Streaming Resolutions: A Look From Our Twitch Team
For the first time ever, we brought a few members of our Twitch Team together to pitch some New Year’s resolutions we have for our individual channels.
Author: Ben Vollmer
‘Fashion Police Squad’: Fun, Fashionable, Frustrating
Growing up in Florida, I’ve always wanted to be able to slap some fashion sense into folks who wear socks with their sandals. Fashion Police Squad (FPS for short, in case you missed this...
A World of Secrets: Why You Should Play ‘Tunic’
Ben recommends listening to Tunic’s excellent OST while reading the review. Should you prefer, a video review is available on Patreon for supporters $1 and up. The article below discusses Tunic from a post-play...
A Universe of Wonder: Why ‘Outer Wilds’ is One of the Best Games of All Time
Ben suggests listening to Andrew Prahlow’s Outer Wilds’ original score while reading and watching. The following content involves spoilers and a post-play perspective. What does it mean to wonder? Playing Outer Wilds, I imagine,...
Why ‘Pokemon Legends: Arceus’ Isn’t Very Good
In a lot of ways, Pokemon Legends: Arceus is a step in the right direction. So where does it go so wrong, and where could it be improved?
‘What Should I Play Next?’: Ben’s Recommended Games of 2021
It’s Ben’s recommendation that you listen to his favorite original soundtrack of the year while reading. One of the questions I get asked most is “what game should I play next?” It’s a good,...
Reflecting on the Past and Looking Ahead to the Future: Video Game Resolutions in 2022
Life is short. Let’s play some games.
‘Returnal’ is an Unrelenting Fever Dream
Ben recommends listening to Returnal’s original soundtrack, scored by Bobby Krlic, while reading. Returnal is an unrelenting fever dream. There were moments where putting the controller down felt like letting the monster under my...
2021 and Video Game Resolutions
One thing I’ve constantly reflected on this year is how appreciative I am of video games. They’ve manufactured social interaction when there was strikingly little of it to find elsewhere and served as a...
Console Wars: Which Console Had the Better Launch?
Which console had the better launch? Now that the Xbox Series X and Playstation 5 have been out for a few weeks, we sat down to determine which of the two had the more successful start.
‘Black Ops – Cold War’ Has a Great “Bad” Ending
The following article contains spoilers for the Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War “Bad” Ending The Black Ops series has never shied away from being experimental, often toying with unreliable narrators and...
Top Ten Launch Titles for PS5 and Xbox Series X: Ranked
While the consoles have seen plenty of hype, including being totally sold out just about anywhere you look, there has been less talk about the games themselves. Here’s an early look at the top ten launch titles for PS5 and Xbox Series X, including both exclusives and third party games alike.
The Whirlygig: Why ‘Fall Guys’ is Worth Playing
Some of its mini-games don’t work quite as well as others, and the consistency can lead to some frustrating rounds. Still, even when it’s not at its best, Fall Guys is fun.
Is ‘Paper Mario: The Origami King’ Worth Playing?
Ultimately, it feels unfair to compare Origami King to games it seems to have no interest in competing with. Almost everything it delivers feels experimental, even if a lot of its strengths are core to what has made the franchise so popular.
Elegant, Curious, and Spirited: A Critical Review of ‘Ori and the Will of the Wisps’
It’s Ben’s recommendation that you listen to the Ori and the Will of the Wisps score, composed by Gareth Coker and published by Microsoft Studios, while reading the review. It’s easy to get lost...
Strikingly Good Level Design: ‘Ori and the Will of the Wisps’ Impressions
Ori and the Will of the Wisps has strikingly good world design. In my 15 hours with the game thus far, I’ve worked mercilessly toward seeing each and every corner of what Will of...
Achievement Club: Play Games, Get Points, & Earn Prizes for your Accomplishments
Welcome to the latest evolution of Epilogue Gaming: The Achievement Club. After a lot of consideration, we’ve decided to shake up the process of our friendly competition. Below, you’ll be able to find the entirety of our small rule set and group of prizes. But to put it simply, Achievement Club lives by a single ideal:
Play Games, Get Points
Relishing the Opportunity to Be a Star Wars Game: A ‘Jedi: Fallen Order’ Review
It is Ben’s recommendation that you listen to Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab’s score of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order while reading the review Jedi: Fallen Order relishes the opportunity to be a Star...
‘Halo: Reach’ Finds a Home on PC
It seems clear that Reach is one of the biggest launches of the year. Subsequently, it now seems entirely possible to me that Halo just needed a new audience, and perhaps a new home.
‘The Outer Worlds’ is a Universe Worth Caring About: A Review
The Outer Worlds can feel really empty on its surface, but by digging into the characters and each of the words they have to share, it’s one of the deepest experiences the genre has offered in years.
2019’s Most Perfectly Punishing Platformer: A ‘Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair’ Review
Among all of its flaws and triumphs, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a complete experience that doesn’t leave a stone unturned. Its levels are lengthy, packed with secrets and challenges, and its overworld...
