Ray McGill's Top Games of 2021

Ray McGill's Top Games of 2021

2021 was a shitty year for sure, and I am not heading into 2022 with much confidence. However, while society falls apart, video games have been pretty great. That was a depressing, yet also probably trite sentence to write at the end of this year. While society continues to grapple with sickness on unprecedented scales, it becomes more the role of video games to make our lives feel more normal, more fun. In a year where I had only recently been to a movie theater, and where I don’t feel comfortable at things like bars, the stories and experiences we take in come increasingly through a screen at home. Whether that be a television, computer screen, tablet, or phone, we need to have fun, and be able to remind ourselves not everything is doom and gloom all of the time. That being said, maybe don’t use the television to watch the news…

Review: Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon

Review: Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon

Shovel Knight is a masterpiece. That’s a buzzword I don’t like to throw around recklessly, but it rings true here. Shovel Knight’s humor, gameplay, homage to classic games, as well as its music and art, are second to none, and it is without question one of the best games of the past ten years. It’s because of this that I jump at the chance to play anything Yacht Club Games puts out, especially if they’re feeling confident enough to attach the Shovel Knight IP.

Puzzle games are also one of my weaknesses, so Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon was a must-play for me. Pocket Dungeon does a marvelous job of blending the things that make Shovel Knight great with classic puzzle game ideas, all while bringing something entirely unique to the table.

Review: Flynn, Son of Crimson

Review: Flynn, Son of Crimson

With the desire for first-class nostalgic experiences being at an all-time high when it comes to gaming, we have seen a surge of retro-stylized games in the recent years. All genres are having life breathed into them again. And when it comes to the 2D action platformer that is Flynn, Son of Crimson, it feels as if you re-entered a wonderful epoch of gaming history.

What the Hell is Inscryption?

What the Hell is Inscryption?

Author: Rich Meister

This thing started as a review be the more I typed, the harder it got to dance around the things that make Daniel Mullins’ latest card-based adventure so cool. Sure the card mechanics play a big part; I’m a sucker for a good card game, but more than that, it’s the weird story being told and the mysterious way it unfolds that make it this year’s must-play game.

Review: Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy

Review: Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy

Author: Rich Meister

I’m a comic book nerd. It’s not something I’m shy about, nor in the year 2021 is it an unusual thing. That’s why I get to write a review for a Guardians of the Galaxy video game without having to go into elicit detail about who the fuck Groot is. That’s weird, but it's also kind of amazing.

On the subject of the modern popularity of comic book characters with the success of Insomniac’s Spider-man and their Wolverine adaption on the horizon we might be gearing towards a reality where Marvel games come out every year just like MCU films. I know that might sound like a bad idea, but if they’re all more like Eidos-Montreal’s Guardians of the Galaxy and less like Crystal Dynamic’s Avengers, then it might be an exciting prospect.