We’re not talking about some of the more iconic entries in Hayao Miyazaki’s oeuvre here—but of course, a return to his roots on Lupin itself.
Saturday, 30 November 2019
Final Fantasy XV Has One Of The Best Endings In The Series
Every Final Fantasy game has had special meaning to me, even the more controversial ones like X-2 and XIII. While they have their flaws, their incredible production values and Square Enix’s desire to innovate on the series makes every iteration feel like a brand new experience. As much as I wanted to, I didn’t get to F…
The Castlevania Anniversary Collection is on sale this weekend so I picked it up as it includes the
The Castlevania Anniversary Collection is on sale this weekend so I picked it up as it includes the Japanese editions of some of the classic games. I knew there was an array of differences between the US and Japanese versions, but it’s been neat seeing them directly. One of the most interesting is that in the original…
‘Shop Contest: The Poké Ball Guy Winners!
Last week, Zack asked everyone to “spread the horror of Poke Ball guy.” He’ll be back next week, but he graciously asked me to stand in as judge for this weekend’s shop contest. I got to say, it was hard as there’s so many great entries. Most of them made me burst into involuntary laughter. That Poke Ball guy sure…
What Are You Playing This Weekend?
This weekend is for catching up on a million things, writing, cleaning up, and taking out the garbage. Oh, and squeezing in some Devil May Cry 5. Ever since I read the articles by Heather and Tim about DMC5, I’ve wanted to dive in.
Resident Evil 6 Isn’t That Bad
I’d read so many reviews bashing Resident Evil 6, I skipped it when it first came out. But when I saw it on sale in the PlayStation store, the curious part of me couldn’t resist. Was it really that bad?
The Best Black Friday Home Deals [Updating]
Home is where the heart is where you’ll find some killer deals. You’ve reached our Black Friday deals hub for all things home, including all the smart home gear your house can handle, plus furniture, kitchen accessories, tools, and more. Stay tuned, we’ll be updating this post as deals go live, and throughout the…
Chrono Cross Was A Bad Sequel, But A Brilliant Game
In many ways, the reason Chrono Cross is one of the most underrated JRPGs in gaming is because of the comparisons to its predecessor, Chrono Trigger.
Final Fantasy VIII’s Surprise Twist Nearly Ruined It For Me
Final Fantasy VIII is easily one of the most action-packed and compelling games in the series. It was amazing when it first came out, and as I play through the recently-released remastered version, I’m enjoying it just as much. But even 20 years later, some of the choices made by FF8's story are still confusing.
Friday, 29 November 2019
The Original Street Fighter II Is Still My Favorite
I recently picked up the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection and started playing through all the different games in the series. The original Street Fighter II alone had multiple updates that added new characters, abilities, and balance tweaks. I’ve always enjoyed the prequel to the series, Street Fighter Alpha,…
The First Suikoden Is An Underrated Gem For The PS1
If there’s one series I wish more gamers knew about, it’s Suikoden. A Japanese role-playing game with tactical strategy elements, it was developed by Konami and released on the original PlayStation. I’d actually played Suikoden II and III first, really enjoying both. Suikoden II was one of the best JRPGs on the PS1, a…
Beloved Anime Character Finally Gets His Own Store In Tokyo
Doraemon, a blue robotic cat from the future, now has his own store in Tokyo’s Odaiba—the first of its kind for the character, apparently. The shop, called Doraemon Future Department Store, features an array of Doraemon related goods.
26 Years Later, Footage Surfaces Of Sonic The Hedgehog's Infamous Macy's Parade Disaster
Anyone who’s a serious fan of Sonic, or of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, is probably aware of the 1993 event, in which a Sonic the Hedgehog float became caught in high winds, struck a lamppost and injured two people. The thing is, despite knowing this happened, we didn’t have any surviving video of the incident.
Our Favorite Cosplay From BlizzCon 2019
BlizzCon 2019 had a different feel to previous years, as big game announcements shared the weekend with protests against the company’s political actions. One thing that remained constant, though, was the quality of cosplay that fans brought to the show.
