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This Week in Games - Aren't You Tired Of Being The Hero Of The Wilds? Don't You Just Want To Go Ape-Mode?
Jean-Karlo gets hyped for the upcoming Zelda release, discusses Congress' foray into the Sony-Microsoft spat, and spotlights game preservation efforts after the shuttering of the 3DS store.
― Welcome back, everyone! It looks like we're all having fun with the Resident Evil 4 remake! I must be honest; I didn't think Capcom could pull it off—but they did. It's entirely debatable and ultimately down to ...
This Week in Games - A Farewell To Legs
We might be saying goodbye to Ryza as a game protagonist, but she'll be back in her own anime! Also, some good news for a well-known Resident Evil modder and the push for a new American McGee's Alice game.
― Welcome back, everyone! It's been an emotional week. Between the death of Lance Reddick, whose presence in Destiny 2 was beloved by many of its fans, and the release of Atelier Ryza 3, we've had ...
This Week in Games - Pikachu Didn't Like That
Jean-Karlo weighs in on The Pokémon Company International's job listing related to Web3, a slimy new beat-'em-up straight from the '80s, and a new entry in the Touhou Project universe!
― Welcome back, everyone! It's been seven, and we've had some fun behind the scenes in this neck of the woods. Not only have we been able to get cracking on some fun projects I'm sure you guys will enjoy reading about ...
This Week in Games - Welcome To The Next Saiyan Level
It's Ángel's birthday, so Jean-Karlo takes the opportunity to gush about the beloved KOF character and SNK games' unique history in Mexico. Also, Twitch cracks down on deepfakes, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi returns and more in This Week in Games!
― Welcome back, everyone! I hope you're looking forward to starting your weekend with some game news! I could definitely use a break, I had a very busy...
This Week in Games - If 'JRPG' is a Dirty Word, It's America's Fault
In a recent interview, Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida shared his distaste for the term "JRPG" and he has a good reason: the American game industry has mocked it for decades.
― Welcome back, everyone! We've had a heavy week behind the scenes; a number of time-sensitive projects have kept us from Xenoblade Chronicles 3. I wish I could say I was busy because I was breaking in my PS5 with Drago...
This Week in Games - We Finally Arrived At The Sony Factory
Lots of Sony news this week, with a State of Play, classic JRPG additions to PlayStation Plus, and more! Also, our columnist finally has a PlayStation 5 now.
― Welcome back! I hope you guys had a great week! Progress was halted on Xenoblade this week because of a number of projects that came my way. We also had a freak snowstorm in my city! Being from the tropics, snow and hail amuse me, even though ...
This Week in Games - You Go, Big Guy!
A popular VTuber gets a break in the latest Yakuza-related title, you can get a chance to clean up after Shinra's latest environmental disaster, and more gaming news in This Week in Games!
― Welcome back, everyone! We had a busy week this past week; we had a review for EA and Koei Tecmo's Wild Hearts go up earlier this week. Feel free to check it out! Sadly, it definitely got in the way of me being a...
This Week in Games - The First Nintendo Direct of 2023
Jean-Karlo breaks down the biggest announcements from this week's Nintendo Direct, including new Pikmin, Metroid, and Splatoon news. PLUS: a look at the Final Fantasy X kabuki play!
― Welcome back, everyone! Whole lotta disappointing news out there. Worst of all, I couldn't even play much Xenoblade 3, but that's because we have some coverage planned for an upcoming title. Look forward to it sometime ...
This Week in Games - E3, I barely knew ye
What was once the go-to event for new games and consoles looks like it's lost its fandom relevancy. Jean-Karlo breaks down the recent news, including new game announcements!
― Welcome back, everyone! I hope that freak freeze billowing over the country doesn't have you guys trapped. I know folks have really been feeling the ice down in Texas. Even in my town, it's viciously cold in the mornings; there...
This Week in Games - It Feels Like 2008 All Over Again
Jean-Karlo dives into the recent rumor of a "lost" Fire Emblem game, why Hi-Fi Rush isn't the Jet Set Radio successor he wants, and how AI helped botch the Persona 3 Portable remaster.
― Hello, everyone! Here we are again, on the verge of the weekend. We've got tons of fun stuff to talk about this week! The year is starting to kick in with plenty of awesome stuff to discuss. Unfortunately, not all of...
This Week in Games - "We Have Odin Sphere and Final Fantasy Tactics At Home"
Dokapon Kingdom: Connect is coming back to ruin your friendships, Vanillaware's Sword of the Vagrant is coming stateside, and Jean-Karlo discusses the massive layoffs at Microsoft in This Week in Games!
― Hey, yeah, so Maximilian Dood described Vampire Survivors as "video game crack," and uh... he's not kidding. I feel like that bit in The Simpsons where Marge sits down and sips a glass of wine. ("I ...
This Week in Games - Asimov's Laws Didn't Account For Godwin's Law
An AI VTuber proves that the internet is still the worst place to raise a (virtual) child. We also have updates on three new anime-related games, a classic console release, and new characters in KOFXV!
