A Different Man is a film ultimately concerned with our relationship with individuality and the comparisons we make with others through highlighting two characters' opposite relationships with their attitude towards the world and their disabilities.
"The Wild Robot" Review: A Simple, yet Heartful Adventure about Parenthood and Belonging
Beyond providing a fun adventure with stellar and stylish animation, The Wild Robot concerns itself with providing believable characters that overcome believable obstacles that much of its audience, regardless of age, will connect with.
"The Substance" Review: Modern Body Horror Classic Explores Self-Loathing and the Toxicity of Beauty Standards
Theming is at the very core of The Substance. This is a film that is ultimately concerned with having a conversation with its audience - a conversation about what leads people to develop ideas that cause them to hate themselves and what they look like.
Fun for Everyone: Why Games like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Astro Bot are Now More Important than Ever
Despite all the darkness currently surrounding the industry, games like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Astro Bot prove to be a beacon of light that remind us that there is still always hope for the future of games. Games that embrace fun, creativity, style, developer expression, and consumer-friendly release models still exist and they’re still thriving.
Whisper of the Heart is a Tender Journey of Introspection and Conquering the Fear of Failure
Whisper of the Heart revels in the meaning and impact of progress and how deeply complicated but ultimately rewarding that process can be. It can take years or even decades before we truly know what we want to do with our lives. And that’s okay - navigating that process in our own way is precisely what makes us human.
"Strange Darling" Review: A Modern Classic Thriller that Brilliantly Deceives its Audience
Through intelligent framing and using the audiences familiarity with the film’s genre against them, Strange Darling subverts and weaponizes audience expectations, making them just as much of a victim as the many characters who get bested in the film.
"Sing Sing" Review: An Emphatically Human Film about Hope, Despair, and the Necessity of Expression
Sing Sing stands far above its contemporaries due to its uniquely authentic and intellectual approach to its story, performances, and themes about hope, humanity, and integrity. This film respects those whose story this film is based on while also being a story full of heart and humanity that its depicted inmates share.
"Dìdi" Review: A Brilliant, Genuine Examination of Late 2000s Angst and Belonging
Dìdi is a special film thanks to its dedication to authenticity. [The film] authentically captures the struggle of becoming emotionally intelligent in a way that everyone can understand - especially those that also grew up in an era where technology and the internet grew alongside us.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Stands as One of the Best Action JRPGs of the Last Decade
Final Fantasy VII Remake turned Final Fantasy VII into a game that I like into something that I am actively looking forward to seeing more of. It’s a special game that gives me a new degree of optimism and hope for the future of Final Fantasy - which is perhaps that greatest thing that Final Fantasy VII Remake could have possibly given me.
Yakuza 4 Review: An Insightful Examination of Loyalty in a Leap Forward for the Series
Yakuza 4 is a textbook example of what a sequel should be - it takes the foundation of what the previous game established and builds upon and improves what was there. Yakuza 4 simply feels a lot more fun to play and tells a story that, through its more stylized structure, is one that feels more dramatic, emotional, and impactful. While it still doesn’t quite reach the heights of later entries, Yakuza 4 is clearly a stepping stone that transitions the series from an awkward, transitionary phase to a greater, more polished experience.
NieR Replicant Review: Ambitious Storytelling Excellence Marred by Underwhelming, Frustrating Design
Many people love NieR Replicant because of its ambition, unconventional approach to gameplay and storytelling, and such ambition is admittedly alluring. While it doesn’t shield my eyes from the clear issues that hold the game back from true greatness, I still feel that NieR Replicant is a game that deserves to be experienced, if only to get more people thinking about how games can continue to telling captivating stories only capable through the medium of video games.
Grandia Review: A Whimsical JRPG that Captures the Spirit of Adventure
Especially in an era where RPGs are leaning towards telling more complex, adult stories, it was incredibly refreshing to visit the world of Grandia. The battle mechanics are satisfying and strategic, but the true magic of Grandia lies in its ostensible charm in its storytelling, worldbuilding, and characters. Grandia invites players to give in to their natural senses of adventure, wonder, and curiosity, and it gloriously succeeds in doing so.
5 Easily Accessible, Beginner Friendly, and Must-Play JRPGs for Genre Newcomers
The JRPG genre is not as hard to get into as some may think. The games discussed here are proof that the genre is capable of being welcoming to newcomers. Regardless of which JRPG you start with, know that the genre is beloved for a reason. They transport players to other worlds to explore, offer various characters to talk to, and deliver gameplay experiences that can be strategic, stylish, and satisfying.
Persona 5 Strikers Review: An Impressive Musou Spin-Off that Pulls Off Being a Convincing Sequel
Overall, Strikers’ combat is incredibly satisfying and feels like it accurately captures the spirit of the original game’s combat. In fact, that statement can be applied to the entirety of Strikers - it’s a game that convincingly captures the spirit of Persona 5 while offering a new scenario for the Phantom Thieves to go through.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox Review - A Thrilling, Mysterious Action RPG Worth Uncovering
Ys IX is an Action RPG that I can easily recommend to just about anyone interested in the genre, as it effectively nails almost everything it tries to do. From the game’s fast-paced, exciting combat that has a high skill ceiling for players to master to the game’s wonderfully told story and its engaging, rewarding side content, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox stands as one of the genuinely best Action RPGs in recent memory.
Four Years On, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Still Feels Magical
Breath of the Wild offers an unprecedented amount of adventure to the player - so much so that, even after four years, there are still many more adventures that the game invites players to embark upon. Breath of the Wild is ruthless in its devotion to keep players coming back to learn more and make more discoveries about it. That, above all, is what makes the game so unique and so magical, no matter how much time passes.
Cyberpunk 2077 Review: A Solid RPG Filled with Impressive Bright Spots and Impossible-to-Ignore Faults
Recommending Cyberpunk 2077 is tricky. While it has some significant issues in its gameplay and content, I truly feel that it’s worth experiencing just for the story missions that exemplify some of the best storytelling and worldbuilding that the cyberpunk genre has to offer. It’s truly rare to see a game that so well realizes its story, characters, lore, and world. It’s just a shame that so many gameplay systems and mechanics aren’t nearly as well-realized.
Final Fantasy VII Remake and Cyberpunk 2077: Two Opposite Sides of Hype Culture
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy to announcing a project, nor is there a one-size-fits-all strategy for promoting a game pre-release. However, the differences in CD Projekt Red and Square Enix’s approach to marketing their biggest titles of 2020 do highlight that some strategies are more healthy and responsible than others. In an age where hype culture is so prevalent in the realm of gaming and in a year where two games suffered significantly different fates in large part due to how they were hyped and presented to the public, the term “hype responsibly” rings ever true.
Yakuza 3 Review: A Powerful (if Unrefined) Tale of Kindness and Empathy
There’s very much a strong core to Yakuza 3. There’s nothing explicitly bad or unenjoyable at the game - it just feels like a victim of a series that naturally improved its execution of its ideas over time. Later games refining what Yakuza 3 brings to the table isn’t the fault of Yakuza 3, but it does highlight how unpolished and unrefined Yakuza 3 is as a result.
The Positive Impact of Video Games in a Year of Isolation
[V]ideo games deserve to be commended for the comfort that they provided to hundreds of millions around the world in ways that no other medium could possibly replicate. This piece will be a reflection on the relationship between 2020 and video games, specifically the video games that provided an opportunity for us to cope and survive through a year of unprecedented anxiety and uncertainty for so many.