Understanding The Surprisingly Hilarious and Thought-Provoking Player Messages in ‘Elden Ring’
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.
Category: Features
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,...
‘Alba: A Wildlife Adventure’ is the Most Joyful Experience I’ve Had in Gaming This Year
Alba: A Wildlife Adventure is a joyful indie game that bursts with optimism and hope towards an exploitative adult world.
Gliding Through Self-Discovery: How Japanese Breakfast Guided My Procellous Journey With ‘Sable’
Here’s the story of how my love for Japanese Breakfast and Michelle Zauner brought me to Sable, a fantastic indie game.
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 Makes ‘Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door’ So Special?
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door has been endlessly praised, and rightfully so. Here’s a deep dive on two of its best characters.
Ranking the Yakuza Series: ‘Yakuza: Dead Souls’
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?
Why I Don’t Like Metroidvanias
People seem to love the Metroidvania genre of video games, but I have always struggled to enjoy them due to tedium and aimlessness.
‘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.
Why ‘SSX Tricky’ Needs a Remake
SSX Tricky is one of the most memorable sports titles from the PS2 era, nailing everything. Here’s why it deserves a remake.
Editor’s Picks: Flora’s Favorite Games of 2021
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.
‘Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales’ Isn’t Very Fun: Here’s Why
Miles Morales is a good game, but it’s missing something. Repetitive puzzles, combat, and missions undercut the solid characters and writing.
The Top 10 Most Wholesome Characters in Gaming
This list features not only those characters that we must protect at all costs, but the most precious cinnamon rolls to ever exist.
Ranking the Yakuza Series: ‘Lost Judgment’
There’s some debate about whether Judgment and its sequel are worth playing. But for die-hard Yakuza fans, Lost Judgment is essential.
A Video Game Thanksgiving: What We’re Thankful For in 2021
Here’s what we’re thankful for in gaming from 2021.
How ‘No Longer Home’ Left Me Feeling Directionless and Alone
While No Longer Home is an important game that I’m glad exists, it caused me to feel depressed and isolated in an unintended manner.
Time Capsules and Parasocial Relationships: A Reflection on ‘I Told You So!’
If you loved Heart of the Woods, you owe it to yourself to give I Told You So! a quick playthrough. Here’s why.
Companionship Therapy – How ‘Journey’ and Its Players Helped Me With Depression
Journey is recognized as an artistic achievement and timeless classic within video games. Here’s how Journey helped someone with depression.
How I Became Obsessed With ‘Pikmin Bloom’
You don’t have to be a longtime Pikmin fan to enjoy the wholesome delights of Pikmin Bloom, the newest Pokemon GO-like.
Ranking the Yakuza Series: ‘Judgment’
Even for a die-hard Yakuza fan, Judgment doesn’t bring a lot to the table. Unless you’re a crime drama connoisseur, you might skip Judgment.
Left Behind Game Club: ‘Hades’
Listen in as Flora Eloise joins the Left Behind Game Club, a video game podcast, to discuss the incredibly popular roguelike, Hades!
Anxiety and Judgement: A Dive into a ‘Psychonauts 2’ World
Psychonauts 2 opens with a statement about empathy and healing, and there is no better example in the game than Compton Boole.
Ranking the Yakuza Series: ‘Yakuza: Like a Dragon’
There’s much debate about which Yakuza game stands above the rest, but Yakuza: Like a Dragon is guaranteed not to disappoint. Here’s why.
Why I Quit Playing ‘Hades’
I wanted to like Hades. With all of the critical acclaim it has received, and how people I know have put in hundreds of hours into it, I expected more.
A Quality Queer Experience: Why I Love ‘Life is Strange: Wavelengths’
If Life is Strange: True Colors rocked your world, then you MUST pick up the Steph DLC “Wavelengths,” one of the series’ strongest entries.
Like Night and Day – ‘Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye’ and its Frightening Disparity
The separation between the good and bad parts of Echoes of the Eye is like night and day, leaving me with a feeling of dissatisfaction.
