Regardless of what types of games I played growing up, sprites are always going to define “video game” for me in a visual sense. There’s something so pure to the medium about pixels coming together — you can even guess when a game was created based on how it looks…

It’s no secret that I’ve been a huge fan of both Metroidvanias and roguelikes ever since I was a old enough to coddle a controller. Like peanut butter and chocolate I’d always imagined the two could go together smoothly, despite their conflicting concepts around general progression and character growth. Games…

The joy of simulation games comes not from blood-pumping action, but laid back passivity. Whether it’s farming, management, or whatever the heck you do in Animal Crossing (debt payments?), a good simulation game can entice you with simple core gameplay loops and relaxed atmospheres. However, the line between lax and…

The ultimate judge of any property, whether it be a movie, book, or TV show, is time. Popular works that are lauded in their day may be forgotten within a year. Nostalgic favorites may be revisited later, only to have aged poorly in the interim. This is especially true for…

This is the third part of our Octopath Traveler review. Read the previous two parts for contextualization and thoughts on other parts of the game: Octopath Traveler review-in-progress, Part 1: A breath of fresh, nostalgic air Octopath Traveler review, Part 2: The path is yours When it comes to long…

Video games are one of the most complex forms of entertainment to create, whether done with a handful of people or a company of hundreds. As you can imagine, this simple observation is especially true when tackling a project solo — a commendable accolade only a revered few can claim….

Some of my favorite arcade memories date back to side-scrolling beat ‘em ups. Games like Final Fight, The Simpsons, Golden Axe, and more always struck a chord both for their great challenge curves and their multiplayer potential. As a genre it struggled to persist once the industry shifted to home…

Hello, and welcome back to our review of Octopath Traveler! Last time we covered the beginning of the game and the ground level of its various mechanics, including story, gameplay, and aesthetic. This time we’ll be diving in a bit more deep into the various aspects, and exploring the little…

While today it’s just a mildly fancy synonym for “story,” the term “saga” originally denoted specific histories — Nordic and Germanic yarns of the past, grand tales of journeys, feuds, and heroes that shaped the present day. And while many a fantasy series or book has utilized the term for…

With 30 years’ worth of adventures you’d think tastes would vary for Mega Man fans just as much as the robot’s adaptive abilities do. While the Classic games are always what comes to mind for me and I know plenty of fans of Legends and Battle Network, it’s Mega Man…