A mere month ago I was in my Happy Place… Dragon Con. An amazing plethora of friends… CHECK! Endless fun things to do at all hours… ohh Hell Yeah! Geeking out to the max… Absolutely!! And I already miss it and cannot wait for 2027. Dragon Con is home for 75,000 people and I am one of them. Spread across downtown Atlanta in 5 hotels with their many conference/ball rooms and 2 buildings of the Americas Mart, Dragon is one of America’s biggest Fandom conventions.

Some of the best things at PAX aren't always on the main show floor. Sometimes they're tucked just around a corner, waiting for you to notice the sign, which is exactly how I stumbled into the Red Bull Table Tavern this year, and it ended up being one of the most memorable parts of my entire PAX West experience. If you want a…

I’ve played my fair share of farming sims. It takes one heck of a game these days to surprise me when it comes to this genre. The Village in the Shade PAX West preview did that twice during my demo session with the game at PAX West.  Developed by Nippon Ichi Software and published by NIS America, Village in the Shade dropped me into the rural mountain village of Kagatsu for both the day and night iterations of their demo. 

This Persona 4 Revival PAX West preview comes with a confession. I had never personally played a Persona game before I sat down at that SEGA booth. I know, I know. But I didn't walk in blind either. Two of my best friends and Twitch moderators, Kevoloco5 and Gradydos, have streamed Persona 4 on their own channels for years. It's also a regular fixture during our Discord game nights.

There is something incredibly dangerous about telling yourself, “I’m only going to play for an hour,” only to look at the clock later and realize four and a half hours have somehow disappeared. That has been my experience with Aniimo.  I had the opportunity to spend quite a bit of time with Aniimo on the media beta server before its official launch, so I already had a good idea of what to expect.

For years, when I am asked what are my favorite 10 video games of all time are, I'd say, "Kingdom Hearts 2, Pokémon Crystal, Rollercoaster Tycoon 2, Blur, Gears of War 2, L.A. Noire, Call of Duty: Black Ops 1, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Grand Theft Auto City, and The Wolf Among Us." The last one on this list often confuses people who are seemingly unaware that the game exists.

For years, when I heard or saw that a game had the word simulator in the title, I scrolled past it. Now, this isn't due to a bad experience with simulator games; rather, I had watched others play those types of games on Twitch and YouTube, and it really didn't seem like the type of game for me. For years, what seems to be annual editions of simulators keep coming out; we get new versions of…

At gamescom this year, we had an incredibly packed schedule. During the show, my friend and I were both booked from the start of the day until late into the evening. During my time there, I had the chance to preview games such as Tides of Annihilation, Crimson Moon, Turok: Origins, Stuntman: Hollywood, Persona 4 Revival, and…

There are some games where you go in thinking you know exactly what you are getting, only to discover something completely different once you start playing. Moss: The Forgotten Relic was one of those games for me.  When I first saw the game, it immediately gave me The Legend of Zelda vibes, except you are playing as an adorable little mouse.

Back in June, during the summer Nintendo Direct presentation, Nintendo showed off a brief teaser trailer for their upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake. For months, fans have been speculating what exactly this remake will be. Would it be a more one to one remake? Would it take the approach of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy? Will it even be releasing this year?

PAX is expanding its tabletop presence with a brand-new event in 2027. ReedPop and Penny Arcade have officially announced PAX Unplugged Houston, bringing the tabletop-focused convention to Texas for the first time. PAX Unplugged Houston will take place June 25-27, 2027, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. The new event will become the second tabletop-focused PAX Unplugged and the fifth event in the current lineup of annual international PAX expos.

Every September, Nintendo fans unite for their annual September Nintendo Direct showcase. These yearly presentations typically show off new and upcoming titles heading to Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo has held radio silence until today. September will see not one, but two Nintendo Direct presentations next week, alongside a Nintendo Treehouse: Live.

Pawprint Studio has officially announced a September release date for its upcoming free-to-play creature-catching RPG, Aniimo. The news was revealed alongside a new gameplay trailer during Gamescom Opening Night Live. Aniimo will launch on September 16 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Mobile players will not have to wait much longer, with the game arriving on the App Store and Google Play one week later on September 23.

