Culture

On March 31, 2016, times were simpler. Obama was president. Harambe was alive. Global pandemics were reserved for sci-fi movies. Things were generally going pretty well. To make things even better, that was the day when developer and creative director Alx Preston of Heart Machine released Hyper Light Drifter into the world. An acclaimed and refreshing indie title that paid tribute to classic 16-bit action RPGs, Hyper Light Drifter became an immediate fan favorite and award winner for a number of reasons — particularly the unique and unforgettable score that was equal parts nostalgic and futuristic. Richard Vreeland (better known as Disasterpeace) was the one behind the now-iconic soundtrack, which soon became one of the most sought-after vinyls in the entire industry. At the time, Vreeland...

As players of Supermassive Games’ previous titles — like Until Dawn, Man of Medan, and Little Hope — know, there’s nothing quite like the horror movie-esque video games in The Dark Pictures Anthology. They’re equal parts narrative-driven video game and campy scary movie, and they’re generally perfect for their annual fall release dates. This year’s addition of House of Ashes is no different, bringing in an actor or two that TV and film fans would recognize (primarily Ashley Tisdale this time around) and immediately putting the group of playable characters into a possibly deadly situation full of frights. As per usual, they also brought back veteran composer and horror expert Jason Graves (Dead Space, Tomb Raider, Moss) to complete his fifth terrifying soundtrack in the last six years for t...

If you haven’t checked out the video game version of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy yet, it’s far better than you think it’s going to be. From the exciting combat to the gripping narrative and dialogue that’s way more emotionally powerful than pretty much anyone expected, Guardians is pretty much the full package as far as what one could want from an action-packed single-player linear title. Oh, and of course it has an absolutely incredible soundtrack to go along with it. With tracks ranging from the orchestral to the electronic to the ‘80s tunes you’ve come to expect from Star-Lord and his crew, Richard Jacques (Mass Effect, James Bond 007: Blood Stone, Headhunter) shows why he’s been one of the United Kingdom’s most sought-after musical minds for the past quarter-century. Plus there’s ...

Even just a handful of years ago, the Yakuza series was viewed as a “big in Japan” IP that hadn’t quite crossed over into the rest of the world yet. Something about the contemporary Japanese setting, complex characters, and often wild storylines just didn’t work for the Western crowd. But (as we mentioned in our Yakuza: Like a Dragon feature last year) that’s all changed now. Audiences around the world have caught up to what Japanese fans have known since 2005 and now embrace the series — and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s related projects, like last month’s Lost Judgment. The sequel to 2019’s (or 2018’s, for Japan) Judgment, the latest title once again features private detective Takayuki Yagami doing what he does best by investigating a suspected criminal. As per usual, the tale takes some twists...

In the world of co-op zombie-killing games, Left 4 Dead pretty much set the standard in 2008 and never looked back. To this day, it’s still considered the peak of the genre by many, which is why a ton of folks are excited about the team at Turtle Rock Studios returning to the genre for the first time in a dozen years with Back 4 Blood. If you’ve somehow missed the thousands of commercials and advertisements across a multitude of platforms, Back 4 Blood is an intense, action-packed first-person shooter where you and three teammates face off against a seemingly endless horde of the “Ridden” — conventionally known as zombies and other undead monstrosities. It’s a post-apocalyptic bloodbath that requires teamwork, nerves of steel, and a whole lot of bullets. To provide the right type of atmosp...

When it comes to sandbox first-person shooters and open-world action-adventure video games where you can shoot, destroy, and/or blow up just about anything, few names top Far Cry. Ever since setting the bar for the genre in 2012 with Far Cry 3, the games have gone in a wide variety of directions — from the neon ‘80s movie of the Blood Dragon expansion to the prehistoric spinoff Primal to the rural midwestern slaughter of Far Cry 5. But no matter the setting, a few things are always true for Far Cry games. Players know they’re going to get dozens of hours worth of high-octane action, all while set in a beautiful surrounding and a surprisingly deep cast of characters. Each game is like an extremely violent location to a new locale, and you occasionally meet a questionable person that you’ll ...