https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog daily 1.0 2026-03-26 https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2026/3/30/dragon-quest-hd-2d-remake-review monthly 0.5 2026-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/4be4e501-72dc-4ae9-8e08-58126294ecbd/Dragon+Quest+I+%26+II+HD-2D+Remake+-+Hero.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake Review: Beauty in Simplicity - Make it stand out Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is a release that steps up to the plate in the face of immense pressure. This remake tasks itself with modernizing some of the most important games in JRPG history, and it does so smartly. Both titles in this remake package are practically new games, yet feel unmistakably Dragon Quest. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/d9a3922a-3306-46c5-bd73-8d0282c88240/Dragon+Quest+I+%26+II+HD-2D+Remake+-+1.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake Review: Beauty in Simplicity - Make it stand out Dragon Quest tells a simple story about a hero saving the world from impending darkness that has slowly started to infect the world. The HD-2D remake adds new scenes to give this journey more narrative weight while never forgetting that simplicity makes this narrative work as well as it does. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/b1b4da14-bf4f-41e7-94c9-e609b43dd3b7/Dragon+Quest+I+%26+II+HD-2D+Remake+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake Review: Beauty in Simplicity - Make it stand out Dragon Quest’s combat is inherently limited by the fact that it features turn-based combat with only a single playable character. This limits strategic possibilities - something that becomes apparent when Dragon Quest II’s addition of party members makes combat more strategic and fun by nature. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/c86b32e2-f4fb-4dc3-8e36-1f565fc34bc6/Dragon+Quest+I+%26+II+HD-2D+Remake+-+3.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake Review: Beauty in Simplicity - Make it stand out Aside from looking better and featuring more options in combat, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake improves upon the original games by offering various quality-of-life features, such as being able to quickly access spells and items, which makes grinding, healing, or fast traveling between locations far smoother. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/8b4e600d-0168-4212-98a4-44f3546d857e/Dragon+Quest+I+%26+II+HD-2D+Remake+-+4.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake Review: Beauty in Simplicity - Make it stand out HD-2D Remake’s inclusion of new story elements, cutscenes, and voice acting transforms DQ I and II into feeling like substantially bigger games. This is doubly so for Dragon Quest II, a game featuring more characters, side quests, arcs, and locations. // Image: Square Enix https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2026/3/16/xenosaga-review monthly 0.5 2026-03-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/29a9864f-42fa-4bf2-9c96-a1836b1203ba/Xenosaga+Hero.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Xenosaga Episode I, II & III Review: The Growing Pains of Independent Ambition - Make it stand out Xenosaga is a transitionary JRPG franchise that bridges the philosophical magnificence of Xenogears and the marriage of story and gameplay cohesion of Xenoblade Chronicles. While featuring moments of true greatness, Xenosaga elicits unmistakable growing pains from a team still trying to figure out their strengths as a developer. // Image: Monolith Soft, Bandai Namco https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/f792a13e-3ca5-49f2-981c-c420dd883963/Xenosaga+Episode+1+-+1.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Xenosaga Episode I, II & III Review: The Growing Pains of Independent Ambition - Make it stand out Xenosaga Episode I is the most transparent with its inherited DNA from Xenogears. Unlike that game, though, Der Wille zur Macht feels compromised in the sense that it feels like not that much happens throughout its runtime. // Image: Monolith Soft, Bandai Namco https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/34bca020-7657-4418-982d-1175fa6329fe/Xenosaga+Episode+1+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Xenosaga Episode I, II & III Review: The Growing Pains of Independent Ambition - Make it stand out Xenosaga Episode I evolves Xenogears’ combat system while injecting a lot of new elements that later Xenosaga titles would further build upon. The Boost system that allows character to budge their way to the front of the turn order and Event Slots both make their debut here - and would both be iterated on throughout the series. // Image: Monolith Soft, Bandai Namco https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/53fdb907-4086-49c6-a94a-a7943c734f9a/Xenosaga+Episode+2+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Xenosaga Episode I, II & III Review: The Growing Pains of Independent Ambition - Make it stand out Xenosaga Episode II: Jensuits von Gut und Böse is a complicated video game. Having the played the game with fresh eyes, I find the game to have some brilliant ideas and an innovative spin on the turn-based formula. But the clunky narrative, lack of tonal cohesion, and radical departures from Episode I make Episode II a hard game to recommend. // Image: Monolith Soft, Bandai Namco https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/9a46015f-4e7c-4110-b89e-5dc07c72d869/Xenosaga+Episode+2+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Xenosaga Episode I, II & III Review: The Growing Pains of Independent Ambition - Make it stand out Xenosaga Episode II changes the series’ art style, opting for stylized realism instead of Episode I’s anime aesthetic. This awkwardly makes some characters like Shion and KOS-MOS in their Episode I costumes look like people cosplaying as these characters instead of the characters themselves. // Image: Monolith Soft, Bandai Namco https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/521c61a4-dc34-47b7-b658-96d0bfcc9da5/Xenosaga+Episode+2+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Xenosaga Episode I, II & III Review: The Growing Pains of Independent Ambition - Make it stand out Xenosaga Episode II serves as the origin of the Break system that would be expanded upon in Episode III and each of the Xenoblade Chronicles games. Episode II’s combat can be hard to get to grips with, but when understood, it’s deeply satisfying to deal massive damage to enemies by Boosting multiple times to keep them in the air. // Image: Monolith Soft, Bandai Namco https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/b4fe9479-1b93-4053-bcb7-1efe240e7abc/Xenosaga+Episode+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Xenosaga Episode I, II & III Review: The Growing Pains of Independent Ambition - Make it stand out Xenosaga Episode III is a turning point in the history of Monolith Soft. It is the point where they become the legendary developer that have put out some of the most highly regarded JRPGs of recent memory. // Image: Monolith Soft, Bandai Namco https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/0b0d17f1-94a7-40cc-a30b-503f5c12cd8e/Xenosaga+Episode+3+-+2.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Xenosaga Episode I, II & III Review: The Growing Pains of Independent Ambition - Make it stand out Xenosaga Episode III foregoes continuing to evolve the combat styles seen in Xenogears and the first two episodes of Xenosaga in favor of presenting a more streamlined, conventional battle system. Episode III has the least ambitious but most accessible and snappy combat system in the series. // Image: Monolith Soft, Bandai Namco https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/d74e8d0f-a70a-4698-b9aa-766b876ddf2b/Xenosaga+Episode+3+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Xenosaga Episode I, II & III Review: The Growing Pains of Independent Ambition - Make it stand out Xenosaga Episode III takes bold swings with its narrative, particularly in its final act that finally unveils the true identity and background of characters like chaos and KOS-MOS. Although a doubtlessly flawed collection of characters, Xenosaga has a cast unlike any other JRPG. // Image: Monolith Soft, Bandai Namco https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2026/2/13/xenogears-ambition-and-heart-outshine-compromise monthly 0.5 2026-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/08f9009c-c918-41d0-8e78-91e09da1cbe5/Xenogears+-+Key+Art.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Xenogears: How Ambition and Heart Outshine Compromise - Make it stand out A first-time director making something unlike anything that Squaresoft had put out before, a development team mostly made up of junior developers, and a two-year deadline that cut off the game’s development timeline. In spite of the circumstances of its development, Xenogears still stands as one of the most ambitious video games ever created. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/4c6f446a-5eaa-4ade-966f-504fb64a2968/Xenogears+Anniversary.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Xenogears: How Ambition and Heart Outshine Compromise - Make it stand out Xenogears’ cast is yet another reminder of its compromised state. While Fei, Elly, Citan, and Bart are essential contributors to the game’s narrative, characters like Rico, Maria, Billy, and Chu-Chu get severely understated presences in the game’s story that only sees them be relevant for an arc or two. // Image: Kunihiko Tanaka https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/6cc9c64a-b845-4d13-a501-eb22a911890a/Gear-Combat.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Xenogears: How Ambition and Heart Outshine Compromise - Make it stand out On-foot combat in Xenogears utilizes amazing 2D sprites for characters and monsters. When in Gear combat, however, all party members and enemies are rendered in 3D, making Gear combat have a tangibly larger scale. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/7ab82864-d943-4403-a2bd-6b2857b3270c/Xenogears+-+Scale.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Xenogears: How Ambition and Heart Outshine Compromise - Make it stand out Xenogears arguably has some of the best towns in any JRPG. Not only do they serve as great opportunities for worldbuilding, they impose a level of scale and vastness that help Xenogears’ world feel lived in and far larger than anything else seen in PS1-era JRPGs. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/5010d5f8-8e4d-41b4-b0a7-743448138fda/Xenogears+-+The+Chair.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Xenogears: How Ambition and Heart Outshine Compromise - Make it stand out The shot of Fei sitting in a chair under a spotlight with stars in the background as text crawls onto the screen is perhaps the most iconic visual aspect of Xenogears. Despite its abandonment at balancing the story and gameplay volume to be on comparable levels, Xenogears’ second disc offers many of the game’s best moments thanks to inventive, revelatory writing and direction. // Image: Square Enix https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2026/1/26/top-15-movies-of-2025 monthly 0.5 2026-01-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/3a106241-335f-4dd0-881d-daa14cb6128e/Top+15+Movies+of+2025+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 15 Movies of 2025 - Make it stand out While the year had notable droughts without big releases, particularly throughout the late summer and early autumn, 2025 ultimately offered a great collection of films, many of which have stuck with me throughout the year. // Image: Focus Features https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/f505db9b-a1f8-4db3-bd46-54f3bc073459/Tron+Ares+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 15 Movies of 2025 - Make it stand out While not the formative and visual benchmark that its predecessor was, Tron: Ares is one of the few cool-as-hell movies that I could get fully immersed in and be taken to another world. // Image: Disney https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/7e0361fd-f264-4763-a5b7-005fc4d6d6cf/Sinners.jpeg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 15 Movies of 2025 - Make it stand out Sinners is a modern poster-child for a slow burn. The film is perhaps the most subversive and innovative horror film since 2017’s Get Out, and a large part of that is due to how the film builds tension through worldbuilding. // Image: Warner Bros. Pictures https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/a7dfe9a4-44bb-463a-af60-adff70925391/If+I+Had+Legs+Id+Kick+You.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 15 Movies of 2025 - Make it stand out If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You wallows in the unrelenting chaos of being a working-class mother. This film brilliantly focuses on the anxiety of a woman whose struggles are as mundane as they are impossible to not get stressed by. // Image: A24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/a80617ee-bde3-45e2-ae61-d0336365ce50/Sacramento.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 15 Movies of 2025 - Make it stand out Sacramento is a brilliant implementation of the cozy road trip paradigm while wrapping it up in a thoughtful exploration of how adulthood reforms how we look at our own lives. / Image: Vertical https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/7bbbc62e-ad2b-46e9-9997-3d75d419dd3c/bugonia.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 15 Movies of 2025 - Make it stand out Bugonia is weird, but what else could you ask for? This film features a brilliant cat-and-mouse adventure about where truth ends and conspiracy begins, making for fun character interactions that carry the film to unexpected places. // Image: Focus Features https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/0ce0c995-c4ca-47df-b8fa-acddc209bd60/Bob+Trevino+Likes+It+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 15 Movies of 2025 - Make it stand out Bob Trevino Likes It is a warm hug and gut punch about the reality of a digital world that has propelled us into an uncharted era of loneliness. // Image: Roadside Attractions https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/0c354b61-f01c-4991-bb7b-54a9e6e43049/Nuremburg.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 15 Movies of 2025 - Make it stand out Nuremberg is as chilling as it is riveting. Structured through the lens of a psychiatrist assessing the mental state of Hermann Göring in the leadup to the Nuremberg trials shortly after the end of World War II. // Image: Sony Pictures Classics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/a1fd67ec-7f2d-4efb-9da4-0412d7a3ef37/Twinless.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 15 Movies of 2025 - Make it stand out Twinless is excellent in the way it deceives its audience through perspective. The friendship between Dennis and Rocky has somber origins that ultimate twist this comedy into something darker and unsuspectingly thoughtful. // Image: Lionsgate https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/151a43f0-ea94-41c8-b354-753a3ea33cfa/Sentimental+Value.jpeg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 15 Movies of 2025 - Make it stand out Sentimental Value is perhaps the most emotionally resonant movie of the year with regard to its primary emotion it wishes to analyze: fulfillment. Protagonist Nora’s entire identity is intrinsically linked to her complicated relationship with her father. This leads to compelling and relatable drama that sticks with the viewer. // Image: Neon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/29103b51-ab59-4088-82e3-59ec34e15d2b/One+Battle+After+Another.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 15 Movies of 2025 - Make it stand out In what feels like an absolute passion project, One Battle After Another is a standoff between extremes. From its wildly different cast of characters to the eclectic pacing, it’s hard to not classify One Battle After Another as a modern classic. // Image: Warner Bros. Pictures https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/65bd3364-c105-4daa-9c61-8f831a3ce796/Sorry+Baby+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 15 Movies of 2025 - Make it stand out Sorry, Baby is sweet, tender, and heartbreaking. The fact that this film came from a debut director’s vanity project really showcases the necessity of paying attention to and funding the projects of emerging talent. // Image: A24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/4df4592a-e4f3-4a84-ba14-30300e57e458/Hamnet.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 15 Movies of 2025 - Make it stand out Hamnet is as sad as it is cathartic. This fictionalized interpretation of William Shakespeare’s process of writing Hamlet crafts a beautiful story of love and grief in a way that honors the humanity of the departed and survivors. // Image: Focus Features https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/39421653-7b84-4cc9-a3f2-3edb8d075a81/Wake+Up+Dead+Man.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 15 Movies of 2025 - Make it stand out The third film in the Knives Out franchise, Wake Up Dead Man constructs a mystery that’s uniquely dark for the series of detective whodunnit films. Through that darkness, Wake Up Dead Man crafts a compelling mystery that’s as entertaining as it is unpredictable. // Image: Netflix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/270765db-264a-428f-89f0-3133f01fe182/Rental+Family.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 15 Movies of 2025 - Make it stand out Brendan Fraser’s triumphant return to being a leading man hits a crescendo with the excellent Rental Family, a beautiful exploration of the value of human connection, even when it comes from an inauthentic source. // Image: Searchlight Pictures https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/0a5ba534-c7ad-46de-8a1e-bdf4c6c91aeb/Little+Amelie+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 15 Movies of 2025 - Make it stand out Little Amélie or the Character of Rain is visually and narratively spectacular. No other film this year made me reflect on the ways in which characters’ ideas are represented. Much of Amélie’s excellence comes from allowing visuals to take the spotlight in order to highlight how a character is feeling. // Image: GKIDS https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2026/1/19/top-5-games-of-2025 monthly 0.5 2026-01-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/3aff0c4d-ae10-443e-8cea-24202437b121/Top+5+Games+of+2026+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 5 Games of 2025 - Make it stand out In retrospect, 2025 stands as a refreshing year in the games industry. In a generation that has typically given accolades to studios that have iterated on frameworks established in previous games, many of 2025’s best games reached as great of a quality as they did because they dared to carve a new path forward. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/f68710e0-29c0-4115-a341-e6349c11ab2c/Fast+Fusion.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 5 Games of 2025 - Make it stand out Fast Fusion represents precisely what I would love to see more of: arcade-y games that are proud to be arcade-y. Fast Fusion wears its F-Zero and Wipeout inspirations on its sleeve. In the absence of those two franchises in the modern day, Fast Fusion offers an incredible amount of replayability and fun across its fifteen well-designed tracks. // Image: Shin’en Multimedia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/6240febc-b26a-42ac-b48c-137e24b965a3/Shinobi+Art+of+Vengeance.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 5 Games of 2025 - Make it stand out Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a cool game, and a large part of that comes from how confident the game is in its style and presentation. The first Shinobi title in over a decade, Art of Vengeance features some of the best level design I’ve seen in a 2D platformer in a long time, and that’s doubly so considering that only five people are credited for Art of Vengeance’s game design and level design. // Image: SEGA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1ae358dd-bc1a-416d-b712-e13324045c47/Clair+Obscur+-+Expedition+33.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 5 Games of 2025 - Make it stand out Despite having a few minor issues with the game’s UX and narrative direction, I can’t argue that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hasn’t deserved its critical acclaim and buzz throughout the entire year. The game is as much a love letter to classic JRPG game design as it is a bold frontier towards crafting an RPG experience unlike any other. // Image: Sandfall Interactive https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/d3aafd57-92ed-4870-a83b-16cd4a82463e/Donkey+Kong+Bananza+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 5 Games of 2025 - Make it stand out Most developers would logically follow Super Mario Odyssey up with a bigger, better Mario sequel, and yet Nintendo opted to craft an entirely new type of 3D platforming adventure with Donkey Kong Bananza. DK’s abilities that allow him to smash through terrain, activate Bananza transformations, and climb around environments create 3D platforming moments that stand apart from anything Nintendo has offered before. Bananza treads new ground for a genre long thought to have been perfected. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/109bddb2-b274-43f5-800a-ec3cdef1f79a/Hades+II.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 5 Games of 2025 - Make it stand out It’s hard to argue that Hades II isn’t about as perfect a sequel as you could ask for. Like its predecessor, every run in Hades II feels like a micro-adventure with its own unique drama, triumphs, and takeaways that drive the player to never want to stop doing runs. Hades II is addictive and is a poster-child for how to follow-up a game that nearly perfected what it sought to do. // Image: Supergiant Games https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/96610da4-de8e-4d44-96b7-a1f49e2c51fb/Xenoblade+Chronicles+X+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 5 Games of 2025 - Make it stand out I don’t care if Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is a remaster/port of a 2015 Wii U game - it still stands my favorite game released this year and as one of the greatest video games ever crafted. It is also a likely candidate for my favorite video game of all time. Even ten years after its original release, Xenoblade X continues to inspire awe in me - so much so that it has gotten me to pursue a career in creative writing and game development. // Image: Nintendo https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/12/29/shin-megami-tensei-v-vengeance-review monthly 0.5 2025-12-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/956539f6-ca1c-40e0-9927-94d0334da5a6/Shin+Megami+Tensei+V+-+Vengeance+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Review: Netherworldly Bliss with a Story that Still Underwhelms - Make it stand out It’s easy to be cynical that 2024’s Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is yet another instance of Atlus rereleasing a game with new content, but I can’t help but look back on Vengeance as being one of the most polished and consistently fun games that the JRPG developer has ever produced. // Image: Atlus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/b0c836f1-0e93-4466-b478-ed4dcaba155a/Shin+Megami+Tensei+V+-+Vengeance+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Review: Netherworldly Bliss with a Story that Still Underwhelms - Make it stand out Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance sees the Nahobino roam the Netherworld - a destroyed version of Tokyo that is revealed to be the real world. The regular Tokyo that the protagonist has been living in is, in truth, an illusion that is fading away now that the God of Law is dead. The Nahobino journeys to claim God’s throne and reshape the world. // Image: Atlus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/88c3ba14-4251-4392-8a1a-06cc40c39c46/Shin+Megami+Tensei+V+-+Vengeance+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Review: Netherworldly Bliss with a Story that Still Underwhelms - Make it stand out Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance offers the perfect level of challenge in order to encourage the player to take full advantage of all strategic options available to them while never creating combat scenarios that feel hopeless, overwhelming, or unfair. Every battle in SMT V:V can be thoughtfully conquered when taking the game’s many mechanics into consideration. // Image: Atlus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/0b1f489b-03de-43c0-ae60-ea72c784549b/Shin+Megami+Tensei+V+-+Vengeance+-+4.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Review: Netherworldly Bliss with a Story that Still Underwhelms - Make it stand out Magatsuhi Skills offer incredible ways for the player to accommodate different situations in battle. Likewise, the Nahobino-exclusive skills only accessible through using Essences make room for some of the strongest skills in the game. Essences are such a great addition to the game that it’s hard to imagine future SMT titles without them. // Image: Atlus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/36e8a211-12a1-433b-9f7f-a51a9d9f15be/Shin+Megami+Tensei+V+-+Vengeance+-+5.