The Valley Is About to Get a Pirate, and I Am Not Okay (Affectionately) D23's announcement of The Keepsake Sea just dropped! I’ve played Disney Dreamlight Valley since day one. Literally day one. I did not start playing “when it came out on Switch” or “when it went live at 1.0.” I started when it launched, when we were all collectively hanging out in an incomplete valley and wondering what on earth Gameloft would give us to explore next.

Once Upon A KATAMARI Rolls Onto Nintendo Switch 2 This October The King of All Cosmos is back and bringing his delightfully chaotic ball-rolling adventure to Nintendo Switch 2 this October. Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. has announced that Once Upon A KATAMARI will launch on Nintendo Switch 2 on October 8, 2026, alongside the brand-new Rolling LIVE Highlights DLC.

Nintendo players can now prepare for their next adventure in FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE, as preorders for the upcoming HD-2D RPG are officially available.

I have read Tolkien. Not just watched the movies, though I have, every single one, extended editions only, as the universe intended, but actually sat with the books. I have spent time in the Shire through Tolkien's words, through Peter Jackson's lens, and through years of Middle-earth games that mostly wanted me to kill things. Shadow of Mordor. Shadow of War.

For decades, James Bond has been one of the most recognizable names in entertainment. From classic films to iconic video games like GoldenEye 007, the world's most famous spy has left a lasting impression on generations of fans. With 007 First Light, developer IO Interactive delivers a fresh take on Bond's origin story while blending classic espionage action with modern gameplay design.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is one of the most unique first-person shooters to release in recent years. Developed by Fumi Games and published by PlaySide Publishing, this noir-inspired detective adventure combines fast-paced gunplay, hand-drawn cartoon visuals, and classic crime drama storytelling to create an experience unlike anything else currently available. Set in a world populated by anthropomorphic animals, players take on the role of private investigator Jack Pepper as he navigates a city filled with crime, corruption, and mystery.

The other day, while I was 30,000 feet in the air, a breaking news alert came across my phone thanks to Delta Wi-Fi: Destiny 2 appears to be entering its final era, with Bungie preparing a major live-service update arriving on June 9, 2026. To be honest, this is something I predicted would happen last year when I was approached to review Destiny’s Renegades DLC.

Savagesparrow Studios Launches “Skittering Through the Stars” Kickstarter—A Cosmic Collection Where Nerd Culture Meets Wearable Magic

It’s been just over a week since Final Fantasy XIV North American Fan Festival 2026, and after attending in person and finally having time to process everything, I wanted to break down my personal top five announcements from the keynote.

Glasses are something many people don’t typically associate with gaming and technology brands. Many in the industry wear them, but they’re usually not seen as integral. That’s where GUNNAR Optiks comes into play. Since 2007, the company has worked with many big names to create stylish collaborations that balance function and fashion. These collabs range from Activision to Bethesda, and often result in some truly unique designs.

There has been speculation for quite some time that Nintendo had a new Star Fox game up its sleeve. This is mainly due to recent rumors from credible leakers suggesting Nintendo has been working on a couple of Nintendo 64 remakes. The suggested remakes include Star Fox 64 and Ocarina of Time. Fox McCloud's appearance in the recent Super Mario Galaxy…

Last year, we met with Ocean Drive Studio to check out three of their upcoming games. The three games that we demoed were Section 13, Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch, and God Save Birmingham. Since then, Section 13 and Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch have been released to mostly positive reviews. All three games required the player to think about how their actions impacted potential outcomes.

In 2022, we met with Total Mayhem Games at PAX East; during that meeting, we quickly fell in love with their latest game at the time, We Were Here Forever. Later that year, rather than playing a 30-minute demo, we got the chance to play through the full game. While the game could be challenging at times, it was still a ton of fun to play with a friend and work through complex puzzles.

