How Abzu Helped Me Overcome an Irrational Fear

Around Thanksgiving of 2020, I was browsing the Nintendo and PlayStation stores for some great deals.  One of the best was a 90% discount on a game called Abzu, which I got for $2 (its usual price is $20).  If it wasn’t for the cheap price, I might not have bought this game because part…

Resonance: Galleon Galaxy

Being the spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie and sporting the talents of the very same composer, Grant Kirkhope, it’s no wonder the soundtrack of Yooka-Laylee is so darn nostalgic.  Yooka-Laylee proved that it’s possible to feel nostalgia for a game within seconds of starting it.  From the similar personalities of the game’s titular buddy duo to…

With Metroid Dread, I Need to Get Out of My Own Way

According to my save file, I’ve put almost six hours into Metroid Dread. In my head, that time makes me think that I should be close to wrapping up the game; like the final boss should be on the horizon. In reality…well, I’m pretty sure that about a third of those six hours have been…

Ranking All Psychonauts Levels

Having recently completed Psychonauts for the first time, I can safely say that the game has some of the most creative selection of levels I’ve ever seen in a video game.  These levels take place in the minds of various characters you meet over the course of your adventure and can tell you a lot…

Unravel: Demo Review

A game which has crossed my path a lot lately is an intriguing little game called Unravel.  In this puzzle platformer, you play as a little yarn creature called…ahem, Yarny.  It looked promising, but at the same time, I was a bit reluctant.  I think I was worried Yarny (based on the name, no doubt)…

Spooptober: Grabbed by the Ghoulies

Rare’s Grabbed by the Ghoulies didn’t make many waves when it was first released on the Xbox in October 2003. The game received middling reviews and, at most, was deemed good but not great. I recall seeing the game box in the stores, thinking “eh, looks dumb,” and moving onto belatedly drool over American McGee’s…

Spooptober: Creepy Villagers in Animal Crossing

As most of us know, Animal Crossing is a cute and relaxing life sim where you decorate your cute little house, befriend cute animal villagers, buy cute clothes, and do all manner of other cute things.  Being such a cute and adorable game, nothing ever weird or scary ever happens at all.  For example, there…

Inside: Horror Done Right

On my ongoing quest to catch up on many of the highly praised indie games out there, it was only a matter of time before I played Inside (created by the same people who made another well-known indie game, Limbo).  Having already seen a playthrough online, I still couldn’t help but buy this game for…

Spooptober: Rayman’s Undead Grannies

In a franchise that features zombie chickens, it should be no surprise that the Rayman games are a good source for finding a delightful balance of spooky and quirky.  One recurring location is the Land of the Livid Dead, though it is very different in its two main iterations.  In Rayman 3, the Land of…

I Have Mixed Feelings for Psychonauts

Recently, I’ve been hearing a lot about Psychonauts 2, the highly anticipated sequel to, well, the first Psychonauts game, which released all the way back in 2005.  Intrigued, I was not quite ready to jump straight into the sequel when I had yet to play the original, so I downloaded Psychonauts on my PS4 and…