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Review: Netherworldly Bliss with a Story that Still Underwhelms - Make it stand out Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance’s new story content is interesting and often leads to some of the best boss fights in all of SMT V. Unfortunately, it doesn’t necessarily fix the issue of SMT V’s underwhelming story. Canon of Vengeance could have greatly enhanced the story of SMT V to be the best in the series. As is, though, it’s marginally better than what was offered in the game’s original release. // Image: Atlus https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/12/15/hundreds-of-beavers monthly 0.5 2025-12-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/ab87a2ed-3f72-411d-9e98-f54b4a768d55/Hundreds+of+Beavers+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Hundreds of Beavers is a Reminder that We Should Just Make Cool Shit - Make it stand out Hundreds of Beavers is as good of a film as it is because it’s largely a rejection of what a film has become expected to be. In many ways, Hundreds of Beavers is a portal to the past, as it evokes silent films of the early 20th Century and early internet humor while still being unlike anything else that’s come before. // Image: Cineverse https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/e4f3c954-38f7-4751-a5f1-ae12a7b8a4f7/Hundreds+of+Beavers+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Hundreds of Beavers is a Reminder that We Should Just Make Cool Shit - Make it stand out Hundreds of Beavers commits to its ridiculousness, surrealism, and chaos to deliver an entirely nonverbal story that evokes old cartoons, movies, and internet culture while never doing so in a way that feels like it’s treading old ground for the sake of nostalgia. Hundreds of Beavers feels fresh and unlike anything else despite its familiar set-dressing, and that’s what makes it so special. // Image: Cineverse https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/b19cf63c-a9e8-4b7d-aa8d-d759f71bae0a/Hundreds+of+Beavers+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Hundreds of Beavers is a Reminder that We Should Just Make Cool Shit - Make it stand out Hundreds of Beavers’ commitment to using practical effects is evocative of amateur filmmaking, giving the film an ostensible charm. Despite that amateur scrappiness, the quality of humor, writing, and performances stands far above most other productions that dwarf this film’s budget. // Image: Cineverse https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/11/26/hyrule-warriors-age-of-imprisonment-review monthly 0.5 2025-11-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/497febc5-3dfe-4902-8ca7-85a104153a49/Hyrule+Warriors+-+Age+of+Imprisonment+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Review: Musou Action Without Fan Service is Still Good Fun - Make it stand out Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment stands out from its predecessor, Age of Calamity, by being a canon story focusing on Zelda’s perspective during the events of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Age of Imprisonment brings little new to the formula, but what is here still offers good fun from a tried-and-true formula. // Image: Nintendo, Koei Tecmo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/99d3ba26-c409-4d0b-84ba-05148d61c4d5/Hyrule+Warriors+-+Age+of+Imprisonment+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Review: Musou Action Without Fan Service is Still Good Fun - Make it stand out Age of Imprisonment continues the gameplay formula established in Age of Calamity. The power fantasy of battling against hundreds of enemies is now mixed with Tears of the Kingdom’s reactive mechanics such as the Zonai Devices and Fuse Items. // Image: Nintendo, Koei Tecmo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/b4c98f3c-79c2-47ca-b2b7-aebac45fa82c/Hyrule+Warriors+-+Age+of+Imprisonment+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Review: Musou Action Without Fan Service is Still Good Fun - Make it stand out Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment features a cast of characters that are mostly original to this game. While the Sages were briefly seen in Tears of the Kingdom, they get proper screen time here. However, most characters introduced or expanded upon in Age of Imprisonment are relatively surface-level, save for Calamo and the Knight Construct. // Image: Nintendo, Koei Tecmo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/e40dd854-14dd-46e4-ae3e-7361d7ac46ab/Hyrule+Warriors+-+Age+of+Imprisonment+-+4.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Review: Musou Action Without Fan Service is Still Good Fun - Make it stand out Sync Strikes are Age of Imprisonments’ greatest new offensive mechanic, allowing two characters to team up and deal devastating damage together. Every character participates in these Sync Strikes differently, encouraging players to try Sync Strikes with as many combinations of characters as possible. // Image: Nintendo, Koei Tecmo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/28b1b6e9-ff15-4986-88bd-d82d1f31a36e/Hyrule+Warriors+-+Age+of+Imprisonment+-+5.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Review: Musou Action Without Fan Service is Still Good Fun - Make it stand out Like its predecessor, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is at its best when going for completion. Completing Challenges to receive rewards to then spend on completing quests that turn the map from orange to blue is an intoxicatingly addictive process. // Image: Nintendo, Koei Tecmo https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/11/13/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain-review monthly 0.5 2025-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/291610fb-9682-4243-ba1a-19fff080a501/Little+Amelie+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Little Amélie or the Character of Rain Review: Memories Last, As Does Emotional Spectacle - Make it stand out Little Amélie or the Character of Rain is a beautiful reminder of the unique storytelling capabilities of animation. Not only is it the most visually spectacular movie of the year, it has also catapulted itself into being my favorite movie of the year so far. // Image: GKIDS, Ikki Films https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/ffccf6f6-29b0-440f-9ffe-cbe242cdbfdc/Little+Amelie+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Little Amélie or the Character of Rain Review: Memories Last, As Does Emotional Spectacle - Make it stand out Beyond telling an emotionally complex and compelling story, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain stands out from any other film this year due to its incredibly vivid art style that combines soft colors, thick outlines, and distinct character designs that give the film an unforgettable visual identity. // Image: GKIDS, Ikki Films https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/a07b2c43-725a-46d0-a6ce-c3431967c833/Little+Amelie+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Little Amélie or the Character of Rain Review: Memories Last, As Does Emotional Spectacle - Make it stand out “Memories last” is one of the most poignant quotes from Little Amélie or the Character of Rain. No matter how big or small, the memories we share with people at any point in our lives - even when we’re in our early childhood - significantly shape us into who we are. // Image: GKIDS, Ikki Films https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/11/10/clair-obscur-expedition-33-review monthly 0.5 2025-11-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/f41ca496-48d9-42cd-beb3-0ea415e78cc9/Clair+Obscur+-+Expedition+33+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review: A Turn-Based Marvel Punches Above its Weight, Flaws and All - Make it stand out Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is more than just a great RPG that carves its own identity while honoring the many JRPGs that inspired it. This game is a representation of how developers being allowed to make the games they want to make can lead to greatness and success. // Image: Sandfall Interactive, Kepler Interactive https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/40cf3b01-1d9b-4273-b713-c27ebf186420/Clair+Obscur+-+Expedition+33+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review: A Turn-Based Marvel Punches Above its Weight, Flaws and All - Make it stand out Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 radiantly shines where it needs to most: its combat system. Expedition 33 is ripe with mechanics and options given to the player, giving fans of turn-based combat a lot to chew on as they strategize actions to take during combat. Actions like Parries and Dodges also help expand the appeal of the turn-based combat system to fans of Action RPGs as well. // Image: Sandfall Interactive https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/47836542-a2a0-41c2-be28-1740694957ac/Clair+Obscur+-+Expedition+33+-+3.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review: A Turn-Based Marvel Punches Above its Weight, Flaws and All - Make it stand out Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 offers incredibly imaginative art direction present in many of its dungeons. However, most dungeons lack distinct landmarks and visual differentiators, making it easy for the player to accidentally go backwards through a dungeon - something that happened to me multiple times throughout my playthrough. While I respect the game’s commitment to not having a minimap or compass take up screen space, the dungeons needed better visual variety to make up for it. As is, dungeons can easily disorient players and cause them to accidentally run in circles. // Image: Sandfall Interactive https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1762228460815-6HGSUG4EUVG3BA4QKA35/Clair+Obscur+-+Expedition+33+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review: A Turn-Based Marvel Punches Above its Weight, Flaws and All https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1762228463706-XZYSTRP13XL94WSZPS50/Final+Fantasy+IX+-+Menu.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review: A Turn-Based Marvel Punches Above its Weight, Flaws and All https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1762389713398-CK0ZWC7RI0958I2Z2NMD/Clair+Obscur+-+Expedition+33+-+Ability.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review: A Turn-Based Marvel Punches Above its Weight, Flaws and All https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1762389714309-GTRSDGAMW2USCH9GVSLT/Final+Fantasy+IX+-+Ability.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review: A Turn-Based Marvel Punches Above its Weight, Flaws and All https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1762390072426-EN6MOIJPORNCUW0I22FS/Final+Fantasy+IX+-+Equipment.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review: A Turn-Based Marvel Punches Above its Weight, Flaws and All https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/bea6f7b3-5f09-4a5a-b722-632658c7a3c7/Clair+Obscur+-+Expedition+33+-+4.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review: A Turn-Based Marvel Punches Above its Weight, Flaws and All - Make it stand out During Xbox’ Developer Direct in January 2025, Sandfall Interactive proudly revealed that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 features a World Map, a feature once synonymous with JRPGs circa the ‘80s through the early 2000s. Expedition 33’s use of the World Map is more than just a callback - it’s a sign of understanding that there’s value in many abstractions that classic JRPGs uniquely took advantage of. // Image: Sandfall Interactive https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/ad275f5f-be71-4dc3-98f5-92cb8524da5f/Clair+Obscur+-+Expedition+33+-+5.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review: A Turn-Based Marvel Punches Above its Weight, Flaws and All - Make it stand out Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s story is one that features twists and turns not unexpected for this genre. While I admire the ambition of the game’s writing and narrative direction, plot elements revealed late in the game are convoluted at best and undermines the weight of large aspects of the story at worst. Some narrative decisions don’t land the way they should. // Image: Sandfall Interactive https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/10/30/spirited-away-thematic-masterpiece monthly 0.5 2025-10-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/2485aaa6-313a-4296-a4b0-239f7215a2eb/Spirited+Away+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Spirited Away and How its Thematic Density Leads it to Masterpiece Quality - Make it stand out Studio Ghibli’s 2001 film, Spirited Away, is often regarded as a masterpiece of animation and the legendary studio’s greatest film. But what leads to such praise? What causes the film to be as popular and accoladed as it is? // Image: Studio Ghibli, GKIDS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/587f8535-04e9-4b7b-b54a-c636ed7ba27d/Spirited+Away+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Spirited Away and How its Thematic Density Leads it to Masterpiece Quality - Make it stand out The genius of Spirited Away is the decision to frame so many thematic conversations from the perspective of a young girl. This gives an approachability to the film’s narrative that entices younger viewers and opportunities for nuance to captivate older audiences. Chihiro’s adventure is one of overcoming various challenges that the world faces. // Image: Studio Ghibli, GKIDS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/8337aab2-aee9-4c34-945e-577e5147862a/Spirited+Away+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Spirited Away and How its Thematic Density Leads it to Masterpiece Quality - Make it stand out Chihiro and Haku represent opposing ways of framing attitudes toward identity. Chihiro defies the capitalist framework she’s been forced into while Haku is being controlled by Yubaba and has forgotten his original purpose. Holding onto her identity in spite of the dangerous forces playing against her is ultimately what lets Chihiro overcome the conflicts she faces. // Image: Studio Ghibli, GKIDS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/fb2d35af-6e10-4c25-85f3-f2a668d35ef9/Spirited+Away+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Spirited Away and How its Thematic Density Leads it to Masterpiece Quality - Make it stand out Spirited Away isn’t a film centered on self-discovery, despite what coming-of-age film conventions may lead you to assume. Rather, Spirited Away is more about how our experiences can give us a resolve that alters the way we look at our lives and the world around us. // Image: Studio Ghibli, GKIDS https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/10/17/tron-ares-review monthly 0.5 2025-10-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/de6628c1-990f-404f-8b23-0ba3b7bbbf16/Tron+Ares+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Tron: Ares is Exhilaratingly Cool and Stylish and That's Enough (Review) - Make it stand out Tron: Ares is the third movie in the 43-year-old Tron franchise. The series has historically used the relationship between humanity and emerging technology as the backdrop for cool-as-hell sci-fi action. That remains to be the case here. The film fumbles the very conversations about AI and the future of technology that it posits, but Ares excels at what Tron does best: being cool, exciting, and stylish. // Image: Disney https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/cc8885de-80f1-42e9-82dc-3f7c91e4c13a/Tron+Ares+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Tron: Ares is Exhilaratingly Cool and Stylish and That's Enough (Review) - Make it stand out Tron: Ares upends the typical structure of a Tron film. While previous films were isekai-style stories of humans entering the digital world and trying to escape, Ares creates action sequences built around digital assets entering the physical world. This results in awe-inspiring action and chase scenes that beautifully combine the otherworldly and the mundane. // Image: Disney https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/5f0aba86-a1cf-4395-aa00-79e87fb86c44/Tron+Ares+-+2.jpeg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Tron: Ares is Exhilaratingly Cool and Stylish and That's Enough (Review) - Make it stand out Tron: Ares is a departure from what has come before and therefore feels like a massive swing. Whether or not it hits from that swing will depend on how much you want the fantastic visuals and audio carry the experience. // Image: Disney https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/9/26/trials-of-mana-review monthly 0.5 2025-09-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/c3515379-4ecd-473b-b3e1-f570f09cf077/Trials+of+Mana+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Trials of Mana's 2020 Remake Salvages One of My Least Favorite JRPGs (Review) - Make it stand out Trials of Mana is the 2020 remake of the third Mana or Seiken Densetsu game originally released on the Super Famicom. I didn’t enjoy the grindiness and simplicity of the original game. While not entirely removing the original’s faults, the 2020 remake improves upon the framework that would pave the way towards 2024’s Visions of Mana. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/a9fc7a76-35ef-40b2-9ebd-aaf0611e9003/Trials+of+Mana+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Trials of Mana's 2020 Remake Salvages One of My Least Favorite JRPGs (Review) - Make it stand out Trials of Mana is still a combat-centric action RPG at its core. Most of the game’s runtime sees the player either running through dungeons and fields or fighting the enemies that populate such areas. Combat features more options than the original, but still pales in comparison to other, more complex RPGs that focus on combat. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/b0191936-f52b-42d3-8806-2f51640eebd6/Trials+of+Mana+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Trials of Mana's 2020 Remake Salvages One of My Least Favorite JRPGs (Review) - Make it stand out Trials of Mana benefits a lot from the transition from 2D to 3D. Environments are more open and incentivize exploration to find hidden items and collectibles. Bosses are specifically more dynamic, with 3D space offering more ways for bosses to test the player’s navigation and combat know-how. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/15ffb9b6-8a3a-4d3b-af47-5e078a1a8c4b/Trials+of+Mana+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Trials of Mana's 2020 Remake Salvages One of My Least Favorite JRPGs (Review) - Make it stand out Trials of Mana offers a decisively more involved narrative than its 1995 source material. The game’s cutscenes definitely represent a smaller budget and production value, but more narrative to chew on does its job. There’s more of a reason to be invested in the game’s characters in this retelling of the game’s story. // Image: Square Enix https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/9/19/ninja-gaiden-3-razors-edge-and-the-power-of-difference monthly 0.5 2025-09-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/8edc8a21-e7f2-4cce-90a0-459354272151/Ninja+Gaiden+3+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge and the Power of Difference - Make it stand out The 3D Ninja Gaiden titles courtesy of Team Ninja have been a joy to play through. While I’m unsure if I’d declare it as the best of the first three games, Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge is the game in the series I respect the most for having a completely different feel from what has come before. // Image: Koei Tecmo, Team Ninja https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/5a5b956d-15fc-4ca5-aaa1-6a42d98aa502/Ninja+Gaiden+3+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge and the Power of Difference - Make it stand out Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge continues to offer the quick action delivered in previous entires. Like NG2, Ninja Gaiden 3 offers stage-based progression. However, the increased focus on combat encounters gives NG3 a completely different pace from other Ninja Gaiden titles. // Image: Koei Tecmo, Team Ninja https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/9cf6cd03-55da-4f81-ba28-aff175dc0f84/Ninja+Gaiden+3+-+2.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge and the Power of Difference - Make it stand out It can often feel like Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge is a never-ending onslaught of frenetic combat encounters that climax with a bombastic, sometimes cinematic boss fight. This structure can sometimes feel exhausting, but I can’t deny that it makes for a completely different experience than anything offered in other Ninja Gaiden games. // Image: Koei Tecmo, Team Ninja https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/b6dff40c-960a-42b7-be01-d5446dadcb4c/Ninja+Gaiden+3+-+3.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge and the Power of Difference - Make it stand out The story told in the first two Ninja GAiden titles are akin to popcorn action flicks where Ryu goes on exciting adventures. NG3’s narrative makes more of an effort to raise personal and emotional stakes for Ryu. While certainly not a narrative masterpiece, NG3’s story has a remarkably different focus, thus giving the game a unique identity from other stories within this IP. // Image: Koei Tecmo, Team Ninja https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/8/25/donkey-kong-bananza-creativity monthly 0.5 2025-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/d6089266-7471-421c-9908-895c96402f18/Donkey+Kong+Bananza+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Donkey Kong Bananza Represents the Apex of Creativity that the Games Industry Needs and Deserves More Of - Make it stand out Donkey Kong Bananza marks a bold new direction for the Donkey Kong franchise. Bananza is simultaneously nothing like anything has Nintendo put out before while also feeling like the right kind of game for Donkey Kong. It’s delightfully new yet honors the old to create something truly special. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/d29771b5-8a1a-4f57-903f-23b7b9169522/Donkey+Kong+Bananza+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Donkey Kong Bananza Represents the Apex of Creativity that the Games Industry Needs and Deserves More Of - Make it stand out Being the first major game from Nintendo after the system’s launch, Donkey Kong Bananza makes for a fantastic showcase of what the Nintendo Switch 2 is capable of. While performance sees some hitches during hectic boss fights, the visual accomplishments of Bananza are a significant step above what’s possible on Nintendo’s preceding hardware. // Image: Nintendo, Nintendo World Report https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/52bb7011-864f-4805-925e-9e8b5e9ac875/Donkey+Kong+Bananza+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Donkey Kong Bananza Represents the Apex of Creativity that the Games Industry Needs and Deserves More Of - Make it stand out If there’s anything that the Donkey Kong franchise has built itself on, it’s presenting gameplay opportunities that feel unlike anything else presented in its respective genre. Donkey Kong Bananza continues this trend, as the game’s movement options feel nothing like 3D platforming contemporaries like Super Mario Okyssey, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, and Astro Bot. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/f137aef6-ed88-4672-bbed-ad10e5299e6b/Donkey+Kong+Bananza+-+4.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Donkey Kong Bananza Represents the Apex of Creativity that the Games Industry Needs and Deserves More Of - Make it stand out Punching terrain is more than just a satisfying means of getting around levels in Donkey Kong Bananza. It genuinely opens the door for players to find different ways to devise a near-infinite number of solutions to problems that the levels present. Like in games like Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, much of Bananza’s fun comes from using the game’s mechanics to create a solution that just works. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/f19d1294-a22c-488a-9e5f-10abc33e8203/Donkey+Kong+Bananza+-+5.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Donkey Kong Bananza Represents the Apex of Creativity that the Games Industry Needs and Deserves More Of - Make it stand out The unlikely star of Donkey Kong Bananza is truthfully the challenge levels, which are more focused levels that only span a few minutes. These more condensed sequences test the player’s understanding and execution of the game’s various mechanics. Between navigation and combat challenges, these smaller levels make for some of Bananza’s best moments. // Image: Nintendo, TheGamer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/c5f0fa75-9717-4fa8-a4fa-8c8ede37935e/Donkey+Kong+Bananza+-+6.