If you’ve followed the story of independent media outlet Second Wind even a little, then the prospect of this organization reaching a point of security and confidence enough to even host a games showcase likely comes as an impressive feat, if not necessarily a surprise. After all, we’re talking about a talented assortment of folks known for their thoughtful, even-handed coverage and love of games as an artistic and entertainment medium, called upon to help restore the reputation of once-esteemed games media site The Escapist. Had the corporate owners holding The Escapist’s purse strings not overstepped by firing editor-in-chief Nick Calandra, driving much of the staff to resign in protest, who knows what the future of The Escapist might have been? That the ex-Escapist crew are now in a place, a few years down the line, where they can comfortably offer the stage to other creatives within the industry is a magnificent sight to behold. It doesn't hurt that the resulting showcase, publ...
"I am the crushed one. It crushes my heart to see you not doing your best." Release Date: August 25, 2021 Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X Note: writer contributed to 2015/2016 Fig campaign funding the game's development In an age where sequels and reboots are in abundance, particularly where video games are concerned, sixteen years is a hell of a gap. Yes, it can help cultivate a nostalgic longing for the return of something beloved from a bygone era... but it can't be helped that in that time, everything from the basics of design priorities through to the greater-scope concerns of the world around us has shifted more than once in inescapable, inevitable fashion. So it's an interesting position for Double Fine's latest work Psychonauts 2 to find itself. It needs to not only stand on its own merits but also ride the line between honoring its cult classic predecessor and growing beyond its roots, while also reckoning with the reality t...