GeekOn!
GeekOn! is currently running a Kickstarter for a whole range of board game travel/transport accessories, some of which I’ve tried out previously (the portable dice tower + nesting tray is great). Things are a bit pricey individually, so the bundles are where it’s at.
Take An Extra $40 Off NBA 2K20 and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Xbox One S and One X Bundles
Xbox One S 1TB NBA 2K20 Bundle | $159 | Amazon | Clip coupon on page
Xbox One X 1TB NBA 2K20 Bundle | $309 | Amazon | Clip coupon on page
Xbox One S 1TB Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Bundle | $159 | Amazon | Clip coupon on page
Xbox One S 1TB Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Bundle | $309 | Amazon | Clip coupon on page
Midnight Diner’s "Chicken Fried Rice" Episode Combines Good Food, Video Games, And Family
Midnight Diner is one of those shows I approach like a late night snack; I save it for special occasions, wait until I’m in the right mood, then savor its company. The new season just released on Netflix and as the first episode centered around a game director, I thought it was the perfect episode to explain why you…
What Games Are You Most Thankful For?
This has been an interesting year for me personally with lots of ups and downs. I’ll be honest; I’m looking forward to saying goodbye to this year. Through it all, I’m grateful for the amazing games I got to play and revisit. The remasters of classic games for the latest generation of consoles makes it easier than…
Chrono Trigger’s Campfire Scene Is A Meditation On Friendship, Regrets, And Time Itself
The opening of Chrono Trigger shows the pendulum of time, swinging away at the fractures breaking history apart. It’s been more than two decades since the game’s release, but many of its pivotal moments still stay with me, from the Trial of Crono for Marle’s kidnapping, to the confrontation with Magus at his castle,…
Get a $25 Amazon Credit When You Buy a Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch with Gray Joy-Con + $25 Amazon Credit | $300 | Amazon | Promo code 397BFFA5
The New Avengers VR Game Is Fun, If Inconsequential
A common critique of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is that many of its entries can feel like forgettable fluff: fine and fun in the moment, but will immediately vacate your head the minute those post-credit-scenes stop rolling. Avengers: Damage Control might come in an interesting format, but it would do little to…
Gradius III Was Fun And Hard As Bullet Hell
I grew up thinking space was infested with monsters, massive killer plants, and Easter Island Heads thanks in large part to the classic shmup (shoot em’ up) series, Gradius.
Pokémon Games Can Be Strange If You’ve Never Played One Before
For the longest time, I’ve wanted to dive into a Pokémon game. I thought the recent release of Sword and Shield would be a good place to start. I’ve played about five hours of Shield, collected a bunch of Pokémon, and beat three gyms. I’m having a lot of fun, but I’m also baffled by the rules of this world.
Thursday, 28 November 2019
The Best Black Friday Clothing & Lifestyle Deals [Updating]
If you wear clothes, there are deals for you to take advantage of this Black Friday. We’ll be collecting our favorite clothing & lifestyle sales below, including apparel, cosmetics, grooming essentials, outdoor gear, and fitness & health products. Stay tuned, we’ll be updating this post as deals go live, and…
E.T. and the Real, Grown-Up Elliott Reunite…in a Commercial?
When you woke up this morning, we bet you didn’t expect to see an official E.T. sequel—but that’s kind of what’s happened, just in a slightly unconventional, very commercial way.
10 Favorite Meals In Gaming
Thanksgiving means lots of food and lots of sweets. Last time we covered Thanksgiving, we went over 9 of the strangest foods in gaming. Here’s 10 new gaming meals that made us salivate.
Clash At Demonhead Is Like Playing A Ridiculously Fun 8-Bit Anime
Clash at Demonhead is 8-bit gaming at its most charmingly eclectic. Developed by Vic Tokai and known as Dengeki Big Bang! in Japan, Clash is a metroidvania-style game with open-world platforming and nonlinear progression through its quirky world.