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Donkey Kong Bananza Represents the Apex of Creativity that the Games Industry Needs and Deserves More Of - Make it stand out Each Bananza form that Donkey Kong can acquire unlocks more movement opportunities that gradually turn levels into open playgrounds. Whether gliding over level geometry with Ostrich Bananza, vacuuming up terrain with Elephant Bananza, or destroying everything in your path with Kong Bananza, each transformation invites new creative ways to approach levels (and some bangin’ songs that play when they’re activated!). // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/3680e2ad-8ddc-4bb1-add5-497e62423810/Donkey+Kong+Bananza+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Donkey Kong Bananza Represents the Apex of Creativity that the Games Industry Needs and Deserves More Of - Make it stand out Donkey Kong Bananza does a fantastic job at providing fanservice to series veterans that feels earned, tasteful, and still digestible to series newcomers. The many returning characters and big twists during the game’s finale are delightful respects to this franchise’s legacy, and their thoughtful integration into the game assures that their inclusion wasn’t an afterthought // Image: Nintendo https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/8/14/weapons-review monthly 0.5 2025-08-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/736463e1-9c90-490e-a4d0-ad60bd343972/Weapons+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Weapons Review: Innovation in Horror Genre Continues with Ambitious, Flawed Structure - Make it stand out Weapons is marketed as a horror movie, though it’s admittedly difficult to definitively label the film as such. The film’s tremendous focus on characters and presenting conflict from different perspectives posits the film like a drama or thriller. However you label it, Weapons is a refreshingly unique tale that’ll keep audiences guessing. // Image: Warner Bros. Pictures https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/a73b0c86-3b0e-479f-a591-0e0abe505029/Weapons+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Weapons Review: Innovation in Horror Genre Continues with Ambitious, Flawed Structure - Make it stand out Of all the characters explored throughout Weapons, the perspective of Justine (played by Julia Garner) is easily the most gripping. The film is at its best when it’s exploring the prejudice she faces after being accused of being responsible for the disappearance of her students. // Image: Warner Bros. Pictures https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/9dda99cc-4a4b-4a01-bd01-e0f9d038aa16/Weapons+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Weapons Review: Innovation in Horror Genre Continues with Ambitious, Flawed Structure - Make it stand out Archer, performed by Josh Brolin, is a remarkably strong case study for perspective in storytelling. We initially see him as a disgruntled parent with a few lines of dialogue, but his role in uncovering the mystery of the disappearances highlights just how much characters can reveal themselves to be more than they initially seem. // Image: Warner Bros. Pictures https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/8/4/sorry-baby-review monthly 0.5 2025-08-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/c8727a38-3dca-43a6-a20d-f6e2efd15b13/Sorry+Baby+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Sorry, Baby Review: The Uplifting Potential of Connections and the Slow Burn of Trauma - Make it stand out Sorry, Baby is a phenomenal directorial debut from Eva Victor that follows the story of Agnes, a woman that we see is affected by trauma over the course of years. The film blends humor, heaviness, and humanity to discuss how trauma, loneliness, and suffering affect our lives in slow, quiet, and sometimes invisible ways. // Image: A24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/aa076bdb-ca31-4c6d-ba02-eac30ba28d0f/Sorry+Baby+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Sorry, Baby Review: The Uplifting Potential of Connections and the Slow Burn of Trauma - Make it stand out Sorry, Baby is as thought-provoking of a character study as it is because of the incredible chemistry between its characters. Agnes (right, performed by Eva Victor) and Lydie (left, performed by Naomi Ackie) have a lovably transparent and vulnerable friendship that opens the door to some fantastic character moments, leading to an emotional core focused on how friendships and connections give us a reason to stay alive through the horrors we face in life. // Image: A24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/16d54aa1-5d8b-40ca-8be5-565ff52045b5/Sorry+Baby+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Sorry, Baby Review: The Uplifting Potential of Connections and the Slow Burn of Trauma - Make it stand out Sorry, Baby, at its core, is a film about the necessity that connections play on our lives. Whether it’s a longtime friend, an adopted pet, or a stranger that shows kindness, receiving support from others is often the very thing we need to not feel hopeless. Sorry, Baby brilliantly conveys these themes through sorrowful drama and quirky humor that makes it one of the best films to ever discuss this type of subject matter. // Image: A24 https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/7/28/open-world-design-suppressed-focus monthly 0.5 2025-07-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/04e973c6-ca85-440e-b7a0-56dbe5e1f554/Batman+Arkham+Knight+-+Key+art.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - How Open World Design Can Suppress a Game's Focus (featuring Batman: Arkham Knight) - Make it stand out Batman: Arkham Knight is in many ways an evolution of the two main Arkham games that came before. There are more things to do and the world feels bigger and more ambitious. This unfortunately comes at the cost of weaker gameplay cohesion, making for a game that has more to do, sure, but struggles to meaningfully unify its various gameplay ideas. // Image: WB Games, Rocksteady https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/9f94e125-bc9e-4763-b9c6-dfca3982caed/Batman+Arkham+Asylum+-+1.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - How Open World Design Can Suppress a Game's Focus (featuring Batman: Arkham Knight) - Make it stand out Batman: Arkham Asylum is unanimously considered to be the weakest of the three Rocksteady-developed Arkham games. While the execution of its gameplay ideas are certainly flawed, I find Arkham Asylum to be far-and-away the most focused of the Arkham series thanks to its commitment to having a tighter, more-focused scope. This greater focus in the game’s design makes for a more well-paced and cohesive experience. // Image: WB Games, Rocksteady https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/8ac3da92-2fef-427b-bb7d-f34fc094c0bd/Batman+Arkham+Knight+-+1jpg.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - How Open World Design Can Suppress a Game's Focus (featuring Batman: Arkham Knight) - Make it stand out Batman: Arkham Knight is the crescendo of the Arkham series’ gradual amplification of scale. While Arkham Asylum was a smaller-scale adventure mainly composed of linear rooms, corridors, and sewers, Arkham Knight depicts a fully explorable Gotham. While this openness appeals to the fantasy and immersion of becoming Batman, it ultimately forces many of the game’s activities to be spread thin. Very little in this open environment draws intrigue, making world navigation simply feel like a means of going from one activity to another without ever feeling like a cohesive, immersive experience. // Image: WB Games, Rocksteady https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/38c89355-09be-4e76-9ea8-1884980ade4f/Zelda+Tears+of+the+Kingdom+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - How Open World Design Can Suppress a Game's Focus (featuring Batman: Arkham Knight) - Make it stand out Many open-world titles garner industry attention and accolades for realizing worlds that feel larger than life. But that shouldn’t mean that all games should aspire to create open worlds. There is just as much, if not more value in taking advantage of smaller, more focused settings. The only way to truly win the game against creating unfocused and unnecessary open worlds is to deny the urge to make an open world at all. // Image: Nintendo https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/07/02/star-ocean-the-second-story-r-review monthly 0.5 2025-07-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/7997146c-9dcc-42a8-ba08-7ea184a8eec5/SO2R+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Star Ocean: The Second Story R Review: A Beautiful yet Imperfect Blend of Old and New - Make it stand out Star Ocean: The Second Story R is among a growing number of remakes of PlayStation-era JRPGs. While the Star Ocean franchise has historically garnered mixed reception to its games, particularly with more recent entries, a remake of what is considered the best game in the series serves as a fantastic way to build interest in the series. While The Second Story R still shows the original game’s age and imperfections, this remake is a visual treat and makes for a refreshingly fun time. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/5ed6acc8-67a1-45a5-af40-480a1c854598/SO2R+-+1.jpeg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Star Ocean: The Second Story R Review: A Beautiful yet Imperfect Blend of Old and New - Make it stand out Star Ocean: The Second Story R is one of the most visually striking games ever produced. In a style evocative of Square Enix’s HD-2D art style used in games like Octopath Traveler and Live A Live’s 2022 remake, The Second Story R merges classic 2D sprites with vivid 3D environments to create an aesthetic unlike anything else in the games landscape. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/44194599-02ae-48db-8460-6a72282915ac/So2R+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Star Ocean: The Second Story R Review: A Beautiful yet Imperfect Blend of Old and New - Make it stand out Star Ocean: The Second Story R’s combat is fast-paced and mechanically dense, with the Break, Assault, and Formation systems. Despite so much happening so quickly, The Second Story R’s combat system is deceptively straightforward and walks a fine line between simplicity and customizability, allowing for dynamic builds and strategies. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/fd6adcfe-a937-415f-bad2-14ce9344d9d9/So2R+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Star Ocean: The Second Story R Review: A Beautiful yet Imperfect Blend of Old and New - Make it stand out Private Actions allow players to see additional events that let the game’s cast interact with each other in cute and sometimes substantial ways. At worst, these are harmless comic relief to the main narrative. At best, they serve as strong character-building moments and even open the door to recruiting new characters. // Image: Square Enix https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/6/17/micro-challenge-game-design monthly 0.5 2025-06-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/bc0325a2-35e8-4a98-aa45-218daa1dbdf6/Mario+Kart+World+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Mario Kart World, P-Switches, and Why Micro-Challenges Make for Great Bite-Sized Game Design - Make it stand out Mario Kart World features a “Free Roam” mode that populates the world with P-Switches, Peach Medallions, and ? Panels. All of these collectables serve as invitations to complete bite-sized challenges that tutorialize and test the player’s understanding of the game’s movement systems. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/fb252c2d-3d4b-4e7d-ab4b-333d8c774267/Mario+Kart+World+-+2.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Mario Kart World, P-Switches, and Why Micro-Challenges Make for Great Bite-Sized Game Design - Make it stand out Many of the P-Switch missions in Mario Kart World make the player navigate the world using the mechanics introduced in World. Micro-challenges can go a long way in acclimating players to new concepts they can apply elsewhere in the game. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/678f8d72-c090-42bb-acb7-3c7a2c796e82/Sonic+Froniters+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Mario Kart World, P-Switches, and Why Micro-Challenges Make for Great Bite-Sized Game Design - Make it stand out Sonic Frontiers makes navigating the world feel like a minigame in and of itself. A large part of what makes this minigame work as well as it does are the incredible number of Memory Tokens that invite the player to engage with the various different movement tools at the player’s disposal. Each Memory Token is a small step towards mastering the game’s many navigational mechanics that the player may otherwise struggle to master. // Image: SEGA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/c746e13c-1d11-414d-b477-1b406c603e28/The+Legend+of+Zelda+-+Tears+of+the+Kingdom+-+1.jpeg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Mario Kart World, P-Switches, and Why Micro-Challenges Make for Great Bite-Sized Game Design - Make it stand out The Koroks throughout The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom require the player to look at the world in different ways. In Tears of the Kingdom, specifically, many of the Koroks “looking for their friends” invite the player to improvise with Ultrahand creations to concoct a means of traversing through a certain part of the world. These instances give players skills they can apply towards other sections of the game. // Image: Nintendo https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/6/10/its-time-to-rewrite-the-narrative-about-turn-based-rpgs monthly 0.5 2025-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/eeccb214-1f05-4126-899c-555d2ba192b9/Time+to+Rewrite+the+Narrative+on+Turn+Based+RPGs.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - It's Time to Rewrite the Narrative About Turn-Based RPGs - Make it stand out Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Final Fantasy XVI present a dichotomy of turn-based combat. FF XVI represents a complete abandonment of the turn-based combat that made Final Fantasy a household name in order to widen appeal, whereas Expedition 33 celebrates the unique capabilities of turn-based combat and has seen great success because of it. // Image: Sandfall Interactive, Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/8234339c-b5b0-4291-9107-38ffa75bec51/Final+Fantasy+XVI+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - It's Time to Rewrite the Narrative About Turn-Based RPGs - Make it stand out Final Fantasy XVI’s entirely action-oriented combat system symbolizes an abandonment of the JRPG franchise’s origins not out of creative integrity, but seemingly out of fear that conforming to the series’ tradition of turn-based (or turn-based-adjacent) combat will lead to fewer players and sales. The result is a game that left some series fans feeling alienated. Final Fantasy fans looking for the turn-based strategy the series was once known for must turn elsewhere. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/e333e9ca-6e26-4a71-bc40-158213712066/Expedition+33+-+1.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - It's Time to Rewrite the Narrative About Turn-Based RPGs - Make it stand out Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stands as a stark contrast to the prevailing narrative about turn-based RPGs. It’s bold, innovative, and has taken the world by storm. As a result, the game has garnered impressive word of mouth. Expedition 33 proves that there’s plenty of life left in the turn-based genre and that such a game can perform well both critically and commercially. // Image: Sandfall Interactive https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/e80bffff-9430-40b2-92e2-1cc81c80c21e/Metaphor-Refantazio-1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - It's Time to Rewrite the Narrative About Turn-Based RPGs - Make it stand out Metaphor: ReFantazio is another example of a turn-based RPG finding excellent success thanks to its innovations and particular strengths as a turn-based video game. Atlus, Metaphor’s developer, have historically been conservative in the sense that they’ve mostly stuck to their RPGs being turn-based throughout their history, and yet Metaphor proves that they can still find new ways to make turn-based battles feel fresh, exciting, and appealing to those new to the genre. // Image: Atlus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1c7baf53-68ab-455d-8e89-38f62c90db09/SMT+5+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - It's Time to Rewrite the Narrative About Turn-Based RPGs - Make it stand out Certain franchises, such as Shin Megami Tensei, have remained turn-based throughout their history. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance represents 35 years’ worth of refinement and modernization in the turn-based RPG space and feels remarkably polished as a result. // Image: Atlus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/0c342354-7d7a-4e87-a2d5-650e7116d0c9/Sea+of+Stars.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - It's Time to Rewrite the Narrative About Turn-Based RPGs - Make it stand out Turn-based RPGs are steadily becoming more common in the independent video game space, including indie darlings like Sea of Stars and Chained Echoes. This indicates that, like many other genres, turn-based RPGs is a style of game that developers, indie or AAA, still have a drive to push boundaries for. This genre is in a position to thrive in the future - why uphold a narrative that only seeks to prevent this brighter future? // Image: Sabotage Studio https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/5/19/wolf-children-review monthly 0.5 2025-05-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/b4b93906-9d03-4fc4-bb61-3142a30b77bb/Wolf+Children+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Wolf Children Review: An Examination of the Value of Empathetic Multiculturalism - Make it stand out Wolf Children uses fantasy elements to brilliantly compose a story centered on Hana as she tries to ensure that her children are as informed about their cultural identity as possible. Despite its contemporary fantasy premise, Wolf Children tells a remarkably grounded story that stands as a fantastic dialogue for multicultural families. // Image: Toho, Studio Chizu, GKIDS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/f175d6dd-f6b8-4a32-a977-38c217fde162/Wolf+Children+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Wolf Children Review: An Examination of the Value of Empathetic Multiculturalism - Make it stand out Much of Wolf Children’s first act focuses on the relationship between Hana and a character simply credited as “Father”. Upon learning about her lover’s identity as someone that can transform into a wolf, Hana accepts her husband for who he is without a second thought. This empathetic understanding is a value that Hana eventually practices towards her children, who also share their father’s powers. // Image: Toho, Studio Chizu, GKIDS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/f4618c1b-aed7-488b-8a6e-8833e8478d51/Wolf+Children+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Wolf Children Review: An Examination of the Value of Empathetic Multiculturalism - Make it stand out The second act of Wolf Children is primarily interested in developing the relationship that Hana creates with her children. Hana buys a run-down house in the Japanese countryside where she learns alongside her kids on how to cultivate their land and grow food. This goes on to establish an intimate connection between Hana and her children, Yuki and Ame - a connection that will shift as the two wolf-human hybrids age. // Image: Toho, Studio Chizu, GKIDS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/55235e28-7e35-4a92-a6ee-59fa232832ad/Wolf+Children+-+4.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Wolf Children Review: An Examination of the Value of Empathetic Multiculturalism - Make it stand out Yuki and Ame are both empowered by their mother to learn as much about their identities as possible. Yuki and Ame’s relationships with their wolf forms shift throughout their childhoods. In time, Yuki favors her human heritage while Ame favors his wolf heritage. Despite choosing different parts of their identity to embrace, the two kids are able to make an informed decision over who they want to be - something that is only possible through Hana’s embrace of multicultural parenting. // Image: Toho, Studio Chizu, GKIDS https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/5/12/xenoblade-chronicles-x-special monthly 0.5 2025-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/8452a775-f256-4a7c-a858-ca5c144412fb/Xenoblade+Chronicles+X+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - It's Something About This Planet: What Makes Xenoblade Chronicles X Such a Special Game - Make it stand out Ten years on from its original release on Wii U in 2015, Xenoblade Chronicles X confidently stands as one of the greatest instances of open world game design. Its 2025 rerelease on Nintendo Switch has breathed new life into the game, garnering the attention of a new generation of players that can discover Xenoblade Chronicles X’s unique, brilliant magic. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/a097c0a4-22ea-4fb8-bb14-b121893888ae/Xenoblade+Chronicles+X+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - It's Something About This Planet: What Makes Xenoblade Chronicles X Such a Special Game - Make it stand out Mira, literally the Greek root for “wonder”, is the name of the incredibly realized, vibrant world of Xenoblade Chronicles X. This planet makes for one of the greatest open worlds ever crafted, not just because of how alive it feels, but how it blends otherworldliness and familiarity to create an unforgettable setting. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/d3250e4b-1a1b-454f-a0cc-ec7ba0e5fc74/Xenoblade+Chronicles+X+-+10.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - It's Something About This Planet: What Makes Xenoblade Chronicles X Such a Special Game - Make it stand out New Los Angeles sits as Xenoblade Chronicles X’s primary base of operations, hosting the majority of the game’s quests. The single city creates a delightful contrast between the mundane familiarity of NLA and the hostility of Mira. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/4fc1c34b-b8ed-4b6e-bfdc-902ce1055181/Xenoblade+Chronicles+X+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - It's Something About This Planet: What Makes Xenoblade Chronicles X Such a Special Game - Make it stand out Xenoblade Chronicles X features various continents that all have a distinct visual identity while still contributing to the overall otherworldliness of Mira. Primordia, the game’s first continent, starts out as the most Earth-like continent, with later continents like Noctilum having a greater emphasis on the hostility, brutality, yet undeniable beauty of this alien planet. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/d749205f-aca5-4303-8c07-348cd64d8828/Xenoblade+Chronicles+X+-+9.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - It's Something About This Planet: What Makes Xenoblade Chronicles X Such a Special Game - Make it stand out One of Xenoblade Chronicles X’s most impressive feats is its ability to realize familiar types of settings in completely original ways. On the surface, Oblivia is a somewhat typical desert environment that has a river connecting its coastlines, but the presence of otherworldly giant discs infuses the area with a layer of mystery. This fuels the player’s imagination and curiosity. This only further incentivizes players to explore even more and uncover as much of the mysteries of this land as they can. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/c26a1787-f21e-4523-aa21-3763f7576f98/Xenoblade+Chronicles+X+-+4.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - It's Something About This Planet: What Makes Xenoblade Chronicles X Such a Special Game - Make it stand out If you can see it, you can go there - such is the mantra that Xenoblade Chronicles X abides by. Few games give the player this much freedom to explore wherever their heart and curiosity wishes to take them. The first flight the player takes into Primordia is a magical moment - one that cements Xenoblade Chronicles X as an undoubtedly special experience. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/d8beff9b-c9a8-445a-accb-b1447722d134/Xenoblade+Chronicles+X+-+7.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - It's Something About This Planet: What Makes Xenoblade Chronicles X Such a Special Game - Make it stand out Xenoblade Chronicles X builds upon the combat system introduced in the first Xenoblade Chronicles, implementing additional features like secondary cooldowns, Soul Voices, which are the game’s primary means of healing party members, and the innovative, overpowered mechanic that is Overdrive - a system that, if mastered, can see players deal massive damage in perpetuity. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/e97a8b0f-5eaa-4a4f-8488-219886f4d57d/Xenoblade+Chronicles+X+-+8.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - It's Something About This Planet: What Makes Xenoblade Chronicles X Such a Special Game - Make it stand out Settings like Cauldros show off the variety inherent in Mira’s visual design. Every area in Xenoblade Chronicles X inspires awe in different ways, often creating images in players’ minds that they’ll never forget. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/3ee46ef2-b547-4552-a750-1d2b6df6c60d/Xenoblade+Chronicles+X+-+11.