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Sporadically, Hyperdimension Neptunia co-developers Compile Heart and Idea Factory endorse the use of character by other development studios. The results of these spin-offs often approach the quality of the main franchise. With titles such as ...

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s Yakuza series is undoubtedly one of gaming’s most unique franchises, with a duality nearly unrivaled in any medium. Across seven main iterations, an expansive cast of colorful characters have chaperoned players ...

Games have sporadically tried to capture the balletic gunplay of film director John Woo, often with rewarding results. Titles such as Stranglehold, Wet, Total Overdose: A Gunslinger’s Tale in Mexico, and the Max Payne series ...

The term ‘Galápagos Syndrome’ was coined to describe an intriguing situation that emerged with Japanese mobile phones. These wondrously evolved devices were undoubtedly some of the best phones on the market. But they weren’t compatible ...

The shoot ‘em up is one of the foundation genres of gaming, pitting a solitary ship against a legion of enemies. Bolstered by classic titles such as Space Invaders, Galaga, Gradius, 1942, and R-Type, early ...

With a trio of main iterations and multitude of expansions across a sixteen-year history, the SpellForce franchise has a robust legacy. But despite a bountiful number of outings, the real-time strategy/role-playing hybrid hasn’t truly garnered ...

Occasionally, the stories behind game development are as interesting as the stories told by games. That’s likely the case for HORGIHUGH, a shooter created by Sasaki “PiXEL” Hide. Described as a “modern retro” title, HORGIHUGH’s ...

Media sequels can fall victim to their own version of middle-child syndrome. Whereas inaugural efforts revel in world-building as well as character backstory, and concluding episodes are elevated by contributing a sense of closure, middle ...

Critics and players often advocate for creative autonomy, a climate where developers can craft games with a minimal amount of audience involvement. Inversely, attentively listening to an enthusiastic fanbase can often reveal issues that studios ...

Save for Garfield, Heathcliff, and possibly Sonic’s friend Big, the presence of cats habitually elevates games. From Aqua Kitty UDX’s lead, Okami’s Kabegami, Gravity Rush’s Dusty, and The Elder Scroll’s Khajiits, felines don’t just contribute ...