in a situation that’s more than a little bit messed up. That contrast of something that wouldn’t look out of place in a
Have you ever wondered what would happen if you added ghosts to a game like Stardew Valley? More specifically, if you used a backdrop like the one found in the movie Spirited Away (the whole bathhouse for ghosts part) and coupled it with typical life sim elements? This just about sums up Spirittea, a new
