The Brilliant Use of Mode 7 In Super Ghouls ‘N Ghosts’ Fourth Stage

When I think of the toughest games of my childhood, the Ghosts ‘n Goblins series from Capcom immediately comes to mind. They’re unforgivingly difficult, taunting you at each corner with a thousand deaths. Arthur’s armor gets shredded by every moving object and even upgraded weapons offer little protection. What’s worse is that you have to…

I Still Think About Detroit: Become Human’s Tales Of Abuse

My wife and I look forward to playing each of David Cage’s games. There were parts of Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls, and Indigo Prophecy that we found fascinating, weaving a unique experience unlike any other. With Detroit: Become Human, I had avoided all articles so I could go in with a fresh perspective. I…

Dragon Quest XI Has Some Of The Best NPC Stories Ever

Playing a main series Dragon Quest game is a serious time investment. I’ve finished half of them, and the last three I played (V, VII, and VIII) each required almost 100 hours. But there’s something special about the games that director Yuji Horii is involved with, whether it’s the Dragon Quest games, Chrono Trigger, or…

The Swords of Ditto‘s Brilliant Twist Makes Me Want To Finish More Games

Leaving games unfinished is a practice I recently developed. God of War? 75% done. Persona 5? It’s forever November as per the in-game calendar. This habit bothers me because I could be missing out on worthwhile adventures—something I was reminded of by The Sword of Ditto’s surprising ending. I’ll admit it was tough seeing The…

I Tried These Weird New Cereals So You Don’t Have To

If you’ve walked down the breakfast aisle of your local supermarket in the last few months you’re likely aware that some sort of bizarre cereal apocalypse is upon us. Classic cereals of the past are currently being forced to bump elbows with some of the strangest new additions to the junk food breakfast market in…

Activision-Blizzard Employees Brace For Massive Layoffs

Staff at the game publisher Activision-Blizzard are preparing for big layoffs next week, waiting to see who will be one of potentially hundreds of employees who could lose their jobs on Tuesday. There’s been no official news from the publisher yet, but we first heard word of upcoming layoffs late last year. At the time,…

A Look Behind TV’s Most Relatable Gaming Story In Ages

Writing an episode of a TV show that revolves around video games can be a tricky endeavor. It’s all too easy for showrunners to gravitate towards common tropes such as being sucked into a digital world or becoming overly obsessed with a flashy new game. Stories like these have been overused in the decades since…

In case you missed me and Tim stream The Division 2 Private Beta, check out the stream archive to hear us chat animals, cereal recipes, and our favorite movies. Oh we talk about the game too. Follow us on Twitch for more streams!

This Farming Sim Is Like Stardew Valley Except Really Sad

Picture a stripped down, hollowed out, watercolor version of Stardew Valley, and you’ll have something very close to The Stillness Of The Wind, which released on February 7 for Switch and PC. It feels like a trip to Grandma’s house filtered through the existential loneliness of a Samuel Beckett play. It can be relaxing but…

Super Smash Bros. Melee Technique Gets Fake-Banned And Then Actually Banned

Despite being old enough to get a driver’s license in much of the United States, the undying Super Smash Bros. Melee has been haunted by a controversial technique for at least a decade. Wobbling, which can only be used by the Ice Climbers, is a whimsical term for a move that is actually quite controversial…

If You Don’t Love Bulbasaur, ‘Bulbasaur Propaganda’ Might Change Your Mind

A word typically reserved for stoic World War II posters and modern Russian cable TV takes on new meaning with the delightful Pokémon-themed Twitter account Bulbasaur Propaganda. @BulbaGanda is a nonstop feed of Bulbasaur, Ivysaur and Venusaur facts, fan art, memes, heartwarming images, and general cheerleading for Pokémon’s vegetation-based starting monster. If ever you had…

The Pleasure Of Playing A Randomized Version Of The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time

To defeat the final enemy in Ocarina of Time, you need to have the light arrows. You get them right near the end of the Zelda game by the series’ famous princess. When Carbonwater was playing the Zelda classic one time not too long ago, he just couldn’t find those arrows. Princess Zelda didn’t have…

PCs Would Make FIFA Tournaments A Lot Simpler

There are still 13 weeks of matches left in the English Premier League’s 2018-2019 season, but EPL teams’ glory in the world of esports will be on the line this weekend in the FIFA eClub World Cup taking place in London. I hope it hurt you to see that lower case “e” as much as…

Monster Hunter And The Witcher Are The Perfect Combination

Monster Hunter: World’s latest crossover event combines dangerous monster fights with the in-depth roleplaying of The Witcher 3 for a special quest that perfectly captures the tough work of a Witcher. The story, which went live yesterday, begins with a mysterious creature stumbling into the Monster Hunter universe. The creature, a grimy little nekker from…

It Takes Six Transformers Trading Cards To Build Devastator

Predaking? Weak. Superion? Bah. Before the Autobots and Decepticons started transforming teams of five into one giant robot, there were the Constructicons, six construction vehicle robots who combined into the mighty Devastator. The original gestalt is a “towering warrior” in the Transformers Trading Card Game’s upcoming Rise of the Combiners expansion. The Rise of the…

How Apex Legends’ Microtransactions Work

Respawn’s new battle royal game Apex Legends has tons of cosmetic unlockables, ranging from new character outfits to special animations for when you execute a downed player. All of them can be earned either by progressing in the game or by spending real money on loot boxes. Here’s a breakdown of how Apex Legends’ microtransactions…

Nintendo Exec Says ‘A Very High Number’ Of Its Designers Are Women

One of the key reasons behind Nintendo’s success over the decades isn’t just that it makes fun video games, but that it makes video games that broadly appeal to both men and women. One possible explanation? There’s a “very high” number of women employed at the company, Nintendo says—although they haven’t offered statistics. Nintendo’s executives…

Socialist Tabletop Game Reminded Me That You Have To Stop Infighting To Get Shit Done

On Wednesday night, a group of friends and I gathered to spark a revolution. We were playing Comrades, a tabletop RPG that puts its players in the shoes of leftist activists fighting for their causes. I make it no secret that I am a socialist. That’s right! I’m the political dissident the President is warning…