*slaps mat*
1...2...3…4…5…6…7… out of 10?
We welcome Scott McCrae to the site to let us know if 2K22 has finally managed to kick out of the pin the series has been trapped in for the last few years or if it is time to finally tap out.
Update Patch | February 2022
It is nearly impossible to care about something as seemingly quaint as video games when what is going on in the world right now continues. However, oftentimes our hobby intersects with these important issues.
Alex Green highlights all the month’s biggest video game stories including the industries’ reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Grapple Dog | Review (Switch) - Troublesome, Loveable Mutt
Have you ever played Ninja 5-O or Bionic Commando and thought “this is great but it would be much better if I was a dog right now”?
No?
Well, Grapple Dog seeks to answer that question anyway. Ollie Luddy lets us know if it succeeds.
Review | Encodya (Switch) - Critical Error
Encodya started life as a short film before making the bold bold choice to jump to a 2.5D adventure game. However, Amy Eastland is disappointed to report that this eyecatching neo-noir-cyberpunk adventure misses the mark on multiple fronts.
Update Patch | January 2022
January is usually a pretty quiet news month, so we have told Alex Green to keep this Update Patch short.
…
Wait, what happened?
Burning Out On Your Passion And Rediscovering Your Hobby
Somehow Jamie A. Nicholas has burnout on playing games and just can’t put his finger on why. Maybe putting pen to paper might result in some answers?
Update Patch | 2021 - A Big Year For Bad News
After 2020 we joked that there was no way 2021 could be any worse… Well, Alex Green is here to round up all the ways we were wrong.
At least 2022 has to be better, right… RIGHT?
Jessica Reyes' Advice For How To Spot Signs Of Abuse In The Games Industry And What To Do | Winter Spectacular 2021
No quippy jokes here. This is just a very important piece that everyone, especially folks trying to break into the games industry, should read.
Thank you to Jessica Reyes for writing it.
Natalie Raine's Games of The Year 2021 | Winter Spectacular 2021
We love a good ole GOTY list, don’t we folks?!
Join Natalie Raine as she highlights her highlights of the year.
Santi Leguiza 2021 Was A Year of Endings and Beginnings | Winter Spectacular 2021
2021 being both the longest and shortest year of many of our lives has had us thinking a lot about endings and beginnings. No more so than for Santi Leguiza, who joins us again to discuss his Games of The Year for 2021 and how they revolve around bringing things to a close and starting anew.
Review Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond + Shining Pearl - A Fresh Coat of Polish | Winter Spectacular 2021
We thought about making the subhead of this review, “What is old is new again” but that could be almost any Pokémon game if we are honest.
We welcome Kyle Moffat to the site to break down what has changed and what hasn’t for BD and SP.
Josh Broadwell Wants You To Celebrate Your Wins, Especially When You Don't Feel Like It | Winter Spectacular 2021
It is one thing to win with humility. It is a totally different thing to win and then put your fingers in your ears and shout “AH IT WAS NOTHING, ANYONE ELSE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER!”
Josh Broadwell slowly starting to accept that he might be pretty damn good at what he does.
The First Annual startmenu Awards | Winter Spectacular 2021
This article is just like 2021 itself; it will make you laugh and make you cry, it is way to long and will be gone in a flash, it was a lot of hard work and we’re not sure it was worth it, but we got through it all together!
Welcome to The First Annual startmenu Awards!
The Games Industry Has a Cynicism Problem… And So Does Ollie Luddy | Winter Spectacular 2021
It is very easy to be jaded in the games industry. In fact, you are probably right to be cynical most of the time.
However, Ollie Luddy has realised it is time both they and everyone else should give wide-eyed naivety a second chance.
Alexandra Day's Games Of The Year 2021 | Winter Spectacular 2021
It has been a great year for video games, especially indie games. However, it has been easy to miss some of the best experiences of the year when the world is still kinda on fire.
That is why we welcome Dreamfeel’s Alexandra Day to the site to highlight some gems you might have missed.
The Best Games I Played In 2021 By Tiffany Treadmore & Dov Grey | Winter Spectacular 2021
We asked our favourite Nintendo Leaker to send us their Top Ten Games of 2021.
Tiffany Treadmore and Dov Grey sent us a document titled “Get Back Inside!” and, yeah, that about sums this year up, doesn’t it?
Amy Eastland's Time In Game Journalism Has Been a Whirlwind | Winter Spectacular 2021
It is really wild to consider that some of us have started whole new careers and chapters in our lives during this pandemic. Honestly, that has only made learning a lot of the lessons everyone has to figure out much harder. Amy Eastland shares with us her whirlwind games journo career.
Review | Epic Chef - Get It While It's Hot! | Winter Spectacular 2021
What is more adventurous than trying a type of food you have never had before?
A grand adventure, you say?
Well, Marie Pritchard is here to tell us about today’s specials and a game that serves up both!
Arcane Is The Perfect Show For Jamie Nicholas And Other People That Don't Play League | Winter Spectacular 2021
League of Legends is known for having a… passionate fanbase. This makes it intimidating for newcomers to learn the gameplay basics, not to mind the lore. That is why Jamie A. Nicholas thinks Arcane is such a brilliant adaptation of gaming juggernaut.
Elizabeth Henges Is Moving On and Moving Fast | Winter Spectacular 2021
There is a term in speedrunning for when a game is being played at a marathon event and it has gone way over the estimated time and has to be cut short. It’s called “a mercy kill”.
Elizabeth Henges reflects on when it’s time to call a reset on a run or maybe a dream job.