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - It's Something About This Planet: What Makes Xenoblade Chronicles X Such a Special Game - Make it stand out Definitive Edition adds a substantial chapter of new story content to the game, including a brief visit to an entirely new continent. There’s an incredible amount of fan service in this new story content, but some questionable retcons and final plot reveals highlight a main plot that feels messy. // Image: Nintendo https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/4/4/bob-trevino-likes-it-review monthly 0.5 2025-04-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/e38f4b79-d64b-41a9-9128-07a3aa603c6e/Bob+Trevino+Likes+It+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Bob Trevino Likes It Review - A Beautiful Exploration of the Necessity of Connections - Make it stand out Bob Trevino Likes It is a refreshing film in many ways - the most prominent of which being its focus on how making a single friend can make a deep impact in one’s life. Not many films have an empathetic soul like this film, and it’s for that reason that it stands as my favorite film of 2025 so far. // Image: Roadside Attractions https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/72c8825f-2181-42e5-be5e-f5a66498ecfb/Bob+Trevino+Likes+It+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Bob Trevino Likes It Review - A Beautiful Exploration of the Necessity of Connections - Make it stand out Bob Trevino Likes It is a deceptively simple movie, focusing on an anxious, trauma-ridden Lily Trevino (played by Barbie Ferreira) and a humble yet quietly sad Bob Trevino (played by John Leguizamo) fostering a supportive, positive friendship that makes both of them feel less alone. The straightforwardness of this premise gives the film a remarkably focused direction, giving rise to great emotional beats. // Image: Roadside Attractions https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/beb0ea52-73c3-4f86-971e-992c51929e6d/Bob+Trevino+Likes+It+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Bob Trevino Likes It Review - A Beautiful Exploration of the Necessity of Connections - Make it stand out The emotional core of Bob Trevino Likes It is the genuine connection that is forged between Lily and Bob. Lily’s life completely transforms as she is finally able to bear her soul with someone and not feel as alone. Lily’s relationship with loneliness and connection is a heartfully realized one, creating a story that beautifully illustrates that life is always brighter when we get to surround ourselves by those that care about us. // Image: Roadside Attractions https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/3/19/animation-creative-renaissance monthly 0.5 2025-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/8f83d2d4-55fc-4404-9e2f-e5e128b4991b/earth-blew-up-looney-tunes-hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Animation is Going Through a Creative Resurgence - With More Momentum, It Could be a Creative Renaissance - Make it stand out The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is more than a great animated film that honors its franchise’s legacy while still telling a fresh, modern story - it’s proof that animation is still finding new ways to tell inventive stories. Animation needs more financial support than ever before to prove to major distributors that audiences care about the strides being taken in animation. // Image: Ketchup Entertainment https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/597eca71-be3c-49df-b4cf-b6c49f02c0d7/earth-blew-up-looney-tones-1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Animation is Going Through a Creative Resurgence - With More Momentum, It Could be a Creative Renaissance - Make it stand out Warner Bros. has rightfully garnered criticism for their poor management of their properties. From video games to film, this media conglomerate has flubbed the utilization of its fantastic collection of IP. Warner Bros. effectively sent The Day the Earth Blew Up out to die, only to be somewhat saved by indie distributor Ketchup Entertainment. Films, animated or otherwise, deserve better than this. Perhaps breaking away from these massive corporations is the best way to make that happen. // Image: Ketchup Entertainment https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/a8e4a12e-0856-456c-803f-987bd4214172/flow-1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Animation is Going Through a Creative Resurgence - With More Momentum, It Could be a Creative Renaissance - Make it stand out Flow looks unlike any other movie I’ve seen. Despite telling a story with no dialogue, it manages to craft a remarkably emotional, thoughtful narrative that will stick with any viewer. Earning an Academy Award for Best Animation and incredible word-of-mouth, it’s clear that there’s demand for more ambitious works of animation like Flow. // Image: Janus Films https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/2a44286c-3bc3-4f09-b64d-a84da0ab74ed/the-boy-and-the-heron-1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Animation is Going Through a Creative Resurgence - With More Momentum, It Could be a Creative Renaissance - Make it stand out Studio Ghibli’s The Boy and the Heron, another Academy Award winner, is another example of why creatives should be empowered to tell the stories that want to tell through animation. Despite arguably being one of the studio’s weaker films, it is still unmistakably a film that has a unique identity and is unlike any other film on the market. To get more films like The Boy and the Heron, audiences need to support all kinds of animation - not just ones from directors or studios with decades of legacy. // Image: GKIDS https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/3/17/mickey-17-dismiss-requisite-to-get-weird monthly 0.5 2025-03-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/212b6445-c3de-4bdf-8c79-c764694ff6c2/Mickey+17+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Mickey 17, Creativity, and Dismissing the Requisite of Prior Success to Get Weird - Make it stand out Mickey 17 is an unquestionably weird film, and it’s genuinely better for that. Set in a foreign world with bizarrely designed aliens, this film tells a story about the heartless politics of colonialism and the exploitation of workers for capitalistic gain. It’s a creative, thoughtfully constructed story, but it’s difficult to imagine such a film being greenlit without the prior success of Bong Joon-Ho’s previous masterpiece, Parasite. // Image: Warner Bros. Pictures https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/e3d43c24-4324-4ce1-b363-da4eabe0bade/Mickey+17+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Mickey 17, Creativity, and Dismissing the Requisite of Prior Success to Get Weird - Make it stand out Mickey 17 is a bizarre film that features body recycling, intelligent yet oddly-designed creatures called “Creepers”, and conflict between multiple copies of the same person coexisting - all to illustrate themes of labor exploitation and the empathy to communicate across cultures. This is a creative, ambitious film - one that likely would never have been greenlit without the success of Parasite. We need to become more critical about why weird films like Mickey 17 need to be “earned” in order to be made. // Image: Warner Bros. Pictures https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1739582c-35a3-40b9-931d-58075d447f40/Death+Stranding+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Mickey 17, Creativity, and Dismissing the Requisite of Prior Success to Get Weird - Make it stand out Hideo Kojima is no stranger to making bizarre yet compelling creative choices in his games. However, he had nearly thirty years of game dev experience prior to being given complete creative freedom by Sony to make Death Stranding. Would the same privilege be given to junior or even mid-career creators? // Image: PlayStation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/9fec821e-a481-474f-a76d-0a0eb346460f/Parasite+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Mickey 17, Creativity, and Dismissing the Requisite of Prior Success to Get Weird - Make it stand out Parasite is, itself, a weird film because it creates a bizarre, chaotic situation to smartly dissect class relations in a way that appeals to audiences across cultures. Its weirdness is what led to the film’s success. Other creators need to be given the same chance to be weird for there to be more hits like Parasite. / Image: NEON https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/2/27/collection-of-mana-review monthly 0.5 2025-02-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/7e365d53-8870-4723-998c-2457a5f98ec7/Collection+of+Mana+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Collection of Mana Review: Mixed Assortment of Action RPGs Shows Glimpses of Franchise Potential - Make it stand out Collection of Mana offers the first three titles in the Mana / Seiken Densetsu franchise. While Final Fantasy Adventure impresses, Secret of Mana and Trials of Mana left me incredibly frustrated and disappointed. Yet, there’s an undeniable charm that keeps me interested in later titles. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/22c95f40-c530-4831-b2e4-a84b637e0e55/Final+Fantasy+Adventure.jpeg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Collection of Mana Review: Mixed Assortment of Action RPGs Shows Glimpses of Franchise Potential - Make it stand out Despite its English title, Final Fantasy Adventure is the beginning of the Mana franchise and is an incredibly impressive Action RPG that makes for an excellent adventure, especially given the limitations of the Game Boy’s hardware. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/4c8ff385-973d-4354-967d-8e55f3ee2960/Secret+of+Mana.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Collection of Mana Review: Mixed Assortment of Action RPGs Shows Glimpses of Franchise Potential - Make it stand out Secret of Mana is often talked about with high regard and is considered one of the stronger JRPGs available on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, a platform known for great JRPGs. In truth, however, Secret of Mana fails to stand alongside its contemporaries thanks to its slow, clunky, and shallow gameplay. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/40711588-470c-4264-965a-3c69679a4778/Trials+of+Mana.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Collection of Mana Review: Mixed Assortment of Action RPGs Shows Glimpses of Franchise Potential - Make it stand out On its surface, Trials of Mana improves upon a lot of the issues in Secret of Mana, including more responsive and faster combat. However, the lack of combat depth and the excessive need for grinding makes for an experience that is neither fun nor rewarding. // Image: Square Enix https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/2/10/metaphor-refantazio-review monthly 0.5 2025-02-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/5efd8ec1-6b15-4ad7-97ac-1fba2bf9de25/metaphor-key-art.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Metaphor: ReFantazio Review: A Bold, Brilliant Fantasy Among Atlus' Finest - Make it stand out Metaphor: ReFantazio is many things. It’s a celebration and an amalgamation of Atlus’ legacy of incredible JRPGs. It’s an intellectually crafted fantasy story with smart commentary on various themes. But most of all, it’s a brilliant JRPG with Atlus’ typical level of attention to detail and style that makes for an unforgettable experience. // Image: Atlus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/86215d18-0ad0-4085-8c4f-4e8b1f3a0fa0/Metaphor-Refantazio-2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Metaphor: ReFantazio Review: A Bold, Brilliant Fantasy Among Atlus' Finest - Make it stand out Like many Shin Megami Tensei and Persona games before it, Metaphor doesn’t employ industry-leading production values or graphical fidelity. That said, the game proves that such things aren’t necessary to make something beautiful - a game only needs strong art direction and style to create a visual identity unlike any other. // Image: Atlus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/374ceca0-0fa3-4334-8467-83f418eca42f/Metaphor-ReFantazio-3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Metaphor: ReFantazio Review: A Bold, Brilliant Fantasy Among Atlus' Finest - Make it stand out Metaphor: ReFantazio employs a hybrid system of combat. While primarily featuring turn-based combat, Metaphor allows players to weaken and sometimes outright defeat enemies by attacking them in the field akin to Action RPG combat. // Image: Atlus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/5a2d909e-3784-49a4-a167-26eb5d455657/Metaphor-Refantazio-1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Metaphor: ReFantazio Review: A Bold, Brilliant Fantasy Among Atlus' Finest - Make it stand out Metaphor: ReFantazio is a refinement of the Press Turn system first seen in 2003’s Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne. There’s a reason why this 22-year-old combat system is still being used - it leaves so much room for impeccable strategy and never gets tiresome in the game’s 90+ hour runtime. // Image: Atlus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/2c1153d7-2583-4933-9d12-c37924bf8c99/Metaphor-ReFantazio-6.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Metaphor: ReFantazio Review: A Bold, Brilliant Fantasy Among Atlus' Finest - Make it stand out Archetypes effectively serve as Metaphor’s class system, with more Archetypes becoming accessible through bonding with the protagonist’s Followers. Acquiring skills and inheriting skills from other Archetypes is essential to making a build that can cover various combat situations, exploit multiple enemy weaknesses, and minimize potential openings for enemies to exploit. // Image: Atlus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/ba2d111b-d886-45e8-a836-836630cd781b/Metaphor-ReFantazio-4.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Metaphor: ReFantazio Review: A Bold, Brilliant Fantasy Among Atlus' Finest - Make it stand out Metaphor: Refantazio’s narrative embodies so much of what people love about JRPG storytelling. Metaphor depicts a world wrought with tragedy, discrimination, and hardship, yet the palpable idealism combatting the wrongs of the world represented by the game’s party that represents each of the world’s tribes inspires hope, even in the face of daunting stakes. // Image: Atlus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/571d046a-0ed3-4ae0-8b18-7ca45aa73620/Metaphor-ReFantazio-5.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Metaphor: ReFantazio Review: A Bold, Brilliant Fantasy Among Atlus' Finest - Make it stand out Atlus’ industry-leading user interface is constantly in full swing in Metaphor: ReFantazio. Menus are flashy yet functional and constantly provide eye candy at all times throughout the game’s runtime. Simple actions like changing a character’s equipment never cease to demand the eye’s attention. // Image: Atlus https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/1/13/top-20-movies-of-2024 monthly 0.5 2025-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/993f6906-c74c-41be-bc3c-37a817e80052/Robot+Dreams+-+Header.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out 2024 served as something of a reprieve for underrepresented genres in film. Robot Dreams and Flow showed incredible strides in the capabilities in animated filmmaking, and horror films like The Substance and Heretic proved that the genre still has room for innovation. // Image: Neon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/9bdcf6b6-518f-4a26-aa8e-85fde5d8a335/The+Substance.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out The Substance is not a subtle movie, as it extravagantly flaunts the different ways in which women are treated in the entertainment industry depending on their age. However, it’s the lack of subtlety and the use of overt body horror that makes The Substance one of the best theme-driven films of the year. // Image: Mubi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/90ad9204-ce44-4985-b2f0-5e2297b766d5/mars+express.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out One of the most visually striking films of the year, Mars Express is an excellently animated cyberpunk noir that explores the relationship between humanity and robots in a believable, theme-fueled depiction of the future. // Image: GKIDS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/0e61b0f4-517f-41b4-8726-17e1a307951f/Ghostlight.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out Ghostlight is one of the most heartful movies of the year, depicting a story about a man coping with the loss of his son through embracing theater. This film combines tragedy, comedy, and newfound hope in a beautifully realized story. // Image: IFC Films https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/615ecf5b-9644-453d-bb3a-acdb4f4c0dd5/Boy-Kills-World.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out Boy Kills World is one of the most inventive action movies in recent memory, making for an unbelievably fun, over-the-top, bloody, and memorable viewing experience. // Image: Roadside Attractions https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/f9682440-b683-4ded-8ae1-87af9593e50b/perfect+days.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out Perfect Days saw its wide U.S. release in 2024, and made for one of the quietest, most profound films of recent memory. Featuring a protagonist that keeps to himself for most of the film, Perfect Days is a brilliantly somber film that captures the lonely joys of everyday life. // Image: Neon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/7e8fe007-aeb7-4ae1-a069-73e16a77fbd3/the-wild-robot-header.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out The Wild Robot is a movie that will deliver a fun adventure for younger audiences and an emotional roller coaster for parents. This is a stellar animated film that smartly discusses parenthood and belonging through a satisfying adventure. // Image: DreamWorks Animation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/ee671cac-9031-4b73-9233-6a689079ee67/Daddio.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out Daddio is proof that films can accomplish a lot with very little. This film is entirely carried by a tight script delivered by two excellent performances, making for a conversation that’s enticing to be a part of as a viewer. // Image: Sony Pictures Classics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/b472bea8-fb5f-40f2-a3c5-3687318fca2d/A+Real+Pain+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out A Real Pain is a road trip movie unlike any other as it combines humor and heart shown through its two completely different characters that create a great emotional through line. // Image: Searchlight Pictures https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/7fb00859-c337-4621-97bf-25ae88645395/Exhibiting+Forgiveness+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out A sobering and somber film, Exhibiting Forgiveness explores the seemingly impossible task of forgiving but not forgetting the harm done to us during pivotal moments in our lives. // Image: Roadside Attractions https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/f48d4512-763f-4f43-a8a6-992e7b501670/sirocco+and+the+kingdom+of+the+winds.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out One of the most visually striking movies of the year, Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds tells a delightfully whimsical fantasy story that sees two sisters coming closer together. While the premise is nothing new, the execution in Sirocco is unbelievably charming. // Image: GKIDS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/951e677c-9623-445c-afc9-6da0918ad09b/Flow+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out Despite being a story filled with non-verbal characters navigating a post-apocalyptic world, Flow manages to communicate a lot in its 85 minutes. The world Flow depicts is one that’s mysterious, yet trusts the audience to come to their own conclusions based on the limited information presented in this animated feature. // Image: Janus Films https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/db243aa7-ea2c-4a2e-95d0-1959173c87fe/We+Grown+Now.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out We Grown Now is a somber but genuine depiction of growing up in an untenable environment where life will inevitably take you away from friends that you make. // Image: Sony Pictures Classics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/31199113-78fe-42c5-a4a8-2c2fc693fdee/Heretic+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out Like Daddio, Heretic is an entirely conversation-driven movie and it’s one that remains enticing thanks to charismatic performances and impeccably smart writing that’s centered around the fallacies of religion and faith. // Image: A24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/cd3bf20a-b902-4a12-bbec-c763b28bb5b2/Super-Man+The+Christopher+Reeve+Story.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out It’s rare for a documentary to hit me incredibly hard, but Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story may very well be the most emotionally resonant film of the year. This film will elicit every emotion under the sun to any viewer. // Image: Warner Bros. Pictures, HBO Documentary Films https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/7988f5d8-d19d-4bda-80f0-a2dc3e9053a7/Love+Lies+Bleeding.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out Love Lies Bleeding is a fantastic fusing of compelling drama, body horror, and romance that feels unlike anything else in A24’s portfolio. While the famed indie studio had a somewhat mixed year, Love Lies Bleeding stands as a shining example of the kinds of incredible storytelling provided through this distributor. // Image: A24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/288bb4a7-732c-4158-81c8-92f1d3718923/Look+Back+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out Any artist needs to watch Look Back. This film is a thorough examination of putting all of oneself into their craft, even when it brings detrimental consequences to the connections they forge. // Image: Avex Pictures https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/613ff54a-dffe-48d2-9ff5-cf0ee87cf1fc/didi-review-1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out Dìdi is so much more than a snapshot of mid-to-late 2000s culture. It’s also a profound look at the struggles of growing up in an era that’s slowly morphing into a digital era, leading to compelling, emotional drama. // Image: Focus Features https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/f3b5ca89-a2bb-438a-a4c1-81b31e5b712f/Sing+Sing+-+2.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out Sing Sing is brimming with pain, hope, and humanity. This is a film that is unlike any other prison drama by rooting itself with a protagonist that feels like the antithesis to any genre trope. With brilliant writing and performances, Sing Sing is an unforgettable beacon of hope. // Image: A24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/514ce51e-638f-42ca-940b-6ea430b37b32/Strange+Darling+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out Strange Darling is a film that can’t be thoroughly talked about without spoiling it. It’s a film unlike any other in tone, in structure, and in sheer ambition. This is one of the most spectacularly suspenseful films ever made. // Image: Magenta Light Studios https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/2fbcd2d7-a332-4b0e-b0f8-8180e18f2ce1/Robot-Dreams.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 20 Movies of 2024 - Make it stand out Robot Dreams is everything a movie should be. It’s heartful, it’s a labor of love, and it reaffirms the reason why we see movies in the first place: it tells a story that everyone can learn from and enjoy watching unfold. This film is a testament to the power of animation. // Image: Neon https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/1/6/top-5-games-of-2024 monthly 0.5 2025-01-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/8516d27e-d67d-4e08-98e6-ed2ae32fe53e/final-fantasy-7-rebirth-in-game.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 5 Games of 2024 - Make it stand out 2024 was a fantastic year for games despite the dire state of the games industry. While many thought 2024 would be a quieter year for games, this past year offered some particularly incredible experiences to fans of JRPGs, indie games, and platformers. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth alone consumed over 140 hours of my life - many other long games came out this year and devoured much of peoples’ free time, myself included. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/f29af580-9d59-42fe-9e99-40483e859736/Balatro.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 5 Games of 2024 - Make it stand out Balatro effortlessly achieves what many games wish but fail to: it hooks the audience with an incredibly polished gameplay loop that is as satisfying to understand more as it is hopelessly addicting. // Image: Playstack, LocalThunk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/80a6526d-b538-46c7-bd31-8354387bd6e0/Tekken+8.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 5 Games of 2024 - Make it stand out Tekken 8 is, in many ways, a perfect sequel to Tekken 7. 8 improves upon the lacking content in 7, while boldly taking the franchise in a more aggressive gameplay direction in response to how 7’s meta became increasingly defensive. With an incredible amount of polish, visual flair, and great content offerings for both casual fans and hardcore fighting game enthusiasts, Tekken 8 is one of the greatest fighting games of the modern era. // Image: Bandai Namco https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/604687c1-36ce-4c0c-afa6-080889712464/Metaphor-ReFantazio.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 5 Games of 2024 - Make it stand out Metaphor: ReFantazio is a bold step forward for Atlus while also being a celebration of their prolific past. Building upon the 22-year-old Press Turn system that debuted in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, Metaphor features one of the most polished turn-based RPG experiences of recent memory and will undeniably be remembered as a modern classic. // Image: Atlus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/300ec689-530f-40db-b5de-b6d797b26fca/Astro+Bot.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 5 Games of 2024 - Make it stand out Astro Bot is a beautiful reminder of what video games are all about. So rare is it that a game is ultimately interested in being a pure, fun experience from beginning to end, and Astro Bot’s effortless accomplishment at filling every second with heartful fun is as awe-inspiring as it is impressive. // Image: PlayStation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/ece7838c-67ad-478e-b0ff-ef860393e3a5/Persona+3+Reload+-+Header.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 5 Games of 2024 - Make it stand out Persona 3 Reload is a fantastic remake to an already phenomenal video game. It’s a strong modernization of a classic that preserves the overall experience of the original 2006 game for a new audience. While it’s lost some of the grime of the PS2 release, Reload gives an exciting peek at what this franchise’s future may look like. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/bc0e258c-c85e-4024-a1be-81d0ebf1fef1/Final+Fantasy+VII+Rebirth.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Top 5 Games of 2024 - Make it stand out Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a miracle of a video game. When Final Fantasy VII Remake launched in 2020, the game’s limited scope and 30-40 hour runtime was justified given the incredibly high production value. Rebirth somehow keeps the same insanely high productive value while providing a story that will take players over 100 hours to complete. // Image: Square Enix https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/12/30/sonic-x-shadow-generations-review monthly 0.5 2024-12-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/ed2baa5e-db8b-402d-9d02-5ebfda889247/Sonic+x+Shadow+Generations+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Sonic X Shadow Generations Review: A Solid Celebration of the Old and Promise of the New - Make it stand out Sonic X Shadow Generations blends a remaster of the mostly well-aged Sonic Generations and a brand-new experience with Shadow Generations, resulting in a package that solidly celebrates the past while affirming Sonic Team’s commitment to the new direction of the franchise that began in Sonic Frontiers. // Image: SEGA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/ab012669-eb08-4d50-a51e-00f7eb496b01/Sonic+x+Shadow+Generations+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Sonic X Shadow Generations Review: A Solid Celebration of the Old and Promise of the New - Make it stand out The existence of Sonic Mania retroactively makes the Classic Sonic stages in Sonic Generations feel “off” in terms of physics, but the compact and well-paced level design on display in Sonic Generations keeps the 2D platforming fun regardless of the imperfect physics. // Image: SEGA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/0be9bd65-4bab-44e7-af47-e3564940bbb0/Sonic+x+Shadow+Generations+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Sonic X Shadow Generations Review: A Solid Celebration of the Old and Promise of the New - Make it stand out Sonic Generations’ 3D levels are at their best when they give the player freedom to access different routes within a level through smartly utilizing homing attacks and boosts. They’re at their worst when level set pieces slow the action down, such as in City Escape’s truck sequence, a linear minute-long instance of gameplay that requires practically no input from the player. // Image : SEGA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/99e3f961-1a8e-4695-be3f-70c48c4e4871/Sonic+x+Shadow+Generations+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Sonic X Shadow Generations Review: A Solid Celebration of the Old and Promise of the New - Make it stand out Shadow Generations is a new campaign added for Sonic X Shadow Generations that takes lessons learned from Sonic Frontiers and applies them here to craft some of the greatest levels in Sonic history. Shadow Generations controls like a dream, too - so much so that it makes Sonic Generations feel much worse by comparison. // Image: SEGA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/146b0597-aca6-41ab-aa26-76b3fe34d38a/Sonic+x+Shadow+Generations+-+4.