Staff Article Lists

Every now and then, a game will be released that reminds you why you love playing big, well-produced games in the first place. Ones that go beyond simple concepts or entertainment, and really deliver on the satisfaction of feeling like you’re playing something that could only be polished and produced at the time of gaming that we’re living in. Eternal Strands is one of those experiences. You play as Brynn, a Weaver of magic that leads an eclectic group of determined fellow Weavers on a mission of discovery and salvation. Throughout your time in the “Enclave” and beyond, you’ll face element-enhanced minions, towering & thunderous constructs, and scaly & feathered beasts in abundance, as you piece together what happened while the denizens outside of your home city were locked beyond “The Veil” that none can cross because of the “tangles” that are fatal to try and pass through. At your disposal will be a bevy of magical abilities and attacks, including ones based on fire, ice, and kinetic energies, along with weapons. All of these, along with the ability to pick up and throw just about anything (including enemies), are combined for some of the coolest and most hectic combat situations I’ve played in a while. Eternal Strands combines an engaging storyline with an impeccably chosen cast of characters and voice actors and an inventive magic casting combat system to pull you into a world you won’t want to escape from.

As a 90’s kid, you’d think I’d be one of the many who grew up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. Yet, I don’t remember ever watching the show as a kid at all, outside of renting the second TMNT movie from Blockbusters one day just out of sheer curiosity. To be honest, I was more into shows like Beetleborgs (which I’m still waiting for a game of that series) and Van-Pires (if you remember that show, you are my friend for life), so something like TMNT probably didn’t interest me at the time, though I could be wrong. But that doesn’t mean I know nothing of them. On the contrary, I do have some knowledge of the Turtles, thanks to the advent of the internet and the 2003 show which I do recall watching some episodes of when it aired, but not enough to say I’m a huge fan. With that being said, you’d think a game like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge wouldn’t really interest me. Surprisingly, it’s actually one of those games I took a chance on and found myself really enjoying, even though it does have some shortcomings that prevent it from being anything really amazing.

Last month, Belgian developer Mortis Ghost and publisher Fangamer announced the unexpected return of the influential RPG OFF in 2025. Now, they've announced that legendary indiegame creator and composer Toby Fox (UNDERTALE, DELTARUNE) will be a featured music composer for the new soundtrack that was developed for the game's newest release. Toby Fox first discovered OFF's English fan translation on the Starmen.net forums, an EarthBound fan website whose staff eventually created Fangamer.

Toby cited OFF multiple times in his UNDERTALE Art Book as an inspiration for his designs, especially the character designs. ​ Papyrus’s appearance initially inspired by the first boss, Dedan. Next, Sans was inspired by Zacharie and the judge: A reliable, friendly, humorous character who shows up throughout the adventure, and you never quite know what his deal is.

Toby Fox ended up handling a lot of boss tracks and was also assigned the normal battle theme. Pepper Steak, the most famous song from the original OST, is well-loved by fans with millions of listens across various platforms.

"I'm gonna be honest, just feels like I got assigned to take a bullet in the back for everybody else. I looked up almost every jazz song from the 1920s, I commissioned Carlos to make an entire fake jazz song for me so I could cut it up into samples, I tried making like 6 entirely different songs, but nothing I could come up with on my own felt quite right.
​​
​In the end, I summoned Camellia to help me out by re-remixing my ​
​first track into multiple versions, and ultimately I think it will ​
​feel pretty cool as you go through the game." ​
​- Toby Fox

White Meat, the new battle theme for OFF by Toby Fox & Camellia:

The Majestic Wolf Runs

Flowers Bloom Along the Path

And Once Again Spring Beckons

Ōkami is one of the most unique games I’ve played and also one of the most interesting success stories. Odds are, if you’re like me, you’ll have seen Amaterasu the White Wolf around. She’s become a gaming icon of sorts and still shows up at times in games like Marvel vs Capcom. . And yet, she seems like an enigma as unlike Ryu or Chris Redfield, her story isn’t as widely known.

Ōkami was developed by Clover Studio, and released in 2006 for the PS2. Formed by Capcom R&D veterans, Clover Studios' other notable work was adapting Viewtiful Joe for PlayStation 2 and developing its sequel for both PS2 and GameCube. They created only two original works: Ōkami and their last game God Hand. While both were interesting concepts, neither were considered financial successes as they didn’t sell as well as Capcoms more well known franchises. To be fair, Resident Evil 4, which released just a year earlier, set the bar at an unprecedented high which a new IP was probably not gonna come even close to. Despite all that, Ōkami received critical acclaim, nearly around a 9/10 universally at every notable publication. A lot of people noted how Okami’s unique gameplay seemed especially suited to Nintendo’s Wii and DS systems, both of which were very new at the time. The clamor was enough that Ōkami did get a well received port to Wii and while it wasn’t ported to the DS, that system got Ōkamiden, a spiritual successor. The game was later ported to modern consoles in an HD release that has gone on to perform pretty well. The love for Ōkami was still strong and with the 2024 Game Awards shocking announcement of Ōkami 2, now seems like a good time to take a look at this beloved classic.

On January 16th, 2025 Nintendo casually dropped a teaser for the Nintendo Switch 2. Rumors, speculation and leaks had been going around about a sequel to the acclaimed Nintendo Switch for years, with things reaching a peak toward the end of 2024. Finally, Nintendo has revealed that the Nintendo Switch 2 is coming. 

Publisher Playtonic Friends and developer MegaWobble have announced a new expansion to Lil Gator Game! Lil Gator Game: In the Dark is currently in development for PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One & Series S/X and Nintendo Switch with a release date TBA.

"Lil Gator is back in an adorable new adventure, and this time it's bigger than ever! The In the Dark expansion will double the size (and the fun!) of the full Lil Gator Game experience and will also introduce a host of new characters! In this charming expansion, new adventures and friends are just beneath the surface - literally! Get ready to ‘cave in’ to the fun and find that you’re ‘stalag’- right where you belong! There’s a new buddy in every cave and crevasse to help you on your journey in this exciting new, BIG, underground adventure!"

New to Lil Gator? PlayTonic Friends will also be releasing a special Gator of the Year Edition which combines the Lil Gator Game base game and the In the Dark expansion in one fun-filled package! Check out the announcement trailer below!

When I was young, in grade school, and when I visited my grandma, my uncle lived with her at the time and had an SNES, while I had a Genesis. He always played 3 games when I visited: Super Mario World, Final Fantasy 6 and Chrono Trigger. I think this memory is what kicked off my love of RPGs but I remember Chrono Trigger always being the one that always eluded me in trying to find ways to play it. It wasn't until I got my PS1 where I got the chance to play Final Fantasy 4 and Chrono Trigger in the Final Fantasy Chronicles pack. And over 20 years later, I decided to give Chrono Trigger another try to see if It still held up. I picked up the Steam version which is the most accessible version at this time, So let's see if one of the best RPGs of all time still holds up today. 

Ever wanted to shapeshift into a fierce beast and take on enemies as your friend rides on your back and fights with you in an action RPG? Well Coridden is finally giving you that chance! Anshar Publishing, and two-person development team, Aftnareld, have revealed their upcoming co-op, creature-riding Action RPG, Coridden, will be launching for PC on January 29, 2025. Jump in solo or with up to 4 players as you shapeshift between your human form and the beasts you defeat. Upgrade both your human and beast skills as you advance through an action-packed, vibrant world and attempt to uncover the dark secrets that lie within. Wishlist here and check out the new trailer below! More details below the trailer, too.