Final Fantasy XVI works because of its desire to push the series in a new direction, influenced by all kinds of western media, while still celebrating its own quirky spirit. It doesn’t reinvent or subvert its original concepts — there are still crystals, chocobos, and scenery chewing villains — but …
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In the ever-changing world of video games, where competition is intense and fans’ tastes can shift quickly, one title remains constant: Diablo. It’s a series that can always be relied on for its meaty combat and tasty, expansive lore. Now, emerging from the legacy of its predecessors, Diablo IV, the …
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The thing about being first is that it usually puts a target on your back. For Street Fighter, despite setting the standard for an entire genre in 1987, and perfecting it in 1991, it meant that the franchise would almost immediately be against the ropes. With its breakout followed the …
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Despite J.R.R. Tolkien’s meticulous planning of The Lord of the Rings and Middle Earth, he leaves one crucial part of the saga to chance: the hope that you’ll feel pity for Gollum. Daedalic Entertainment steps in to fill that gap with The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, telling not the …
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When it arrived in 2017, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild changed everything. Abandoning comfortable formulas the series had leaned on for almost 30 years, it instead focused on one very simple premise, one that the original game in the series was predicated on: discovery. Pure, unfettered discovery. …
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2023 is a big year for Microsoft and Xbox. After acquiring Bethesda back in 2020, Microsoft (finally) has a slate of exclusive titles coming up, an area where it lagged behind Sony, its main competitor. Back in January, Tango Gameworks released the excellent rhythm action-adventure game, Hi-Fi Rush, and later …
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When it comes to the tactical strategy genre, there are some titles that stand the test of time, going on to become legends. One such gem is Advance Wars, which debuted on Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance in 2001. Intelligent Systems’ classic turn-based game might have been the seventh title in …
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After six excruciating years, the wait for the next Zelda title is nearly over. To fans’ dismay, the creative sadists at Nintendo opted to withhold practically all information about the game, entitled The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, outside of its basic premise and setting until roughly a …
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Rebellions are built on hope and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is an ambitious action-adventure saga that retraces that belief to drive an exhilarating new entry in the galactic pantheon. The sequel to 2019’s Jedi: Fallen Order addresses that game’s flaws by building out a universe that isn’t confined by lifeless …
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The Horizon series has had a rough go. Despite being one of the best new PlayStation franchises of the last decade, garnering tons of awards nominations and selling very well, it hasn’t really hit the zeitgeist in the way many expected. Part of that may be its perpetual bridesmaid status, …
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