― Well, this was a week! In a twist that I hope served as a positive surprise to everyone, Yours Truly was invited back to This Week In Anime yesterday for a special collab on Toka Gettan: The Moonligh...
This Week in Games - Leonardo Leads, Donatello Does Machines
More accessibility is coming to PlayStation via Project Leonardo. Jean-Karlo discusses the new controller options, a visual novel for Hololive fans, and the latest game in the Fate franchise. It's This Week in Games!
― Welcome to 2023! I hope your pets didn't suffer too badly with the New Years' fireworks people kept firing off. My landlady's dog had to curl up on my bed for a bit, he was so anxious—...
This Week in Games - One More Before The Clock Strikes Twelve
Microsoft points the finger at the FTC, Robert Woodhead's Wizardry legacy continues, and Build-A-Bear expands its Pokémon line-up in This Week in Games!
― So here we are—the last TWIG of the year. I've only been doing this for a few months, but as I wrap up this year's column, I can't help but feel a little wistful. I'm glad you guys have come back to read this week's column, and I hope you can spend...
This Week in Games - T'was The TWIG Before Christmas
Wake up, it's almost Christmas! Will you spend the holidays playing as Deku in Fortnite? Also, a tribute to Ash Ketchum as he retires from Pokémon.
― Welcome back, everyone! It's the home stretch for Christmas in the U.S. (if you celebrate). With the frigid cold and the winter storms raging throughout the country, I hope folks are keeping comfortable. I'd show off my fancy decorations, but I'm bad ab...
This Week in Games - I Wanted To Ask "He's Made Of Rubber, How Did That Happen?" So Badly, You Guys
Jean-Karlo is back from San Diego and has all the details from the One Piece: Odyssey preview event! Plus: Game Awards round-up, new Mega Man Legacy Collection news, and more!
― Hi, everyone! I'm back! I had a really nice birthday week. Did I get to build my model kit? Yes! And I screwed up Dyna-Soldier's arm—the tip of the peg snapped off, so the arm can't stick onto the shoulder properly. But it wa...
This Week in Games - Chris Pratt Meets The Banana Slamma
The new Mario Bros. movie trailer reignites discussion about Chris Pratt's casting, Balan Wonderland's Yuji Naka is arrested, and Team Ninja teases a return to their classics.
― Welcome back, everyone! Apologies for the sudden absence last week; with Thanksgiving being when it was, it wasn't quite possible to get a column out. So I'm hoping folks had a fun time with people they love. And I'm also hop...
This Week in Games - And The Nominations Go To....
The Game Award nominations are public, and Jean-Karlo has a fresh pile of opinions for you! Which games deserved the nominations, and what got unfairly left out?
― I'm back from Kumoricon, guys! Things were kinda weird at the convention, but it's always great to mingle with cosplayers. And I even got to make some good conversation with some older fans! It's always worried me that it's easier for me t...
This Week in Games - Barrett Wallace Didn't Lose An Arm For This
Jean-Karlo shares his opinion on the recent Final Fantasy XVI, gets hyped for the Switch's indie game line-up, and preps for the upcoming Pokémon and Tales of releases!
― Welcome back, everyone! Another week, another batch of news! I've been swamped prepping stuff this past week, so I didn't get to play Xenoblade, but something cool did happen: ゼノブレイド3の販売本数が国内48万本、海外124万本の合計172万本でした。おめでとうございます！ pic.t...
This Week in Games - Not Too Late For Being Spoopy
Halloween is over but survival horror games are year-round. Jean-Karlo discusses the new Fatal Frame, Hideo Kojima's new elusive project, and an official, English TYPE-MOON VN release!
― Welcome back, everyone! It's been a bit of a slow week in terms of news, but a busy week for your resident ANN column writer. We haven't had much time to delve back into Xenoblade Chronicles 3, but we are working on ...
This Week in Games - It Do Be Halloween Tho
This week's column carves a little slice of horror with some Halloween game recommendations. Plus, Zelda Wiki declares independence, new info on the Final Fantasy's darker turn, and more!
― Hi, everyone! It's Halloween next week! The season crept up on me; I get blindsided by holidays really easily since I keep my head down for work so much. And speaking of work, I had a ton of it! We have a preview ...
This Week in Games - Of Hell and Witches
A big brouhaha brews over Bayonetta 3, Summer Time Rendering gets a VN adaptation, and a mountain of Silent Hill announcements in This Week in Games!
― Hey, everybody! So, last week, I didn't expect for Iono to reveal her new Pokémon as quickly as she did. I was kicking myself when Friday rolled around and she revealed Bellibolt. That's deadlines for ya, I guess, but it was still a little annoying. A...
This Week in Games - In Which We're Given Many Reasons To Smash That "Like" Button
Hideo Kojima announces his next work, we've got a shocking new trainer in Pokémon, and the foam pit at TwitchCon threatens to overshadow the entire event.
― Welcome back, everyone! It's been a bit of a busy week. This week I played through Voice of the Cards: The Beasts of Burden, which is really fun and scratches that Crimson Shroud itch. Look forward to that review in the near future! In Xenoblade ...
