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UncategorizedThe Japanese Predecessor To E.V.O.: Search for Eden Now Has A Full English Translation
Released in Japan for the PC-98 back in 1990, 46 Okunen Monogatari: The Shinka Ron was a game developed by Almanic Corporation and published by Enix that hasn’t had a complete, playable English translation until now. The project officially completed at the end of last year by 46 OkuMen. It takes the game that would…
By Ethan Gach Published January 2, 2017 - Uncategorized
The Year In JRPGs, 2016
I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say that this was one of the most significant years for Japanese role-playing games in recent history, first and foremost because one of this fall’s biggest games was a brand new Final Fantasy This piece was originally published on December 24, 2016. Final Fantasy XV…
By Jason Schreier Published January 2, 2017 -
UncategorizedEpitasis Looks Like One Of Tycho’s Songs Reimagined In Unreal Engine 4
Epitasis is a new project being worked on by Lucas Govatos. It’s a puzzle exploration game in the mold of Myst that was inspired by the soundscapes of electronic musicians like Tycho. It’s also being made entirely in Unreal Engine 4. The game, whose name is Greek for the main action in a play, grew…
By Ethan Gach Published January 2, 2017 - Culture
2016, As Told By Steam Reviews
Taken on their own, individual Steam reviews don’t offer a whole lot of value. But taken together, they spin a yarn about a game that’s equal parts fascinating, weird, and occasionally funny. This piece was originally published on December 23, 2016. We semi-regularly round-up the best Steam reviews of the year’s biggest (and/or strangest) games.…
By Nathan Grayson Published January 2, 2017 - Culture
Latest Sci-Fi Art From Simon Stålenhag Captures The Strangeness Of The Road Ahead
More artwork from Simon Stålenhag nails that feeling of driving through familiar landscapes dotted with industrial oddities. We’ve featured Simon’s art here before, a couple times in fact, because it’s just so damn good. The latest book collecting his work, called Things from the Flood, came out last November, and followed up on his which…
By Ethan Gach Published January 2, 2017 -
CultureThe Good, Bad And Ugly Things Snacktaku Ate In 2016
2016 was a year of dazzling heights and dismal lows in the realm of snackology. A year of fast food crossovers, foul cookie combinations, depression day doughnuts and election night tequila. Also we ate a thing that looked a lot like nightmare poop. This piece was originally published on December 22, 2016. Here at Snacktaku…
By Mike Fahey Published January 2, 2017 -
CultureThe Assassin’s Creed Movie Has Some Beautiful Visuals
Surprise, the Assassin’s Creed movie is trash. But it’s not all bad; some of the movie’s effects are quite nice, in particular the Animus’ interface and other shots of computers doing their thing. Work on these visuals was led by Ash Thorpe, who has shared videos and screens of all the stuff he put together…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 2, 2017 -
CultureCosplayCouple Meets Online Playing Diablo, Gets Married
Alvin Lau (a Crusader) and Alexis Loo (a Demon Hunter) met online while they were playing Diablo III. Their online friendship blossomed into a romance, and the pair got married last year, celebrating the whole thing with an elaborate Diablo-themed cosplay photo shoot. This wasn’t the big day itself, just a pre-wedding shoot—it’s tough dancing…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 2, 2017 - Uncategorized
Ariana Grande Is In A Final Fantasy Game
Welcome to 2017. The pop star will be a character in free-to-play mobile title Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, which was released on iOS and Android around six months ago. Here’s some footage of the character: And here is a very strange photo: And here’s Grande cosplaying as…herself, I guess. Note that this kind of cultural…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 1, 2017 - Culture
What Are Your 2017 New Year’s Resolutions?
At some point I resolved to stop making New Year’s resolutions because I was so bad at following through on them. But for that very reason, I returned the next year and every year since inspired to recommit myself to any number of goals I’d probably never achieve. And even though I try to make…
By Ethan Gach Published January 1, 2017 - Culture
The Week In Games: Welcome To 2017
2016 came and went and now here we are: the first day of a new year, feeling rejuvenated and refreshed, ready to jump into all of 2017’s biggest and most interesting releases which will be coming…eventually. While the first week of the new year isn’t completely devoid of games, the pickings are sparse. And also demonic.…
By Ethan Gach Published January 1, 2017 -
UncategorizedThe Gamers Of The Year, 2016
The people who play video games have an impact on what we play and the gaming culture at large. Since 2012, that premise has informed our annual listingof the Gamers of the Year. This piece originally appeared December 22, 2016. There’s no one achievement that can put someone on the list. Some are champions of…
By Stephen Totilo Published January 1, 2017 - CultureTotal Recall
The Man Who Worked On The Original Game Boy Explains Why Nintendo Created The DS
Satoru Okada, who was General Manager of Nintendo Research & Engineering before he retired in 2012, said in a recent interview with Retro Gamer Magazine that no one on the handheld team liked the idea of the DS when it was first proposed. If some folks had gotten their way, Nintendo would have produced a…
By Ethan Gach Published January 1, 2017 - Uncategorized
2016 Has Been A Golden Year For Strategy Games
As you may have noticed from being on the internet or talking to other human beings, 2016 has been a bit of a shitshow. But if there’s one piece of solace to be found in the flaming wreckage of this orbital rotation, it’s been the quality of its video games. Strategy ones in particular. This…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 1, 2017 -
UncategorizedThe Best Video Game Music Of 2016
2016 was a great year for video games, and an even better year for video game music. It was also a diverse year, with a mix of Norse folk music, spy movie histrionics, ambient soundscapes and extremely heavy metal. This piece originally appeared December 21, 2016. As with past years (see: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 1, 2017 - Uncategorized
The 100 Steam Games That Made The Most Money In 2016
Today Valve announced the 100 games that have brought in the most revenue on Steam in 2016. The list is quite varied, ranging from top dogs like Grand Theft Auto V and the company’s own Counter-Strike: Global Offensive to more granular games like Stellaris The is the first time that Valve has put together such…
By Ethan Gach Published January 1, 2017 -
UncategorizedThe Biggest Video Game Disappointments Of 2016
If 2016 taught us anything at all, it was that sometimes, things don’t go your way. For every lovely surprise, there is a major disappointment around the corner. This piece originally appeared December 16, 2016. We’ve already recounted the best surprises of the year, so it’s time to let our bitterness reign. As in past…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 1, 2017
