Nothing beats getting stuck into a great metroidvania. The non-linear exploration, the progression of new abilities, challenging boss fights—when prepared properly, all of these elements confect one of gaming’s most satisfying, addicting experiences. The appreciation I have for this genre is on my mind with every metroidvania I play, but it’s especially true for those
There was a time – and I remember it quite well – when not every single type of game got stapled to an RPG. I don’t even feel like it was all that long ago. It’s not as if no one loved RPGs or anything, but it was a reality that it was something of
It’s hard to deny the equalizing factor of the Jackbox Party Pack series. Regardless of the personalities of those present or overall friend dynamic, the games typically always feature some neat gimmicks that allow for just enough input to foster player creativity and generate a plethora of inside jokes. And infusing alcohol in the mix?
Throwback games are nearly always a risky business. There’s certainly much to be gained by taking notes from the classics that came before, but a lack of innovation on tried and true concepts can just as readily cause a game to feel like a drop in the bucket for a genre rather than a proper
Today, Square Enix released Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Series for both the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. We had a chance to check out these latest versions of the well-reviewed Pixel Remasters prior to their release in order to get a look at the new features that were added. Up Up, Down Down, Open Menu,
Are you exhausted? Overworked? Do the events of your life feel akin to the tides, where everything takes place in an omnipresent cycle, looping day in and day out without end? If you answered yes to any of the above, you have something in common with the Grim Reaper himself—or at least as he’s represented
Are ya ready, kids? Met with mixed reception though it was, the 2020 remake of SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom served as a much welcome return for fans of the cult classic platformer. It seems it was quite the lucrative one as well, given that we’re now staring down the barrel for the release
The year was 1976. The first VHS cassettes and their accompanying VCRs were newly available for purchase, everyone was dancing the night away to their favorite disco tracks, and programmer William Crowther had finished developing Adventure (later Colossal Cave Adventure): one of the earliest text adventure games ever made. Crowther, an amateur cave explorer, based
Given its status as one of the most recognizable franchises on the planet, the Dragon Ball series has seen video game adaptations across a wide swath of genres. From fighting games to RPGs and action adventure titles, we’ve seen different takes on the events of the series from a variety of gaming perspectives.
What is it that we all want from our gaming handhelds? Long battery life? Comfortable to hold in our hands? All of our favorite games available on the go? Nah, it’s all about that big screen life, baby! Gone are the days of the big brick Game Boy with a screen the size of your
Last month we previewed Cult of the Lamb and I left off eager to see how its combination of roguelike dungeon crawling and base building held up in the full game. Now that I’ve had a chance to sit down with it properly, it’s time to see where it’s held up and where cracks have
Both low concepts and high concepts abound in the wide world of video games. Some games have premises that could be the basis of full dissertations, and others can be immediately understood in a single, tantalizing sentence. Endling – Extinction is Forever, developed by Herobeat Studios and published by HandyGames, is thoroughly a part of
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
The last time I wrote a review for an otome game, I couldn’t help but point out how childish the genre’s usual tropes felt from the perspective of an older player. The satisfaction I craved from that particular story never came because I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t the intended audience. This never
Eiji Aonuma, the producer of the Legend of Zelda series addressed fans this morning with an update video on the expected release of the Breath of the Wild sequel. Originally announced to launch later this year, Nintendo has now delayed the game into spring of 2023, in order to “make the game’s experience something special”.
Hot off the heels of Pokémon Legends: Arceus‘s rousing success, The Pokémon Company announced the next generation of mainline titles in their Pokémon Day presentation yesterday. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will be the first in the series to harbor a completely seamless open world and roaming Pokémon. While Pokémon Sword and Shield only had the
I’m one of those “90s kids” that grew up with games of the 8-bit and 16-bit generations. I have a lot of nostalgia both for the art style and game design of that era, and I am absolutely LOVING the resurgence of retro throwbacks. The latest in this trend is Infernax, a monster-packed side-scrolling action
Ever since finally getting my hands on a PC Engine Duo (or, as it was known in the US, the TurboDuo), I’ve been on a bit of a shmup kick. The system is known for its absolute glut of space shooters, after all, so why not dive in and see what it actually had to
I’d like to think that given my long stint as a gamer, I have experienced everything that video games have to offer. However, there are times when I am made to realize that is not the case. Unfortunately, those experiences aren’t always positive, as is the case with The Good Life, an RPG adventure game
Everyone likes a good simple party game, you know? Something where explaining the mechanics are super easy to break down and get right to the fun part can really do wonders to liven up a gathering. I’ve probably lost count of how many times I’ve proposed firing up a session of some Jackbox game during