Virtual Bonds, Real Friendships: The Benefits of Online Communities
From Roaming Nomad to Online Community Builder Online platforms have made it easier than ever to expand our social circles, bridging geographical distances and fostering connections based on shared interests. The average Facebook user boasts an impressive 338 ‘friends,’ a number that would have been unimaginable in previousContinue reading...
Atelier Ryza: An Enjoyable, Unfinished JRPG Love Story
Why my first cherished JRPG series will remained incomplete AND deeply loved. The Atelier Ryza series captured my heart with its charming characters and idyllic summer adventures. Fresh off the (admittedly bumpy) experience with Atelier Lydie & Suelle, Ryza’s story felt like a breath of fresh air. Ryza,Continue reading...
Paired Review: Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime is a fantastic co-op game that’s perfect for blasting through space with your partner. Want to see how much fun we had playing it? Watch our gameplay here! Developed by Asteroid Base, we originally played this game for two hours before Sam decidedContinue reading...
Sayonara Wild Hearts: A Pop Anthem You Won’t Forget (But Most Game Awards Did)
Sayonara Wild Hearts is a testament to the power of collaboration between various artistic disciplines within the video game industry. It is a non-zero amount of time that I spend per week thinking about the 2019 video game Sayonara Wild Hearts. It’s a pulsating neon symphony, a blendContinue reading...
Video Games for English Reading Skills
Reading can seem like a skill for some that feels elusive and/or challenging. Is this you? During my career as an English Second Language educator, I racked up a small list of the games I occasionally used to spark an interest in reading – at any age! AndContinue reading...
What Remains of Our Stories Through the “Finch Curse” Lens
The Video Game What Remains of Edith Finch is a Deeply Impactful & Emotional Experience – So Nice, I Played It Twice! What Remains of Edith Finch is a 2017 adventure game developed by Giant Sparrow and published by Annapurna Interactive. The game is a collection of shortContinue reading...
Gaming for a Grateful Mind
If you like video games and struggle with the Big Sad Boss fight of daily life sometimes, read on for my suggestions of games with written reflection practices. Video Games Can Provide an Intentional Space for Creative Expression Historically, humans have used expressive writing to document and persuadeContinue reading...
Kind Words – A Game for Cozy Encounters with Humanity
Lately, Steve and I have been taking more frequent mental health walks around our neighborhood. During one walk, I started telling Steve about how I could not understand why the indie video game Kind Words wasn’t more popular – especially in the “cozy” social media spaces I haveContinue reading...
Return the Gaming Console to My Hands, Please!
Recently, I had the opportunity to tell Jeff Grubb how much I loved his YouTube series Game Mess Mornings. I felt starstruck as we both chatted about our affinity and frustrations of video game journalism. For me, a lot of my specific frustrations come from the lacking ofContinue reading...
Samsung Z Flip5 – One Month Review
The new Samsung Galaxy ZFlip5 is definitely a head-turning phone. I battled so much with it’s novice allure that I occasionally even tried peer pressure on friends to get the first buy-in. Eventually though, I caved to the trade in and… this lead me down a rabbit holeContinue reading...