Summary Folks are practically swimming inMariogames these days. It’s like an all-you-can-eat buffet without the dire bathroom trips afterward, at least depending on which game you’re playing. Hey, everybody reacts to Hotel Mario in their own way. But with this bountiful harvest of titles under the famous plumber’s stache, it’s only natural that a few might find themselves pushed aside in favor of their more popular brethren. As Alpha Protocol taught us, reviews don’t necessarily tell the whole story....

It’s been a quarter-century since theDreamcastgraced the world. That’s 25 years sinceShenmuepioneered the open-world city, 25 years since the arcade experience was accurately actualized in the home, and 25 years since the internet became feasible on a game console. And that latter feat is why this machine is forever attributed as being ‘ahead of its time’; there’s nothing more enduringly futuristic as the internet, and for both better and worse, Sega’s efforts here changed the medium forever....

Summary Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Dooris filled with fun, witty characters and absolutely memorable dialogue. Some of it is quick-witted and absolutely endearing, while other lines absolutely catch you off guard. Either the line is far more serious than you’d expect from this wonderfully ridiculous game, or it’s just downright baffling, stunning you for a moment as you struggle to think of how that line possibly came to be. Combine those lines with the truly witty and clever ones, and you’ll be left realizing that Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door has the most memorable dialogue....

Summary Formost of gaming’s history, lead characters tended to be straight white men, to the point that it was often a big deal when they weren’t. As it turns out, the industry was unnecessarily shackling themselves – not only by avoiding a whole spectrum of interesting characterizations – but by holding back beings of unbridled power! These characters are not only powerful enough to take down street thugs, cities, or even the whole galaxy, they’re also strong enough to be themselves....

Summary In case you missed it,MultiVersusis back, and this time for good. The free-to-play platform fighting game featuring characters and properties from throughout Warner Bros.' franchisesmade its triumphant return to PC and consoles roughly a week ago, andit boasts a large roster full of popular characters, with more on the way. The game takes a page from other fighting games, likeMortal Kombat, by havingits characters perform unique interactionseither pre-match or during the match....

Quick Links Fallout: New Vegasholds a special position in the franchise for a lot of fans. It carries a lot of popular features not found in other entries, has memorable companions and unfolds a strong narrative from the seeming blank slate of an amnesiac protagonist. It can be daunting to start out the game, especially coming from newer entries in the series. The game starts character creation with an inkblot test and personality quiz, and the value of different stats and skills is hard to gauge without cracking open a guide or wiki page....

Summary It’s a pretty odd time to be anXboxfan right now, uncertain about your platform’s future due toMicrosoft’swillingness tostick its best exclusives on rival platforms. However, it appears to be a strategy that is actually paying off, as the company currently has more Xbox games on thePlayStation Storethan PlayStation itself. First noticed by gaming news outletTweakTown, there are several Xbox published titles currently sitting comfortably on the list of PlayStation’s top 25 best-selling games so far this month, with the likes ofGroundedandSea of Thievesproving to be fairly popular titles on the platform, despite the latter still awaiting launch....

Summary You may be surprised by how manyPokemon fan gamesexist, considering how famously litigiousNintendois. While many have been shut down over the years for reasons only known to the big N and Mario himself, more proliferate the internet, spreading like wild Fire-types in a Desolate Land. The latest obsession forPokemonfans is browser game PokeRogue, a Pokemon roguelike that focuses entirely on battling. There’s no exploration – no overworld at all, actually – no gimmicks, just battling....

I never thought a game about slime would make me misty-eyed, but Slime Heroes managed to immediately suck me in and break my heart. When I played a demo atPAX Eastthis year, I was ready to make a cute little slime and go on a cartoon journey – I didn’t expect to have feelings. In most games, slime critters are easy-to-kill, beginner enemies. So far this year, I’ve covered both Persona 3 Reload and Stardew Valley here at TheGamer, and in both of those games, slimes are pretty weak....

Quick Links The Fighter is one of four starting Vocations inDragon’s Dogma 2that both the Arisen and Pawns have access to. It’s a traditional melee class that uses longswords, maces, and shields to deliver brutal punishment. They’re easy to play, quite tanky, and can deal great damage with the right build. Today, we’ll be looking at two builds for the Fighter that make it a great choice for any party. Whether you enjoy dealing damage or tanking incoming damage, these builds have something for every playstyle....

Summary When thinking of video games, you probably think of established long-running franchises like Super Mario, Grand Theft Auto, Zelda, God of War, etc. There’s not a lot of huge standalone games that have no sequels to speak of. Even great titles likeOkamihave a semi-sequel in Okamiden on the DS. However, there do exist fan-beloved standalone games with sequels that will probably never happen. The fanbase could be small, but nevertheless, the title was praised by critics and fans alike....

Molly Knox Ostertag has been wanting to tell a more mature story for a long time now. When I first spoke with her about The Deep Dark after it began life as Substack comicThe Darkest Night, the cartoonist was using it as an opportunity to broaden their horizons, and to move away from the realms of young adult fiction and children’s animation to explore her messier side. What I didn’t expect was for this graphic novel that explores trauma, bloodshed, and LGBTQ identity to be published by Scholastic of all places....

Summary Baldur’s Gate 3is extremely detail-oriented, with magnificent visuals and character designs. The map is vast and contains an impressive number of locations to explore, each with its challenges and secrets waiting to be uncovered. Every location is meticulously crafted, offering visual splendor and intricate details contributing to the overall atmosphere and lore. Whether delving into treacherous dungeons or scaling towering cliffs, the game continually surprises and captivates players with its attention to detail and beautiful scenery....