Conceptually, games built by combining multiple genres offer the possibility for innovation. There’s a chance that the components will intermingle stylishly, providing synergistic dividends and a sense of novelty. But there’s also the possibility that ...

Periodically, titles like TowerFall, Nidhogg, and Paperbound remind us that some of gaming’s most blissful moments stem from local multiplayer sessions. It’s a message that’s reaffirmed by the PlayStation 4 and Steam release of Stikbold! ...

Software-based sadism returns, with the release of Dark Souls III across eighth-generation consoles and PCs, extending another Everest-sized mountain of challenge toward players. For those seeking less exhausting, but no less nauseating treks, there’s always ...

As game worlds have grown, so has the push to provide players with guidance. But occasionally, instruction can border on the overt, diminishing the thrill of exploration and discovery that can make play feel so ...

Travel to Japan and an appreciation for rail transit is inevitable. Whether you’re traveling in a sleeper car between Ueno to Aomori, taking the Shinkansen (bullet train) to race between Tokyo and Kyoto, or just ...

No April fooling, the first batch of virtual reality titles are here, with games for both the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive arriving on Steam this week. For those who didn’t put place a ...

Gust’s oeuvre is filled with gentle artistry. Across the Atelier franchise, protagonists go on inspirational journeys of self-actualization, mastering the venerable craft of alchemy in an effort to prevent impending tragedy. In the Ar Tonelico ...

While overlooked by scientists, the tenets of Darwinism have slowly crept into video games. In real life, numerous insects have developed a resistance toward pesticide or as Cope’s Rule suggests, a collection of species that ...

Many games tell interesting tales, but only a small fraction deliver stories that inspire an introspective look. One of these exceptional works is République, the rare mobile title which offered a narrative that wasn’t blatantly ...

On console, the Hyperdimension Neptunia series has provided a consistently engaging experience, blending amusing allegory, comical banter, and engaging play mechanics that are rooted in role-playing convention. But far more remarkable are the Console Patron ...