There is a note at the start of Night of Knives, written by Gardens of the Moon author Steven Erikson, stating categorically that the work of Ian C. Esslemont is not to be considered simple fanfiction for taking place in the same rich universe introduced by his series of novels: Esslemont’s “the Malazan Empire” series is a canonical, integral part …

Luigi’s Mansion, a launch title for the GameCube back in 2001, still holds up today as a quirky little game: it excels in its whimsy and charm, creating a playful horror atmosphere that is a perfect match for its funny protagonist. However, the entire experience can become a little repetitive by the end, thanks to an incredibly rigid structure that …

Sometimes good ideas are not enough. Pokémon Legends: Arceus, for example, feels like a promising proof of concept for what could be a terrific finished game one day, as it indeed shakes up the stagnated Pokémon formula, presenting many fascinating ideas without any type of polish, failing to make great use of any of them. Arceus’ story is an Isekai, …

The Fifth Season talks about revolt with remarkable fury and finesse, building a bold and challenging narrative that uses the second-person in a meaningful way while presenting us a trio of main characters who are as fascinating as they are tragic. The book starts with the world ending twice. On a microscale, there is the world of the woman Essun, …

Sleeping Dogs is a decent open-world game with a compelling premise and some interesting mechanics that give the whole experience a cinematic flair. However, it could have used just a little more ambition, especially regarding its structure: Sleeping Dogs is a bit too safe, too predictable. The story follows Wei Shen, an undercover cop who infiltrated Hong Kong’s triads to …

I Am Setsuna is a simple JRPG that tries to discuss themes such as death and alterity but fails to do these complex subjects justice, being dragged down by a shallow cast of characters, dull writing, and a painfully unexplored combat system. The plot revolves around a tragic pilgrimage. Setsuna, a young girl who has just turned 18, is chosen …

The Goblin Emperor is a steampunk novel that is primarily interested in its characters, relegating plot and action to the sidelines – and, in that sense, it’s a breath of fresh air. However, the book’s focus exacerbates its most glaring flaw: its characters are not complex enough to sustain the constant gaze directed towards them. The narrative follows the ascension …

Indika is mad, there’s no doubt about that. But there’s a method to her madness. You see, we could say the same about her game, which plays with its own aesthetic, interspersing a more grounded, somber tone with sudden bursts of playful retro elements, while growing increasingly unhinged as time goes by. Indika is a nun in an isolated, snow-laden …

Pierre, the purist, doesn’t like change. Once, his favorite Italian restaurant went under and, in its place, opened a fast-food joint. Instead of spaghetti carbonara, they made cheeseburgers now, with fries deeply drenched in oil. There were some chicken nuggets, too. People loved it, but Pierre, as you can expect, wasn’t exactly thrilled. So, he did what anyone would do …

Written by Dan Chaon, Await Your Reply is a novel that tries to raise questions about identity but keeps forgetting to develop them, deciding instead to focus its attention on a boring group of static, shallow characters. The story is told through the eyes of three main characters: we follow Lucy, a student who ran away with her history professor, …