Video by Matt S. We all know that Japanese and western video games are fundamentally different. But narrowing down the stylistic and aesthetic reasons for those differences is worth thinking about, because they say a lot about the respective art cultures too. For one good example, explored in this video:…
Read MoreVideo by Matt S. The Nintendo Switch has ended up becoming quite the home for digital board games. It does make sense given the console is portable and has multiplayer built right into the device with the Joycons allowing two people to play instantly. What’s great to see is just…
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. I’ve finally got my hands on Cyberpunk – as one of the critics playing it on console I needed to wait until close to launch to be able to sit down with it. I’m playing it now though, and I’m about a dozen hours in. Since…
Read MoreVideo by Matt S. Last week Nintendo localised the original Fire Emblem into English for the first time, to celebrate the series’ 30th anniversary. Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon first released in Japan-only way back in 1990, and playing it in 2020 has been some real nostalgic joy. A lot of…
Read MoreVideo by Matt S. Haven is the first “traditional” RPG to land on the PlayStation 5, and it’s an absolute delight. It’s a non-violent turn-based RPG about two lovers that left their entire world behind so that they could be together, in tranquil isolation. It’s a truly beautiful, heartfelt game,…
Read MoreVideo by Matt S. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla really impressed us, and it seems like we weren’t the only ones, as Ubisoft has reported record sales for the series with that game. Given how venerable the series is now, that’s quite the feat. It naturally raises questions: what might be next…
Read MoreVideo by Matt S. Shiren the Wanderer has finally landed on Nintendo Switch, and brought with it the very most classical interpretation of the roguelike genre that you can imagine. It’s turn-based, procedurally-generated, tough-as-nails and unforgiving stuff. I love it. I’ve done this video to look at the expanded way…
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 More