Tech-Gaming Technology, Gaming, and Culture

Sixteen years later, the magic is still there. Vanillaware’s games have remarkable longevity. Now and again, I’ll revisit 2009’s Muramasa: The Demon Blade, soaking up its mixture of ukiyo-e and 70’s anime-influenced visuals as well ...

This week, EA Sports PGA Tour tees off, Curse of the Sea Rats gnaws its way out, while Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories has ripened its way toward release. Visual novel fans are in luck, with ...

The tale of ancestral vengeance might be well-worn, but SIFU’s intense action coupled with a substantial moveset makes the game feel fresh. But only the truly committed warrior will want to walk this path. At its ...

The sixteen-bit mecha classic receives the premium M2 treatment.  1992’s Assault Suits Valken was one of the first games to truly capture the sensation of piloting a hulking mecha. Across a succession of seven stages, ...

This week, GrimGrimoire OnceMore offers a chance to revisit Vanillaware’s fairy tale-esque real-time strategy game, while Infinite Guitars mixes the role-playing and rhythm game genres in intriguing ways. For visual novel fans, Yukiiro Sign and ...

Feeling a bit like Death warmed over.  Tired of doing all dirty work on his own, Death decides to sub-contract the tedious task of soul collection. The Sorrows take up the duty and end up ...

Although Western animation frequently employs full computer-generated imagery (or CGI), Japan hasn’t embraced the technology as swiftly. The reasons for this are rooted in the budgetary as well as the artistic. Historically, anime has embraced ...

The Model O2 isn’t a radical overhaul of Glorious’ first gaming mouse. But it doesn’t have to be. The second iteration provides several modest improvements, cementing its position near the top of the mid-priced market. ...

The concluding chapter of the Secret sub-series offers a vast world for exploration, offering a poignant finale for Ryza. Entries in the Atelier series often open with a similar cutscene. Here, a young, female protagonist ...

Spin Rhythm XD has a moderately complex input system that’s more involved than most of its peers. But once you wrap your head around the different techniques, the game reveals its wonderfully immersive groove. A ...