This Week in Games - "I'm The Mario!"
It's a voice actor-focused column this week with the release of the Super Mario Bros. movie teaser and Bayonetta news. Also Fandom snaps up GameFAQs, and Blizzard tanks Overwatch!
― Hi, everyone! It's been a busy week for us here. I've been busy covering Gundam Evolution for a review that should be out sometimes soon—look out for it, it's a fun one. Still not much to report in the Xenoblade Chronicle...
This Week in Games - What Would 2B Look Like If She Were In The Ruby-Spears Mega Man Cartoon?
Two big franchises are getting the anime treatment, Jean-Karlo explains a viral .gif, we bid farewell to Mega Man: Powered Up and more in This Week in Games!
― Welcome back, everyone! Bit of a slow week, but we could all use an easy transition as summer blends into autumn. I'm hoping everyone along the east coast is keeping safe from all the storms that have been going on lately. For my part, I haven...
This Week in Games - We Wanted To Quote Luca Blight And/Or M. Bison, But It All Sounded Too Edgelord-y
Suikoden is coming back with a fresh coat of paint, we get the lowdown on new gameplay in Street Fighter 6, and Tencent (briefly) loses control after laid off Fanbyte employees rebel on social media!
― Hello, everyone! We're in the wake of Tokyo Game Show and the one-two punch of a Nintendo Direct and a Sony State of Play, so it's time to wind down along with summer as we prepare for autumn. I just w...
This Week in Games - Everything Happens So Much
Jean-Karlo attempts to get himself out from under a pile of game announcements (and Ryza's thighs) following the double-whammy Nintendo Direct and Sony State of Play in a single day. Farming, crafting, and Yakuza are all here!
― Hey, everybody! We have a lot to cover this week. I would start with my customary Xenoblade Chronicles 3 report, but something came to my attention this past week: last week'...
This Week in Games - Love Is Stored In The Alchemist
Barrel lovers the world over (and Jean-Karlo) celebrate 25 years of Gust's Atelier series, plus the newest Pokemon, fighting game updates, and Trinity Trigger is heading stateside.
― Hello, everyone! I'm Jean-Karlo, and I actually got to play some Xenoblade Chronicles 3 this past week! Of course, I'm only in the very beginning of the game (I haven't even cracked 10 hours), so I'm still playing around...
This Week in Games - Interview with Tom Fuji, Game Designer for RPG Time: The Legend of Wright
Jean-Karlo gets the skinny on the crafty RPG, discusses the shuttering of Dragalia Lost, the crowdfunded spiritual sequel to Wild Arms, and more!
― Welcome back, everyone! We at This Week In Gaming-central have been hard at work keeping up with all the gaming news worth opining on. And as you can imagine... that means I didn't get any time to play Xenoblade Chronicles 3 this past weekend. But like I ...
This Week in Games - Discussing Captain Velvet Meteor with Producers Rinaldo Wirz & Adrian Stutz
Curious about the new strategy-action game crossing over with characters from Jump+? Jean-Karlo has an interview with its developers right here!
― Hello, my readers! It's been a bit of a hectic week for me, on the "work" side of things. A lot of really amazing projects have come my way, some game-related and some not—I hope you guys look forward to them. But being busy means that—of course—I haven't ...
This Week in Games - The Duality of Games
Goku is dancing to Gangnam Style in Fortnite. Everyone go home.
― Welcome back, everyone! It's been a long week, and we've had a lot of fun stuff come up. My review for RPG Time: The Adventure of Wright came out earlier this week; it was a very fun game to cover and I hope everyone gives the game a look. It's not often a game that charming comes along. We've got plenty of fun stuff coming down the pi...
This Week in Games - Octo-Punch
It's been a big week for fighting games. Join Jean-Karlo for all the hottest EVO news, including King of Fighters, Street Fighter, Skullgirls, and Guilty Gear!
― Welcome back, my readers! I was looking forward to today, because we have a ton of news to go over. I do want to take a moment to thank you guys for your patience last week; I had made a number of mistakes in my Fate: EXTRA recording, and fo...
This Week in Games - LOS INGOBERNABLES DE POKÉMON
It was a big week for Pokémon and Fate as we got new reveals for Scarlet/Violet and a trailer drop for Fate/EXTRA Record!
― Welcome back, everyone! It's been a week, so it's time for us to sit back down and talk about video games. You might think I wanna take some time to talk about Xenoblade Chronicles 3, but I actually want to dedicate some space to Digimon Survive. The poor game came out on the ev...
This Week in Games - We're Just Really Excited For Xenoblade 3, Okay?
Getting a copy of Xenoblade 3 might necessitate a plane ticket to NYC at this point!? Also: bid farewell to the Wii U and 3DS eShop, catch up on Dragon Quest news, and much much more!
― And so it is that we find ourselves here again. My name is Jean-Karlo and I'm happy to see you all again, if you're coming back—or for the first time, if you're new. I'm hoping you guys are having a good time—I know I...
