Author: Zach Barbieri

Initiation is the sincerest form of flattery, or so they say. In the video game industry, it is also a prevalent practice for a game developer to hit the nail on the head, have a winning combination, and for others to take notice and try their hand at the same. It’s a double-edged sword to attempt this, though, with something so readily apparent to compare your game to. Thus is the case with Wild Hearts S, the Nintendo Switch 2 port of the console game from Koei Tecmo studio Omega Force (yes, the Dynasty Warriors team), which drew heavy inspiration…

Nintendo has announced several price rises for the original Switch family, including consoles and more. Accompanying this are warnings of additional price hikes down the line, including the Nintendo Switch 2, which was released back in June, as well as video games, and the Nintendo Switch Online membership. These price rises are being stated to be “based on market conditions,” according to Nintendo, and will take effect on August 3rd. This announcement follows a month after the company suggested price rises were coming to Canada, a decision that was also “based on market conditions.” Nothing further has been outlined yet by…

During the Nintendo Direct held today, Bandai Namco announced Once Upon A Katamari, the first new console game in the long-running series in over a decade. The last game released in the series was Touch My Katamari, which was released for the PlayStation Vita in 2011. Remakes of the original Katamari Damacy and its sequel, We Love Katamari, have both received remasters on modern platforms in 2018 and 2023, respectively. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Wo0qRu5EPM Beyond simply seeing the Prince roll his way around a quirky and goofy take on Japan, this time we will see the Katamari travel between multiple time periods of…

Rounding out the Nintendo Partners Direct was two games announced by Square Enix, a new IP, and a prequel to the popular Octopath Traveler franchise, entitled Octopath Traveler 0. The game is set to launch on December 4, 2025, for the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, as well as the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC. This will mark the first time the franchise has released a game on all platforms at launch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENHXHzvMx-g Another first for the series will be the ability to customize your main character as the player sets out on a “journey of…

Rounding out the Nintendo Partners Direct held today, Square Enix showcased new RPG titles to feature the HD-2D aesthetic that was popularized for the company with Octopath Traveler. While one of these titles was in fact a new Octopath Traveler Game, the other was a new IP entitled The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, which looks like a combination of a few different games under Square Enix’s Belt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-zycj_tJgo Set in the Kingdom of Hurter, where the titular character Elliot sets off to investigate a mysterious set of ruins that has been found. Once there, he discovers a door…

One of the things that has come from the gaming market, where indie games can flourish, is that genres often dominated by one or two titles have exponentially grown. Take, for instance, the Management and city builder genre that had only a few games in it, a few experiences to have, and now you could wander Steam for days and never reach the end. Not all of these games are good, of course, but thankfully, The Wandering Village both manages to craft something unique in its approach and engaging in its execution. The first noticeable thing about the game is…

Light spoilers for Lies of P Below While not advertising them or having a functioning tracking system for all the side opportunities Pinocchio can come across, there are a few optional tasks that can be taken along the way. One such moment comes during the second chapter of Lies of P when a silhouette asks you for help, reaffirming that these are dark times you are living through. Chapter 2 begins when you exit Hotel Krat, heading towards Elysion Boulevard, where you will encounter a Stargazer on the street right at the entrance. You will need to make your way…

Light spoilers for Lies of P below Anybody familiar with the Souls games knows that the big monstrosities you fight are only scary till you have to fight a human-like enemy. Lies of P is no exception to this rule, and the Mad Donkey, a sub-boss you will fight along the road to Krat City Hall, is no exception. While the enemy isn’t hard to read, he doesn’t really change up his combat style. He hits hard and moves fast to drain you of your health, sometimes before you can react, so here we will discuss how to take this…

Minor spoilers for Lies of P are contained Lies of P, being a souls-like, is going to have a lot of bosses that can punish you if you are not careful. Being the first true boss in the game, the Parade Master serves both as the first true challenge for Pinocchio as well as a metric to see how well you, the player, are learning the mechanics of the game. As such, while not a particularly hard boss, getting the best of him can be a little difficult. You will encounter the puppet master shortly after arriving in Krat, making…

Mario Paint, the classic SNES game, is the latest title to be added to the Nintendo Switch Online. The classic game from 1992 focused on creativity in multiple forms, beyond just art, such as music and animation. Up until this point, despite being an often fondly remembered part of Nintendo’s history, unless you own the game on the SNES with a system to play it, it was unavailable for modern audiences to enjoy. One of the more interesting components of the original title was that it allowed players to connect a mouse controller, since the game served a similar function…