Tag: entertainment

Wolven Storm – Musings on Love and Feminism in Witcher 3

By Angie | Backlog Crusader on November 15, 2019October 5, 2020

Yennefer. Who is she, really? In the Witcher 3 we see her relentlessly pursuing her goals across multiple continents, taking down any obstacles in her way. Yes, she cares passionately for her love, Geralt, but he won’t distract her from her ultimate goals. Despite their closeness, she keeps extremely important secrets from the Witcher during their travels, yet he trusts her implicitly. She is strong and wise, confident and skilled, and a timeless beauty. Their romance is legendary in the Witcher universe, literally.

Posted in: entertainment, gamer, gaming, geek, girl gamer, nerd, romance, video games, witcher, witcher 3, yennefer

PC Review

Disco Elysium (PC) Review – As Good As It Gets

By Bohdan on November 7, 2019

Almost 20 years ago, Planescape: Torment made a promise. It demonstrated that video games as an art form are capable of delivering writing on par with the best narratives that exist over all forms of media. The world of Planescape offered prose so invigorating and eloquent, storytelling so pristine and cohesive that it captivated creative minds for decades to come.

In its stead, many games posed to be the promised heroes, ready to cash in on that promise but unfortunately, no one managed to soar as high… until now. Of all iterations that could have been, few could imagine that the savior of video gaming prose would take upon such an interesting form: bare naked, hungover, laying in his filth in the middle of a ravaged motel room, awoken from eternal slumber by a hellish clarion call. Rise and shine, detective. Welcome to Revachol.

Posted in: disco elysium, entertainment, gamer, gaming, geek, nerd, PC, planescape, Review

Gamer Culture Other Game Stuff Serious Stories

Games of Our Childhoods

By Angie | Backlog Crusader on October 23, 2019November 7, 2019

The Autumn colors outside have had me feeling somewhat nostalgic lately and I wanted to expand a little on my older piece about how video games influenced the different phases of my life. It is less common than you’d expect for a non-sport hobby to stay with a child into their later adult life. What is it about video games that allow them to stick with us on such a deep, sentimental level for so many years?

Posted in: entertainment, final fantasy, gameboy, gamer, gaming, geek, kids, nerd, Nintendo, pokemon, retro games, sonic, videogames

PC Review

Neo Cab (PC) Review – A Dystopian Uber Simulator

By Bohdan on October 18, 2019October 23, 2019

I must confess: I am a sucker for all things cyberpunk, so enthusiasm might cloud my judgment, but I cannot help but feel that Neo Cab is one of the coolest games I’ve played in a while. It is a game that does not only capture the general aesthetic of the setting (think neon lights, cheesy synths, high-tech gizmos), but its fundamental core: a struggle of an individual faced with a soul-crushing march of high-tech corporations. And Neo Cab achieves that not by projecting an image of some distant dystopian future. Instead, it narrows the gap between reality and the imagination until I could not help but think that the world it has described is waiting for us just around the corner.

Posted in: cyberpunk, entertainment, gamer, gaming, geek, neo cab, nerd, Nintendo Switch, Review, uber, video games

Nintendo Switch Other Game Stuff

Fire Emblem Three Houses Concept Art

By Angie | Backlog Crusader on October 11, 2019

It seems I’m fighting off a bit of writer’s block this week so instead of a text article I’ve got some official Fire Emblem illustrations to share with you from the concept art book that was included with the collector’s edition of the Three Houses. Obviously don’t view the rest of this post if you haven’t finished the game because some of the images have spoilers. In case you missed it, you can find my review of Fire Emblem Three Houses here.