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Sonic X Shadow Generations Review: A Solid Celebration of the Old and Promise of the New - Make it stand out Shadow Generations employs a hub world that connects its levels in a 3D space akin to Sonic Frontiers’ Starfall Islands. This world is fun to navigate and gives further confidence that the design philosophy of Frontiers may be here to stay as the series move forward. // Image: SEGA https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/12/12/deconstructing-the-games-industrys-obsession-with-review-scores-and-awards monthly 0.5 2024-12-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/9addc8dd-c505-41c6-85fd-9f280461d4ab/Game+Awards+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "If You Love Something, That is Yours": Deconstructing the Games Industry's Obsession with Review Scores and Awards - Make it stand out Geoff Keighley’s “The Game Awards” event has risen over the last decade to become one of the biggest annual events in the post-E3 era of the games industry, for better or for worse. The increased visibility of this show has brought with it a toxic fixation on review scores and what makes games “deserve” awards. // Image: The Game Awards https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/5f682f41-90d4-4e50-85f5-881ffbf08e3f/Game+Awards+-+Tekken.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "If You Love Something, That is Yours": Deconstructing the Games Industry's Obsession with Review Scores and Awards - Make it stand out Tekken 8 proved to be one of the most important games of the year for me. The game’s aggregate review score, concurrent player count, or out-of-game controversies are irrelevant when considering how much joy and thought it provoked from me over the last twelve months. // Image: Bandai Namco https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/659d9863-8da1-41cb-9296-40f18a2abdaf/Game+Awards+-+Xenoblade+Chronicles+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "If You Love Something, That is Yours": Deconstructing the Games Industry's Obsession with Review Scores and Awards - Make it stand out Among the nominees for The Game Awards’ 2022 Game of the Year category, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is the game that resonated with me the most. While the game lost all three categories it was nominated for, that doesn’t diminish the game’s meaning to me and its other players. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/aa862ef3-84b7-4604-b2ac-fd40439d9064/Game+Awards+-+Balatro.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "If You Love Something, That is Yours": Deconstructing the Games Industry's Obsession with Review Scores and Awards - Make it stand out Balatro is one of the biggest surprises of the year thanks to its unique, addictive gameplay loop. It’s a game that begets creative, dynamic decision-making, a skill that helps people beyond the world of video games, increasing its emotional value to its players. // Image: LocalThunk, PC Gamer https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/12/09/flow-movie-review monthly 0.5 2024-12-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/9f641812-f0e9-4598-b1f3-332b53ec4ae1/Flow+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Flow" Review: A Strong Reminder of the Power of Animation and Nonverbal Storytelling - Make it stand out After a flood takes out their home and community, a black cat goes on a journey with other animals to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. Flow tells a heartful story about finding family amid disaster utilizing an incredibly expressive art style without any dialogue. // Image: Sideshow, Janus Films https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/4608a949-fe6b-4c3d-a766-22c11acf5571/Flow+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Flow" Review: A Strong Reminder of the Power of Animation and Nonverbal Storytelling - Make it stand out Flow employs vivid animation with special attention given to its protagonist’s behavior. The black cat we follow behaves in such a way that will melt any cat-lover’s heart, but this strong attention to animation detail extends to every animal featured in Flow’s narrative. // Image: Sideshow, Janus Films https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1df875d2-047d-45b4-b317-c8a48cb91b47/Flow+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Flow" Review: A Strong Reminder of the Power of Animation and Nonverbal Storytelling - Make it stand out The black cat and his newfound friends’ journey is depicted through a stunning art style that realistically and vividly expresses the animal’s feelings and relationships with one another. Through strong animation and nonverbal storytelling, Flow is a reminder that a lot can be done with very little. // Image: Sideshow, Janus Films https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/11/25/banjo-tooie-larger-levels monthly 0.5 2024-12-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/ea9ed434-b7d8-4c2b-b22c-560a84317743/Banjo+Tooie+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Size over Substance: How Larger Levels Make Banjo-Tooie an Inferior Sequel - Make it stand out Upon first glance, Banjo-Tooie appears to be an ideal sequel. It’s bigger, has greater stakes, and offers a wider variety of gameplay opportunities. However, Tooie falters in its quest to be as impactful as its predecessor because of scale creep - something that makes completing objectives feel more like work than fun. // Image: Rare, Nintendo, Microsoft https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/548a5738-c9d0-44f9-8f85-5d71d3a46bd5/Banjo-Kazooie-Mumbos-Mountain.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Size over Substance: How Larger Levels Make Banjo-Tooie an Inferior Sequel - Make it stand out Mumbo’s Mountain is a textbook example of a great first level in a video game. This level introduces the game’s mechanics while putting players is a relatively safe environment with Jiggies offering tasks to complete that are relatively close together. The result is a level that most players complete and move on from in under half an hour. // Image: Rare, Nintendo, Microsoft https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/80802328-0557-4206-a6bd-89dfcd3425a9/Banjo-Tooie-Nintendo-64-Ledge-hanging.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Size over Substance: How Larger Levels Make Banjo-Tooie an Inferior Sequel - Make it stand out Mayahem Temple is a stark contrast to Mumbo’s Mountain. While its another first level, Mayahem Temple is emblematic of a lot of Banjo-Tooie’s pacing issues, including long instances where the player doesn’t collect much, and certain Jiggies requiring backtracking when the player acquires abilities found in later levels. // Image: Rare, Nintendo, Microsoft https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/9437b967-89ad-4d52-8c90-18a270952c71/Banjo-Tooie-Grunty-Industries.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Size over Substance: How Larger Levels Make Banjo-Tooie an Inferior Sequel - Make it stand out Grunty Industries is an enormous level often seen as the worst level in Banjo-Tooie, bringing the game’s pacing to a crawl. With an exterior area, over six floors to explore, and various subareas within each floor, this single level can take over three hours to complete thanks to its bloated size and repetitive aesthetic that makes it easy for players to get lost. // Image: Rare, Microsoft, Nintendo https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/11/20/a-real-pain-review monthly 0.5 2024-12-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/20a430dd-472e-4011-bb26-af06f0882929/A+Real+Pain+-+Hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "A Real Pain" Wonderfully Depicts the Beautiful Messiness of Bonding Through Grief - Make it stand out A Real Pain explores the unique dynamic of how we can grow closer through a shared loss. David (played by Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (played by Kieran Culkin) reinvest in their relationship with each other through a tour to commemorate their grandmother’s legacy. // Image: Searchlight Pictures https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/a0b77e2b-c0ad-451f-9066-fd0e3d7005ab/A+Real+Pain+-+3.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "A Real Pain" Wonderfully Depicts the Beautiful Messiness of Bonding Through Grief - Make it stand out A primary theme of A Real Pain is that of grief, as we see cousins David and Benji confront the loss of their Holocaust-surviving grandmother through going on a Holocaust tour in Poland. A Real Pain understands the weight of its characters’ grief while believably injecting humor and heart throughout this tour. // Image: Searchlight Pictures https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/3260ea90-ea3c-4468-8465-70379adae757/A+Real+Pain+-+4.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "A Real Pain" Wonderfully Depicts the Beautiful Messiness of Bonding Through Grief - Make it stand out Kieran Culkin’s chaotic performance as Benji is often unpredictable but earnest - that’s what makes his few but meaningful quiet moments in the film hit even harder to the audience. // Image: Searchlight Pictures https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/11/13/heretic-review-inventive-horror-brilliantly-investigates-religion monthly 0.5 2024-12-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/80c3e09c-0493-4f73-8144-e301003de091/Heretic+Header.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Heretic" Review: Inventive Horror Brilliantly Investigates Religion - Make it stand out Heretic is A24’s latest horror-thriller hybrid that forsakes genre conventions in favor of featuring a dialogue-rich, philosophically driven story about religion, faith, and the control people have of navigating their own life. // Image: A24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/a5fabb3e-bc86-4442-8619-a5b70b1c5f61/Heretic+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Heretic" Review: Inventive Horror Brilliantly Investigates Religion - Make it stand out Heretic features very few characters, instead primarily focusing on a long conversation between two Mormon missionaries and Mr. Reed, performed by a masterfully charismatic Hugh Grant that channels a brilliant mix of creepiness, intelligence, and skepticism. // Image: A24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/df1a5ec3-c568-42a9-9362-58e073d1d1b9/Heretic+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Heretic" Review: Inventive Horror Brilliantly Investigates Religion - Make it stand out The majority of Heretic features Sister Barnes, Sister Paxton, and Mr. Reed talking in his house. The phenomenal performances and writing carry this movie into being one of the most enticing movies of the year. // Image: A24 https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/11/11/persona-3-reload-review monthly 0.5 2024-12-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/ffa794af-e227-496e-ad37-ef59a3627049/Persona+3+Reload+-+Header.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Persona 3 Reload Review: Style, Substance, and Synergy - Make it stand out Persona 3 Reload represents conflicting values of a remake. On one hand, P3R brings the excellent quality-of-life enhancements introduced by Persona 5 and other modern Atlus titles. However, P3R, as fun and polished as it is, never feels essential to experience in favor of the original PlayStation 2 title. Persona 3 Reload is a delight, but it lacks some of the bite that made the original Persona 3 stand out so much 18 years earlier. // Image: Atlus, SEGA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/9166db33-d35f-4a4d-9c0b-bd3c8004d9f6/Persona+3+Reload+-+2.jfif DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Persona 3 Reload Review: Style, Substance, and Synergy - Make it stand out Persona 3 Reload offers an exceptionally clean aesthetic, with slick-looking character models and stylish, industry-leading UI. The game recaptures the addictive spirit of the original - managing your social life during the day and navigating dungeons at night. // Image: Atlus, SEGA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/484c6676-a1e5-4500-b939-359c99866b05/Persona+3+Reload+-+4.jfif DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Persona 3 Reload Review: Style, Substance, and Synergy - Make it stand out Persona 3’s cast of characters stands as one of my favorites in all of JRPGs. Reload authentically recaptures the spirit of these characters with new voice actors that give a unique personality and flair to each of these characters. In conjunction with newly added scenes that give more depth to each of main cast, Persona 3 Reload does justice to its beloved characters and gives players more to learn about them. // Image: Atlus, SEGA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/02388e64-7bb2-48b5-a018-ff7f90d09f6e/Persona+3+Reload+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Persona 3 Reload Review: Style, Substance, and Synergy - Make it stand out Persona 3 Reload adds the “Shift” mechanic - essentially adopting Persona 5’s “Baton Pass” system, allowing characters to pass turns between one another, providing some buffs along the way. This and many other quality-of-life improvements from later games makes Persona 3 Reload more comfortable to play, but perhaps makes the game lose some of the original’s difficult edge. // Image: Atlus, SEGA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1a311337-a4b3-4f9f-9da9-a50d2ac315ea/Persona+3+Reload+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Persona 3 Reload Review: Style, Substance, and Synergy - Make it stand out Persona 3 Reload brings combat up to standard with Atlus’ more modern titles like Persona 5 and Metaphor: ReFantazio. Allies are now playable and the snappier UI helps make switching Personas and selecting abilities much quicker. Quicker battles that feature more player control come at the cost of an overall easier difficulty, though. // Image: Atlus, SEGA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/7ba7d5cb-d766-45dc-bf03-910bb1c75e2b/Persona+3+Reload+-+5.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Persona 3 Reload Review: Style, Substance, and Synergy - Make it stand out All-Out Attacks occur after knocking every enemy on the field down, either through exploiting enemy weaknesses or landing critical hits. You’re often rewarded with Shuffle Time after these attacks, but the animation for All-Out Attacks is a reward in itself thanks to some deliciously stylish animations. // Image: Atlus, SEGA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/bb8441f5-47ba-4f11-99a0-5e573bd818e8/Persona+3+Reload+-+6.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Persona 3 Reload Review: Style, Substance, and Synergy - Make it stand out Reload’s DLC, Episode Aigis -The Answer-, is an unfortunately tiring gauntlet of dungeon crawling with very little enticing story or side content to diversify its gameplay. While The Answer is a fair epilogue to the main story, it still serves as the weakest link of the overall Persona 3 experience, making the player’s time with the game end on a whimper. // Image: Atlus, SEGA https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/11/2/trust-your-spirit-what-makes-kikis-delivery-service-a-timeless-classic monthly 0.5 2024-12-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/2d6f291e-cbed-42dc-9322-d253daa4c06e/kikis-delivery-service-header.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Trust Your Spirit: What Makes Kiki's Delivery Service a Timeless Classic - Make it stand out Kiki’s Delivery Service tells a simple story that lacks the tight structure typical of director Hayao Miyazaki’s style. However, Kiki’s simplicity and genuine, heartful message about the shifting nature of what we enjoy is what makes this film a timeless masterpiece. // Image: Studio Ghibli, GKIDS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/9ca1b054-a26f-4154-a07e-cd1e54dcf439/Kikis+Delivery+Service+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Trust Your Spirit: What Makes Kiki's Delivery Service a Timeless Classic - Make it stand out Kiki initially brushes off Tombo’s advances to becoming her friend. Behind her instinctive veil of independence, Kiki ultimately pines to have friends and feel like she has a place in the world. Kiki’s Delivery Service humanizes the struggle of overcoming the faces we put on in front of others and accepting what we feel will make us happier and more fulfilled. // Image: Studio Ghibli, GKIDS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/c708c467-157c-4b5d-b500-5b2a3158502d/Kikis+Delivery+Service+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Trust Your Spirit: What Makes Kiki's Delivery Service a Timeless Classic - Make it stand out Kiki’s loss of her witch powers correlates to a change in her spirit. She doesn’t embrace her witch powers because she enjoys using them - her witch powers are now something she feels she has to do to have a place in the world. Kiki’s relationship with her witch powers change throughout the course of the film, much like how our own passions change as we enter adulthood and the workforce where we may or may not apply our hobbies and passions towards making a living. // Image: Studio Ghibli, GKIDS https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/10/21/exhibiting-forgiveness-review-emotional-examination-of-forgiving-without-forgetting monthly 0.5 2024-12-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/7fd4c6ca-7e8a-46c6-bdfb-62d7f82bd99b/Exhibiting+Forgiveness+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Exhibiting Forgiveness" Review: Exceptional Emotional Examination of Trauma, Hatred, and Forgiving without Forgetting - Make it stand out Exhibiting Forgiveness is Titus Kaphar’s feature directorial debut that tells a semi-autobiographical story centered around artist Tarrell (played by André Holland, left) encountering his abusive father for the first time in his adult life. The film analyzes the process of navigating this situation in a realistic yet raw manner that honors the complexity and pain of its subject matter. // Image: Roadside Attractions https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/7b10a056-2046-4e0f-b22d-dabdcf3faf7e/Exhibiting+Forgiveness+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Exhibiting Forgiveness" Review: Exceptional Emotional Examination of Trauma, Hatred, and Forgiving without Forgetting - Make it stand out Tarrell (played by André Holland, left) and La’Ron (played by John Earl Jelks, right) have conversations that make up an exceptionally strong emotional core to Exhibiting Forgiveness. Tarrell’s hatred towards his father gradually gets reframed as he learns more about La’Ron’s upbringing. That doesn’t take away or excuse the pain caused by La’Ron, though. // Image: Roadside Attractions https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/5aef4738-6f2e-4a3e-adf4-82fa7402d6ec/Exhibiting+Forgiveness+-+4.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Exhibiting Forgiveness" Review: Exceptional Emotional Examination of Trauma, Hatred, and Forgiving without Forgetting - Make it stand out Tarrell often sees his paintings in front of important locations throughout the film as they’re being moved by his younger self, symbolizing that he can never forget the past. Exhibiting Forgiveness is a phenomenal showcase of the complex emotions of confronting forgiveness towards others, but never forgetting the hardship others have brought upon you. // Image: Roadside Attractions https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/10/11/look-back-review-a-bittersweet-masterpiece-about-the-shifting-natures-of-friendship-and-artistry monthly 0.5 2024-12-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/55c7d92a-9392-4381-b0d3-e543e361eaa7/Look+Back+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Look Back" Review: A Bittersweet Masterpiece about the Shifting Natures of Friendship and Artistry - Make it stand out Look Back, an adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga of the same name and directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama, is bookended by the phenomenal visual of protagonist Fujino with her back facing the camera as she buries herself in her art. This film excellently explores the pursuit of artistry and the connections that come with it. // Image: GKIDS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/5d10ff19-ec6d-4402-8d3c-ddac7a065e1e/Look+Back+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Look Back" Review: A Bittersweet Masterpiece about the Shifting Natures of Friendship and Artistry - Make it stand out Much like any artistic process, the path towards making a friend isn’t a linear or clean path. Fujino first meets Kyomoto under the pretense of being an artistic rival prompting her to temporarily quit. Their relationship blossoms as they get to know each other in a manner that’s both heartful, realistic, and emotionally devastating. // Image: GKIDS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/bacd6bfc-34e1-446c-a243-8607d284a981/Look+Back+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Look Back" Review: A Bittersweet Masterpiece about the Shifting Natures of Friendship and Artistry - Make it stand out Look Back features extremely vivid, saturated imagery that blends with a soothing, melancholic soundtrack that thoroughly explores the tender, emotional journey of Fujino. The result is an unforgettable viewing experience. // Image: GKIDS https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/10/7/a-different-man-review-a-thoughtful-if-flawed-commentary-on-individuality monthly 0.5 2024-12-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/3801d3c1-b0b8-403d-9f94-ce6ca0e50cfd/A-Different-Man-1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "A Different Man" Review: A Thoughtful if Flawed Commentary on Individuality - Make it stand out A Different Man is a unique character study that focuses on Edward, an awkward but genuine man that feels that his facial deformity limits his happiness. This film mixes comedy and cynicism as it explores what happens to us when we’re freed from what we choose to believe limits our potential. // Image: A24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/de41eba2-27ae-4a11-a120-134094c1e63e/A-Different-Man-3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "A Different Man" Review: A Thoughtful if Flawed Commentary on Individuality - Make it stand out Oswald (right, played by Adam Pearson) represents everything that Edward, now Guy, isn't. Oswald is authentic to himself, kind to others, and leads a happy life in spite of his disability. This conflict between Guy and Oswald delivers a smart commentary on individuality and authenticity. // Image: A24 https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/10-01/the-wild-robot-review-a-simple-yet-heartful-adventure-about-parenthood-and-belonging monthly 0.5 2024-10-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/9e05aedb-27bf-47ff-8078-fb0ba6081a28/the-wild-robot-header.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "The Wild Robot" Review: A Simple, yet Heartful Adventure about Parenthood and Belonging - Make it stand out The Wild Robot, DreamWorks Animations’ most recent film, carries a brilliant, stylish, and vivid art style seen most prominently in the studio’s recent film, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Beyond being one of the best-looking CG-animated films ever made, The Wild Robot tells a story about parenthood and belonging in a way that’s as profound and mature as it is simple. // Image: DreamWorks Animation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/8f257c8a-926c-4f2e-98a8-aeda00f6e073/the-wild-robot-1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "The Wild Robot" Review: A Simple, yet Heartful Adventure about Parenthood and Belonging - Make it stand out The Wild Robot centers on Roz as she finds herself on an island and begins looking for a directive to complete. With time, she begins raising a goose named Brightbill. What follows is a mature story about figuring out how to raise someone and find a place where you belong that will resonate with parents just as strongly as it will with kids. // Image: DreamWorks Animation https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/9/24/the-substance-review-modern-body-horror-classic-explores-self-loathing monthly 0.5 2024-09-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/2e5284ed-314b-488b-9c3c-9f09cf005ef1/the-substance-1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "The Substance" Review: Modern Body Horror Classic Explores Self-Loathing and the Toxicity of Beauty Standards - Make it stand out The Substance uses revolting body horror to examine Elizabeth Sparkle, a character ashamed of her age while surrounded by an entertainment industry that has cast her aside. Her hubris-filled quest to form a younger version of herself brings an intriguing conflict of self-control. // Image: Mubi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/4a06efb4-421a-47bb-92c9-04cb25cf2afc/the-substance-2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "The Substance" Review: Modern Body Horror Classic Explores Self-Loathing and the Toxicity of Beauty Standards - Make it stand out The Substance boldly shows the sexification of young talent, only to cast them aside as they age. The film smartly analyzes the hubris of a society that toxically obsesses over youth and unreachable beauty standards, building up to a bloody finale. // Image: Mubi https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/9/20/fun-for-everyone-why-games-like-super-mario-bros-wonder-and-astro-bot-are-more-important-than-ever monthly 0.5 2024-09-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/f1235468-1780-45f9-8f64-595e697e33ec/Super+Mario+Bros+Wonder+%2B+Astro+Bot.