Computer-based role-playing games have automated many of the analog-based labors of traditional pen-and-paper based games. That can be a beneficial, permitting players to concentrate on elements like storyline. But streamlining also obscures many of the ...

In the hands of most creatives, a film that explores bullying, disability, and social isolation could become nauseatingly preachy. But with a script penned by K-On!!’s Reiko Yoshida and direction provided by Naoko Yamada, A ...

Every late October, there’s a rather peculiar occurrence. No, not the trick-or-treaters who show up on your doorstep after 9:00 PM. Ever odder is the near-simultaneous appearance of titles that the mainstream gaming press largely ...

Japanese writers are especially adept at allegory, crafting eloquent and often evocative metaphors when tackling provocative subjects like animism, environmental abuse, or war. With the release of Bad Apple Wars for the PS Vita and ...

In the shoot-‘em-up pantheon, every prodigious title has a distinguishing play mechanic. R-Type is built around a fascinating risk/reward where players can augment their offensive output by abstaining from fire, accumulating energy in their wave ...

With horror titles like Friday the 13th: The Game, The Evil Within 2, and White Noise 2 making their way to retail channels and digital distribution services, it’s evident that Halloween is just weeks away. ...

Pugnaciousness doesn’t have to rooted in quarter-circles and z-motions. While the finger gymnastics required by the Street Fighter, Guilty Gear and BlazBlue franchises are an apt substitute for conveying martial art mastery, they’re not the ...

Amidst most of the twentieth century, the term, ‘simulacra’ typically implied inferiority. A painting based on a photograph was separated from its source material by two degrees, and subsequently would lose some of its essence ...

Although originally released seven years ago, Pinball FX 2 might not seem to be in dire need of a sequel. Certainly, the need for a follow-up has been quelled by Zen Studio’s commitment to the ...

Once again, Nintendo’s popular hybrid gets the lion’s share of new releases, with titles like Stardew Valley, Metal Slug X, and Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle headed to that 6.2 inch screen. Still don’t have ...