H.P. Lovecraft is one of the most beloved horror authors of the last century, which won’t come as a surprise since he has inspired countless movie directors, writers and, naturally, videogame designers. While reviewing Daughter of Serpents, I’ve mentioned my sensation that many times, titles that are “somewhat” inspired by Lovecraft seem to actually fare…
I had the pleasure to talk with artist Craig Stitt, he worked on the art department with software houses like Sega Technical Institute and Insomniac Games and designed characters ranging from Sonic the Hedgehog to Spyro the Dragon. In this interview we went over several of the titles he worked on, from Sonic 2 to…
It is kind of reassuring how gaming is slowly going back in time in regards to technology, because sure one could argue that games need fancy graphics, multiplayer components and breakneck action to be considered of interest for the general public at large. But, if the objective is just tugging at one’s heartstrings, then visual…
In the infamous history of the years long battle of Nintendo versus Sega, the usual narrative depicts two Japanese companies pitted against each other. Personally, I also see a little of “Japan vs USA”. Indeed, both companies saw unexpected success in the ol’ United States during the late 80s and 90s, while trying to appeal…
Trapped in a sprawling Egyptian tomb, oxygen constantly running out, stalked by monsters and creepy crawlers after my blood constantly… Wait, is such a game appropriate for a child? Well, it sure was for four-year-old me! I loved that feeling of being endlessly stuck in a dusty suffocating sphinx full of sarcophagi and snakes, desperately…
I’ve mentioned visual novels a few times on my blog: a genre interesting first and foremost because it caters more to readers than generic “gamers”. Or, at least, to how that mysterious figure is usually described by the press and the industry itself. Eliza would really seem to be no exception in this broad category.…
During the 80s and most of the 90s, console games were designed to appeal to a young audience, while home/personal computer titles were – usually – meant for an older public. Still, as most gamers know, this doesn’t imply in the slightest that console titles were simpler or, god forbid, kid-friendly. Ninja Gaiden or Contra…
Why can’t bicycles work like helicopters? The Commodore 64 hidden gem Mancopter does not really provide us a straight answer but, there are plenty of good reasons. But the question still stands, wouldn’t it be nice to fly around in a comfy helibike controlled by the magical power of our own quadriceps? Also, wouldn’t it be…
Amanita Design should definitely be a familiar name for adventure games fans: the Czech studio has been around since the early 00s, even though they only recently managed to break through and reach a bigger audience, also through smaller titles like Pilgrims. Machinarium, probably their biggest hit so far, has been a clear inspiration for…
In this second, and final, part of the Buck Rogers retrospective, we will take a look at the much less lauded continuation of the first game, Matrix Cubed, and then, finally, I will explain the reasons why I feel both games are still relevant all these years later. Prepare for one last launch. Matrix Cubed,…