Bryan Finck

09

Jun

By Bryan Finck

Latest News, Reviews

Review : Mina the Hollower : You’ll Dig This Game

How does a studio follow a game like Shovel Knight, a loving homage to the platformer genre's roots on the NES, that became one of the most beloved indie hits of the last decade? By giving the same treatment to Nintendo’s handheld colossus, the Game Boy Color, of course. Mina…

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17

Mar

By Bryan Finck

Latest News, Reviews

Review : Starship Troopers Ultimate Bug War : I’m Doing My Part!

Get in line, troopers! It’s a good day to kill some bugs, or die trying! Now that we’re in the proper frame of mind, we can discuss Starship Troopers Ultimate Bug War!, which is based, unsurprisingly, on 1997’s classic sci-fi flick, Starship Troopers. That film, itself based on the book…

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17

Feb

By Bryan Finck

Latest News, Reviews

Review : Cairn : Survive the Climb

Climbing games are having a moment, just as the real hobby is growing rapidly among the Gen Z crowd. I’ve always been fascinated by the mindset that makes someone want to put themselves through so much pain, suffering, and potential for death, but I never really thought of it as…

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10

Dec

By Bryan Finck

Latest News, Reviews

Impressions : Moonlighter 2 The Endless Vault : Shop Til You Drop

RPG was never my main genre as a kid, but when I did play, I was always drawn to the item shops in the various towns my party would visit. I always wondered, though, how the items got on the shelves, waiting for intrepid adventurers to spend their hard-won coin?…

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11

Nov

By Bryan Finck

Latest News, Reviews

Review : Possessor(s) : A Devilishly Good Time

At first glance, Possessor(s) appeared to have everything I enjoy in games these days. Developed by Heart Machine (of Hyper Light Drifter fame), this is a side-scrolling, indie Metroidvania experience with a narrative focus and a visual style that is familiar while still feeling fresh. I adore the fundamental elements…

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11

Sep

By Bryan Finck

Latest News, Reviews

Review : Astro Bot : GOAT-Tier Robot Adventures

Nostalgia is a double-edged sword. By definition, it carries a sadness and melancholy for good times gone by, never to be reclaimed. Luckily, nostalgia in the video game world often means reliving joyful hours spent with classic games and platforms, memories that still echo in the present as the evolution…

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06

Mar

By Bryan Finck

Articles, Latest News

Interview : Voice Actor Ryan Cooper

These are perilous times in the games industry. Seemingly every week, workers are being laid off en masse, studios are closing, and unannounced games are being canceled. Even the giants of the industry are not immune from the bloodletting. And hanging over it all is the spectre (or promise, depending…

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12

Feb

By Bryan Finck

Latest News, Reviews

Review : Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden: So Good It’s Scary

In this current era of gaming, when publishers and AAA developers eschew risk with a strategy of licensed properties, remasters, and sequels, a new IP is a truly novel concept. The reality of that risk is not lost on this reviewer; the corpses of failed game ideas litter the digital…

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25

Nov

By Bryan Finck

Latest News, Reviews

Review : The Last Faith : Great Looks, Questionable Choices

As the old truism goes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. In the gaming industry, however, the finest line separates imitation from inspiration. Game developers who stray too far toward imitation will likely be accused of creating a soul-less ripoff of other games. But let inspiration run amok, and…

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23

May

By Bryan Finck

Articles

Seasoned Gaming Staff Predicts the PlayStation Showcase

This has been one of the busiest gaming weeks in recent memory for the Seasoned Gaming staff. Between the newly released mega-hit The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and the games we're playing for review, the team has been up to their ears in gaming goodness! But even…

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06

Apr

By Bryan Finck

Articles, Good in Gaming

Understanding the Psychology of Targeted Cancellations and Boycotts in Gaming

In early January, the hype and discussion around the impending release of Hogwarts Legacy was reaching its peak. Thousands of articles had been written from both viewpoints on the issue. A huge effort to have potential purchasers boycott the game was showing stress fractures as pre-orders for the game accumulated…

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17

Nov

By Bryan Finck

Articles

Who Are Gamers in 2022?

Despite readily available evidence to the contrary, the world’s population of “gamers” still has a hard time shaking off preconceived notions about those who inhabit its ranks. Indeed, some may never let go of the idea that gamers are just lonely, anti-social, often toxic young men wasting their lives in…

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13

Oct

By Bryan Finck

Articles, Good in Gaming, Latest News

Understanding the Psychology of Toxicity in Gaming

Death threats against developers. Vows of violence against game actors and their families. Vile slurs against minorities, women, and LGBTQ groups in online game lobbies. These are just some examples of the toxicity that plagues the gaming industry, and it seems to get worse every year. Some developers have accepted…

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