This Week in Games - Cowboys, Pirates and Ninja
Take a stroll down memory lane with Hideo Kojima's solar-focused western Boktai, meanwhile Revy gets ninja-fied, plus a buffet of Nintendo news in This Week in Games!
― Welcome back, everyone! I've been excited to get back into this column. I was blown over by the positive reception last week, thank you all kindly for the warm welcome. As a minor note, folks trying to type my name got it a little mix...
This Week in Games - Hellos and Good-Byes
Jean-Karlo kicks off his inaugural column with a boatload of game news from new Klonoa to the actual, literal Bayonetta 3 reveal. Also some kaiju, Sega, doggirls, and an AX game round-up is all here!
― Well, with Heidi gone I guess it's time for someone new to take the reins at This Week In Games!. It's a big role to fill, you need someone passionate about the classics, with a sharp-eye for the curre...
This Week in Games - See You Next
Heidi closes out her tenure at TWIG with info on the newly revived E3, Square-Enix's title release shuffling, and where you can still follow her excellent reviews into the future.
― And here it is, my final This Week in Games column. It's been a fantastic run, y'all. There's plenty of stuff to talk about this week, but before we get into that, I want to thank you all for reading this for so long. It'...
This Week in Games - One More Direct for the Road
Heidi takes on one last Nintendo Direct before her incoming departure from the column.
― It's that time again! No, I'm not talking about Summer Games Done Quick... but you should still be watching (and donating) to that anyway. Yes, my friends, it's Nintendo Direct time again! My wish to discuss at least one more Nintendo Direct before I depart has been granted, and I am ever so thankful. A Mini Dire...
This Week in Games - Final Fantasy XVI's Goodest Boy
New Xenoblade Chronicles and Final Fantasy news dominate this week's column with a special shoutout to Torgal!
― Hey everybody! After last week's influx of big, BIG news, things are (thankfully) a bit quieter this week. I did a review of Sonic Origins over at GameSpot, where I was extremely nitpicky Nintendo launched a new Direct broadcast, but not the big, multi-game showcase we were all hoping for,...
This Week in Games - Return of the Zack
Square-Enix reveals its continuing game plan for the FFVII franchise, and Zack is looking FINE.
― Welcome back to another news-tastic This Week in Games! If you're expecting to read anything here about recent Overwatch 2-related presentations, you are gravely mistaken, because after a year of having to constantly report on increasingly awful revelations about Activision-Blizzard's fetid corporate cul...
This Week in Games - Hot Wet Leaky Summer
Leaks and new trailers abound this summer. Heidi checks out the promising new look of Street Fighter 6 and salvages what she can from the underwhelming Summer Game Fest.
― So, not long after I submitted last week's column for editing, a huge leak of Street Fighter 6 information started making the rounds. Which, given the history of Capcom in general and Street Fighter in particular, isn't terribly su...
This Week in Games - Bring out the Big Guns
June has only just started, and we've already got major updates for Final Fantasy XVI, Street Fighter VI, Pokémon, Sonic Frontiers, and more! Heidi takes a closer look.
― Jeez, June has only started, and we've already got a veritable summer avalanche of news to tackle! So, let's cut to the chase and dive into all of the hot new trailers that have dropped over the past week!
STATE OF PLAY: EVERYTHING ...
This Week in Games - Gee, it's Gundam
The world might not be in a good shape right now, but Gundam and Persona have some neat new announcements. Heidi dives in for a look.
― Ah yes, once again I am tasked with writing about videogames in the shadow of unimaginably awful bullshit happening in the world around us. It's pretty tough, not only because the shadow of terrible things is weighing heavily in your mind, but it also feels extremely...
This Week in Games - Starting Over from Zenless Zone Zero
Fresh off the success of Genshin Impact, miHoYo unveils the brand new Zenless Zone Zero. Plus, Heidi breaks down what's hilariously wrong with Activision Blizzard's Diversity Space Tool and the deal with PlayStation Plus.
― Hello again for another fine Week in Games! It's been a little while since I've done shameless self-promotion. So, before we begin, I'd like to point you over to my review of Eiyu...
This Week in Games - The Tales Mobile Curse
While Duke Nukem drama is forever, the latest Tales mobile game certainly isn't. Heidi discusses the shuttered mobage game and a kerfuffle over Street Fighter in This Week in Games!
― I don't know what I was expecting in game news this week, but I can say that I certainly didn't expect the revival of decades-old gaming drama. But here it is. Someone managed to get ahold of an old build of Duke Nukem ...
This Week in Games - What in The Fresh Hell is Going On With Square-Enix?
With Square-Enix selling off its western studios and IPs, Heidi explores what that means for the game company and where it could be headed from here.
― Hello again! It's another week with… honestly not a lot of gaming news, but what we do have is very much worth digging into.
This would normally be the time of year where E3 hype would start building… except that E3 got taken out back behind the barn ...
This Week in Games - Burning Bridges
Game producer Yuji Naka just spilled all the tea on Balan Wonderland's poor reception and he's pointing the finger at Square Enix.
