I spoke to academics on both sides of the gaming disorder debate in a feature for GamesRadar – and both sides recognise that gaming addiction is a problem.
The best games of E3 2018
Amid all the ultraviolence and samey sequels, a few genuine delights peeked out from behind the curtain at E3 2018. WARNING: THIS LIST DOES NOT INCLUDE CYBERPUNK 2077.
Interview: Suda51 on Travis Strikes Again – No More Heroes
Superstar designer Suda51 told me all about Travis Strikes Again on Nintendo Switch, as well as remakes of Killer7 and Flower, Sun and Rain – and possibly Michigan: Report From Hell.
E3 2018: What’s the point of revealing a game title and nothing else?
All of the E3 press conferences are now over, and I have to say I’m a little underwhelmed. For the…
Review: West of Loathing (Switch)
Comedy stick-figure RPG West of Loathing has made its way over to Switch, with all the funny walks and googly-eyed horses intact. And it’s a absolute beaut.
E3 2018: There’s now a Ridley amiibo and gosh it’s good
I need this right now. Metroid fans, rejoice!
Will Ninja Theory maintain their creative independence under Microsoft?
I wrote down my thoughts on the acquisition of Ninja Theory by Microsoft in an article for Kotaku UK. Will the British developer thrive or wither under its new master?
Review: The Banner Saga (Switch)
Stoic’s beautifully written Nordic saga has finally found its way over to Switch, and the storytelling is as electric as ever.
Games writing: when a hobby becomes work
Writing about games for a living? Sounds amazing, right? Well, like everything, it’s best done in moderation.
Review: Lake Ridden (PC)
An intriguing, narrative-driven puzzler, Lake Ridden harks back to the heyday of Myst as protagonist Marie searches for her lost sister.
Review: Super Chariot (Switch)
The ghost of your dad is badgering you to lug his coffin to a suitable burial spot. Welcome to one of the Switch’s most unusual and brilliant platformers.
Review: The Fall (Switch)
The Fall has been out for a while, but this eerie tale of an AI spacesuit on a desperate quest to save its ailing occupant has now found its way to Nintendo Switch. And it’s still really good.
Review: The Adventures of Elena Temple (Switch)
The Adventures of Elena Temple painstakingly recreates the feel of playing a game from the 1980s on a Game Boy or Apple II – complete with blurry bedroom backgrounds. Welcome to the new nostalgia.
Steel Rats is Trials HD meets The Wild One… with added killer robots
You’ve got a bike with a chainsaw wheel and a city full of robots to mow down. Steel Rats is stupid and wonderful, and it’s coming to PC, Xbox One and PS4 later this year.
Review: The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 (PS4)
It’s repetitive, admin-heavy and ridiculously sexualised, but for a small niche of players, The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 could be a lot of fun.
Nintendo Switch Online seems like a poor deal
Cloud saves, a few NES games and some smartphone app features are the sweeteners you’ll get when Nintendo starts charging you to play Switch games online – in other words, the bare minimum.
Review: Frostpunk (PC)
As temperatures plummet in the middle of the Victorian age, you’ll need a heart of ice to decide who lives and who dies.
Disco Elysium is quite fantastically ambitious
It’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: The Video Game, but without the bats. Disco Elysium is shaping up to be a cracking isometric RPG with superb dialogue.
My Thrones of Britannia review for PCGamesN
The latest in the Total War line is a wonderful retelling of the story of Alfred the Great. Although if you’re feeling unpatriotic, you can smite Britons by playing the Vikings as well.
There’s now a video game version of the board game Terraforming Mars – and I played it
Terraforming Mars is coming to a PC near you in 2018, with all of its shonky public-domain artwork intact. Depending on your perspective, this is either a very good thing or a very bad thing.