What defines a hero at the end of the day? We speak of traits like the willingness to fight against injustice, of the strength of their conviction, or the feats they accomplish. But ultimately, if the people do not accept them, what forges a hero just as easily forges a monster.

The recent State of Play highlighted a nice contrast of the dark and macabre with distinctive uses of color. Between a new claymation work, stunning yellows in Yotei, and a striking, monstrous apocalypse, intrigue wells within me. What was your personal highlight from the show?

In the depths of despair, we seek any semblance of light. A fresh start is an elusive but tempting opportunity. A chance to do things over. A chance to make a difference. A chance to be someone new. But a lingering thought haunts the mind. Can one truly escape their own nature?

Few games scratch the Castlevania itch for me, reigniting that sense of adventure in a first playthrough. Timespinner from Bodie Lee is the most recent game to capture that fleeting feeling for me. Even with its fairly concise world, each aspect is woven together tightly.

Different media types allow familiar worlds to spread new roots and ideas, inspiring future chapters. Throughout Castlevania: Reminiscence of the Holy Abyss, oft-overlooked world elements are given the spotlight, exploring the likes of Death, Legion, and the Danasty bloodline.

Revisiting the stepping stones of a genre's evolution heightens one's appreciation all around. No matter how I struggled to adjust to GoldenEye 007 or how many deaths I tallied, each level's design was distinctive, even if I feel much of its structure relies on knowing the film.

When crafting a smaller work, one can put all the more impact on a singular moment successfully. Throughout DnD: The Tower of Doom, a single optional route will eclipse every other second spent in the solid, reliable fantasy brawler. Are you certain you want to take this path?

Shadow Over Mystara deviates from and experiments upon genre convention much more than its predecessor. Characters, enemies, and core mechanics are all much more distinct, broad, and developed, but it lacks a singular punch nearly as potent as Tower of Doom's pinnacle moment.

Music has so many elements that can be embraced, even philosophically. Throughout The Norwood Suite by Cosmo D, you'll meet a variety of perspectives on music and life, each quest rewarding you with a surrealist scene that defies time and space beautifully in a variety of ways.

Precision platforming in 3D is a delicate art as the additional dimension adds more variables. Throughout Eager Passion's Wings of Glass, the tone between adventure, horror, and precision weaves with a beautifully haunting uncertainty alongside a captivating worldbuilding basis.

Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion from Snoozy Kazoo 💤 begins with absurdity and never once relents. Every bit of dialogue so thoroughly tongue-in-cheek that it's easy to let your guard down and not notice how fantastically the game is written or how well its themes end up explored.

A change in scenery adds a strong twist to murder mysteries, forcing you to restructure your thinking entirely to follow such as in Kitfox Games 🦊' Lucifer Within Us. Such a fusion of technology and religion forces you to confront temptation in a world that longs for another entry.

Ladies and gentlemen, your regularly scheduled madness will soon resume elsewhere.

Speed can be difficult to convey as a reward or incentive. As more first-person speedrunning platformers are explored though, HELL OF AN OFFICE ➡️ OUT NOW 🔥 carries momentum well, especially with its strong theming. I can't wait to explore the full release and witness the final 30 challenges.

I feel like time attack is one of the most underlooked gameplay systems in the modern day, especially with the rise of speedrunning. Shaving off fractions of a second can prove just as cathartic as it is tense, doubly so with good company. Improvement is best shared with friends.