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REVIEW: Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical hits the high notes but forgets to sweat the small stuff
When the game reaches its climax, and the emotional impact is at its peak, Stray Gods soars.

Nate Hermanson
Sep 20, 20238 min read


Billy Basso on creating mysterious and mind-blowing Animal Well - PAX West 2023 hands-on/interview
We had a long chat about the beautiful and layered platformer Animal Well with its solo developer, Billy Basso, at PAX West 2023.

Nate Hermanson
Sep 18, 202311 min read


REVIEW: Chants of Sennaar is a masterful puzzle-and-click for linguists and puzzle fans alike
Chants of Sennaar tasks you with puzzling out the intricacies of the human experience through languages learned from scratch.

Nate Hermanson
Sep 17, 20238 min read


Physics meets crafting in silly survival game Dropkick Navvy - PAX West 2023 hands-on/interview
Dropkick Navvy shows what survival actually entails: A lot of stumbling, talking to trees, and getting bonked on the head.

Nate Hermanson
Sep 16, 20237 min read


Find a rival, learn to ball, and save a community in Beastieball - PAX West 2023 interview
Greg Lobanov's "dream game" to make is our dream game to play. Find out what we learned at PAX West 2023 about Beastieball, coming in 2024.

Nate Hermanson
Sep 14, 20238 min read


REVIEW: Gunbrella soars with its quality and lands gently as one of the year's best releases
The Gunbrella is the Best Weapon of 2023, THERE I SAID IT.

Nate Hermanson
Sep 13, 20237 min read


From Nookazon to Galactic Getaway, Akrew puts players first - PAX West 2023 hands-on/interview
We went hands-on with Galactic Getaway's PAX West demo and chatted with Akrew CEO Daniel Luu about their Nookazon origins and debut game.

Nate Hermanson
Sep 12, 202310 min read


REVIEW: Eternights shrinks the Persona experience down to a tight action-romance package
Eternights is visually striking, features stirring character arcs, and shows great talent. Even if in the end, I recommend it conditionally.

Nate Hermanson
Sep 11, 20238 min read


Mecha meets musou in the customizable roguelike Metal Bringer - PAX West 2023 hands-on/interview
Metal Bringer has players use deep mech customization to craft Labors and Arms, then fight enemy hordes in a satisfying series of waves.

Nate Hermanson
Sep 10, 20237 min read


REVIEW: Decarnation's horrors come from the painful realities women face
Decarnation's horror has Gloria slipping between a nightmarish reality and disturbing, fleshy dreams.

Nate Hermanson
Jul 5, 20236 min read


REVIEW: Amarantus legitimately is about the friends (and lovers) we made along the way
Amarantus: Released. The visual novel genre: Forever changed.

Nate Hermanson
Jun 27, 20237 min read


Not-E3 2023: 11 games you need to wishlist after Steam Next Fest
Our team lists 11 games from Steam Next Fest in June that you need to get on your wishlist. Like, right now.

Nate and Julie
Jun 26, 202314 min read


Not-E3 2023 Mini-Preview: Jumplight Odyssey gives us management and melodrama in space
In Jumplight Odyssey, you're the princess helping your crew find hope and, perhaps, a hand to hold out in the lonely recesses of space.

Nate Hermanson
Jun 24, 20235 min read


REVIEW: Hello Goodboy has you paying it forward and petting the dog
There are wholesome games, and then there are games designed for kids. We think Hello Goodboy is probably the latter.

Nate Hermanson
Jun 23, 20235 min read


Not-E3 2023 Mini-Preview: Play a tense game of tag in roguelite Horror Stories: Harvest Hunt
Horror Stories: Harvest Hunt has a demo out during Steam Next Fest, offering a stealth-based horror roguelite.

Nate Hermanson
Jun 21, 20235 min read


REVIEW: The Goosebumps choose-your-own-adventure generation needs Varney Lake
Varney Lake is like a Goosebumps choose-your-own-adventure... if it had fangs.

Nate Hermanson
Jun 19, 20237 min read


Not-E3 2023 Day 6 and Finale: Ubisoft soars, Capcom hits the floor, Not-E3's final encore
Saying farewell to Not-E3 2023, an exciting summer gaming smorgasbord that has us thrilled for the future of games.

Nate Hermanson
Jun 18, 20235 min read


Not-E3 2023 Day 5: Xbox is so back, PC gamers are thriving, and the one game dominating our thoughts
Xbox needed this win, and PC Gaming Show was as varied as ever.

Nate Hermanson
Jun 12, 20237 min read


Not-E3 2023 Day 4: Distilling the best of Future of Play, Wholesome Direct, and Future Games Show
How do you distill down three showcases with nearly 200 games? With a few well-deserved indie spotlights!

Nate Hermanson
Jun 11, 20236 min read


Not-E3 2023 Day 3: Access-Ability's inaugural showcase is new, needed, and exciting
The inaugural Access-Ability Summer Showcase featured highlights of accessible game design for 15 games.

Nate Hermanson
Jun 10, 20233 min read
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