Are our game collections doomed to disappear along with us when we die? David Cole unpacks the problem of ownership when it comes to digital libraries, as well as what it means to hold a cartridge in your hands in 2025.
Zackary Edwards Finds Meaning In The (Monster) Hunt | Winter Spectacular 2025
Zackary Edwards muses on the cathartic power of “Proof of a Hero” — an iconic theme in Monster Hunter that only rears its head when you face the series’ most formidable foes — in the epic fight against the dragon Fatalis.
Phil Salvador Believes MindsEye Is The Game Of 2025 | Winter Spectacular 2025
OK, OK… Hear us out. Phil Salvador actually has a pretty damn well-reasoned argument for why MindsEye is “The Video Game Of 2025.”
Mik Deitz Has Survived A Hard Game, Hard Year, Hard Life: Silksong, Celeste, and Sadomasochistic Joy
Mik Deitz delves into the worlds of Pharloom and Mount Celeste with a blood-soaked smile. Real world woes are no match for moral penance and difficult boss fights.
Not A Herd, An Ensemble: How Herdling’s Music Brought KM Nelson Closer To Her Calicorns
KM Nelson’s experience playing Herdling was shaped by the power of its music. The soundtrack’s emphasis on the physicality of each instrument’s performance engenders closeness, cementing your bond with your herd.
Knoebel Outlines The Joys Of Controller Passing Co-Op Games | Winter Spectacular 2025
In this Winter Spectacular guest piece, Knoebel is here to sell us on a new sub-genre designation: Controller Passing Co-Op games, or CPCO for short.
![[PATREON UNLOCK] Update Patch - November 2025](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5caf2dea93a63238c9069ba4/1765217445424-VD9D5K60NQ7D8C128M5F/Update+Patch+000.jpg)
[PATREON UNLOCK] Update Patch - November 2025
Simon Estey brings us November’s gaming news highlights.
Gabriel Deleon’s Top Ten of 2025 Sans Metroid Prime 4 | Winter Spectacular 2025
We welcome 8-4 Play’s Gabe Deleon to the site to run down their 10 favourite games and hand out some fun made-up awards too!
Which, to be fair… all awards are “made-up.”
Adam W Gives Yuuka Her Flowers in Fantasy Maiden Wars | Winter Spectacular 2025
In Fantasy Maiden Wars, Yuuka gave Adam W a run for his money. While she’s not the game’s biggest boss, her role in the story, flair for drama, and climactic final confrontation give her an outsized impact.
Owen Trett Is A Game Trailer Maker Here To Ramble About Three Good Trailers From 2025 | Winter Spectacular 2025
Who better to highlight some of the best video game trailers of 2025 and explain what makes them so good than trailer editor extraordinaire, Owen Trett?
Abram Buehner Reflects On Reliving Metroid Prime | Winter Spectacular 2025
Lost In Cult’s Abram Buehner joins us to break down his experience returning to Metroid and learning to experience old things anew instead of attempting to relive previous highs.
Holly Hughes-Rowlands Posits That The Switch 2 Is A Drop In The Ocean Of Unaffordable Video Games | Winter Spectacular 2025
So everyone was really angry about the Switch 2 price when it was announced… and then it became the fastest-selling console of all time.
So why did it happen? What did we learn? And comes next? Holly Hughes-Rowlands investigates.
Temporarily Leaving The Games Industry Has Returned Erik Campuzano To Earth Again | Winter Spectacular 2025
We welcome Erik Campuzano to the site to break down how stepping away from working in video game PR has given him a new perspective on the wider industry.
Anna C. Webster Declares This Year The Era Of The Blue Prince Sicko | Winter Spectacular 2025
How do you cope with the onslaught of news in 2025? By becoming a sicko. And Blue Prince is a game made for sickos.
Ela Bambust Reflects On The Time Of Indies | Winter Spectacular 2025
2025 has highlighted just how many problems the video game industry faces, but Ela Bambust has identified one issue that fuels everything else: Time.
Or lack thereof, to be specific.
Review | Keeper - Finding Your Place
In its brief runtime, Lee Petty and Double Fine’s Keeper manages to sweep you up in its surrealist world, while keeping you grounded with a simple but affecting tale of found family.
Brandon Craw Reviews.
Review | Duskpunk - Break Your Chains
Fans of Citizen Sleeper will find a lot to like in Duskpunk, which puts a gritty spin on the former’s Blades in the Dark–inspired gameplay.
Steven Stoermer reviews.
Review: The August Before - Little to Digest
Though it tells a relatable story, busywork-esque gameplay and a narrative that offloads much of its exposition to pop-culture references mean that The August Before lacks a cathartic payoff.
Hiero de Lima reviews.
Review | Fantasy Maiden Wars - For Touhou Fans and First-Timers
The English-language release of Fantasy Maiden Wars: DREAM OF THE STRAY DREAMER is a combination of four strategy games, which themselves draw from two major franchises: Touhou Project and Super Robot Wars.
Adam W reviews.
Review | Spindle - Don’t Fear Me
Paired with a trusty pig, Steven Stoermer takes on the role of Reaper — and rolls across the map — in Spindle, a short meditation on grief with the vibe of a classic adventure game.