Artemis Octavio returns to Off-Peak City and reminisces about luck in her impressions of Cosmo D’s Moves of the Diamond Hand.
All in Features
Lex Fridman’s Tell-All Interview With Jeff Kaplan Was Missing Some Important Questions
Despite a runtime of over five hours and having time to talk about everything from Zork and EverQuest to the potential firing of 1000 employees, Jeff Kaplan’s tell-all interview with Lex Fridman did not include any line of questioning regarding Blizzard’s largest-ever scandal that broke just months after the creative director and vice president left the company.
Gonçalo Santos digs deeper.
Impressions | Crimson Desert – Like Drowning In Quick Sand
Crimson Desert is often overwhelming in its scale; however, if you can get past convoluted controls and thin characterisations there is a vast world to explore.
Impressions | Vital Shell - Digital Daydreams, From Software
Vital Shell’s bite-sized stages and bullet-hell mechanics make for an experience best enjoyed in short bursts.
Holly Redfield shares her impressions of the game.
Feature | 1000xRESIST, The Game That Should Remain
For Jay Weaver, 1000xRESIST is the game that will remain.
Preview | Denshattack - Trainboarding Through Japan
It may star a train, but Denshattack! is off the rails! Gonçalo Santos takes a look at the demo for the stunt-filled autorunner-meets-skateboarding game.
Impressions | Demon Tides - The Horizon Calls Me
Demon Tides makes a great first impression with stylish design and satisfying platforming.
I Beat OFF And All I Got Was Climate Anxiety
Artemis Octavio played a cult-classic RPG, was devastated by thoughts of impending climate collapse, yet still holds hope for a brighter future.
Interview | Behind the Scenes with Urban Myth Dissolution Center Dev Hakababunko
Urban Myth Dissolution Center was one of the breakout hits of 2025.
Adam Wescott took some time to catch up with Haf Haf Oden from Hakababunko and go behind the scenes on one of the most popular games in Japan.
Human Connection Was At The Heart Of Robin Bea’s Favourite Games This Year | Winter Spectacular 2025
The games that had the biggest impact on Robin Bea in 2025 were about bringing people together.
Madeline Blondeau Reflects On Finding Faith At The Arcade And The Feet Of Mother Mary | Winter Spectacular 2025
We welcome Madeline Blondeau back to the site as she finds faith in a sub-par arcade.
Will Borger Is Begging You to Believe in Something | Winter Spectacular 2025
2025 was a great year for people who stand for nothing and believe in nothing too. So with that in mind, Will Borger is here to beg you to believe in SOMETHING, and stand for SOMETHING.
The startmenu Awards 2025 | Winter Spectacular 2025
The startmenu Awards return for another year with the debut of the first site-wide vote for startmenu’s Game of the Year! But before that, we’ve got a selection of critics’ choice awards highlighting the good, the bad, and the ugly of 2025.
Michael Beckwith Unpacks The Hundred Line's Most Challenging Question: How Far Would You Go To Save the Human Race? | Winter Spectacular 2025
The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy is about many things and for Michael Beckwith, it's about the lengths we're willing to go to avoid extinction and whether it's actually worth it.
Alex Orona And Super GG Radio's Best Betas And Early Access Games Of 2025 | Winter Spectacular 2025
We welcome back Alex Orona and Super GG Radio to run down the best betas and demo of games coming in 2026.
Hollow Knight Taught Louise Chase Hard Lessons About Herself And What She Could Do | Winter Spectacular 2025
Hollow Knight is a lot of things to a lot of people. To Louise Chase, the once-intimidating game has served as a source of newfound confidence. If she can beat Hollow Knight and its sequel, Silksong, well… what can’t she do?
The 2025 Games That Made Carlo Azzari Hopeful About Our Industry | Winter Spectacular 2025
There was very little good in 2025, yet despite it all, Carlo Azzari has found some games that gave him hope for the future of the video game industry.
Deniz Amasya Reflects On Social Vs. Anti-Social Writing: Visual Novels And Adventure Games | Winter Spectacular 2025
Deniz Amasya joins us to take moment to reflect on espressos in Cologne, philosophers, and Sega Saturn visual novels.
David Cole Craves Ownership | Winter Spectacular 2025
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.