Posted in: art, concept art, entertainment, fire emblem, game design, gamer, gaming, geek, nerd, Nintendo Switch, three houses, videogame

Video Game Article

Sayonara Wild Hearts Analysis – Use of Tarot in Game Design and Narrative

By Angie | Backlog Crusader

Sayonara Wild Hearts incorporates all 22 Major Arcana of the Tarot in its fast paced, pop-arcade, cosmic wonderland. You can check out my full review of the game here. I cannot understate how creative and ambitious studio Simogo is to have given us such a spectacularly beautiful, mesmerizing rendition of the Fool’s Journey in video game form.

I wanted to do a deep dive into the significance of Tarot cards and their meanings are used in Sayonara Wild Hearts to add a hidden layer of depth for those in know, so that’s what you’ll find in this article! I’ll be covering the entire game from start to finish (including a short explanation of Tarot at the start) so please be sure to complete the game before reading to avoid spoilers. You can also watch a play through of the game here.

Let’s pop!

Posted in: entertainment, gamer, gaming, geek, girl gamer, nerd, Nintendo Switch, occult, Sayonara Wild Hearts, tarot, videogames

Nintendo Switch Review

Sayonara Wild Hearts (Switch) Review – heartfelt, magical, and mesmerizing

By Angie | Backlog Crusader on September 25, 2019October 6, 2019

In a month overflowing with anticipated, high quality releases, Sayonara Wild Hearts is a shining gem you should have on your radar. This game is an expertly shaken cocktail of neon colors, trippy, dreamlike environments, a catchy synth-pop soundtrack, and skillful level design. While Sayonara is on the brief side with about an hour of total playtime required to complete the campaign, it is a truly magical experience that blew me away with its dynamic art style, captivating music, generous variety of mechanics, and heart-pumping action!

Posted in: arcade, astrology, entertainment, gamer, gaming, geek, nerd, Nintendo Switch, Review, Sayonara Wild Hearts, tarot, video games, videogames

PC Review

Elsinore Review (PC) – Shakespeare re-imagined

By Bohdan on September 23, 2019September 23, 2019

Ah, Shakespeare. You’d think that with how prevalent his stories are in other forms of media, video games wouldn’t be strangers to the legendary poet. Yet, the games which lean on his catalog of work are far and between. Enter Elsinore, which attempts to rectify that issue, one step at a time. While it does occasionally stumble under the weight of its own ambitions, it is a game full of pleasant surprises that will satisfy both fans of Shakespeare and mysteries alike.

Posted in: elsinore, entertainment, gamer, gaming, geek, nerd, pc gaming, Review, shakespear

Nintendo Switch Review

Untitled Goose Game (Switch) Review – finding your inner HONK

By Angie | Backlog Crusader on September 20, 2019September 20, 2019

Untitled Goose Game is best described as the virtual, interactive embodiment of the AnimalsBeingJerks subreddit, and it is extremely entertaining! Not only is it is highly likely to linger in your mind as one of the most amusing titles you’ve ever played, but gameplay is also a blast to watch as a bystander. This deceptively complicated, low stress puzzle game hatches from a simple concept: You’re a gleefully mischievous goose who’s life’s mission seems to be to drive the residents of a small town completely bonkers.

Posted in: entertainment, gamer, gaming, geek, nerd, Nintendo Switch, Review, untitled goose game, videogames

Nintendo Switch Review

Creature in the Well (Switch) Review – the “pinbrawler” we never knew we always wanted

By Angie | Backlog Crusader on September 10, 2019September 11, 2019

When I first saw the announcement trailer for Creature in the Well during the Nindies showcase earlier this year, it immediately piqued my interest with its derelict setting and intriguing pinball-based gameplay. When I tried the Creature in the Well at Flight School Studio’s booth at PAX West recently, I loved it and figured it would be a hit upon release. Now that it’s out and I’m going to double down on that opinion. Put on your dungeon spelunking gear and get ready to delve into the darkness of Creature in the Well, one of my favorite indie releases of 2019!

Posted in: creature in the well, entertainment, gamer, gaming, geek, girl gamer, hyper light Drifter, nerd, Nintendo Switch, Review, video games, videogames