Refunct is one of those perfect examples of a pleasant surprise. I came across it by pure chance during the Steam Winter sale. Saw it was cheap (less than a dollar at the time) and that the reviews were good, so I figured it was worth a shot. Plus, it described itself as a “peaceful,…
2016. There’s nothing to be said that hasn’t already been said, and I don’t want to drag down what should be a celebration of the year in video games. But the fact is 2016 wasn’t pleasant, to put it mildly. Thankfully, what was generally a disastrous year for the world was actually a rather good…
It’s New Year’s Eve. Usually the end of the year is bittersweet, but it also provides some kind of relief. We made it through another year, now let’s make the next one better, we tell ourselves. The start of a new year always feels like a fresh start of sorts, a chance to wipe the…
Videogames so often deal in destruction and violence that anytime one comes along that focuses on rejuvenation it feels fresh. That the entire crux of Okami, for example, was to restore life and color to the world was a big part of why it resonated with me so deeply. I always prefer games that focus…
Many are considering 2016 to be one of the worst the world has ever seen. Games, however, have been pretty freaking great all year round, so at least they’ve helped keep people entertained while all sorts of chaos takes place in the real world. Here are a few of my personal standouts. Are some of…
Ever since Eduardo and I finished up Dark Souls 3 proper, we’ve been wondering what was in store for the game’s two expansions. The first, Ashes of Ariandel, landed last month, so of course the two of us got together to chat about it in-depth, as is tradition. Warning: Spoilers ahead. Callum: Out of all…
With 2016 rapidly drawing to a close, what better time it is to look back at the state of fighting games, in a year that featured some of the biggest names in the genre making gigantic comebacks. King of Fighters and Street Fighter, in particular, were rivals since their debut in the late 1980s and early…
It’s immediately apparent that Thoth was made by the same guy who created 140. Jeppe Carlsen’s unique aesthetic is front and center in Thoth, giving it that same air of surrealist minimalism that made 140 so stylish. Unlike his previous game, however, music isn’t the focus this time. Instead, it’s a simple twin-stick shooter. Well,…
It was near the end of the third row of levels that I finally met my match in N++. One stage in particular – Earthdate 2264 (pictured above) – had worn me down. It’s a series of tunnels with drones circling each junction with a laser moving back and forth across the ceiling. The button…
Dearly beloved, we gather here today to mourn the death of an icon. Well, hopefully not the death, but if Metroid Prime: Federation Force is any indication, it’s certainly terminal. The much-maligned spin-off to the venerable Metroid series has, of course, not been doing well at all in the marketplace. It charted well below golden…
