With Nioh and its sequel getting new-gen re-releases on PlayStation 5 this past week, I have been once again musing on the differences between Japanese and western games and, specifically, the way that yokai and the concept of Huakki Yagyo applies to the way that JRPGs are designed. In short,…
Read MoreGame Theory by Matt S. With Persona 5 Strikers just around the corner (and review embargo lifting in a few days), I figured I’d publish this piece that explains some of the underlying thinking that has gone into the Persona 5 mini-series. Let me know your thoughts! Persona 5 is…
Read MoreOpinion by Matt S. This is an out-and-out thought bubble that I’ve had musing around in my head for a while. It’s not a substantiated piece, but merely observational, based on how I see us talk about – and categorise – games in comparison to other art forms. The more…
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I think at this point the story of Cyberpunk 2077 is well-known and well-reported. It had a catastrophic launch on console that has done meaningful damage to the CD Projekt Red brand, and Sony even took the unprecedented step of removing the game from sale in its entirety at one…
Read MoreOpinion by Matt S. It’s always a silly idea to talk about politics on a video game website. The best that ever happens is that in response to the article you get a bunch of people signing up to screech at you to “keep politics out of video games,” before…
Read MoreOpinion by Matt S. Japan is still the second biggest market for video games in the world. The interests of that market have shifted over time (the Japanese being much more interested in portable gaming are much more invested in mobile and the Switch than home consoles), and…
Read MoreVideo by Matt S. I’ve been playing a lot of retro and retro-styled games recently, and it has reminded me that in a lot of ways pixel art is the perfect aesthetic for video games. The way it inspires the imagination is like a good book, and adds to the…
Read MoreVideo by Matt S. Cyberpunk 2077 is just around the corner now, and it’s a game that people are obviously very excited for. But news emerged this week that was a little concerning, insofar as the game’s narrative and theme are concerned: a developer working on the game has spent…
Read MoreVideo by Matt S. It’s that time of year again. The Game Awards are imminent, and that means we can all sit back and bask in the glow of “the game industry’s Academy Awards”… or can we? The Game Awards is a big issue for the ongoing artistic credibility of…
Read MoreVideo by Matt S. Crunch culture kills creativity in video games. The human cost is the biggest priority – and that cost is discussed at great length and excellent detail by many outlets – but there’s a secondary casualty, and that’s creativity and artistry. In this video, I outline why…
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