Infernax
Weren’t Zelda II: The Adventure of Link and Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest weird anomalies? Two classic series, two polarizing games. But keep in mind… there was no standard in place after the first Zelda and Castlevania. Nintendo and Konami had no blueprint to follow from. A sequel could have literally been anything. A carbon copy. An educational game. A racer. A turn-based RPG. ...[Read More]
Dying Light 2 Stay Human
Dying Light 2 Stay Human‘s biggest triumph is that its open world feels both dangerous and highly exciting. As a fan of Dying Light and, by extension, Dead Island, Dying Light 2 checks the boxes of what we’ve come to expect of a game spawned from the popularity of The Walking Dead franchise. In 2022, zombies don’t feel as potent as they once were but that doesn’t mean a gam...[Read More]
OlliOlli World
OlliOlli was one of the first games I fell absolutely in love with at my first E3 in 2013. For the first time I had the opportunity to play games in their early-ish stages and, hopefully, speak with developers to form a picture of their aspirations. Roll7’s oddly brilliant idea of a 2D skateboarding game where tricks were dictated by flicks of the PlayStation Vita’s thumbsticks became ...[Read More]
Nobody Saves the World
As much as I want to compare Nobody Saves the World to The Legend of Zelda, I feel like doing so would be a great disservice to DrinkBox Studios’ latest genre retooling. Where Guacamelee! could be easily marketed as a Metroidvania, its Luchador hero’s emphasis on melee combat resisted the traditions of super missiles, swords, magic, space jumps, and transforming into bats. Nobody Saves...[Read More]
Introspection with The Artful Escape
The Artful Escape‘s swirling potpourri of foreign celestial bodies and magnificent narrative blueprinting serves a singular purpose: To move players. It’s bare-bones gameplay structure merely acts to propel the player towards one fantastical digital fresco to the next breathtaking zenith or soul-searching chunk of dialog. Developer Beethoven & Dinosaur seems keenly aware of their ...[Read More]
Rainbow Six Extraction
Tom Clancy’s name has been stretched in a multitude of ways. The franchises attached to the Tom Clancy’s brand have been equally stretched. Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon, The Division… XDefiant? The worlds inspired by the author’s works have often been relatively grounded, if not a bit out of the realm of belief. Years ago I read the massive tome that was Rainbow Six because I...[Read More]
Solar Ash
My time with Solar Ash is crystalized by the two opposing forces of fun and frustration. Throughout Heart Machine’s second game, I was thrilled with the sense of serene beauty and speed as main character Rei skated across clouds and gravity-defying landscapes. Solar Ash proudly wears inspiration on its sleeve. Much like Hyper Light Drifter paid tribute to The Legend of Zelda yet remained sin...[Read More]
JBL Quantum 350 Wireless Headset
When I reviewed JBL’s Quantum 800 Wireless Headset last year, I considered it to be one of the best gaming headsets I’ve used in quite some time. Considering how busy the market is, the $200 price point was completely fair with the amount of features and quality sound the Quantum 800 produced. It was the second-most expensive headset in JBL’s new Quantum line to push their brand ...[Read More]
Reopening Death’s Door
Death’s Door is not afraid to proudly wear inspiration on its sleeve. When I reviewed the game on the PC earlier this year, the comparisons to classics were not lost on me. But Death’s Door had an indescribable charm, due in no small part to its tiny crow protagonist. An impeccable art style and murmurings the game had any shred of Dark Souls in it further poised the game for success. ...[Read More]
JBL Quantum Cup Levels Up in Second Annual Tournament
Three days of action, two new titles, and more opportunities for viewers and players to win big. STAMFORD, Conn. – November 17, 2021 – This December, the JBL Quantum Cup gaming tournament returns, and is bigger than ever. Hosted December 17-19, the JBL Quantum Cup invites gaming fans across the world to watch, play and win. JBL has once again partnered with ESL, the largest esports organization in...[Read More]
Riders Republic
Riders Republic is at its best in the midst of chaos. Often that chaos is controlled as players seek out numerous racing and trick events that send them careening downhill on bikes and skis or across wide canyons in a wingsuit. Riders Republic is fun because it rarely takes itself too seriously. Even when trudging through the strange and forcibly hip dialog, it’s hard not to laugh at the abs...[Read More]
Call of Duty: Vanguard
Early in the evening on November 3, 2021 I patiently waited to load into a multiplayer lobby in Call of Duty: Vanguard. A few short minutes before, I had wrapped up an 11-round session of Zombies with fellow Vanguard reviewer Nathan Stevens. We had a great time. Not only did we pass the hours literally and figuratively shooting the shit, we indulged in one of Call of Duty‘s simple pleasures:...[Read More]