In a world where most companies seek to make gamers buy individual copies of their games to play with their friends, some developers are looking for fun and creative ways for players to interact with one another. Since the pandemic, Indie developers have been creating games that prioritize a fun experience rather than trying to become the next big thing. Occasionally, games such as…

With PAX East now behind us, I’ve been thinking about the booths that really stuck with me. From creative indie titles to experimental tech, these were some of my personal standouts from the show floor. Aniimo  Aniimo is an upcoming free-to-play open-world action RPG focused on creature catching and training, and it made a strong first impression. The booth itself was fully themed and interactive, complete with gacha elements and adorable merch.

Psychological horror thrives when it can make players feel unsettled without relying solely on cheap scares, and Project Songbird accomplishes exactly that. Developed by Conner Rush and FYRE Games, this cinematic first-person horror experience places players in the role of Dakota, a musician retreating to a remote Appalachian cabin to overcome writer’s block and record a new album. What begins as a creative getaway quickly transforms into a haunting journey filled with emotional storytelling, surreal horror, and unexpected twists.

FuturLab's smash hit PowerWash Simulator is known for its collection of fun crossovers. From franchises like SpongeBob Squarepants, Warhammer, and Adventure Time, the sky seemed to be the limit. Some unfortunate news came today, via a short news post on their official website. FuturLab have announced it will soon be ending its 3-year formal partnership with Square Enix, this coming June.

A New Era for a Cult-Favorite Brand

Nintendo is showing up in a big way at PAX East 2026, bringing a lineup of upcoming and newly released experiences for the Nintendo Switch 2 to Boston from March 26–29 at the Thomas M. Menino Convention and Exhibition Center.

PAX East is just about a week away, and you already know where to find me, refreshing the PAX website and glued to the PAX Nav app like it’s my full-time job. If you’re still getting ready for PAX East 2026, I’ve put together some separate guides covering PAX East 2026 Tips & Tricks and Convention Essentials to pack. Now it's time to do the fun stuff - to plan what I must see with my limited time at the show, because four days isn't enough to cover it all.

Chaos, Co-Op, and Uncontrollable Pill-Powered Mayhem When S.E.M.I.: Side Effects May Include first crossed my feed, I immediately knew this was a “grab your friends and cause problems” kind of game. Developed as a single-player and online co-op action platformer with puzzle elements, S.E.M.I. throws players into a chaotic escape attempt from a bizarre clinic where experimental pills grant unpredictable and often hilarious side effects.

Heading to PAX East this year? A well-packed bag can make the difference between a stressful day on the show floor and a smooth, comfortable convention experience.

When High On Life launched in 2022, it wasn’t just another first-person shooter — it was a chaotic, profanity-filled fever dream that somehow worked. Squanch Games delivered a bizarre sci-fi comedy packed with talking alien guns, absurd humor, and fast-paced combat that made it one of the most talked-about games of the year. After the success of High On Life, many fans wondered if there was more story left to tell.

For those of you going to Boston in March, Horror fans attending PAX East 2026 will be among the first to experience Halloween, the upcoming asymmetrical stealth horror game from IllFonic, as it debuts its first-ever playable demo from March 26–29 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Developed and published by IllFonic, co-published by Gun Interactive, and created in partnership with…

A Minimalist Survival City-Builder That Shines in the Darkness Indie games continue to prove that innovation does not require a massive development team or blockbuster budget. Dawnfolk, developed by solo indie creator Darenn Keller, is a charmingly dark minimalist survival city-builder that blends resource management, moral choices, and engaging mini-games into one cohesive experience. Released on February 13, 2025, this medieval fantasy title invites players to rebuild a realm consumed by creeping shadows.

February is almost finally over, and many gamers can look forward to the games releasing at the end of February and the beginning of March. Unless you have been living under a rock, you are probably aware that there are some interesting games releasing within the next few weeks. Just this week alone, 17 different titles will be available for gamers to buy and download; of those 17 titles, most are looking forward to the release of…

If you’ve ever stepped onto the PAX East show floor right when the doors open, you know it’s not subtle. It’s loud. It’s chaotic. Someone is already power-walking to a demo line like it’s a competitive sport. Booth screens are flashing. Devs are mid-sentence before you even finish saying hello. And within ten minutes, you’ve completely abandoned whatever “plan” you thought you had for the weekend.