Of all the empires in all of history, the Roman Empire seems to have a unique ability to captivate. Perhaps because it was the first large-scale European empire – the one that “tamed Europe” as such, and so people look to it as the genesis of “Western civilisation.” It’s certainly easy to see how the wave of white nationalists plaguing…
Of all the empires in all of history, the Roman Empire seems to have a unique ability to captivate. Perhaps because it was the first large-scale European empire – the one that “tamed Europe” as such, and so people look to it as the genesis of “Western civilisation.” It’s certainly…
Read MoreThe best way to think of Tormented Souls 2 is as an atmospheric experience above all else. That was the case for the first, too, but the developers have doubled down on it for the sequel, and that’s playing it smart. The atmosphere is definitely Tormented Souls 2’s strength. It…
Read MoreI’m not the world’s biggest fan of first-person shooters, but People Can Fly’s Painkiller is one of the exceptions to that rule, thanks to its grim, gothic theme, great monster design, and furious pacing. It was like the developers blended Hexen (another of my small list of beloved shooters) and…
Read MoreI was very hesitant to review Ghost of Yotei, as my experience reviewing its predecessor was… less than great. Applying even a rudimentary critical analysis to the artistic side of a major blockbuster game is asking for the fanbase to take it as a personal affront and then proceed to…
Read MoreWhen it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And in the case of Hideo Kojima games, they’re never broke. Konami’s new Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a very different kind of project to the Silent Hill 2 or Resident Evil remakes that really turned heads in recent years. This…
Read MoreThere are two versions of Rugby: Rugby Union, and Rugby League. Rugby Union has grown to become a truly world sport, with a World Cup that is drawing growing interest for how competitive it is – including by nations outside the top couple of traditional “Rugby nations”. Rugby League, meanwhile,…
Read MoreHideo Kojima is the video game industry’s big auteur. The Stanley Kubrick of games. The guy who somehow gets a big budget to make his strange experiments, even when they defy the industry best practice, and as we all know, the games industry is very best practice orientated. It’s all…
Read MoreIt’s been a difficult few years for Level-5, from the highs of the likes of Professor Layton, Ni No Kuni and Yo-Kai Watch a decade ago to the lows of… well, everything that it’s done with those properties in recent years. Level-5 just hasn’t been the same company since the…
Read MoreIt’s easy to understand why Elden Ring Nightreign exists. The multiplayer side of Dark Souls and, later, Elden Ring has been enormously popular over the years. So too are games designed around an endless gameplay loop, whether that be Fortnite, roguelikes, or anything in between. Nightreign will be loved a…
Read MoreLook, I don’t know who decided that King Arthur worked well with grimdark, but I’m going to convene the Round Table of artists and put a stop to this nonsense. The actual fantasy of King Arthur and his knights should be flowery bastions of virtue doing good things for the…
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