― Boy, it's a messy week for online services starting with the letters TWIT, huh? There's a lot of toxicity and anger online right now, and I don't blame anyone who wants to take a break from their online lives and play The Stanley Parable for a while. For me, though, the...
This Week in Games - Nintendo and Sega, How Could You?
Micro-transactions and union-busting top the news this week as we try to figure out which Sonic Origins version to buy to get the whole game.
― Y'know, I really feel for the people who have been working for four-odd years on Digimon Survive. This week, we finally got a release date for this constantly-delayed, incredibly cursed game. Digimon Survive will end its arduous journey to retail shelves worl...
This Week in Games - Let's Talk About Kingdom Hearts
Heidi speculates on wtf is going on in the new Kingdom Hearts game and holy crap Witch on the Holy Night is getting a Western release?!
― Hi folks. Boy, uh… pretty big announcement this weekend, huh? But before we get into that, I want to touch on something very briefly: there's some controversy going down among fans of the Touhou Project about recent requests to remove downloads of the original game...
This Week in Games - Secret Gaming Shame
In today's retro and remake-focused column, Heidi reveals her secret gaming shame: she's never played The Secret of Monkey Island. Which older games have you never found the time to experience?
― It's another one of those slow news weeks, where there's no one story or stories that stand out as particularly huge that I'd need to opine over. Well, okay, there's one announcement that made my social medi...
This Week in Games - RIP E3
I don't think shitcanning the 2022 show is going to raise any confidence among potential exhibitors or attendees of a theoretical 2023 event, guys.
― Hey everyone, it's April Fools’ Day! Unfortunately, I have to submit this the day before April 1st, which means that by the time you read this, every company out there is going to be yukkin’ it up with their pranks, and I won't be able to cover any of t...
This Week in Games -The New Testament
Here's the Good News from Daisuke Ishiwatari: Testament has made a glorious return to Guilty Gear.
― Heyo! We're finally exiting the doldrums of winter to enjoy the abundant foliage of spring. Even so, many of us don't feel compelled to go outside after two months’ worth of massive game releases, capped off by Kirby and the Forgotten Land dropping today. This weekend, I'll be balancing playing that a...
This Week in Games - Final Fantasy and Cotton Fantasy
This week Heidi has all the latest gaming news, from the Sonic movie to Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin PLUS an interview with Cotton Fantasy's Shinya Nagatomo and Toshinobu Kondo!
― You know what rules? When you expect nothing out of a game – or even expect the worst – and it turns out to be great. We all have times when we anticipate a game, movie, album, or whatever and are thoroughly l...
This Week in Games - Cloudy With a Chance of Dinosaurs
Check out all the announcements from Sony's State of Play, including Exoprimal, a game that promises a whole weather system of giant reptiles.
― Hey, remember that game bundle for Ukraine relief I mentioned last week? It's now up on itch.io! It's pay-what-you-want with proceeds going to charity, and it is jam-packed with some really great indie stuff: Celeste, Baba is You, ZeroRanger, SuperHot, and h...
This Week in Games - A Little Spanish Three
Gen 9 is coming, and you'll be on your next Pokemon journey later this year!
― Hey folks! How's Elden Ring going? Dying a lot in hilariously painful ways? Yeah, I figured.
I'm sure you're aware by now, but there's some awful stuff going on in the world at the moment, and millions of civilians in Ukraine are struggling. To help out, my buddy Brandon Sheffield is organizing an indie game bundle over on...
This Week in Games - Hack the Planet
The “mystery” countdown has ended, and unsurprisingly, it's a brand-new Soul Hackers game! Plus: Street Fighter news, Nintendo's industry acquisitions, and more in This Week in Games!
― Hi! Thanks for reading my column this week. I realize a lot is happening right now, but you taking the time to read a bunch of my silly ramblings about industry goings-on means a lot to me. Hopefully I can make your d...
This Week in Games - The Final Countdown
Heidi gives the lowdown on Capcom and Atlus' latest teaser sites and discusses how small publishers are getting shafted in the name of 'content guidelines.'
― Hey folks! Lots of interesting news this week, but first, I'm going to go on a little editorial.
A statement on Martha Is Dead pic.twitter.com/bXDZu2hRP9— Wired Productions (@WiredP) February 11, 2022 Earlier this week, the developers of multi-...
This Week in Games - In Which We Discuss a Nintendo Direct
Not only is Forgotten Land looking cute and fun as heck, it's also got this adorable abomination that nobody knew they needed in their lives until right now:
― Okay, I know exactly what you all are here for this week, but indulge me for a brief moment. I want to discuss a multi-year gaming console trainwreck that's been impossible to turn away from.
I haven't talked much here about the Intellivision ...
This Week in Games - Bungie Buyout
The consolidation of the gaming industry continues with Sony picking up Halow developer Bungie right on the heels of Microsoft's Blizzard acquisition. But is this trend healthy?
― Hello again! It's February, the month where you feel just a little bit angry knowing that you're still paying full price for all of your recurring monthly bills but getting at least 2 fewer days of value. There are a lot of...
This Week in Games - Nagoshi's New Crew
Toshihiro Nagoshi of Yakuza fame has revealed the staff of his new studio. Heidi breaks down what to expect.
― Greetings, everyone! I am quite relieved today, as it was very likely TWIG might not have happened this week. I got the letter in the mail that most every adult dreads: a jury duty summons, set for the exact day I write and submit TWIG. Thankfully, I wasn't needed, which frees me up to both ...
This Week in Games - What A Twist
Good lord. What a week to be into games, am I right? I'm sure everybody has thoughts and hopes and fears about Microsoft's impending Activision-Blizzard assimilation… and I'd like to hear all of them!
― ~~ 𝒯𝓊𝑒𝓈𝒹𝒶𝓎, 𝒥𝒶𝓃 𝟣𝟪𝓉𝒽 ~~
-- 𝒜𝓅𝓅𝓇𝑜𝓍𝒾𝓂𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝟩:2𝟢 𝒜𝑀 𝒫𝒮𝒯 --
*may be slightly dramatized
Ahh, crap. Why the hell did I wake up so early? I stayed up way too late last night tidying up my Windjammers 2 re...
This Week in Games - We Never Asked for This
The reaction to Square-Enix CEO Yosuke Matsuda's New Year's letter discussing NFTs in gaming was swift and profoundly negative – it felt like everyone was dunking on its content for three straight days.
― Happy new year, everyone! I apologize for my sudden week-off – I got my COVID booster shot the day I was due to turn the column in, and I was just not feeling up to it. So, this week, we'll be catch...
This Week in Games - Final Fantasy Takes Another Hit
What's been going on with Final Fantasy XVI? It feels like forever since we first saw the game revealed. Surprise, surprise – it's suffering from COVID-related development setbacks.
― Here we are, on the final day of 2021. While it wasn't the dumpster fire that 2020 was, I don't think anyone would say it was a particularly amazing year. We did get some darn good games out of it, at least!
My original...
This Week in Games - Twisted Winter Wonderland
What is Twisted Wonderland? Heidi introduces the mobile game with designs by Black Butler's Yana Toboso. She also bids farewell to Seattle's Gameworks, a convention hangout and arcade mainstay.
― Ho ho ho! It's Christmas Eve, and before long, a good chunk of you will be savagely tearing through wrapping paper and holding those shiny new games and consoles you've been eager to play all year… after you...
This Week in Games - Sorry, Moon's Closed
Folks looking for safe a way to socialize amidst COVID, a new expansion generating massive hype, an exodus of former World of Warcraft players fed up with Activision-Blizzard's shit – it's all added up to make FFXIV the king of the MMORPG hill.
― Jeez, I had a miserable weekend. Apparently, there's some seasonal stomach bug going around, so I spent most of my Saturday and Sunday trying not to hork an...
This Week in Games - Poor Life Choices
A tribute to video game pioneer Masayuki Uemura, a welcome bunch of fighting game updates, and... sigh... The Game Awards. Heidi breaks it all down in today's beef-sized column.
― That show was three and a half hours long Okay, look, we are all well aware at this point that The Game Awards are an interminable slog of a program, sandwiching the content people want (trailers) in-between endless slices ...
This Week in Games - Save it for a Rainy Day
Heidi has the latest on Spike Chunsoft and Kazutaka Kodaka's new title, plus those of you holding out for the Dragon Maid game might want to temper your expectations.
― December has officially begun, and that means it's CRIMMASTIME! It's time to get in the mood for joy, holiday cheer, gifts, and hoarding currency in your gacha game of choice to pull those elusive, exclusive Christmas units.
It's also...
This Week in Games - Punching It Up
with Christmas just around the corner, most of season's the major new releases have already hit shelves, and now it's simply a matter of finding time to play them all. But even though the United States has a holiday weekend, the news isn't stopping just for us.
― Hi folks! I hope all of you in the U.S. had a swell Thanksgiving holiday! Hopefully you're not reading this in a Black Friday line somewher...
This Week in Games - Bobby Kotick Retire Bitch
Hearing week after week about new layers of Activision's awfulness is mentally exhausting. But it's important to address. Simply trying to ignore it while focusing on announcements or releases solves nothing and helps no one.
― The biggest story in games these past few months has been the gradual revelation of miserable work conditions and the disgusting corporate culture of Activision-Blizzard. With...
This Week in Games - Award Hopefuls
Heidi puts together her wishlist for the Game Awards!
― Hello again! Folks, this is the textbook definition of a slow news week.
Oh sure, there's news happening: the Steam Deck and the boutique handheld Playdate got delayed, but we all know supply-chain and component production issues are a thing right now, so there's not too much else to be said there. Hardware getting delayed and being in short sup...
This Week in Games - Demon Days
Heidi has the big update on now less mysterious Elden Ring, a developing pact between Sega and Microsoft, and the never-ending Blizzard debacle.
― Hee-ho, friends! It's time for another This Week in Games! Halloween might be over, but I've still got plenty of candy to snarf, and that sugar's been what's powering me through Shin Megami Tensei V, which I reviewed over at GameSpot and Jean-Karlo reviewe...
This Week in Games - Stars Align
For this week's Halloween column, Heidi investigates the "spooky" possibility of Warner Bros. making its own Smash-like fighting game. There's also the new Star Ocean game announcement—will it be a trick or a treat?
― Oh boy, oh boy, Halloween's in a couple of days! I was thinking I should do something super spooky for this week's column, but then I saw Facebook's promo reel for the “metaverse” and n...
This Week in Games - The Departed
Heidi revisits the industry contributions of the late Hiroshi Ono, known to his colleagues and fans as Mr. Dotman. ALSO: A Sega staffing shake-up and the return of Froggy Chair.
― Howdy! I'm back from my travels and ready to talk games again! Of course, since I'm a week behind, I've got a fair bit of major news to catch up on. I was in the Denver area and surroundings for a wedding, and while the foc...
This Week in Games - The End of Smash Ultimate
Years of event-level online reveals, obnoxious fan infighting, and people taking everything Sakurai posts or says as a coded hint have finally concluded. At last, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is in its complete form.
― Hello, and welcome back to This Week in Games! This time around we blah blah blah look, I know what you're here for, so let's just get into it. Boy howdy, that new Bandai-Namco Games log...
This Week in Games - Tokyo Game Show @Home
Check out the virtual Tokyo Game Show, catch-up on the Nintendo announcements, and see what re-release has Heidi (and the rest of us) scratching our heads.
― Tokyo Game Show is upon us! Unfortunately, most of us couldn't be there even if we wanted to, since it's still a royal pain in the butt to actually get through the country's COVID travel restrictions. Most of the publishers showcasing are announ...
This Week in Games - Maidragon Spirit
Things have just gone from really bad to extremely worse over at the ongoing dumpster fire that is Activision-Blizzard corporate.
― Good day, my lovely ANN audience! As I write this, we are but a few hours away from Nintendo Direct happening, but a mixture of deadlines and my obligations to run an event for Vortex Gallery means that we won't be discussing that stuff until next week. Which is fine, be...
This Week in Games - The Not Very Epic Conclusion
The gaming lawsuit that could determine the fate of gaming platforms is over. Kind of. So, who won?
― Hey folks! By the time you read this, the internet will be on the cusp of going completely bonkers over Deltarune Chapter 2. It was announced on creator Toby Fox's Undertale 6th anniversary stream that the game will be dropping at 8 PM EST today, so if you don't want spoilers, you should probably kno...
This Week in Games - Botched Launches and Many Marvels
Heidi walks us through everything new and notable from the PlayStation Showcase, and there's a lot of superheroes flying around.
― Heya folks! What have you been up to this week, gaming-wise? I've been playing the hell out of several things for various work assignments, but there's one game I wanted to make at least a little time for: World Flipper, a unique gacha-pinball hybrid mobile game packed wi...
This Week in Games - Jojo Posing? No, Jack-O Posing! (also Gamescom)
Hey kids! Have you heard of the hot new trend sweeping the nation the world the Twitterverse? Get on the ground and put your booty in the air like you just don't care, because we're talking about the Jack-O Challenge!
― Hey kids! Have you heard of the hot new trend sweeping the nation the world the Twitterverse? Get on the ground and put your booty in the air like you just don't care, because we're t...
This Week in Games - Pokemon Origins
This trailer for Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl hits every sweet spot for players with fond memories of Sinnoh, showcasing all the stuff that made that particular generation unique. Ball decorations! Union Rooms! Super Contests!
― Hey, did you all see that new Shining Force mobile game announcement? I'm not inherently anti-mobile, so I was curious to see what it would look like. And it actually ...
This Week in Games - Hot Summer Rumors
Heidi checks in from sweltering PDX to give the lowdown on the next Musou game, the continued Blizzard-Activision fallout, and that indie game showcase!
― Heyas! We're having yet more unseasonably hot days here in Portland. This summer has been miserable, but hopefully this is the last of it, because as much as I enjoy having an excuse to go to Round 1 and sit in air conditioning for several hours, I...
This Week in Games - Fighter's Finale
Sup, y'all? My editor is currently at Otakon, the first major in-person anime convention to take place in what feels like an eternity. Hey, if they're all too busy to check this, does that mean I can post anything I feel like in this column?
― ‘Sup, y'all? My editor is currently at Otakon, the first major in-person anime convention to take place in what feels like an eternity, but I'm still here at h...
This Week in Games - Cotton Candy
Heidi tries out the classic 90s arcade series Cotton, a witch-led game where fairies' lives (and exotic candy) are on the line!
― Howdy again, folks. Kind of a slow news week… kind of. It's more a case of “everything else in gaming news seems rather insignificant compared to the ongoing shitshow that is the Activision/Blizzard lawsuit and its fallout. When mainstream press outlets like The New York T...
This Week in Games - Burn It All Down
The State of California has filed a lawsuit against the company for what is being called “frat boy culture,” but that phrase, to me, minimizes the abuse far too much.
― Man, this sucks. I was all ready to write a really fun column this week about all of the new fighting game character reveals alongside an interview for a game I'm really looking forward to, and maybe talk a little bit about how great ...
This Week in Games - Mech-a-Wish
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl takes the internet by storm, and Super Robot Wars makes a surprising debut in the west via Steam. What other surprises are in store for the gaming world this week? Heidi breaks it down.
― Every once in a while, I expand the scope of this column beyond anime- and Japanese-inspired games, usually in the context of covering broader industry-wide happenings. But sometimes an an...
This Week in Games - OLED Astray
Sony's State of Play shows a lot of Death Loop and a few hotly anticipated trailers for ANN readers. ALSO the deets on thatt new Switch model!
― What's up, y'all? I heard Apex Legends got taken down for a day by angry Titanfall fans. Being mad about your game's support being de-prioritized in favor of something more popular is one thing, but throwing a big temper-tantrum and ruining the holiday weeke...
This Week in Games - PlayStation Assimilation
PlayStation announces a series of developer acquisitions, the Final Fantasy franchise gets pixeled, plus major announcements from the Mana franchise!
―
Welcome to This Week in Games.
I LIVED, BITCHES
I MAY HAVE SURVIVED AN ABSURD HEATWAVE, BUT NOW MY EYES HURT. THANKS, SQUEENIX!
Living on the West Coast along with a freelancer's schedule (go to bed at 2, wake up around 10) means that sometimes I wak...
This Week in Games - Blazing Trails
Heidi's favorite Nintendo DS game is getting a remaster, the Demon Slayer fighter game is coming stateside, and Falcom announced a boatload of new Trails titles! Find out about here in This Week in Games!
― Hey friends! How are you all doing? I'm currently trying to not die from heat, but other than that, I'm pretty OK! If you missed it, check out my Tales of Arise preview here on ANN! Also, by the t...
This Week in Games - E3 Careens Off A Cliff
Whether it was big announcements failing to land, expected showcases not materializing, companies showing next to nothing new, or the seemingly endless stream of filler, E3 found new and exciting ways to disappoint almost everybody.
― Boy, E3 2021 sure was a hot mess!
I'm not sure how much of it had to do with COVID destroying production schedules, the seeming disorganization of the event itself, or ...
This Week in Games - A Brief Respite
After some big anniversary livestreams last week, the game industry has collectively turned off the information pipeline and went into “get ready for BIG THINGS!” mode. Still, we have some info about a new, mysterious RPG, Taito's mini console, and more!
― All of a sudden, it's really quiet.
After some big anniversary livestreams last week, the game industry has collectively turned off the informatio...
This Week in Games - The Floodgates
This week was full of big announcements for two major franchises: Dragon Quest and Sonic the Hedgehog. Heidi breaks down all the new installments in This Week in Games! Which are you most looking forward to playing?
― Hi again, folks! Apologies for my absence last week, but I think I have a pretty good excuse: between surgery and my second COVID shot, I was really not feeling it. (Waking up post-surg...
This Week in Games - Scalpers' Paradise
THE PLAYSTATION 5 SHORTAGE WILL CONTINUE UNTIL MORALE IMPROVES!
― Hey hey! Welcome back to This Week in Games. It's a little bit of a light news week, which is probably for the best because, as you read this, I'll be in the hospital undergoing surgery. Nothing too major, and I should be back home for the weekend, but surgery is still not very fun in general! At least I have a bunch of Switch and PS4 ...
This Week in Games - The Abyss Beckons
Companies that have dealt with Apple and/or Epic – which is roughly 98% of the game industry – are scrambling to make sure these two firms don't accidentally leak stuff while they engage in their courtroom slapfight. Comedy all around!
― Hi again! It's another interesting week of gaming news… though, if I really wanted to, I could probably just write a whole column about the Epic vs. Apple court proc...
This Week in Games - Judgment Looms
Yoshinori Ono leaves Capcom for the Fate/Grand Order giant Delightworks and the Yakuza series spinoff Judgment's latest update is teasing...SOMETHING!
― Heya folks! Well, it's the end of April, and so far, 2021's been a great year for gaming. The release schedule is calming down a bit in May, but I can understand why – most publishers really don't want to compete with Resident Evil Village. Lady Dimi...
This Week in Games - Ace Greatness
We're finally getting the The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles with not-Sherlock! Also: who pulled the plug on the Sakura Wars mobile game? Heidi talks all of this and more in This Week in Games!
― Heya folks! Hope you're all doing well. I'm finally scheduled to get my first vaccine next week, which means that hopefully I'll feel comfortable going out to gaming gatherings and arcades again soon! It feel...
This Week in Games - Obey Your Thirst
The newest Resident Evil Showcase means Lady Dimitrescu's trending on Twitter again! Plus: E3 update and Nintendo's Indie Showcase!
― Hey folks! So, where did we leave off last week? Ah, right, NEO: The World Ends with You got a new trailer! Let's check that out again to refresh our memory. We've got a release date of July 27th, 2021. That's not too far off! The date has some significance, as July 27...
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