An “Ordinary” Difference: A Fan Treatise on The Legend of Heroes
If you’ve never tried The Legend of Heroes video game series before, here is one fan’s passionate case for why you should.
Holding On By A Thread: A Look at ‘Keyword: A Spider’s Thread’
Keyword is a neat little title with a unique gameplay hook, but in its current state it feels a bit undercooked.
What Makes ‘Kena: Bridge of Spirits’ Special
Kena: Bridge of Spirits does almost everything right, from animation to combat to storytelling. Here’s what makes this game so special.
The Illusion of Choice: ‘Deltarune’ and the Separation of Player and Character
Deltarune’s Chapter 2 dares the player to try to make meaningful choices while the characters keep the story on track.
‘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...
‘WarioWare: Get It Together!’ Should Learn From Its Title
Despite its uniqueness, unbalanced gameplay and a focus on offline multiplayer make WarioWare: Get It Together! not worth your time.
Consider the Albatross: A Critical Review of ‘SkateBIRD’
SkateBIRD has a lot of heart but the moment-to-moment experience of playing it is both tedious and frustrating. Here’s our in-depth review.
The First Chapter of ‘Life is Strange: True Colors’ is Everything I Could Have Hoped For
After stumbling with Life is Strange 2, the newest game in the series regains its footing. True Colors is a refreshing story. Here’s why.
Accessibility Gone Wrong: The ‘Axiom Verge 2’ Approach
Axiom Verge 2 has taken some lopsided steps in an attempt to provide accessibility, and in doing so appeals to neither its core fanbase nor newcomers.
‘Cyberpunk 2077’ is Great, Actually – Why I Gave CD Projekt Red Another Chance
Cyberpunk 2077 was maligned for its unethical marketing practices and broken, buggy game. But has it been patched up by now?
Is ‘Furi’ Too Difficult?
Furi is tough as nails, but does it cross the line of being “too difficult”? This article takes a look at the Edge boss fight.
Flipping Through the Dictionary: An Eccentric Approach to ‘Disco Elysium’
Disco Elysium is one of those rare games that will make you periodically stop to look up a word. Here are some of the more obscure terms.
The Major Problem with Taking Screenshots on the Playstation 5
The Dualsense controller is a massive improvement to the Dualshock 4 if you can excuse this one broken feature: the screenshot button.
Achievement Hunting and Too Much Content
It can be frustrating when a few elusive achievements take up the vast majority of the time. Even worse still is when these last few achievements are not fun.
Badasses Only: How I Beat the True Final Millennium Tower in ‘Yakuza: Like a Dragon’
Yakuza LAD’s True Final Millennium Tower achievement is impossibly difficult. Here’s how I beat it after dozens of failed attempts.
Why I Love ‘Last Day of June’
Last Day of June faced mixed critical reception on release, but it tells a heartfelt story that shouldn’t be ignored. Here’s why.
In Defense of Easy Mode
One of the first criticisms I read when I began my academic study of videogames was the idea that difficulty settings are bad game design. This article, insightful at the time, made me realize...
‘The Last of Us’ is Bad, Actually – A Look at Games Immune to Criticism
The Last of Us is a critical darling that is normally considered above criticism. But is it really that good?
Why I Stopped: Reflecting on Three Years of Twitch Streaming
Twitch streaming can be an extremely rewarding activity, but I have chosen to take some time away from it this year. Here’s why.
The Importance of Halo
Halo’s impact on the shooter genre cannot be overstated. With Halo: Infinite on the horizon, this series needs to return to its roots.
How I Lost Respect For ‘Persona 4 Golden’
Between some questionable gender reduction and arguably homophobic scenes, I couldn’t remain enthusiastic for Persona 4 Golden.
‘NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139…’ is an Exhausting Game That is Worth Finishing
Even though NieR Replicant can feel exhausting to play, it’s a game that’s absolutely worth sticking to until the final credits roll.
Ranking the Yakuza Series: ‘Yakuza 6: The Song of Life’
Yakuza 6 is the most profound Yakuza game, center-staging mature themes that deliver closure for the series’ core characters.