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Fun for Everyone: Why Games like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Astro Bot are Now More Important than Ever - Make it stand out Video games are in an unprecedented era of mass layoffs, publishers chasing the live-service carrot on a stick, and toxic, unsustainable business models and budgets. Games like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Astro Bot are stark reminders about what makes the medium of video games so great and why the industry needs to refocus on what matters. // Image: Nintendo, Sony https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/55c52930-b8a4-4b8e-afc9-a58e139a1b1b/super-mario-bros-wonder-1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Fun for Everyone: Why Games like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Astro Bot are Now More Important than Ever - Make it stand out Super Mario Bros. Wonder is lauded as a return to form for 2D Mario platforming after the decent-but-fatigued formula of the New Super Mario Bros. games. Wonder was developed with a "content over schedule" philosophy that made the final game filled to the brim with creativity and impeccable level design. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/03601327-21e4-4f41-b2ce-35fa44e2d4c6/super-mario-bros-wonder-2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Fun for Everyone: Why Games like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Astro Bot are Now More Important than Ever - Make it stand out It's impossible not to smile when playing Super Mario Bros. Wonder. From the cheerful tone to the cute interactions between characters to the bizarre Wonder Flower effects to the inventive and thoughtfully crafted levels - Wonder reminds us that games can transport us to different worlds while keeping us in a joyous trance the entire time. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/32dae435-41bb-4e12-850f-b4bf1275e87f/Astro-Bot-key-1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Fun for Everyone: Why Games like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Astro Bot are Now More Important than Ever - Make it stand out Astro Bot is more than a celebration of PlayStation history - for many, it embodies the spirit of a bygone era of PlayStation producing games with creativity and playfulness. Astro Bot being such a critical success is proof that people still want whimsical games made with a fun-above-all-else philosophy. // Image: PlayStation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/aa2f7428-17a7-4275-bddb-99e768577d1f/super-mario-bros-wonder-3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Fun for Everyone: Why Games like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Astro Bot are Now More Important than Ever - Make it stand out Video games continue to deliver unforgettable experiences despite what negative headlines about the state of the industry may suggest. There are games that still invoke the child-like wonder that made us fall in love with games in the first place. These are precisely the games that we need to support now more than ever. // Image: Nintendo https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/9/06/whisper-of-the-heart-is-a-tender-journey-of-introspection-and-conquering-the-fear-of-failure monthly 0.5 2024-09-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/cd80dce8-726a-45f8-8206-f3e570208815/WhisperOfTheHeart_Header.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Whisper of the Heart is a Tender Journey of Introspection and Conquering the Fear of Failure - Make it stand out Studio Ghibli’s 1995 masterpiece, Whisper of the Heart, is a tender, nostalgic, and often bittersweet exploration of navigating life while not knowing what direction you want to take your life in and fearing the possibility of failure when chasing your dreams. // Image: Studio Ghibli, GKIDS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/511d943e-1380-4985-a29d-9a0e41dd12be/WhisperOfTheHeart_2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Whisper of the Heart is a Tender Journey of Introspection and Conquering the Fear of Failure - Make it stand out Whisper of the Heart starts as a slice-of-life story about a girl navigating her summer and last few months of junior high. The film morphs into an exploration of curiosity, ambition, and purpose after Shizuku chases after a cat she meets on a train. // Image: Studio Ghibli, GKIDS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/5ff4907b-5852-42e6-8b4c-cfb9391e454d/WhisperOfTheHeart_3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Whisper of the Heart is a Tender Journey of Introspection and Conquering the Fear of Failure - Make it stand out Whisper of the Heart's most striking symbol is that of geodes - stones that, on the surface, appear to be regular rocks, but carry beryl within them - emeralds that are incredibly valuable when cut and polished. Geodes teach Shizuku that reaching your potential and refining yourself takes time and practice, but results in beauty, value, and purpose. // Image: Studio Ghibli, GKIDS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/ffc5837f-0c6b-492a-8eb0-8f236433abf9/WhisperOfTheHeart_4.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Whisper of the Heart is a Tender Journey of Introspection and Conquering the Fear of Failure - Make it stand out Whisper of the Heart sees Shizuku gradually learn to look within herself and understand what she can do now to become the person she strives to be. Beginning your journey towards any vocation is a difficult and unclean process, but the bravery to do so, even in the face of possible failure, is what truly shapes us into who we are. // Image: Studio Ghibli, GKIDS https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/8/28/strange-darling-review-a-modern-classic-thriller-that-brilliantly-deceives-its-audience monthly 0.5 2024-08-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/6442ac41-9078-4231-a154-4a70b7f15674/Strange+Darling+-+1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Strange Darling" Review: A Modern Classic Thriller that Brilliantly Deceives its Audience - Make it stand out Strange Darling is a nail-biting thriller told out of order that oozes style, keeping the audience in a constant state of second-guessing their relationships with characters. // Image: Miramax https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/fd1842b5-520a-4c6f-8cf7-47112ec88740/Strange+Darling+-+2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Strange Darling" Review: A Modern Classic Thriller that Brilliantly Deceives its Audience - Make it stand out As we see “The Lady” running towards the camera in the film’s opening, we’re immediately put on her side. But as Strange Darling’s story gets told out of order, we begin to question why we put our allegiance with her in the first place. // Image: Miramax https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/48ae3b60-a38f-4dc8-8fdc-dbcf7cc508f4/Strange+Darling+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Strange Darling" Review: A Modern Classic Thriller that Brilliantly Deceives its Audience - Make it stand out “The Demon” shifts from an antagonist we want to see be overcome into a character who the audience needs to reconcile with trusting. “The Lady” has deceived the audience just as she deceives countless other characters in Strange Darling. // Image: Miramax https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/8/23/sing-sing-review-an-emphatically-human-film-about-hope-despair-and-the-necessity-of-expression monthly 0.5 2024-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/37aed633-d0c2-4d9a-828a-89ae0af0e003/Sing+Sing+-+2.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Sing Sing" Review: An Emphatically Human Film about Hope, Despair, and the Necessity of Expression - Make it stand out Sing Sing tells a remarkably tender story about putting together theater production while holding onto the hope of making it out of a prison system that is reluctant to give any humanity to the people trapped inside of it. // Image: A24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/e2c42981-366f-4517-8a93-77ef40f47525/Sing+Sing+-+3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Sing Sing" Review: An Emphatically Human Film about Hope, Despair, and the Necessity of Expression - Make it stand out Sing Sing is framed around a theater group in the Sing Sing Correctional Facility rehearsing and performing a comedy play. The journey of the inmates expressing themselves and rehearsing this play brings about frustration, disappointment, despair, and hope. // Image: A24 https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2024/8/18/didi-movie-review-a-brilliant-genuine-examination-of-late-2000s-angst-and-belonging monthly 0.5 2024-08-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/ecf5f075-c1ab-44b8-a93d-b2baa215e97b/didi-review-1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Dìdi" Review: A Brilliant, Genuine Examination of Late 2000s Angst and Belonging - Make it stand out Dìdi is a thoughtful examination of a very particular generation growing up in a very particular point in time - that being a 13-year-old boy in the summer of 2008 and learning how to navigate familial struggles, how to flirt with girls, and the pursuit of having a group of friends to belong with. // Image: Focus Features https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/ad321535-d2f5-48e7-b53d-71de7ea5b674/didi-review-2.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Dìdi" Review: A Brilliant, Genuine Examination of Late 2000s Angst and Belonging - Make it stand out The emotional core of Dìdi is one of searching for belonging through social acceptance and what happens when a person is denied that acceptance. The film’s third act focuses on Chris confronting his troubled relationship with his mother and sister that masterfully respects the complexities of shame, pride, and familial love. // Image: Focus Features https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2021/7/26/final-fantasy-vii-remake-stands-as-one-of-the-best-action-jrpgs-of-the-last-decade monthly 0.5 2021-07-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1626407916964-2ENJ51LY1BFZVAP9XIQ0/FFVIIR_Key_Art.jpeg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Final Fantasy VII Remake Stands as One of the Best Action JRPGs of the Last Decade - Make it stand out Despite the five year gap between its announcement and release - usually a troubling sign of a game’s final quality -, Final Fantasy VII Remake ended up living up to and exceeding the huge expectations placed on it. Its excellent and engaging gameplay, wonderfully realized story and characters, and stellar presentation holds it up as one of the most polished action RPGs ever made. With its story heading in new, unknown directions - the future for Final Fantasy VII is one that I’m incredibly excited to see unfold. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1626987918616-M5NPME551ZW79RKSIBCI/FF7R_Story.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Final Fantasy VII Remake Stands as One of the Best Action JRPGs of the Last Decade - Make it stand out The story of Final Fantasy VII Remake focuses on the Midgar section of the original game. Certain aspects of the game, such as the depiction of the events at the Honeybee Inn, were altered to be more tasteful and inclusive by modern standards. The depiction of terrorism at the beginning of the game was changed from a mission to destroy to a mission to disarm, as the original’s depiction of pre-9/11 terrorism couldn’t be replicated without some alterations. The new narrative content involving the Whispers is divisive for some, but their presence and elimination in the story builds excitement for what future installments of this remake will provide. // Image Captured on PlayStation 5 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1627010940427-A3JZ3TKBT81RPT39C7O2/FF7R_Combat.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Final Fantasy VII Remake Stands as One of the Best Action JRPGs of the Last Decade - Make it stand out Final Fantasy VII Remake takes the best aspects of Kingdom Hearts’ fast-paced action combat and injects it with ATB charges that allow players to perform special abilities, cast spells, call summons, and initiate Limit Breaks, in addition to implementing Final Fantasy XIII’s Stagger system to temporarily inflict additional damage. With the inclusion of each character feeling like they serve different roles (Cloud as a physical attacker that can perform counters, Tifa as a quicker fighter focused on combos, Barret as a tanky, ranged fighter, and Aerith as a ranged spellcaster), every playable character feels distinct and enjoyable to play. // Image Captured on PlayStation 5 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1627073569693-8G98SHPH7BFM0F998UVU/FF7R_Vision.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Final Fantasy VII Remake Stands as One of the Best Action JRPGs of the Last Decade - Make it stand out Final Fantasy VII Remake features incredible-looking environments that fully realize the imaginative world that we only saw limited glimpses of in the original Final Fantasy VII. While most of Remake takes place in the slums of Midgar, a dirty, trash-filled dystopic metropolis, the glimpses of beauty at Aerith’s house and the corporate lifelessness of Shinra headquarters make Final Fantasy VII Remake a vivid, diverse game to look at. This is a game that wonderfully captures and adapts the original’s visual identity into something new yet familiar. // Image Captured on PlayStation 5 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1627099365642-I5C2K8259LZ431JYM7OP/FF7R_PhotoMode.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Final Fantasy VII Remake Stands as One of the Best Action JRPGs of the Last Decade - Make it stand out Every character in Final Fantasy VII Remake are incredibly faithful recreations, both design-wise and writing-wise, from the 1997 source material. However, Remake’s elaboration on character backstories, motivations, and relationships with one another makes each character feel real and likable. While this game only covers the opening few hours of the original game, the amount of character development on display is incredibly admirable. Character designs are also stylized and expressive, yet retain a realistic look that creates a vivid, unique aesthetic that’s begging to be captured in the PS5 version’s Photo Mode. // Image Captured on PlayStation 5 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1627177479566-500HD7GW3SW3DYGPMQSE/FF7R_Yuffie.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Final Fantasy VII Remake Stands as One of the Best Action JRPGs of the Last Decade - Make it stand out Yuffie, an optional character in the original game, gets her moment in the spotlight in interMISSION, a DLC for the PS5 version of Final Fantasy VII Remake. This DLC only amplifies and further demonstrates this game’s excellent understanding of its characters and how to take characters that have a strong conceptional foundation and fully realizing and modernizing into something greater. Yuffie, a character I thought was fun but a tad annoying in the original game, is transformed into a overconfident yet lovable character in Final Fantasy VII Remake. Like with all other playable characters in Remake, her presence in this game is the best portrayal of her character to date. // Image: Square Enix https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2021/5/31/yakuza-4-review-an-insightful-examination-of-loyalty-in-a-leap-forward-for-the-series monthly 0.5 2021-05-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1621455780977-N104DSWU2C1E30JYS3CW/Yakuza+4+Featured.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Yakuza 4 Review: An Insightful Examination of Loyalty in a Leap Forward for the Series - Make it stand out Yakuza 4 marks a significant step forward for the Yakuza franchise. While the previous games in the series have primarily focused on Kiryu (and Majima in the case of Yakuza 0 and Kiwami 2), Yakuza 4 focuses on telling a story from the perspectives of four incredibly different characters. While this prevents any of the new playable characters being developed to the level of Kiryu, it’s an approach that pays off remarkably well, as Yakuza 4 tells one of the most exciting stories yet in the acclaimed series. // Image: SEGA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1621541646341-PAWSMX1P3L44AT8AA6KF/YAKUZA+4_Story.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Yakuza 4 Review: An Insightful Examination of Loyalty in a Leap Forward for the Series - Make it stand out Yakuza 4’s story is one concerning the price of loyalty and the weight of consequences for one’s actions. Centering on Taiga Saejima’s shooting on an enemy yakuza family that occurs 25 years before the events of the game itself, we see the consequences of this event unfold, with people being killed off in order to be silenced from spilling the truth of Saejima’s confrontation. What follows is a story uncovering the truth of what actually happened, strengthened by the game’s implementation of multiple protagonists. // Image Captured on PlayStation 5 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1621541936004-8VL6B51FWDVZHGDJ1JWA/YAKUZA+4_Combat.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Yakuza 4 Review: An Insightful Examination of Loyalty in a Leap Forward for the Series - Make it stand out Each playable character in Yakuza 4 has a different fighting style, complete with different finishers and unique abilities. In the narrative, Kiryu is referred to as an incredibly powerful, legendary yakuza, and when the player finally gains control of Kiryu, they feel the power of Kiryu, as he is far and away the strongest and most versatile character in the game. That said, all four playable characters are enjoyable and help give the game a healthy dose of variety. // Image Captured on PlayStation 5 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1621541993514-GXV7XX61AA7WK382R5O1/YAKUZA+4_Minigames.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Yakuza 4 Review: An Insightful Examination of Loyalty in a Leap Forward for the Series - Make it stand out Yakuza 4 doesn’t feature as many substories as other games in the series - in fact, side content doesn’t seem to be as prevalent in this game as other games in the series. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though - the side content here is quite enjoyable, with the new table tennis minigame being a particularly fun time. // Image Captured on PlayStation 5 https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2021/5/10/nier-replicant-review-storytelling-excellence-marred-by-underwhelming-frustrating-design monthly 0.5 2021-05-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1620332302298-4MY9RHYLWJV7BGEZW9TX/nierreplicantfeatured.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - NieR Replicant Review: Ambitious Storytelling Excellence Marred by Underwhelming, Frustrating Design NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... has been marketed as a “version upgrade” by Square Enix. This is fitting, as the game is clearly more than your typical remaster of an 11-year-old game. With inclusions of new story content, updated combat, and rerecorded voice acting and music, the presentation of NieR Replicant and its story has never been better. Yet, there are still fundamental flaws with the game’s design that holds it back from true greatness. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1620332525602-PM84NAMB0Z77JIW7X3U9/nier-replicant-art.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - NieR Replicant Review: Ambitious Storytelling Excellence Marred by Underwhelming, Frustrating Design NieR Replicant has garnered a dedicated following of people that truly appreciate the ambition of the game’s storytelling and overall direction. Unfortunately, this game serves as an example of ambitious ideas coming at the cost of a cohesive, well-rounded experience. There are multiple aspects of Replicant that are horrifically flawed to the point that ambitious storytelling can’t shield a repetitive, sometimes boring gameplay experience. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1620359475555-Q24JDULV65FOMMNUDL2X/NieR+Replicant+Isometric.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - NieR Replicant Review: Ambitious Storytelling Excellence Marred by Underwhelming, Frustrating Design Occasionally, NieR Replicant will switch to alternate gameplay styles and/or camera angles to elicit the mood of other game genres. From survival horror games with fixed camera angles, to 2D Metroidvanias, twin stick shooters, and RPGs with isometric camera perspectives like Diablo, Replicant dabbles in other genre styles for the sake of adding diversity, and it’s done at such a pace to be refreshing without ever feeling intrusive. Among these are the game’s stellar “novel” sections, where the game becomes entirely text, reading like prose uncommon to see in video games that deliver some of the game’s best writing. These diversions into other genres are a genuine highlight of NieR Replicant’s runtime. // Image Captured on PlayStation 5 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1620359160128-J07ZTGUJ9DHHSN61W42U/NieR+Replicant+Combat.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - NieR Replicant Review: Ambitious Storytelling Excellence Marred by Underwhelming, Frustrating Design Combat in NieR Replicant was retooled from the original release of NieR, intended to be something of a hybrid of original NieR and Automata’s pace of combat. While it’s clear to see Replicant’s combat as an improvement, the enemy types and bosses will rarely ever test players’ understanding of the game’s combat. Add on that most weapons feel same-y and the fact that enemy AI and behavior was not adjusted to accommodate the new combat style, and Replicant’s combat quickly grows brainless. It’s arguable that this brainlessness is intentional, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that combat, the game’s primary gameplay mechanic, just isn’t that fun to engage in. // Image Captured on PlayStation 5 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1620332583747-WSCFF6QPLFPGWQC2BHXV/Runaway-Son-Nier.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - NieR Replicant Review: Ambitious Storytelling Excellence Marred by Underwhelming, Frustrating Design The quest “The Runaway Son” represents the very worst of NieR Replicant’s dated, repetitive design. The quest is effectively a giant waste of time - a long quest that gives no reward or satisfying payoff to the player. This is seemingly handled as a joke about expecting quests to offer rewards in video games, and yet NieR Replicant doesn’t do anything with this “joke” beyond simple lampshading. // Image: The Gamer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1620332849503-7J6A3BIESPWY6NHZ3R26/NieR-Replicant-Kaine.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - NieR Replicant Review: Ambitious Storytelling Excellence Marred by Underwhelming, Frustrating Design NieR Replicant tells a story only possible to be told through a video game, incorporating multiple endings and subversions of gaming tropes. However, some storytelling decisions feel heavy-handed and result in the player replaying significant portions of the game for little to no purpose all for the sake of making a point. Is it genius, innovative storytelling? Or is it pretention masquerading as cleverness? // Image: DualShockers https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2021/4/26/grandia-review-a-whimsical-jrpg-adventure monthly 0.5 2021-04-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1617935441189-D8Q1UCOPZKBJCWS3HIP3/Grandia_Remaster_Featured.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Grandia Review: A Whimsical JRPG that Captures the Spirit of Adventure Grandia comes from the PlayStation 1 era of JRPGs and follows the story of Justin, a fledgling adventurer that ends up travelling the world. While the game has some issues with the repetitive nature of levelling up abilities, the game ultimately won my heart with its ostensible charm and wholesome spirit of adventure. // Image: Steam https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1618001934148-4D7PQJKPWL5LLWCH59J7/Grandia_Exploration.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Grandia Review: A Whimsical JRPG that Captures the Spirit of Adventure Similar to Xenogears, Grandia foregoes the more popular use of pre-rendered backgrounds with 3D character models in favor of 3D environments with 2D character sprites, along with rotational camera control. While battles still use pre-rendered environments, the overall aesthetic of Grandia has aged far better than other JRPGs of its era because of its use of character sprites on polygonal environments. // Image Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1618001987055-JOJZYXXSAI1V6EBWCBI6/Grandia_Battle.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Grandia Review: A Whimsical JRPG that Captures the Spirit of Adventure Grandia features a unique approach to traditional turn-based combat. In the lower right of the screen when in battle, character portraits appear on a timeline marked by “Wait'“, “Command”, and “Act” sections. Paying attention and making use of this timeline can allow for delaying and even cancelling enemy attacks, making way for exciting, strategic battles. // Image Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1618002016671-1MSWLZMEE1M58GHL549C/Grandia_Boss_Encounters.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Grandia Review: A Whimsical JRPG that Captures the Spirit of Adventure Grandia doesn’t always offer challenging battles for the player to overcome, but when it does, the result is some incredibly exciting and strategic action. Unfortunately, the more common encounters with basic enemies are dragged down by the game’s grinding, which will require the player to view the same spellcasting animations dozens of times. // Image Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1618002043885-J6KU1X60NUW7Z3IQOI56/Grandia_Story.