Fuck you, Balatro: You’re perfect
In the last few years my brain has gravitated towards gaming systems as experiences. Similar to the deck-builder Dominion, a fantastic feedback loop sometimes makes for just as compelling a game experience as the deepest story.
And then there’s Balatro: A simple card game that is already my 2024 Game of the Year. It’s also one of the most maddening gaming experiences I’ve had in a while.
Balatro, you’re perfect. Balatro, you’re the worst.
Continue readingGrey’s Anatomy as Exposure Therapy
As if the past two years of the never-ending Pandemic weren’t enough, I’ve also been dealing with something else.
I’ve been sick. For a while now, with no real answers so far. So, that’s fun. For me.
‘Game On’ Reviews: Spiritfarer is gonna teach ‘em how to say goodbye
‘Game On Reviews’ is where Will Harrison posts his most recent piece from his Associated Press Award-nominated gaming column ‘Game On,’ which appears bi-weekly in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Toledo Blade, due to The Blade’s recent decision to lock their site fully behind a paywall. For more pieces, news, and information, please visit http://www.toledoblade.com.
Death is constant, inevitable, and unfair. These three facts are no more apparent than in the year 2020 and a literal plague upon our houses.
Continue readingGames journalism has value, your bad faith arguments do not
By and large, I’ve stopped bringing up my profession in social situations and polite conversation. This isn’t to say that I’m embarrassed about being a journalist — and a games journalist, at that.
An AEW Entrance Theme Tier List
Professional wrestling entrance themes matter almost as much as the wrestler themselves. The theme is what hooks the viewer, makes a grand announcement of arrival, and even serves as an “Oh, Shit” moment when done correctly.
A bad theme blends into the background. A great theme is legendary.
Wait: Why Aren’t I Writing; Politics in Appalachia
Hey, how are you?
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Eating Around Austin: Ramen Tatsu-Ya; A Preface
Welcome to ‘Eating Around Austin,’ a new series of reviews and articles by columnist Will Harrison, divulging the details of his delicious dives into the depths of the Austin, Texas food scene. Continue reading
The waiting — and knowing — is the hardest part of Chloe Price’s story in Life Is Strange: Before The Storm
Spoiler warning: Life Is Strange and Episodes 1 and 2 of Life Is Strange: Before The Storm
I cringe and shout in the anticipation of pain to come at the glowing screen. The truly terrifying moments come from the build towards an inevitable end that a character can’t see coming. Like a voyeur, the audience must sit in silence, an accomplice in the plot’s attempt to ruin lives. Continue reading