Unlike many of the earlier metroidvania games, it has an anime aesthetic…
The Top 10 Best Deals of Black Friday [Updating]
We’ve seen a lot of incredible deals during Black Friday, but these were our ten favorites today.
An Ode To Weird Dreams Inspired By Videogames
Happy Thanksgiving! My name’s Peter Tieryas and I’m your guest writer for the next three days. I covered Thanksgiving two years ago and I’m excited to be back. I’ll be writing about retrogames like Clash at Demonhead and Final Fantasy VIII, ponder the existential meaning of Gradius III and Pokémon, then explore some…
The Best Black Friday Tech Deals [Updating]
Welcome to our hub for all of the best Black Friday deals in the world of tech! Speakers, TVs, headphones, laptops, tablets, battery packs <deep breath> cameras, storage devices, sound bars, wearables...you’ll find it all here. Stay tuned, we’ll be updating this post as deals go live, and throughout the holiday…
Watch Star Wars Kabuki Right Here
When the one-off performance of Star Wars kabuki was announced, it made sense. Star Wars is deeply influenced by Japan, so it seemed as though this would work. That it did, but better than I could’ve imagined.
The Best Black Friday Gaming & Media Deals [Updating]
Black Friday is one of the best times of year to get a new game console, pick up a game that’s been on your wish list, or score some discounted gift cards for your favorite media services. We’ll be collecting all of the best deals in this space below through the entire holiday weekend, so it’s game on. Stay tuned,…
Baby Yoda Has Opened A Pandora's Box
Awwww, yes, he’s so adorable with his little robe and big black eyes, but have you ever considered the precedent that’s been set with the introduction of Baby Yoda? Now every artist from here to Coruscant is going to be doing mockups of other Star Wars species as infants, and it’s going to go for years.
The Inventory's 2019 Gadget Gift Guide
A well-gifted gadget isn’t just a futuristic toy. A good piece of tech can make someone’s life easier, or even save them money in the long run. Here’s the best tech you can give this year.
Former Fire Emblem ROM Hack Becomes Brand New Video Game
Once upon a time, there was a ROM hack for Fire Emblem called Midnight Sun. It was cancelled in 2017, but is now back, having spent the intervening years transforming itself into a standalone, original video game.
Work It, Batman, Work It
If you’ve ever wondered just how important animation is to a game’s ability to convey character, please examine this video in which Batman and Catwoman’s models are swapped over.
How To Talk To Your Parents About Dexit
Thanksgiving is nearly upon us, which means we have officially entered the swirling vortex of vacation days, feast-engorged couch naps, and family gatherings that is The Holiday Zone. For many of us, this means a potentially uncomfortable amount of time around relatives who might not share our views on a laundry list…
Wednesday, 27 November 2019
Grid On Stadia Runs Well And Reminds Me What I Love About Racing Games
I’ve been flirting with the idea of playing a racing simulation again, so when Stadia finally launched with Grid, I figured I’d kill two birds with one stone: test out how smooth the game runs on Google’s new streaming platform and satisfy my motorsport craving. Turns out both are super effective.
Titanfall 2 and Monster Energy Supercross Are December's PS Plus Games
If you haven’t played Titanfall 2 yet, I only played it recently, but that means I can now be appalled at you for not playing it. Lucky for us all, it’s one of December’s PlayStation Plus games.
Google Says It'll Give Refunds To Anyone Who Bought Stadia's Free December Games
The Stadia launch games Tomb Raider and Farming Simulator 19 will be free to Pro subscribers of Google’s streaming platform in December, the company said yesterday. This would have been a raw deal for anyone who has purchased either game since Stadia went live, on November 19, but Google added last night that it will…
How Science Fiction Ruined Smart Glasses
When you picture a pair of smart glasses, chances are you’re envisioning something slick. Perhaps, a stylish pair of aviators that with either a discreet tap or voice command, will immediately pull up an array of information based on whatever you’re looking at. In any case, you probably imagine someone like James Bond…