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Grandia Review: A Whimsical JRPG that Captures the Spirit of Adventure Despite spellcasting causing grinding to feel arbitrarily slow and a bit frustrating, the wholesome, adventurous tone, characters, and world of Grandia kept me coming back. There are very few games that capture a feeling quite like Grandia does. Simply put, Grandia has a very special, positive energy to it that gives it a unique identity among most other JRPGs. // Image Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked) https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2021/4/9/5-easily-accessible-beginner-friendly-and-must-play-jrpgs-for-genre-newcomers monthly 0.5 2021-04-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1617393773103-8U907SGAI7CID63YD566/Final+Fantasy+X+Featured.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - 5 Easily Accessible, Beginner Friendly, and Must-Play JRPGs for Genre Newcomers Final Fantasy X, originally released in 2001, stands as one of the most well-constructed JRPGs of all time. This game is simple enough to be someone’s first RPG, but has enough depth and side content to challenge genre veterans. With FFX’s HD Remaster available on all modern platforms, Final Fantasy X is easily one of the best starting points for those looking to get into playing JRPGs. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1617396805719-TCVCPLAZWPTHTXV4W1ET/Chrono-Trigger-box.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - 5 Easily Accessible, Beginner Friendly, and Must-Play JRPGs for Genre Newcomers Chrono Trigger, originally released in 1995, is often in the discussion for being one of the greatest video games ever made. Despite being over 25 years old, Chrono Trigger has aged tremendously well, thanks to its simple-yet-deep combat, timeless art style, and charming writing, music, and characters. This is a must-play for not only JRPG newcomers - it’s a must-play for any fan of Role Playing Games. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1617479493211-7DRNP2XFTLR7T8KEX8KZ/Final-Fantasy-X-HD-cover-art.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - 5 Easily Accessible, Beginner Friendly, and Must-Play JRPGs for Genre Newcomers The Final Fantasy franchise is full of entries that are great starting points for JRPG newcomers, though I would argue Final Fantasy X is the best starting point of them all. With a well-paced story, a great cast of characters, a simple-to-understand yet deep combat and progression system, and a fascinating world, Final Fantasy X does a phenomenal job at capturing the imagination of players, exemplifying some of the best worldbuilding seen in any JRPG. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1617480678590-6J9XPKMA39863LN0S3N3/dragon-quest-xi-s.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - 5 Easily Accessible, Beginner Friendly, and Must-Play JRPGs for Genre Newcomers The Dragon Quest series perhaps showcases the entire JRPG genre the best out of any series in part to it essentially kickstarting the genre. For better or for worse, the series generally takes an iterative approach, with each new entry playing relatively similarly to each other. That said, Dragon Quest XI is easily the best the franchise has to offer, and is available on all modern platforms. It’s simple yet rewarding gameplay and gripping world and story make it an easy recommendation. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1617480860652-DIRS0CEIYOWFIPIQY9PY/Ni-no-Kuni-II.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - 5 Easily Accessible, Beginner Friendly, and Must-Play JRPGs for Genre Newcomers The Ni no Kuni series deserves significantly more attention in my eyes. While there are only two games in the series, both offer incredibly enjoyable and unique experiences that deserve to be played by any fan of Fantasy RPGs. Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom takes a more traditional Action-RPG approach to its combat, yet its simple-to-understand mechanics, addicting questing system, and rewarding town-building features make it something I can recommend to JRPG newcomers and veterans alike. // Image: Bandai Namco https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1617481035974-RERHTJX0LG65CJ7LJ7ZU/octopath-traveler-nintendo-switch.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - 5 Easily Accessible, Beginner Friendly, and Must-Play JRPGs for Genre Newcomers Octopath Traveler is one of the most visually striking games ever made. It uses a beautifully-realized 16-bit/diorama art style that pops, giving the game an immediately recognizable identity. Beyond that, Octopath’s world, writing, and characters deliver some of the best that the JRPG genre has produced this decade. Its deep combat system is introduced at a comfortable pace for new players. By the time they have a full party, newcomers will easily grasp the complex intricacies of Octopath’s combat. // Image: Square Enix https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2021/3/22/persona-5-strikers-review-an-impressive-musou-spin-off-that-pulls-off-being-a-convincing-sequel monthly 0.5 2021-03-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1616016471811-CHGHAS2UW6BDCT09BWAX/Persona-5-Strikers-6484-1611339514.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Persona 5 Strikers Review: An Impressive Musou Spin-Off that Pulls Off Being a Convincing Sequel On the surface, Persona 5 Strikers is yet another crossover with a beloved IP and the gameplay style of Koei Tecmo’s Dynasty Warriors franchise. Upon playing it, though, it is immediately apparent that Strikers is one of the best Warriors/Musou crossovers to date, as Persona 5 Strikers serves to be a faithful sequel and expansion of the original. Fans of the original Persona 5 will have a lot to love with Strikers. // Image: Atlus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1616184672608-QGRSFKA9MW7AEX27LGIR/persona-5-strikers_NL.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Persona 5 Strikers Review: An Impressive Musou Spin-Off that Pulls Off Being a Convincing Sequel Strikers frames its story as a road trip across Japan, leading to many new settings not featured in the original game. Moreover, this setup inherently puts the cast of Persona 5 in new scenarios, giving ample opportunities for players to become attached to these characters all over again. // Image: Game Mania https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1616211907603-CL8BIY0WNQJ0YV62I00W/Persona-5-Strikers_Combat.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Persona 5 Strikers Review: An Impressive Musou Spin-Off that Pulls Off Being a Convincing Sequel While Persona 5 Strikers allows the player to perform combos on enemies in the traditional Musou style, Strikers’ unique mechanic is that it allows the player to pause the action at anytime to perform skills from their Persona to exploit enemy weaknesses to trigger All-Out Attacks faster. This makes for a flow to the game’s combat that prevents Strikers from feeling like just another Musou crossover. Instead, Persona 5 Strikers feels like an Action RPG adaptation of a turn-based combat system - one that’s executed quite well, at that. // Image: RPG Fan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1616213814343-YNPYJ072XC52XBXVL6LX/persona-5-strikers_Sendai.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Persona 5 Strikers Review: An Impressive Musou Spin-Off that Pulls Off Being a Convincing Sequel Persona 5 Strikers offers plenty of new environments to explore, giving this game a unique identity in comparison to the original Persona 5. Unfortunately, there’s little to do in these new environments beyond talking to NPCs and very simple side quests to engage with. // Image: IGN https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2021/3/08/ys-ix-monstrum-nox-review-a-thrilling-mysterious-action-rpg-worth-uncovering monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1614459523167-7D3CV8FHFG473RSJ26DE/ys-ix-monstrum-nox-b1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Ys IX: Monstrum Nox Review - A Thrilling, Mysterious Action RPG Worth Uncovering Ys IX: Monstrum Nox finally came to the west earlier this year, nearly a year and half after its original Japanese release. Very much building upon the foundation set up by 2017’s Ys VIII, Monstrum Nox is a laser-focused Action RPG that offers blisteringly fast-paced combat and a great, mysterious story worth investigating. // Image: Nihon Falcom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1614460630150-ROUUV5BS1T1CH1K6QHTC/Ys+IX_+Monstrum+Nox_20210210190828.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Ys IX: Monstrum Nox Review - A Thrilling, Mysterious Action RPG Worth Uncovering Ys IX: Monstrum Nox’s greatest feature is its frenetic, addicting combat. Through delivering many mechanics such as using Skills to deal massive damage, guarding just before getting hit to inflict only critical hits for a few seconds, dodging an attack at the last second to slow down time for a few seconds, and being able to switch characters on the fly, there’s a lot to like with Ys IX’s frequent battles. The game’s numerous boss fights are easily among the game’s greatest highlights. // Image Captured on PlayStation 4 Pro. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1614998879030-4WXE6VEGK3G652I1RQOK/Ys+IX_+Monstrum+Nox_20210212195401.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Ys IX: Monstrum Nox Review - A Thrilling, Mysterious Action RPG Worth Uncovering Each of Ys IX’s six playable characters all give the player access to a Gift that allows them to traverse the environment in a new way. From being able to run up walls to being able to glide slowly to the ground, these Gifts make movement varied and engaging through all of Ys IX’s 30+ hour runtime, with dungeons particularly making great use of the party’s Gifts. // Image Captured on PlayStation 4 Pro. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1615001044808-ZSKUC6SNBLHCTI2CXPFZ/Ys+IX_+Monstrum+Nox_20210211184600.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Ys IX: Monstrum Nox Review - A Thrilling, Mysterious Action RPG Worth Uncovering The Dandelion is a remarkable hub, as it brings a warm atmosphere where Adol and his allies gather. This bar serves as a convenient all-in-one place where the player can purchase equipment, food to temporarily buff stats, talk to NPCs, see unique scenes that develop supporting characters, and pick up various side quests. No matter how dire the direction of the plot went, returning to this bar after each chapter was always a treat. It is also easily an improvement over Ys VIII’s Castaway Village. // Image Captured on PlayStation 4 Pro. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1615065965571-C19RWVU0VKLEX1TY05XB/Ys+IX_+Monstrum+Nox_20210211181216.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Ys IX: Monstrum Nox Review - A Thrilling, Mysterious Action RPG Worth Uncovering After the conclusion of each chapter, we see interludes where we control Adol inside Balduq Prison that do a fantastic job at adding additional layers of mystery to the plot, in addition to consistently giving the story more forward momentum after significant plot beats seen with the main cast of characters. The story seen in Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is one that will easily keep players guessing. // Image Captured on PlayStation 4 Pro. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2021/2/22/four-years-on-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-still-feels-magical monthly 0.5 2021-02-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1613425106987-ZJTPEXALK3MN4PK61K89/zelda-breath-of-the-wild-featured.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Four Years On, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Still Feels Magical Nearly four years after its initial release, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild managed to capture my sense of imagination, wanderlust, and discovery all over again. While I had adventured through the game in its launch year, my recent revisit was my first trip back to Hyrule since, and I was once again captivated and lost in its masterfully designed world. This is a testament to how special the game is. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1613787157613-L8RN1RYRSIDX94CPZTBN/Breath-of-the-wild_Paraglider.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Four Years On, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Still Feels Magical One of the greatest moments in all of Breath of the Wild is the moment players are given access to the game’s entire world after receiving the Paraglider item. This gives way to the player embarking on a journey that’s as extensive as their imagination and curiosity allows for. This degree of freedom given to the player is among the many aspects of the game that drew so many into Breath of the Wild’s world. // Image Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1613941631122-K6BY21G095CQGTMUO83R/Breath-of-the-wild_Shrine.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Four Years On, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Still Feels Magical In my recent playthrough, discovering and uncovering the Gee Ha’rah Shrine proved to be a highlight of my entire experience. To access this Shrine, the player must roll a snowball down a snowy hill in the correct route in order for the enlarged snowball to collide with a door at the bottom of the hill. It’s a relatively simple environmental puzzle, and yet overcoming this small trial feels so satisfying because of it feeling like a genuine discovery and test of the player’s curiosity. // Image Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1613943428216-4EK2BCKGZQRDZU0LYYPT/Breath-of-the-wild_Korok.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Four Years On, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Still Feels Magical There are 900 Korok Seeds to discover in Breath of the Wild. Since there are so many, the player is not intended to uncover every Korok Seed in a single playthrough. However, since there are so many, the player will likely find new Korok Seeds in every playthrough - furthering the unique nature of each experience with Breath of the Wild. // Image Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked). https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2021/2/15/cyberpunk-2077-review-a-solid-rpg-filled-with-impressive-bright-spots-and-impossible-to-ignore-faults monthly 0.5 2021-02-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1612322491891-BEAZQG0WKD5NEXTWH2I5/Cyperpunk_2077.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Cyberpunk 2077 Review: A Solid RPG Filled with Impressive Bright Spots and Impossible-to-Ignore Faults Cyberpunk 2077 is not the ultra-immersive, innovative title that pre-release hype would lead you to believe. Taking elements from series such as Deus Ex and putting them in the context of an open world RPG, Cyberpunk feels distinct from other games like it. While the game is riddled with flaws on a technical and mechanical level, Cyberpunk 2077 brings a degree of worldbuilding that is perhaps unparalleled in the medium. // Image: CD Projekt Red https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1612647902175-NZ7APX77CFN5OLBS26NZ/Cyberpunk+2077_Environment.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Cyberpunk 2077 Review: A Solid RPG Filled with Impressive Bright Spots and Impossible-to-Ignore Faults One of the most immediately striking aspects of Cyberpunk 2077 is its atmosphere and world. Night City features various skyscrapers that surround apartment complexes, casting the residential areas of the city in perpetual darkness. Being in the game’s prominently featured city makes the player feel small. Other environments such as the desert area and the literal mountains of trash just outside the city make for a world that’s a vibrant, imaginative, yet haunting take on the visual aesthetic of the cyberpunk genre. // Image Captured on PlayStation 4 Pro. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1613014393534-Z237SA4LJ6BY3LDD90BO/Cyberpunk+2077_Worldbuilding.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Cyberpunk 2077 Review: A Solid RPG Filled with Impressive Bright Spots and Impossible-to-Ignore Faults Cyberpunk 2077 features various “Datashards” that can be found throughout the game, each giving text blurbs that provide information about the lore, characters, and world of Cyberpunk. This, in addition to the storytelling of the main quest, side quests, and the game’s environments, makes for some of the most immersive, fascinating worldbuilding seen in any game. // Image Captured on PlayStation 4 Pro. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1613093600408-LJZSCYL0S5BXK8X1CXFZ/Cyberpunk+2077_Combat.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Cyberpunk 2077 Review: A Solid RPG Filled with Impressive Bright Spots and Impossible-to-Ignore Faults Cyperpunk 2077 offers various methods to engage with its combat, offering the opportunity to create builds specialized in stealth, melee, long-range fighting, hacking, and more. While the quantity of options available to players is commendable, one of 2077’s greatest weaknesses is the lack of polish in combat and the repetition of combat encounters. // Image Captured on PlayStation 4 Pro. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1613098535782-OI8JMZLK902DOAAXS81J/Cyberpunk+2077_Ripperdoc.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Cyberpunk 2077 Review: A Solid RPG Filled with Impressive Bright Spots and Impossible-to-Ignore Faults Cyberpunk 2077’s means of progression is exemplified in its various skill trees that offer passive and active upgrades to nearly every possible facet of combat. In addition to that, players can purchase and install cyberware - modifications to V’s body that grants the player improved abilities, ranging from an improved RAM capacity to a double jump. These modifications are great, but they unfortunately don’t offer too much variety in gameplay as the similar body modification system seen in the Deus Ex series, leaving a bit to be desired. // Image Captured on PlayStation 4 Pro. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2021/2/01/final-fantasy-vii-remake-and-cyberpunk-2077-two-opposite-sides-of-hype-culture monthly 0.5 2021-02-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1611611931233-V6HGA2LIFU4EN5VLCKEI/FF7R-Cyberpunk-Thumbnail.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Final Fantasy VII Remake and Cyberpunk 2077: Two Opposite Sides of Hype Culture 2020 saw the release of two RPGs that were anticipated for years - Final Fantasy VII Remake and Cyberpunk 2077. Both were recipients of hype culture as a result of the long periods of time between their announcements and releases. However, the two games had opposite receptions that resulted from such hype. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1611955536445-0NHFNXT34R1D3BJJC3S5/cyberpunk_2077-announcement.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Final Fantasy VII Remake and Cyberpunk 2077: Two Opposite Sides of Hype Culture Cyberpunk 2077 was announced in May of 2012, eight and a half years before its release. Despite its early announcement, Cyberpunk didn’t enter full development until late 2016. Future trailers painted the game in a manner that made it look far different than the final product, betraying a lot of The Witcher fans’ trust in developer CD Projekt Red. Had the game been announced after the game was already in full production, it likely wouldn’t have had as much monolithic expectations. Cyberpunk 2077’s early announcement only hurt it in the long run. // Image: CD Projekt Red https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1612042923276-KIZF41YNBDSFHUG2TX8P/final-fantasy-vii-remake-announcement.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Final Fantasy VII Remake and Cyberpunk 2077: Two Opposite Sides of Hype Culture Final Fantasy VII Remake was announced at E3 2015, nearly five years before its release. As such, the game was in the public consciousness for a long time. After a brief trailer in December of that year, the public saw very little of the game until E3 2019, less than a year away from the game’s release. Here, the game looked quite close to its final product, finally warranting fan hype and excitement. // Image: Square Enix https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2021/1/25/yakuza-3-review-a-powerful-if-unrefined-tale-of-kindness-and-empathy monthly 0.5 2021-01-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1610921930544-LRK0169LE6ZX7BY3T2AQ/yakuza-3.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Yakuza 3 Review: A Powerful (if Unrefined) Tale of Kindness and Empathy Yakuza 3 focuses on protagonist Kazuma Kiryu’s new leaf as he starts an orphanage in Okinawa, finally distanced from his past experiences with the yakuza. The following story focuses on Kiryu giving lessons to his orphaned kids about what it means to be kind to one another before he ultimately gets roped back into the yakuza. Yakuza 3 is a reminder that a strong, heartfelt story is enough to keep players engaged with a title, even if its gameplay is rough around the edges. // Image: SEGA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1611030942910-AJG0VT5V0VF7ULRS6W4J/Yakuza_3_Cutscene.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Yakuza 3 Review: A Powerful (if Unrefined) Tale of Kindness and Empathy Now completely done with his past with the yakuza, Kiryu opens up an orphanage in an effort to be a father figure to orphans - just as Shintaro Kazama was to the orphaned Kiryu. Yakuza 3 features many scenes with Kiryu, the kids at the orphanage, and their intertwined relationships. While definitely causing the game’s pacing to be all over the place, seeing Kiryu and the kids at the orphanage interact with each other provides some of the game’s most emotional, moving scenes. // Image Captured on PlayStation 4 Pro https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1611031284761-CPT80JHFLUBDWAJO6TXT/image-asset.jpeg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Yakuza 3 Review: A Powerful (if Unrefined) Tale of Kindness and Empathy Combat in Yakuza 3 is arguably when the game feels the most dated. Dodging enemy attacks followed by attacking from behind the enemy is the only way to effectively deal damage in many of the game’s encounters. This causes combat to often feel clunky and slow, a far cry from the improve combat seen in later Yakuza entries. // Image Captured on PlayStation 4 Pro https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1611031460403-ZI03Z30TQOMFO0CS6OQ1/Yakuza_3_Golf.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Yakuza 3 Review: A Powerful (if Unrefined) Tale of Kindness and Empathy The unrefined nature of Yakuza 3’s combat and side content extends to the minigames as well, with the Golf and Bowling minigames being a particular stand-out for their janky, off-putting physics. These instances highlight how much Ryu ga Gotoku Studio has improved in the years since Yakuza 3’s original release. // Image Captured on PlayStation 4 Pro https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2021/1/18/the-positive-impact-of-video-games-in-a-year-of-isolation monthly 0.5 2021-01-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1610595695342-BD3WPY0WFTMLK6VFXZX5/animal-crossing-new-horizons.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - The Positive Impact of Video Games in a Year of Isolation Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the newest installment in what was already one of Nintendo’s most popular franchises exploded in popularity due to releasing in the early weeks of the pandemic. The game received mainstream attention as it provided an avenue for friends and family to safely connect, communicate, and provide an escape in a year defined by social isolation. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1610598413498-NAQUI74Q0DDVQPSBXOCD/FF7_Remake_Promo.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - The Positive Impact of Video Games in a Year of Isolation While highly anticipated films like Dune and A Quiet Place: Part II were delayed out of 2020, many video games stepped up to the plate to give us cinematic stories to be put in awe by. Titles such as Final Fantasy VII Remake still provided us with larger-than-life stories that gave us much to think about. While seeing exciting films on the big screen was certainly missed throughout the year, video games provided us opportunities to still engage with immersive, engaging stories that could still be safely experienced amid the pandemic. // Image: Square Enix https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1610749186855-I143MHLSZ8X716K644H5/xenoblade-chronicles-definitive-edition.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - The Positive Impact of Video Games in a Year of Isolation At their core, video games are meant to entertain and offer fun experiences. Some video games can immerse us and take us to entirely different worlds, providing comfort in a way that no other medium can quite capture. Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition was a serene revisit to one of my favorite games and favorite worlds of all time, providing much needed escapism and comfort in an uncertain time, all while being entertained through the game’s addicting combat and satisfying questing and exploration. // Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1610761023883-PNE0QI0X7OB0B0ZDW59Y/Persona-5-Royal_20200229223551.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - The Positive Impact of Video Games in a Year of Isolation Whether it was through the immersion of role-playing games (such as in Persona 5 Royal) or from the communities formed around games such as Among Us and Call of Duty: Warzone, video games offered a lot this year. // Image: RPGamer https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/the-legend-of-zelda-links-awakening-review-why-smaller-experiences-still-matter monthly 0.5 2020-04-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1586032647504-WTJK1VT6KYGB9WT02MHJ/the-legend-of-zelda-links-awakening-switch-hero.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Assessing World and Narrative Size in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening shows both sides of the coin when it comes to scope. The game excels in its condensed, small world, yet simultaneously struggles to make meaning of a small, personal journey. Image: Nintendo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1586033084464-NUTTCKY988ARABQ4IBUG/Links_Awakening_Mabe_Village.