April 2014

On this episode of Snack Time, Chris Ingersoll uses his Monster Hunter expertise to help Graham navigate the wild world of quest-based creature-slaying. They’re joined by Andrew and Henry to talk about 25 years of Game Boy, Trials Fusion, new Skylanders, Wii U recommendations and more!

To watch the show and chat with us live, check out this page every other Wednesday at 8 p.m. Eastern and follow us on Twitter for special streams.

Genre 101 looks at the past and present of a game genre to find lessons about what defines it. In this installment, Graham talks with Chris Dominowski about the Japanese-style action-RPG. READ MORE

multitapPCbest

As the PC’s Big Picture era progresses, the viability of the computer as a local multiplayer machine increases at a steady clip. Looking to jump into your own Steam-powered setup? Here’s the best the PC has to offer for fans of local multiplayer titles. READ MORE

conception2a

The JRPG is going through an oddly fruitful point in its life right now. On one hand, it is undeniable that the genre lacks the cachet that it had during the 32-bit era, and it is doubtful it will ever reclaim that. However, publishers like Atlus, Nippon Ichi and XSEED  long regarded as some of the biggest risk-takers in publishing have taken it upon themselves to ensure that many of the more offbeat titles in the genre actually make it outside of Japan. That has never happened on this scale before, and it is the only way that a game like Conception II would have ever seen the light of day in English-speaking territories. READ MORE

ngpflight

When I was young, one of the biggest appeals of games to me was fulfilling a fantasy, as it may have been for a lot of people. Many turned to RPGs or action games to meet this demand, allowing them to live in worlds beyond their wildest imaginations, but I found myself deeply involved in more niche affairs. I’ve discussed my love for games that involved sailing, especially pirate-themed titles, but it wasn’t the only thing I found myself passionate about at a young age. What if you could take to the skies? Flying a plane, whether modern or from a bygone era of air travel, became something I loved to see recreated.

Luckily for me, it didn’t take long for me to discover its potential in games and learn its true importance in the medium as a whole.

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