During COVID, my family played board games every Friday - usually Hotels or Monopoly. Those game nights proved what I already knew: in-person board gaming offers something video games can't replicate.
What makes a game stick in your memory? What are the early games that defined, for you, what games could be and how they could make you feel?
I like Joel, but I also don't. I'm glad he found happiness, yet I'm furious about how he did it. This mix is what makes The Last of Us one of gaming's most complex stories.
That damn dog - I wish you could shoot the fu**ing dog. Duck Hunt defined the NES Zapper experience, but Freedom Force made you feel like John McClane meets Terminator.
Explore in-depth analysis of video game storytelling, design mechanics, player choices, and the emotional experiences that shape how we play.
Learn about Nintendo Seal of Quality variants on NES cartridges, from the original black/gold seal to white/gold changes, plus red-top Canadian labels and Classic Series reprints.
Metroid revealed Samus was a woman at the end, not as the game's focus, but just as a fact. The Last of Us did the same with Ellie in the Left Behind DLC. Both got it right.
The TurboGrafx-16 was an underdog in the console wars. Still, its collection of arcade-quality shooters makes it my second-favorite system ever, behind the NES.
A nostalgic yet critical look at Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions for PSP, exploring its tactical brilliance, frustrating performance issues, and better modern alternatives.
