For a few hours one morning, I repeatedly failed to defeat Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga’s final boss, Cackletta. I remember that unseasonably warm February day clearly. Of course I do. It’s only been four months since I got thoroughly thrashed. Before the final battle of Nintendo’s 2003 Game Boy Advance classic frustrated me, I…
For many of Dragon Quest VII’s overwhelmingly depressing storylines, I spent time saving and hanging out with people I didn’t give a crap about. It’s not that they were lacking personality or angsty teens that so many JRPG characters embody—no. It’s that they were all really damned mean. Dragon Quest VII’s core concept is intriguing.…
Staring into the abyss known as the videogame backlog and having it stare right back—that seems like the perfect way to spend a summer, don’t you think? That time will soon be upon us once more. The days will be longer, we may have more time to get together with friends, and we may actually…
Help me, everyone. I’m just not interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with anyone in Persona 5. Spoilers for Persona 5 to Follow Before you bring out your extra rusty pitchforks and torches, know that I adore Persona 5 and most of its cast. Not all confidants—the game’s social link mechanic in which the main…
Traversing Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule unveils somber narratives inferred through its ruins and decimated villages. But it’s not all sorrowful. Some of the game’s most bizarre tales are told through its strange NPCs and locales, and they’re amazing. It’s true there are eerie happenings and sidequests in other Zelda titles over the course of…
The Amazing World of Gumball is no stranger to videogame, anime, and pop culture references. These are common story beats used in other past and current shows. But for the love of everything, please watch the episode, “The Console.” It’s a Final Fantasy and RPG tribute that’s too brilliant to be ignored. Creator Ben Bocquelet’s…
Nintendo doesn’t play E3 by the same rules as its rivals, but its E3 2016 showing was its most radical departure from the formula ever. Its booth featured a single game, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and it replaced its big pre-recorded digital event with a series of livestreams that ran throughout…
To what lengths do you go to introduce the return of one of your biggest franchises? If it’s for God of War, you bust out a full orchestra. Sony’s E3 2016 press conference began with a spectacle—but impressive showpieces aside, did the company meet its E3 2016 promises? Let’s find out. Sony’s press conference was…
E3 is right around the corner, and that means we’re about to get deluged with colossal news and shiny new trailers. And as we do every year before the hype, let’s first take a look back to see if the three console makers delivered on all the grand promises they made at last year’s E3.…
Mankind may stand divided this week but next week, Hatsune Miku will bring us back together through the power of song and dance. Let’s all stay strong until then. Other ways in which this week is all for the lovers fighters: King of Fighters XIV, Worms WMD, Madden, and every single one of those Nintendo…
Observing my almost 10 year old nephew’s gaming interests these last few years has been interesting. Minecraft, Undertale and Pokémon are going to be the games he’ll think fondly of when he gets older. I’d say times have changed but have they really? Stay with me while I have a Get Off My Lawn moment…
In video games, graveyards usually spell trouble. Ico didn’t disappoint. This year, part of my backlog clearing strategy is to play games in series before their sequels or marginally related entries come out. In the case of 2001’s Ico and 2005’s Shadow of Colossus, I figured that I should at least play Fumito Ueda’s two…
You know what they say: who needs enemies when you can have frenemies. I apparently have many. It’s nice to keep them around sometimes. They do just enough to keep you entertained (you know, when they’re not insulting you): …Well, actually: Not really. They’re just plain old awful. If you have frenemies of your own,…
All of this freedom to explore in No Man’s Sky is giving me a headache. Landing on plant life is one way I’ve been utilizing my time in Hello Games’ space exploration game. As a person who primarily plays linear, story-driven games in the form of JRPGs, the open world of No Man’s Sky has…
Some adventures cannot begin without naming your character. It’s when Final Fantasy Clouds can be Squalls. Or Freds. Some games provide the option to change your character’s name at the start screen. Others integrate protagonists’ intros and renaming prompts in clever ways. These five games do the latter. It’s Always A Trap, Wild Arms In…
Before the first episode ended, the killing game began anew. Should we have anticipated anything less? No, it’s the Danganronpa series, after all. Spoilers for the Danganronpa series to follow The stylish, ultra-violent visual novel game series Danganronpa, is currently airing an anime, Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope’s Peak High School, which picks up…
The last few games I played couldn’t be any more different from one another. The same goes for their varied, gorgeous soundtracks. Monolith, No Man’s Sky I managed to survive my crash landing on Planet Urrkundarfjord, somehow. I say ‘somehow’ because it’s the first survival game I’ve invested any real time in. I thought I’d…
Heartbreak is stumbling on a planet, entering its atmosphere to see lush green hills and island chains surrounded by gorgeous blue oceans below—only to land and find out it’s too toxic to withstand for extended periods of time. Damn it, No Man’s Sky! This is just one planet that dashed my hopes so far. I’m…
Oh how I long to relive those days chasing danger, and launching stealthy attacks on those damned dirty apes of Ape Escape on the PSN. Sadly, I’m still waiting for that release. In the meanwhile, the primates of Ape Escape 2 can terrorize me instead. I hold the first Ape Escape in high regards. Until…
The ever-present snow in I Am Setsuna gives life to cute snowmen with askew smiles. They may be found tucked away in corners of quiet villages, near wells or behind NPCs’ houses. The snowy scenery is just one charming aspect of its world. But the game’s not all a wonderland. During my first few hours…
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