video games

Halo is back. For fans of Xbox’s signature series, it’s been nearly a half-decade since the release of underwhelming spinoff, Halo Wars 2, and over 6 years since the last title in the main series (the divisive Halo 5). But with Halo Infinite, Master Chief is finally back to blast and smash his way back into everyone’s consoles, PCs and hearts. While the monetization system for the multiplayer has been predictably criticized, Halo Infinite is generally a return to form for the series, with the gameplay, narrative, and environment that fans have come to expect from one of the most recognizable video game franchises in history. Halo Infinite also marks a pair of significant anniversaries for the franchise, with the original launch of the first game coming 20 years ago last month and the remas...

As is the case with many video games published by Annapurna Interactive, there’s nothing quite like A Memoir Blue on the market. The upcoming title developed by Cloisters Interactive will undoubtedly be labeled as “games as art,” “interactive story” and a whole lot of other relatively meaningless subgenres to say that it boasts a unique narrative rather than action-heavy gameplay, but Shelley Chen’s first project as creative director and driving force is still going to catch plenty of people by surprise. For starters, there’s no text or spoken dialog. The entire tale — which happens to be about the ups and downs of a championship-winning swimmer named Miriam — is told entirely through the player’s interactions and song, leaving plenty of space for interpretation and imagination to fill in ...

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...