‘Borderlands 3’ Review
Borderlands 3 is like a fun, reliable friend who doesn’t know when to shut up. Every time the game gets rolling, it’s interrupted with a joke – and it’s not like the jokes are always bad, they just never stop. But that’s the world that Borderlands has built, and it’s one that feels lived in and fleshed out.
Epilogue’s Guide to the Steam Summer Sale
Let’s cut right to the chase. What games should you pick on on the Steam Summer Sale? Which games should you avoid? Ben’s list will help you navigate the impossible task of deciding how...
EG Podcast: ‘Google Stadia and the Future of Game Consoles’
The Epilogue crew breaks down Google’s move into video games and analyzes what it might mean for the future of video game consoles. Plus, Marcos and Dakota are tasked with which consoles weigh the...
EG Podcast: ‘Capcom is Back, Baby + Our Favorite Video Games’
Epilogue takes on the difficult task of answering: “What are our favorite video games?”. Capcom lands another big hit with Devil May Cry 5 and EA bounces from its E3 press conference.
Three and Out – ‘Psychonauts’
It is Ben’s recommendation that you listen to Peter Mcconnell’s score while you read the review. Playing Psychonauts felt like being sucked through a time portal to the portion of my life where I...
Three and Out – ‘Ashen’
On its surface, Ashen is a collection of inspired mechanics. There will be, and already have been, countless comparisons to Dark Souls – with many of those comparisons being warranted. There is slow, calculated...
Three and Out – ‘FAR: Lone Sails’
It is Ben’s recommendation that you listen to Joel Schoch’s score of FAR: Lone Sails while you read the review. FAR: Lone Sails is about triumph in the face of loneliness. Operating a large...
The Nuzlocke Challenge and Emotional Attachments in Video Games
In a Pokemon “Nuzlocke Challenge”, you’re tasked with difficult obstacles like the mortality of your Pokemon (if they faint, they are gone forever) and limited access to which Pokemon you can “own” or use...
Analysis: What Happened to Telltale?
With the shocking news of developer Telltale Games’ closure last week, a lot of unanswered questions remain in its wake. It isn’t bad enough that one of the most critically revered developers is now...
Roundtable: Bonding With Characters
Question: How can games develop meaningful relationships between the player and its characters? What kind of mechanics help develop a bond – and what are your favorite instances of those mechanics? Andy: I feel...
Three and Out – ‘Hollow Knight’
There was an intense moment of relief for me when I found my first character buried beneath the levels of soil, mystery and labyrinth of Hollownest, the beautifully quiet setting for Hollow Knight. Cornifer the...
Mega Man Masters Monotony
It took me four different Mega Man games, all of which I played in order, to realize that they’re pretty much identical to one another. In an era where consumers rip franchises like Call...
Three and Out: Mega Man 3
Mega Man 3’s combat systems serve as a puzzle that can have its pieces either a) jammed and squished together through defiance or impetuosity or b) fit snugly into their place if you’re patient...
Video Games as Art: Visualizing the Narrative
Imagine an image of a cocoon. Spring green plant life fills the background and the sun is rising, with light filtering in through the leaves. The photograph is stagnant and there are no words,...
Three and Out: ‘Kingdom Hearts 2’
Kingdom Hearts II is a fusion of components smashed together to make something charming, intuitive and comprehensive. At various times, I found myself flying through the air on an anti-gravity motorcycle, participating in musicals...
EG After Dark #1
Thanks for listening to the Epilogue After Dark podcast. After Dark is a bimonthly podcast that has been funded via our Patrons on https://www.patreon.com/EpilogueGaming. For just $1 a month, you can hear these podcasts an...
Three and Out: ‘Demon’s Souls’
Demon’s Souls wastes little time getting to the point: Boletaria, the imagined kingdom the game takes place, is a brutal place to spend time in. It goes without saying that the trailblazer for the...
Epilogue’s Best Level Design of 2017
Level design rarely gets enough credit, but something to consider is that even a game with fantastic mechanics won’t get to show them off unless the level allows for it. When choosing our favorite...
Epilogue’s Best Art Styles of 2017
Before we get into an in-depth conversation over the various nominees, it’s worth pointing out that this year has been a phenomenal one for unique art design. There was a lot of feedback that...
EG Podcast #6 – Ben and The Gang Talk Game of the Year
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3d5sdYuZNM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Alt4MCkk-F0 Thank you for listening. If you’d like to support Epilogue Gaming, consider following our Twitter account @EpilogueGames, or subscribing to us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month. ...
Epilogue Gaming’s Best of 2017
2017 has rightfully been championed as one of the best years for games ever. We had a variety of titles, ranging from things like the wonderfully somber Hollow Knight to the contemporary and flashy...
Ludonarrative Podcast – “Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons”
Welcome to the Ludonarrative Podcast, hosted by Blake Andrea and Preston Johnson. This week, they take us through the sobering “Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons”, carefully dissecting the dual-stick mechanic and how it...
EG Podcast #5 – Ben and The Gang Ask Sony If They’ll Make a Classic Console
Thanks for listening! The Epilogue Gaming Podcast will also be available on YouTube, as well as iTunes under their “Games” section this Winter. If you enjoy what we do at Epilogue, consider subscribing...
