Jack Zustiak

Few things in life hurt more than losing a loved one. It’s a tough subject, so I admire Tales of Kenzera: Zau for choosing to essentially be all about it. Video games sit in a unique position where they can convey empathy and emotion by directly placing you in

Pepper Grinder keeps you moving forward. Armed with a drill and a propensity for ramming it into whatever stands in front of you, you’ll constantly find new ways to push onwards as you play. The steady momentum of the game creates distinctive platforming challenges that stay fresh throughout its

Jack: As a kid, video games felt infinite. I didn’t know how they were made and I didn’t have access to the internet to find out. This lack of information created a wonderful illusion: I could finish a game and generally know what was in it, but I

Inspiration can strike at any time and the result can take many forms. Berserk Boy demonstrates those principles literally. This is a 2D platformer that wears its inspirations on its sleeve: Mega Man, Azure Striker Gunvolt, and a touch of Sonic the Hedgehog for good measure. That’s alright – everything

Platformers are perhaps the purest genre of video games. It’s just you, the challenge the developers have set before you, and an assortment of tools to overcome it. Sure, there may be baddies to bash along the way sometimes, but for the most part any “combat” is really just

Momodora: Moonlit Farwell is the video game equivalent of a mild Spring day. Entering its world feels both warm and familiar. Everything looks beautiful. Much like a gentle breeze, it pushes you forward at an even pace while later offering just enough resistance to keep things interesting. I enjoy Spring

Ultros undoubtedly stands out. With its radical visual style and a horde of unusual subsystems, you won’t be confusing it with the mountain of other games “like Metroid” available these days. Those distinctive flairs are Ultros’s greatest strengths and its greatest weaknesses. Ultros cleverly reinterprets a familiar game

Fighting games often struggle with things that are fundamental to justifying their existence. They need to balance simplicity to gain new players while adding complexities to keep the hardcore audience invested. Sequels and revisions need to change things up, yet not so much that it alienates fans of the last