Epilogue Gaming: Video Games as Art, Literature and a Storytelling Medium
One of the oddities of writing about video games for the past several years is the phenomenon of trying to write something that does your favorite games justice. Since writing, for me, is a...
One of my personal video gaming rollercoasters is CDProjekt Red’s infamous Cyberpunk 2077. A notorious disaster at launch, I initially boycotted the game due to its egregious mistreatment of working staff, reversal of key...
Venba is a magnificent game that transmutes cultural memory and identity through food. It also evokes the loss of that culture. Here’s how.
One of the delights of the breathtaking entries in the remake series for Final Fantasy VII is the surprising abundance and depth to mini-games. Fort Condor, as it launched with the Yuffie DLC for...
Heading Out looks like yet another racing game, but this wonderfully designed gem should be on every Steam Deck owners’ radar. Here’s why.
Emily Is Away has a sterling reputation as a nostalgia-baiting AIM simulator. Under the surface of the writing lies something much more sinister, however.
Here’s how Flora Merigold felt her relationship to the Yakuza games change when she stopped drinking alcohol.
PAX East is packed with game demos, but 2024’s game of the show has to be Kind Words 2 – the sequel no one expected. Here’s why.
In her ongoing ranking of the Yakuza (Like a Dragon) series, Flora Merigold assesses the newest mainline entry, Infinite Wealth.
Goodbye Volcano High is a zenith in queer video game storytelling. Here’s how my own experiences paralleled with the narrative.
Cocoon is the latest effort by the creators of Inside and Limbo. Despite tons of charm, the game never leaves that same impact.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name isn’t exactly the most robust attempt at a Yakuza title. Here’s where is succeeds & fails.
The Scream fight in Spider-Man 2 was not only unexpected, but helped me understand my romantic relationship better. Here’s how.
Saltsea Chronicles is a lovely follow up release by Die Gute Fabrik, creators of Mutazione, offering a complex but relaxing narrative.
Final Fantasy 16 has an incredibly strong opening & achieves technical marvels. It also fails to do anything meaningful as a game.
All it took to bury a generational grudge was a night out with the lads. Here’s what makes “Feud of the Ages” in Yakuza Ishin special.
Strayed Lights is an impressive indie debut from Embers, but the combat system ultimately never evolves enough to remain interesting.
If you couldn’t make it to PAX East this year, Flora has you covered. She discusses her overall PAX experience as well as her favorite games from the show.
I didn’t know that I wanted a houseplant dating sim, but here we are, romancing plant-partners. The only question is: which to pick?
While I adored the original Plague Tale, the sequel overstays its welcome, dragging out what it otherwise a powerful story.
If you claim to care about transgender people, sitting out the new Potter game is the least you can do to show solidarity.
Bubble Tea is a wonderful comfort. This cute, quick game about making it is a relaxing way to spend a few cozy minutes.
Floor Chicken in Vampire Survivors is crucial to survival in the early game. But it also comes in clutch as you play further. Here’s how.
2022 was a mixture of massive releases and dozens of charming indies. Here are the top five games that impacted Flora the most in 2022.
Flora Merigold reflects on five years of games writing, revisiting her favorite articles from Epilogue’s website.
If you are struggling to finish the games you’ve started, it might be because you’re playing games “buffet style.” Here’s why.
During Transgender Awareness Week, the Pokemon fandom seems particularly supportive, which has unlocked some fond gender memories of Crystal.
Die-hard Yakuza fans may be tempted to 100% the prequel. Here’s why doing so is tougher than it seems. Beware of the platinum.
This article features a before and after story of two Doki Doki Literature Club playthroughs. It explores deadnaming after transitioning.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners not only pays tribute to the game, Cyberpunk 2077, but enhances its strengths with an incredible story. Here’s how.
The headbanging premise of Metal: Hellsinger will hook any lifelong metalhead, but does the game maintain its groove?
Immortality is one of the most mind-bending games in recent memory, and will haunt my thoughts for years to come – in the best way possible.
We Are OFK is a fantastic biopic of queer indie musicians. Come for the music, stay for the complicated relationship drama.
Neon White is one of 2022’s best games, indie or otherwise. It is also an exhausting, protracted experience that may burn you out.
The buildup to Stray feels a lot like the cultural conversation around Untitled Goose Game before it released. Here’s why we’re excited.
Games can hit you differently at different times. Here’s how the earth is a better person than me hit me during a turbulent time.
Comparing anything to Dark Souls is basically a meme, but here’s one trans woman’s perspective on how Souls reflects her experiences since coming out.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim made me want to try Yakisoba Pan. Here’s some context from the game, as well as a recipe to make your own!
Fans of the NieR series seem unlikely to enjoy this gacha-laden mobile game keen on aggressive microtransactions. Should you play it?
It’s no secret that Dark Souls, Elden Ring, and Returnal are brutally unforgiving games. But can you still enjoy them if you make them easier?
Ghostwire: Tokyo is a mixed bag containing beautiful urban environments and repetitive open world interactions. But is it worth playing?
Tales of Arise starts strong, feeling like a comfy JRPG. But after a while, the game loses its luster, dragging on for too long.
The cryptic player messages in Elden Ring are baffling riddles. Here’s my attempt to interpret what these messages mean and why they were written.
Alba: A Wildlife Adventure is a joyful indie game that bursts with optimism and hope towards an exploitative adult world.
Here’s the story of how my love for Japanese Breakfast and Michelle Zauner brought me to Sable, a fantastic indie game.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door has been endlessly praised, and rightfully so. Here’s a deep dive on two of its best characters.
One of the lesser known entries in the Yakuza series, Yakuza: Dead Souls is an inconsistent, over-the-top experience. But should you play it?
People seem to love the Metroidvania genre of video games, but I have always struggled to enjoy them due to tedium and aimlessness.
SSX Tricky is one of the most memorable sports titles from the PS2 era, nailing everything. Here’s why it deserves a remake.
From games like Life is Strange: True Colors, Chicory, and NieR Replicant, here are Flora Eloise’s picks for 2021’s Games of the Year.