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Assessing World and Narrative Size in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening No doubt deriving from the title’s roots as both a Game Boy title and side project for its original developers, Link’s Awakening excels at delivering a concise, fun-filled experience through offering a world that only offers what it needs to to sell the world and creativity of the game’s setting. Image captured on Nintendo Switch (Undocked). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1586033837879-I1E9D2942DFH522SL86Y/Links_Awakening_Map.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Assessing World and Narrative Size in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening The size of Link’s Awakening’s map can be entirely navigated in a matter of minutes - arguably one of the smallest worlds in the series. This conciseness in the game’s world makes way for map design that entirely feels taken advantage of - a rarity in games with larger worlds on display. Image captured on Nintendo Switch (Undocked). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1586034222467-8ZN9TKCGSGE9ZH4D5UPR/Links_Awakening_Beach.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Assessing World and Narrative Size in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Link’s Awakening’s narrative, while certainly distinct from other Zelda titles, ultimately suffers from creating any kind of stakes. Despite attempts at developing a relationship with Marin and the island itself, Link’s Awakening stumbles with giving the player a true reason to feel emotionally connected to the game’s world, resulting in a climax that feels emotionally hollow. Image: Nintendo via YouTube. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1586034505395-0R5Z94AHZAY9ZNS66ZFY/Breath_of_the_Wild_Concept_Art.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Assessing World and Narrative Size in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Larger-scale world and narrative design is only becoming more common. Despite that, games like Link’s Awakening remind us that there’s indeed value in creating and engaging with smaller experiences. Image: Nintendo https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2020/3/30/implementing-challenge-and-teaching-mechanics-in-nioh-g6j48 monthly 0.5 2020-03-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1585589265973-I3F5HLKSTBLYXYFW00ZZ/Nioh_Featured.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Implementing Challenge and Teaching Mechanics in Nioh Nioh’s implementation of challenge through its intense, mechanically complex boss fights forces players to master Ki management or suffer devastating gameplay consequences. Image: Sony https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1585590167942-T0PUUBLZ51UTN0WNFLNV/Nioh_Onryoki.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Implementing Challenge and Teaching Mechanics in Nioh Onryoki is a critical moment in Nioh’s journey to teach the player the mechanics of stances and Ki Pulsing. Without utilizing these options alongside the necessities of dodging and strafing, the player will be killed in 2-3 hits. With this fight occurring so early in the game, being a higher level won’t save you. Having better equipment won’t save you. The only way to overcome Onryoki is to learn what Nioh brings to the table. Image: Sony https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1585590412941-08ILZHTOC0A5QHJSI5SJ/Nioh_20200330103721.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Implementing Challenge and Teaching Mechanics in Nioh Effectively Ki Pulsing (Pressing R1 or dodging when the blue section of the Ki meter that appears after attacking to refill a portion of Ki, allowing for more attacks) is essential for surviving boss fights and even regular enemy encounters, making it a key skill the player needs to adapt to. Image captured on PS4 Pro. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1585590530563-B5GAPVL6X2KGLMI16T0X/Nioh_20200330103436.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Implementing Challenge and Teaching Mechanics in Nioh Overcoming each challenge the game’s design introduce through mastery of the game’s mechanics leaves a sensation of catharsis that needs to be experienced to be believed. Image captured on PS4 Pro. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2019/7/21/resonance-of-fate-review-how-stellar-combat-cant-make-up-for-missed-potential-j8hs4 monthly 0.5 2019-12-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1570762273431-J9M07E1R3ERJF1MRZK8W/Resonance+of+Fate+Map.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Resonance of Fate Review: How Stellar Ideas Can't Make Up for Lost Potential One of Resonance of Fate’s most unique ideas is the very implementation of its overworld map, which plays as much like a jigsaw puzzle as much as it plays like navigating from one area to another. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1571106321776-RXWRUOCCDX07383KK1F8/Resonance+of+Fate+Exploration.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Resonance of Fate Review: How Stellar Ideas Can't Make Up for Lost Potential While the countless cogs and gears that populate the environments of Resonance’s towns and dungeons are aesthetically intriguing, navigating and exploring these environments isn’t as enticing as it is in the overworld. The drab color palette certainly doesn’t help either. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1571106484192-GZ59T9UKEG2UWN7L48VO/Resonance+of+Fate+Combat.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Resonance of Fate Review: How Stellar Ideas Can't Make Up for Lost Potential Applying Scratch Damage with Submachine Guns, then applying that damage with with Direct Damage from Hanguns and Throwable Weapons is the main hook of Resonance’s combat. While the concept early implementation of the combat is unique, challenging, and fun, it unfortunately runs into the roadblock of having some fatal design flaws - namely that game’s difficulty spikes in its encounters and the cruelty of the dreadful “Critical” State that makes all characters exceptionally weak and vulnerable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1571106510187-3CRA7WCVGWX3PRQAFZBQ/Resonance+of+Fate+Gun+Customization.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Resonance of Fate Review: How Stellar Ideas Can't Make Up for Lost Potential Resonance of Fate offers various weapons that can have numerous attachments applied. Optimizing a weapon’s performance through finding methods of attaching as many add-ons to a weapon as possible becomes a minigame in and of itself, resulting in monstrosities such as this. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1571106615228-1FFT2GWG3CS5XRDVW0G1/Resonance+of+Fate+Overworld.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Resonance of Fate Review: How Stellar Ideas Can't Make Up for Lost Potential The world and character of Resonance of Fate is one that excels on a conceptual level but fails on a practical level. While Resonance of Fate offers interesting ideas in its world, combat, and narrative, it unfortunately struggles with weaving these three components together to make a solid package. What results is a title that certainly shows strengths, but ultimately holds itself back. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/the-art-of-self-defense-review-an-intriguing-dissection-of-masculinity-and-cyclical-violence-c9hgz monthly 0.5 2019-08-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1563766683684-XFSCHJH8E72IRYAOO1ZR/art-self-defense.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "The Art of Self-Defense" Review: A Profound Dissection of Masculinity and Cyclical Violence Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of Casey, a mid-30s, reserved, and scrawny adult, shows how transformed one can be because of their environment and the people that they surround themselves with. Self-Defense is an impressive showcase for how significantly characters can change just through interacting with a single other character. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2019/gravity-rush-2-a-good-sequel-that-misses-its-potential-to-be-excellent-74xxd monthly 0.5 2019-07-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1562987679670-HLW4C7YPLVF217M1058S/gravity-rush-2-cutscene.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Gravity Rush 2 Review: A Good Sequel that Misses its Potential to be Excellent Gravity Rush 2 presents its story in a manga / graphic novel style, which, like the original, injects this game with so much charm and style. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1563152207412-RTYMYIDG322PTN5AZMKX/gravity-rush-2-screen.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Gravity Rush 2 Review: A Good Sequel that Misses its Potential to be Excellent Gravity Rush 2 introduces two new ways to navigate its massive environments - Lunar Style and Jupiter Style. Unfortunately, these abilities don’t offer too much depth and serve to be mostly situational. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1563154504851-98ZSSXQAHLBG84NMEGY9/gravity-rush-2-art.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Gravity Rush 2 Review: A Good Sequel that Misses its Potential to be Excellent Gravity Rush 2 settles with being a modest sequel. It doesn’t make big advancements upon the original, but merely expands on what the original already did well. With its new additions showing flaws and not being too substantial, Gravity Rush 2 ultimately stands as a sequel that, while solid, lacks the same “Wow” factor that its predecessor had. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/axiom-verge-review-a-love-letter-to-classic-2d-metroid-design-for-better-and-for-worse monthly 0.5 2019-07-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1561335855961-AUB8KJXYN4UTFXS3DCA1/Veruska-Rusalka.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Axiom Verge Review: A Love Letter to Classic 2D Metroid Design, For Better and For Worse Axiom Verge brings with it a unique visual aesthetic that, while somewhat reminiscent of the original Metroid, carries a dark, mysterious atmosphere that makes the game immediately identifiable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1561350145998-17JNAM1F8Z92MO40QSQ1/Axiom+Verge+Exploration.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Axiom Verge Review: A Love Letter to Classic 2D Metroid Design, For Better and For Worse The color palette, the locales that the player visits, and the music that accompanies the different regions of Sudra make for a world that any curious player will want to explore. Thankfully, Axiom Verge delivers a vast world that will satiate players seeking to find hidden secrets, locations, and, of course, upgrades. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2019/5/05/celeste-and-the-symbiotic-relationship-with-difficulty-and-narrative monthly 0.5 2019-05-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1556656335991-9LCBMV69DASFBXULK4C6/Celeste_Campfire.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Celeste and the Symbiotic Relationship of Difficulty and Narrative Celeste’s famously tender campfire scene at the beginning of Chapter 6 showcases excellently crafted narrative with well-implemented writing on important subject matter. However, what turns Celeste into an incredible games is its ability to keep the narrative going during gameplay, without the need for any dialogue nor cutscenes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1557091162270-SBYL7I45QZZIEHBK2V78/Celeste_ChapterComplete.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Celeste and the Symbiotic Relationship of Difficulty and Narrative One of Celeste’s strongest aspects is its difficulty curve. This screen from clearing Chapter 1 may seem to be difficult to reach on a first playthrough, but becomes significantly easier upon revisiting the chapter later in the game. This isn’t dissimilar to how we learn from our faults and mistakes that we make in the real world, as we improve and grow as people through continuing to learn from our experiences. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1557096320498-IWUG5C30SHUPMYEIQFDN/Celeste_AAAA.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Celeste and the Symbiotic Relationship of Difficulty and Narrative While they’re not part of the main story, Celeste’s B-Side and C-Side levels provide the greatest challenges the game has to offer, and serves as the best connection between overcoming challenging level design and coping with mental illness. What once seems intimidating and impossible gradually becomes easier over time once you continue practicing and working towards the goal of reaching the end of the level. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/red-dead-redemption-2-and-the-open-world-question-htlgp monthly 0.5 2019-04-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1549598133314-E6R01LB4UAQQJHOIWPUN/Red-Dead-Redemption-2-625x352.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Red Dead Redemption 2 and the Open World Question Red Dead Redemption 2’s storytelling is immediately gripping and raw. Despite this, the game can’t seem to decide if it wants to be a narrative-driven experience or an open world game driven by player agency. This indecisiveness causes the game to attempt to fulfill both roles - something that is inevitably impossible to sufficiently do. With that said, could Red Dead Redemption 2 been stronger if it decided to be entirely narrative-driven or entirely gameplay-driven? // Image: Rockstar Games. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1549597736737-XMM8F87ILMERU62CUKK8/Red+Dead+Redemption+2+Map.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Red Dead Redemption 2 and the Open World Question Red Dead Redemption 2 sports an incredibly massive map. However, does the size of the game’s world actually improve the overall gameplay and narrative experience? Or is it a product of Rockstar Games meeting their open world quota? // Image: Reddit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1549598153526-5D2F0RE0HDEYGVXTXCPJ/Red-Dead-Redemption-2-snow.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Red Dead Redemption 2 and the Open World Question It’s clear that Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game ultimately concerned with delivering a narrative experience that illustrates the decay of the old ways of the world as represented by the Van der Linde getting torn apart as the game progresses. Does the game’s open world contribute to improving or even contributing to this narrative, or is it just a distraction to satisfy Rockstar fans? // Image: US Gamer. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2019/1/19/super-smash-bros-ultimate-and-the-power-of-side-content monthly 0.5 2019-02-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1547936480096-QA1CSKUIZEEC4A0BAPNI/ssbu+roster.png DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and the Power of Side Content With a roster of over 70 characters and counting, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's selection of characters could have potentially been an overwhelming barrier for new players. However, the intelligent implementation of unlocking characters and meaningful side content makes getting familiarized with every character become feasible. // Image: IGN https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1547936669035-TICVDJNTECFXLLPSFURL/World+of+Light.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and the Power of Side Content Ultimate’s “World of Light” Adventure Mode serves as the perfect excuse to experiment with new characters as players unlock them. Additionally, character unlocks are spaced between each other just enough to get comfortable with a new character’s moveset and playstyle before moving onto the next character. This makes learning each character not feel as arduous of a task as other fighting games with large rosters. // Image: IGN https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1547936932127-05NX8CJ93C5YP5A8A4D0/tekken+7+menu.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and the Power of Side Content Although its fighting mechanics are stellar, Tekken 7’s side content fails to effectively familiarize players with each character, with its story mode only allowing players to play as a handful of the game’s roster. Tekken 7’s poor implementation of its side content causes the game to struggle with encouraging players to experiment with the game’s diverse roster. // Image; YouTube. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2018/12/31/why-spider-man-into-the-spider-verse-was-the-best-animated-film-of-2018 monthly 0.5 2019-01-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1546305775162-KLAWDF10TTBFYPJYG8GT/Spider-Man+Into+the+Spider-Verse.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Why "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" Was the Best Animated Film of 2018 Into the Spider-Verse uses its existence as an animated film to its benefit. Every frame of animation delivers so much personality and atmosphere, creating an immersive world and story - one that is infectiously captivating in a way that no other superhero film has replicated. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2018/11/18/widows-and-the-decay-of-love-movie-review monthly 0.5 2018-11-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1542593788782-O6L7U8CHSVWL0FLOPNVB/widows.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Widows" and the Decay of Love | Movie Review The creative marriage of director Steve McQueen and writer Gillian Flynn has resulted in Widows - a case study in how stories can inevitably fumble with unnecessary complexity. Despite a rugged pace and a somewhat bloated screenplay, Widows is an exciting and smart heist film that’s well worth seeing. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2018/11/13/beautiful-boy-review-an-intimate-screenshot-of-family-and-surviving-turmoil monthly 0.5 2018-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1542139894864-Z6ARUE51O5LUFDBLSQ1V/BB1.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Beautiful Boy" Review | An Intimate Screenshot of Family and Surviving Turmoil Beautiful Boy is a refreshingly raw examination of how drugs permeate and infect family relationships. However, what sets Beautiful Boy from other films of similar subject matter is its focus on how families are nearly torn apart yet somehow remain together through familial love. Beautiful Boy’s intimacy creates a cinematic experience that won’t be forgotten anytime soon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1542144551941-6CZ1S9ON8IYQJH4J1WOS/27-beautiful-boy-trailer.w1200.h630.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Beautiful Boy" Review | An Intimate Screenshot of Family and Surviving Turmoil The true heart of Beautiful Boy lies in the power of family bonds. While Nic’s addiction garners much screen time, the most of the film’s run time is devoted to showing David travelling the country, gathering advice, talking to other addicts, and more, all for the sake of helping and possibly saving his son. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2018/10/29/mid90s-review-an-insightful-examination-of-a-flawed-era-and-culture monthly 0.5 2018-10-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1540865327731-3A51TSFP42FB98EE7N3M/mid90s.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "mid90s" Review | An Insightful Examination of a Flawed Era and Culture mid90s, instead of many other period piece films, dares to show audiences the darker side of the culture it represents. mid90s is an excellent examination of how joy, conformity, and indulging in pleasantries masks our inner struggles. Image: A24 Films https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1540869188027-CR55MVV79J6VF97MV38R/mid90s2.jpeg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "mid90s" Review | An Insightful Examination of a Flawed Era and Culture The posse that Stevie spends time with are well-rounded characters that are each confronting their own demons. And yet, they mask these demons through their passion for skating. Image: A24 Films https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2018/10/18/first-man-review-chazelles-weakest-film-still-shines monthly 0.5 2018-10-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1539910762939-EJUGYIYXZU0NLEHIYXQ2/First_Man.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "First Man" Review | Chazelle's Weakest Film Still Shines First Man is an intriguing exploration of Neil Armstrong’s personal journey masked underneath his more public one that history has made everyone familiar with. While it’s perhaps Damien Chazelle’s weakest feature film, First Man still manages to impress and inspire awe. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2018/10/14/venom-review-the-shackles-of-corporate-mediocrity monthly 0.5 2018-10-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1539534861010-KB7OJ0TI1S98QJ5BNDBW/tom+hardy+in+venom.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Venom" Review | The Shackles of Corporate Mediocrity Venom feels more like a product than a film. While the film isn’t bad, it also struggles to find any kind of identity to make it stand out from the sea of superhero films. Through a safe and less-than-impressive screenplay and weak performances, this year’s Venom won’t leave much of an impact on anyone that sees it. // Image: Sony Pictures https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2018/10/9/a-star-is-born-2018-review-an-emotional-electric-experience monthly 0.5 2018-10-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1539102027034-SSQDZ3B9XYL80OL2KPGD/Lady-Gaga-and-Bradley-Cooper-in-A-Star-is-Born-2018-600x300.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "A Star is Born (2018)" Review | An Emotional, Electric Experience A Star is Born (2018) is one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. With phenomenal performances, intelligent direction, and perhaps one of the best screenplays for a romance-drama in recent memory, this film easily earns its place among the best films of the year. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2018/10/2/the-house-with-a-clock-in-its-walls-review-imagination-and-whimsy-overshadowed-by-a-poor-screenplay-kmjc6 monthly 0.5 2018-10-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1538535501692-852KK8GW0C7SRFV7DHRO/House_With_a_Clock_in_Its_Walls.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "The House with a Clock in Its Walls" Review | Imagination and Whimsy Overshadowed by Poor Writing At its core, The House with a Clock in Its Walls is an enjoyable, whimsical film. However, the writing surrounding its core drags it down to being an ultimately underwhelming film. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2018/9/15/white-boy-rick-review-the-perils-of-lacking-focus-and-telling-with-little-showing-hfwts monthly 0.5 2018-09-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1537061574137-WDH1CW5KGB9MNX0AYDCZ/White+Boy+Rick+Poster.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "White Boy Rick" Review | The Perils of Lacking Focus White Boy Rick tells an intriguing story in a disappointingly clumsy manner. Despite having admirable aspects to it, White Boy Rick’s lack of focus and an emotional core leaves something to be desired. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2018/9/2/searching-review-a-phenomenal-thriller-enhanced-by-its-gimmick monthly 0.5 2018-09-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1535915137444-P1FEVH001UWQXZUPUV6I/searching_ver4.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Searching" Review | A Phenomenal Thriller Enhanced by Its Style One of the few movies to attempt a screens-only approach to its cinematography, Searching immediately becomes the most thrilling movie of the year. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2018/8/29/operation-finale-review-a-solid-if-bloated-thriller-cy7rc monthly 0.5 2018-08-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1535600251422-GTLLWPK63PZ11G547E3E/finale-poster.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - "Operation Finale" Review | A Solid If Bloated Thriller Operation Finale tells the tale of the apprehension of Adolf Eichmann, considered responsible for sending over six million Jews to their deaths during the atrocities of the Holocaust. https://www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2018/8/14/octopath-traveler-review-a-modern-classic-jrpg-for-better-and-for-worse-tkjee monthly 0.5 2018-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1534267814523-4IOKR6WC41KB3FFOOG68/Octopath+Traveler.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Octopath Traveler Review | A Modern Classic JRPG, For Better and For Worse From its aesthetic to its battle mechanics, Octopath Traveler is a love letter to JRPG fans. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1534373996384-B0UI8Q90L8E2SICH05EK/Orsterra+Map.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Octopath Traveler Review | A Modern Classic JRPG, For Better and For Worse Orsterra, the World of Octopath Traveler is expansive and rewarding to explore, yet it feels comfortably familiar for fans of classic JRPGs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1535133064112-O1W2VNE2YDQMZ9O40MXJ/Octopath+Convo.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Octopath Traveler Review | A Modern Classic JRPG, For Better and For Worse Octopath's "travel banter" happens occasionally throughout the game, but it's an ultimately underwhelming attempt to flesh out each of the game's playable characters. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1534373442943-VGTEH3LFXQNXEUIQJAIW/octopath-battle-screem.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Octopath Traveler Review | A Modern Classic JRPG, For Better and For Worse Octopath Traveler features traditional turn-based combat, along with a break system that emphasizes exploiting enemy weaknesses that then allow for dealing massive damage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b1591bf70e802d439edd4de/1535577063294-1Q1K0GDRIZMEKQ2KTTWN/Jobs.jpg DEREK EX MACHINA - Essays, Reviews, and Analyses of Video Games and Film - Octopath Traveler Review | A Modern Classic JRPG, For Better and For Worse Experimenting with different job configurations keeps Octopath's battle system entertaining. 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