Gaming
Gaming culture, reviews, and the strategy breakdowns from people who put in the hours — for players who want more than a review score out of ten.
The Guide to What Actually Makes a Game Feel Good (or Bad) to Play
"This game feels good" or "this game feels off" are common reactions with specific, nameable causes underneath them almost every time. This guide collects the mechanical reasons behind the feeling, fr…
by Derek Chen · 🦁 22 · 💬 6 · 3 months ago
The strategy game rule I stole from chess and never looked back
Chess players talk about not moving a piece until you've considered what your opponent's best response is — not just whether your move looks good in isolation. I started applying the same discipline t…
by Ray Kimura · 🦁 10 · 💬 0 · 3 months ago
Pro Jank Footy: The Chaotic Charm of Explaining Aussie Rules Through Absurdity
David Ashby and Broden Kelly are channeling the notoriously bewildering sport of Australian Rules Football into a new video game, Pro Jank Footy. This title promises a chaotic, comedic take on the spo…
by Derek Chen · 🦁 5 · 💬 0 · 1 month ago
The save-file habit that changed how I actually play games
I used to save constantly, right before every remotely risky decision, which meant every choice in a game felt reversible and therefore weightless. At some point I switched to a self-imposed rule: sav…
by Derek Chen · 🦁 8 · 💬 0 · 3 months ago
Metroid Turns 40: The Mechanical Genius of Solitude and Discovery
This year marks the fortieth anniversary of Metroid, a game that launched in Japan in 1986 and profoundly reshaped how we think about video game design and heroism. Beyond its groundbreaking mechanics…
by Derek Chen · 🦁 4 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
The controller setting nobody changes that fixed my aim overnight
I spent years blaming my own reflexes for inconsistent aim in shooters before discovering that my controller's default stick sensitivity and acceleration curve were fighting against my actual playstyl…
by Ray Kimura · 🦁 6 · 💬 0 · 3 months ago
Why I turned off the minimap and started paying attention to the actual level
Turning off the minimap in games that offer the option felt like it would make me worse at navigating. It did the opposite — I started actually reading level design, using landmarks and sightlines the…
by Derek Chen · 🦁 6 · 💬 0 · 3 months ago
Family farewells: how game choice shapes emotional goodbyes
Dominik Diamond recently shared the poignant decision to hold a final video game session as his family of five, together for two decades, prepared to go their separate ways. This powerful scenario und…
by Derek Chen · 🦁 4 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
Halo Remake's Challenge: Recapturing 00s Magic Amidst Industry Shift
The 25th-anniversary remake of Halo: Combat Evolved, titled Halo: Campaign Evolved, has arrived on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 5, offering both a modernized introduction and a nostalgic journey. This re…
by Derek Chen · 🦁 4 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
EA FC 27's New Social Hub: A Potential Game Changer for Community Play
EA Sports FC 27, the latest iteration of the globe's dominant football simulation franchise, is set to arrive on September 25. Recent insights from a hands-on preview in Vancouver reveal a mix of expe…
by Derek Chen · 🦁 3 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
Why I replay games on purpose-built bad hardware
I own a CRT television specifically for a handful of games designed before flat panels existed, and no, this isn't nostalgia cosplay — the games are provably worse on modern displays, in ways their designers explicitly b...
by Ray Kimura · 🦁 5 · 💬 1 · 3 months ago
The 6-second rule that makes or breaks a game's combat
Ask a game designer why one combat system feels satisfying and another feels like a chore, and the honest answer is usually about input feedback timing, not difficulty or complexity — specifically, how quickly and clearl...
by Derek Chen · 🦁 5 · 💬 1 · 3 months ago
Grand Designs Meets Ghostbusters: A Surreal Twist on Haunted Hotel Renovation
A new game titled "There Are No Ghosts at the Grand" is set to challenge conventional gaming narratives, blending renovation simulation with supernatural investigation and a hefty dose of British ecce…
by Derek Chen · 🦁 4 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
Fields of Mistria: How New Farming Sims Build on Stardew Valley's Magic
Fields of Mistria is quickly garnering buzz as a notable new entry in the thriving farming simulator genre. It highlights a fascinating trend: developers are building upon the foundational success of …
by Derek Chen · 🦁 3 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
Splatoon Spinoff Fails to Splatter: Run-of-the-Mill Raiders Review
A recent review for Splatoon Raiders, the first single-player offshoot in Nintendo's beloved ink-slinging franchise, paints a grim picture. Despite the main series' reputation for innovative mechanics…
by Derek Chen · 🦁 4 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
Apple Crumble: When Family Becomes Suspects in a 'Sad Grandma Game'
Happy Broccoli Games, known for the recently released Duck Detective, has revealed details about its intriguing follow-up: Apple Crumble. This upcoming title pivots from a lighthearted avian mystery t…
by Derek Chen · 🦁 4 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Revives A Dormant Legacy
After nearly a decade of silence, the legendary Castlevania series is set to re-emerge this October with 'Belmont's Curse.' This isn't just another sequel; it's a momentous return for a franchise that…
by Derek Chen · 🦁 4 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
The difficulty spike everyone blames on the game is usually a tutorial failure
Players blame a sudden difficulty spike on bad game balance far more often than the real cause: the game taught a mechanic once, briefly, several hours before it becomes mandatory, and most players simply forgot it exist...
by Derek Chen · 🦁 4 · 💬 1 · 3 months ago
Microsoft's Gaming Restructure: The Mechanics of Xbox's New Direction
On July 6, 2026, Microsoft announced significant job cuts impacting approximately 4,800 employees globally, with a substantial 3,200 of these coming from its Xbox gaming division. This sweeping restru…
by Derek Chen · 🦁 4 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
Backrooms: How a Glitch Aesthetic Spawned a Cultural Phenomenon
The online horror phenomenon known as the Backrooms, which is even slated for a major movie adaptation by 2026, began its journey in May 2019 with a simple, unsettling image and 78 words of text on 4c…
by Derek Chen · 🦁 3 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago