Author: AndresPlays

Six months passed by in the blink of an eye, and I, AndresPlays, take the time to think about the video games that have impacted me the most this 2026. It’s that time of the year again. The one where AndresPlays has a micro-existential crisis because I just realized we’re halfway through the year. Wait, what? Oh yeah, I also take a walk down memory lane and think about all the incredible games that this year has given us so far already. And to think that there is so much more to come soon. Good luck to everyone in September.…

An opinion piece in which I think about where gaming as a whole is heading and if there will even be a place for me in it. The first time I went to Times Square, like every other person in the world, I was stunned. To add insult to injury, a middle-aged man passed by with his wife and uttered a term I heard for the first time: sensory overload. It’s been a decade since, but I keep going back to that moment as I wrap up this gaming-filled June. First, remakes, remasters, and juggernaut AAA reveals stacked Summer Game…

Dracs After Dusk is a Western paranormal arcade shooter that takes a page from classic old-school quarter munchers to make you yearn for the good old days. The model of the arcade video game dictated much of what these could be for many years before the advent of console gaming. Made for impressionable young kids, the goal ultimately veered towards spending all their parents’ quarters in one fell swoop. “Insert Credit” became a ubiquitous phrase. Pac-Man, the infamous FMV Dragon’s Lair, and a personal favorite, Captain Commando, had a high difficulty ceiling geared for replayability in exchange for one more…

HYPERWIRED is a top-down twin-stick shooter like many other games before it, but its unique spin on the genre by plugging into space sockets offers a fresh take. Video game genres do not mean much nowadays. That is mainly because it feels like everything is a mashup better described as “genre-defying.” The joke that a game can be described as a “roguelike deckbuilder metroidvania” is repeated more often than not. But the truth of the matter is that these descriptors conjure images in our heads that help us clearly identify what to expect when trying a new video game. So,…

Witchspire is out now in Early Access, and its magical open world is still a work in progress, but one with much potential that is only heightened with friends. Witches have formed part of the collective unconscious for millennia. Taking an array from the wicked to the benevolent, there are certain images that you can attribute to them. Their bond to nature is unbreakable. Spells usually take an elaborate shape that requires obscure ingredients to obtain. Finally, you will always find them with a familiar, a talking animal that will never leave their side. Witchspire opts for the kinder route…

Clockfall is a time-based roguelite Action RPG that focuses on quick runs to improve on each one as fast as you can go another round. Its Early Access release shows much promise. It is an immutable law of this universe that time will always move forward. In fantasy, it is the aspiration to manipulate, bend, and control it that commonly the antagonists try to possess. How to combat the fatigue of the roguelite? By taking this concept and putting it at the core of it. Clockfall is the latest roguelite, out now in Early Access, challenging the idea that we…

Deer & Boy looks from the surface like a gentle walk through nature with its titular characters but reveals a deep, powerful tale that will stick with players long after the credits roll. When I was younger, I always lamented that the dogs I owned over the years did not pay much attention to me. They would bark when they needed food or scratch the door when it was time to go out, but not much else. I never knew what that special connection with a pet would feel like. Until I met Lunita. Not only is she an adorable…

Letter Lost is a mysterious tale developing in a paranormal post office. Inspired by escape rooms, its cozy job environment works well with its spookier tendencies. Have you ever thought that there is more to life? As if this reality is a facade that you have always thought is a lie. That if a genie magically appeared, your only wish would be to take a peek behind the curtain. 2017’s film Under The Silver Lake portrays a young man finding a conspiracy reaching all the way to the higher rungs of society in Los Angeles. Through hieroglyphs known as the…

Shroomwood is a top-down bullet hell shooter with big promises that it has yet to fill. Planning to release in Early Access, it could do with a few tweaks. As part of the Steam Bullet Fest, I was able to try the demo of Shroomwood. As a big fan of top-down bullet hell games, this one piqued my interest. Citing classics like Enter the Gungeon, I readily headed into what the game had to offer. And it works. Granted, there is not a high bar to clear when playing games from this genre. That does not mean that anyone can…

Xbox had a remarkable showcase this past Sunday, but with it, it revealed its misguided plan to bring back players. It will not save them. If you clicked on this article, you already know what I am going to say. But I am still going to say it because it irritates me to my core. Xbox proudly announcing the return of console exclusives is a deeply misguided move. Not only has it been proven that players will happily support their games on other platforms, but this igniting of the console wars is archaic, to say the least. Yes, longtime Xbox…