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Life Is Strange’s Literary References Give Deeper Meaning To Its Journey
Gamers often talk about the convergence of film and games. But in Life Is Strange, some of my favorite moments are the literary allusions because they make the world feel richer and more authentic. That starts with Max’s last name, Caulfield, which is a reference to Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye, the…
By Peter Tieryas Published November 24, 2017 -
Gunstar Heroes Is An Exhilarating Ride That Never Lets Up
Gunstar Heroes is side-scrolling shooting sublimated, chaos synchronized into a bullet symphony that makes the game feel very addictive. Created by Treasure, a cove of ex-Konami developers who wanted to develop unique games and follow the philosophy of “anything goes,” Heroes covers the adventures of the Gunstars as they fight against an evil organization that…
By Peter Tieryas Published November 24, 2017 -
Persona 5‘s Real World Is Scarier Than The Metaverse
In Persona 3 and 4, reality outside of the world of shadows was high school life, social links, and excursions that, for the most part, were enjoyable and light-hearted. In Persona 5, every day life is bleak. Warning, spoilers abound. High School Blues From the opening, the main protagonist is threatened, talked down to, and…
By Peter Tieryas Published November 24, 2017 -
A Goat Made Me Cry In Terranigma
There are many scenes in Terranigma that challenged my notions of morality and how even our well-intentioned decisions can impact a society in ways we couldn’t imagine. It’s arguably one of the most compelling JRPGs ever developed because of those ambiguities, standing as the finale in the Quintet trilogy that includes Soulblazer and Illusion of…
By Peter Tieryas Published November 24, 2017 -
Super Massive Galaxy In Super Mario Galaxy 2 Is A Loving Tribute To Super Mario Brothers 3‘s Giant Land
Super Mario Galaxy 2’s gameplay is superb, having some of the most creative level design I’ve experienced. Discovering the new rules and parameters of each galaxy is a joy. Yoshi is back. There’s a variety of suits that are available like the Cloud Mario and Rock Suit that mix up the control scheme and the…
By Peter Tieryas Published November 23, 2017 -
Earthbound Let Players Fight An Evil Cult Obsessed With Making The World Blue
When gamers talk about Earthbound, it’s usually about the quirky nature of the game and how it’s a refreshingly unique take on the JRPG. It definitely exudes charm in its eclectic interpretation of American culture from the vision of writer and director, Shigesato Itoi. But there’s one scene that resonates with me and made Earthbound…
By Peter Tieryas Published November 23, 2017 -
Vagrant Story Is A Brutally Original JRPG
The PS1 had some of the most innovative JRPGs ever developed. Vagrant Story was at the top of its class. Directed and written by Yasumi Matsuno, it’s a role playing game that defied categorization, mixing genres while telling a complex story that blended seamlessly with the gameplay and art style. It’s by far the darkest…
By Peter Tieryas Published November 23, 2017 -
My Strange Conversations With Seaman
It was midnight and I was alone in my room, talking with the Seaman on my Dreamcast. Seaman was asking about my love life and I felt embarrassed to admit I didn’t have one (this was many years ago before I was married). Seaman wondered, “Ok, I want to ask you something. This one is…
By Peter Tieryas Published November 23, 2017 -
Child Of Light Is A Love Letter To Fables And JRPGs
Child of Light is a beautiful game and a mesmerizing experience that crafts a perfect fusion between RPGs and platforming. In many ways, it encapsulates what I love most about JRPGs, which are wondrous worlds with engrossing mechanics and a charming cast. On top of that, the art is sublime as the hand-painted environments and character…
By Peter Tieryas Published November 23, 2017 -
I Ate The Resident Evil Brain Cake
Happy Thanksgiving Kotaku! My name’s Peter Tieryas and I’m your guest editor for the next two days. Last time I was guest editor was about a year ago and I wrote about some of my favorite games including Chrono Cross, Metal Gear Solid 2, and even some Xenoblade Chronicles X. For the next two days,…
By Peter Tieryas Published November 23, 2017 -
The Literary Horror Of Eternal Darkness
Eternal Darkness is a 2002 GameCube game featuring an epically dark story that takes place over thousands of years. It’s a series of interconnected tales, almost like a collection of Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories, that weave together myth, occultism, and some of the dark chapters in religion. While most people associate the horrors of…
By Peter Tieryas Published October 25, 2017 -
Parasite Eve Had More In Common With Final Fantasy Than Horror Games
Square wasn’t pulling punches when they developed their very first M-rated survival horror game, Parasite Eve. In the opening scene, the main character, Aya Brea, attends an opera where the entire audience spontaneously combusts. But what makes Parasite Eve so unique is that it shares more in common with Final Fantasy than it does other…
By Peter Tieryas Published September 18, 2017 -
Breath of the Wild Helped Me Beat The Legend of Zelda’s Second Quest
My childhood friends thought the original The Legend of Zelda for the NES was easy: just gather the eight triforces and defeat Ganon. I had a hard time just finding the second labyrinth. I eventually learned that my trek through Hyrule at the age of seven was actually the Second Quest, a remixed journey with…
By Peter Tieryas Published June 1, 2017 -
Resident Evil Taught Players How To Love Survival Horror
My love for survival horror games began with the first Resident Evil. As a kid I hated everything related to horror, but, after Resident Evil, I came to love and even seek out horror games. I didn’t know anything about the game and had no idea what to expect. The opening, with its live-action footage,…
By Peter Tieryas Published October 30, 2016 -
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories Made Horror Personal
When I first heard the original Silent Hill was getting a “reimagining” from Climax Studios, I groaned, thinking it was an attempt at a cash grab. I initially didn’t bother playing Silent Hill: Shattered Memories because no Silent Hill had been up to the quality of the first three (and, to a lesser extent, the…
By Peter Tieryas Published October 27, 2016 -
Romance of the Three Kingdoms Is A Perfect Blend Of Strategy And Alt History
Romance of the Three Kingdoms (ROTK) is my Civilization, the tactical strategy game I poured hours of my life into without regret. As my parting article for my run as guest editor today, let me tell you why I love this series so much. Worldbuilding I grew up with the book on which the game…
By Peter Tieryas Published August 27, 2016 -
How Xenoblade Chronicles X Made Me Rethink JRPGs
Traveling the alien landscape of Xenoblade Chronicles X (Chronicles X) is sublime. You really feel like you’ve crashed onto a whole new world, where even gravity is different and you leap through the awe-inspiring environments of Mira. There’s whole ecosystems where creatures interact with each other and go about their business, too preoccupied to concern…
By Peter Tieryas Published August 27, 2016 -
The Helplessness Of Clock Tower
Most survival horror games give you weapons to improve your chances for survival. In the original Clock Tower on the SNES, all you can do is run, and even that’s limited by your stress gauge. Released in 1995 by Human Entertainment in Japan and inspired by an Italian horror film, Phenomena (Creepers in the U.S.),…
By Peter Tieryas Published August 27, 2016
Peter Tieryas
Peter Tieryas is the author of the Mecha Samurai Empire series and Kill or be Killed. He's previously worked for places like EA, Sony, LucasArts, and Pixar.
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