EVO literally just happened. Sagat *just* came out. Did the costumes help, too? Probably. But you know what happens post-EVO and after new characters drop? Folks want to play fighting games.

The way a lot of games press routinely ignores and/or disrespects this genre is both exhausting and insane.

AI Could Never: Where the Water Tastes Like Wine A feature in our AI Could Never series about Where the Water Tastes Like Wine, a narrative adventure about strangers sharing stories.

AI Could Never: Where the Water Tastes Like Wine by @stolisomancer.bsky.social

"It’s a game that fundamentally does not work without its sense of humanity; it’s a story about stories, and what it means to be alive at the same time as all these other people."

Read on:

I went ahead and wrote about the most human video game I could think of, as part of Skybox's week-long denunciation of AI "creative" tools and all who sail under their black flag.

AI Could Never: Mary Skelter A feature in our AI Could Never series highlighting Mary Skelter, a DRPG that dives deep into erotic horror.

Theme week is go!

AI Could Never: Mary Skelter by @hokutolucas.bsky.social

"Mary Skelter is existentially horny, its lore so deeply tangled in throbbing, violent macabre that there’s hardly a single piece not splattered with thematic fluids. It’s awesome. And crucially, human."

Read on:

It's Friday, so I'm talking #indiegames at @hard-drive.net. This week, I've been playing s.p.l.i.t., a narrative-driven horror adventure by the creator of BUCKSHOT ROULETTE. Check it out:

my cousin has a prosthetic leg below the knee, I can say it

Putting the Nintendo Community on Trial An appeal to the online Nintendo community to seek deeper analysis and knowledge for content creation.

Putting the Nintendo Community on Trial by @abrambuehner.bsky.social

"We want, we rush, we rehash the same talking points ad nauseam while the content creators steering the discussion fail to wade in further than the shallows. It’s exhausting, it’s low-grade."

Read on:

In a stunning moment of self reflection, a whiteboard apologized and acknowledged how dangerous its own behavior can be

I'm back at @hard-drive.net for my latest column on #indiegames. This week, I've been playing the new point-and-click adventure THE DRIFTER, and have some thoughts about it:

I'd just like to point out how weird it is that places with hundreds or even thousands of reporters — the NYT, WaPo, CBS, NBC, AP, etc. — are all getting pummeled on every major story by the dozen computerboys at Wired. To fumble the bag this consistently is, at some point, cowardice and a choice.

Game Night: Let’s Get Beaten to Death by Zombie Schoolgirls in ‘DEADCAM’ It’s one of those weird skip weeks for the column. This July has actually turned into a big month for indie games, but at time…

Game Night: Let’s Get Beaten to Death by Zombie Schoolgirls in ‘DEADCAM’ (Minus World Article)

hard-drive.net/news-games/g...

Get more from Skybox on Patreon A worker-owned games (& other) media site.

If you aren't backing @skyboxcritics.bsky.social on Patreon you should fix that 💟

Between the @ashlikeadragon.bsky.social episode of Into the Skybox & the episode of Skydive we just recorded about the Marvel VS Capcom series, there is SO much good stuff coming

www.patreon.com/skyboxcritics

In retrospect, one of the signs of downfall for Web3/NFT gaming was when a bunch of exhibitors at PAX West actively concealed those elements in their games.

With that in mind, it is with some pleasure that I announce somebody just tried to do that with a game that features LLM-powered NPCs.

Nation of Curation #2: Avocations and Vocations A column full of video game recommendations from the Skybox staff and contributors.

Nation of Curation #2: Avocations and Vocations by @stolisomancer.bsky.social

A new wave of game recommendations from Skybox staff and contributors!

Check it out: skyboxcritics.com/2025/07/08/n...

I have once again returned to Skybox, so to speak, and berated several of its contributors until they coughed up text for the semi-regular Nation of Curation column. If you're looking for some tested recommendations, here's the medicine:

I've been working through a backlog since the start of the year for my column on Hard Drive, and I'm about to see some daylight on it.

If you're a publisher/developer in the #indiegames space and you've got something out soon/now that you'd like to show off, let me know.

Sometimes, you get a pitch, and the only correct response is "Hot damn. Yes. Absolutely."

Pretty stoked to host @ashlikeadragon.bsky.social at Skybox today, that she trusted us with this piece, and to have been the one who edited it. It's killer.

It's Friday above all else, so I'm back at @hard-drive.net to discuss #indiegames. Today, I've got some thoughts on a 12-genre pile-up from Amsterdam called STARLESS ABYSS, in which the colour out of space comes from the dirty missile I just fired at Shub-Niggurath.

I was re-assessing how we should approach covering Microsoft and then the layoffs happened so it seemed like a good time to talk about it. The long and short of it is Skybox isn't covering Microsoft products until they're no longer abetting a genocide and we don't think you should buy their games.

But... aren't they using it to make remakes and remasters even faster?

I have made a second comic, and it was seen fit to be released into the wild. Behold the bonus panel at Skybox
skyboxcritics.com/.../pie-in-t...

Ninja Gaiden Ragebound: The 7 Coolest Things - IGN We’ve already done a more traditional preview that looks at the meat and potatoes experience of playing Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, so this time, let’s dig into the nitty gritty. These are the 7 coolest t...

I have been so busy writing through The Trials (con crude and the destruction of my laptop) that I haven't had time to post any of my work since SGF. I can’t write any more today, so I'm going to play catchup.

First up: I previewed Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound for @ign.com and it rules.

I have once again returned to talk about weird indie horror at @hard-drive.net. This week, I've been playing the Hungarian gig-economy dungeon crawler REPOSE, which means I've gotten shot repeatedly by zombie astronauts and am now passing the savings on to you.

#indiegames

They're letting me start a comic column over at Skybox! I feel just like it's the old days! Oh no! Go over to the link to check out the bonus panel! Please enjoy!

skyboxcritics.com/2025/06/12/p...

It's Friday, so I'm (belatedly) back at @hard-drive.net with my latest column on a recent indie game. This week, I picked up something that's been on my stack for a minute and played the Belgian murder mystery/visual novel BEST SERVED COLD.

#indiegames

Beyond the Skybox - Episode 2: Switch 2, TMNT Tactical Takedown, & Video Game Ads OR "No Arms. No Legs. Huge Features." | Skybox Get more from Skybox on Patreon

Here's episode 2 of Beyond the Skybox, our Patreon-exclusive podcast! In this episode @brianbarnett.bsky.social @hokutolucas.bsky.social and special guest @kriscornelisse.bsky.social talk about TMNT Tactical Takedown, the Switch 2, unhinged video game ads, and more: www.patreon.com/posts/beyond...

The first episode of our first Patreon-exclusive show, 'Beyond the Skybox,' is live!

AND GUESS WHAT?! We got feedback from our backers, who said we should make this one available for free, AND WE DID!

Enjoy :D

THE OUTER WORLDS 2 strikes me as funny for all the wrong reasons, the same way that MIRROR'S EDGE used to. Certain companies just don't get to publish games about the heroic struggle to depose a corporate overlord.

It's Friday, so I'm back at @hard-drive.net with my weekly column on #indiegames. This week, I ended up playing a slightly older release with GUNS OF FURY.