‘Soul Hackers 2’ Overrides Predecessor’s Past with New Digital Identity

March 8, 2022March 10, 2022 Bray Lawrence

Atlus has released new story and character information about their upcoming RPG, Soul Hackers 2, a sequel to the twenty-five year old game, Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers. Following its cult-celebrated predecessor’s meshing of sci-fi aesthetic with the Shin Megami Tensei, Soul Hackers 2 aims to upgrade the concept by coding a new tale about humanity and its relationship with technology.

Gaming, Video Games

‘Soul Hackers 2’ Trailer Shows Off War, Fashion, and Demon Summoning in the Digital Age

March 3, 2022March 3, 2022 Bray Lawrence

Shin Megami Tensei fans rejoice for Atlus is showing no signs of slowing down on releases of their cult classic franchises. The makers of the Persona, Catherine, and the aforementioned Shin Megami Tensei series announced their latest JRPG, Soul Hackers 2.

Reviews, Video Games1 Comment

‘Solar Ash’ is Introspective and Beautiful

February 25, 2022February 25, 2022 Bray Lawrence

Solar Ash on the surface feels ethereal yet familiar. The premise of trying to stop a world ending event has never looked so beautiful, and in conjunction with smooth controls and a haunting soundtrack, Solar Ash solidifies itself as a serviceable gaming experience on a console that has been in desperate need of unique games since its launch.

Movies, Video Games

Check Out the New Poster for ‘Uncharted’

December 15, 2021December 15, 2021 Sophia Soto

A new poster has just been shared for Uncharted, which is based on the PlayStation video game by Naughty Dog. The film stars Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Sophia Ali, Tati Gabrielle, and Antonio Banderas. Holland also serves as an executive producer.

Movies, Video Games

Sony Pictures Reveals Official Trailer for ‘Uncharted’

October 21, 2021October 21, 2021 Jamal Michel

The first real look at Columbia and Sony Pictures’ Uncharted is finally here. The film adaptation (or prequel in this instance) of the hit PlayStation franchise starring Tom Holland, Sophia Taylor Ali, Antonio Banderas, and Mark Wahlberg showed off an action-packed adventure with its official trailer reveal.

Reviews, Video Games

‘Tales of Arise’ Review: Rising to the Occasion Never Felt So Good

October 15, 2021October 20, 2021 Bray Lawrence

I have spent most of my life playing Japanese role playing games. From the Final Fantasy series to the Shin Megami Tensei series, I have enjoyed several different JRPG titles from Japan. But one in particular was always hit or miss for me, and that was the Tales series. I bounced off of Abyss and Beseria, never owned a Gamecube to play Symphonia, finished Vesperia and liked it, but never felt the pull of replaying it. So to say that Tales of Arise is one of the best JRPGs to date is an understatement. Tales of Arise captures what makes JRPGs timeless while evolving and creating a new vocabulary of play through its storytelling and combat that I hope other studios take note of.

Gaming, Video Games1 Comment

Sony Introduces Lottery-Style Registration for a Chance to Buy a PS5 During the Holidays

October 14, 2021 Jamal Michel

Between the pandemic, online bots, scalpers, and increasing demand, the PlayStation 5 is soon to be a year from launch and still a challenge to get your hands on. Sony recently announced that, for the coming Holiday season, they will be holding a lottery-style registration event that will give consumers the chance to purchase one of the limited PS5 Consoles in stock directly from PlayStation.

Gaming, Video Games

What the Hell is Going on With ‘Ghost Recon Frontline’

October 13, 2021 Jamal Michel

Last week, Ubisoft dropped the reveal trailer for its upcoming, 100-player battle royale title Ghost Recon Frontline. The trailer features gameplay footage and talking points from members of the Ubisoft Bucharest team, all of whom passionately speak on this project three years in the making. With games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Warzone, and PUBG having already established substantial footing in the BR genre, fans were vexed at the announcement, so much so that Ubisoft subsequently delayed Frontline’s first closed test indefinitely.

Television, Video Games

Production Begins on HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’

September 26, 2021September 27, 2021 Mike Manalo

I realize there’s been controversy from haters who disliked the second game. But to be quite frank, I’m not one of those people, and for my money Neil Druckman’s The Last of Us remains one of my favorite video games of all time! It is a beautiful story about humanity, love, loss, mistakes, regrets and redemption. The relationship between Joel and Ellie is one of the most beautiful human stories ever developed in any game.

Gaming, Interview, Video Games

NOC Interview: Quintin Smith of People Make Games on “Roblox Exploitation”

September 6, 2021 Jamal Michel

Like many games finding a surge in popularity at the height of the pandemic, Roblox has amassed a following that could rival the likes of Fortnite with its appeal to younger audiences. However, after weeks of careful research, Quintin Smith, journalist and presenter at People Make Games, discovered that Roblox frequently, and unflinchingly, exploits young video game developers on its platform.

Reviews, Video Games1 Comment

‘12 Minutes’ Wasn’t Long Enough to Be Compelling

August 28, 2021August 28, 2021 Bray Lawrence

It has been four days, eight hours, fifty minutes and twenty-nine seconds since I played 12 Minutes and I’ve been perplexed as to how to write this review. Normally, this would be kind of a good thing. The moment of reflection that comes after seeing something that feels profound, provoking an introspection as to why it resonated so much doesn’t happen with 12 Minutes.

Marvel, Video Games

Square Enix Reveals New Outfits for Black Panther in ‘War for Wakanda’

August 2, 2021August 2, 2021 Jamal Michel

T’Challa’s influence as Black Panther can be traced back to his inception in 1966 and since then, he’s made countless appearances in film, television, animated series, and more. Some of his most iconic outfits and costumes come from the Silver and Bronze age of comic books, with memorable suits like the classic all black ensemble with gloves and boots to match featured in 1976’s Jungle Action (Vol. 2) #23.

Gaming, Video Games

Summer Got You Down? These Upcoming Feel Good Video Games Will Lift Your Spirits

August 1, 2021August 1, 2021 Jamal Michel

What if Tony Hawk was actually a bird? What kind of game choices would you make playing as a postwoman in the ‘80s? Could you use your emotions to help guide a quartet in a forest? The summer has been overwhelming for the most part for many of us — from mounting pandemic concerns, to even more polarizing political conversations, it’s easy to quickly find yourself doom-scrolling for hours into the night. Thankfully, video games like Skatebird and The Forest Quartet exist to help ease our minds out of the hubbub of the real world and into the vibes of a video game experience that really feels good.

Horror, Reviews, Video Games

‘Mundaun’ is a Haunting First-Person Horror Game with a Dark Story

July 28, 2021July 28, 2021 Jamal Michel

The first-person, single-player horror game Mundaun is out now for Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC platforms. It’s a hand-drawn tale of a grandson returning to his hometown for his grandfather’s funeral but upon arriving makes a grisly discovery.

Gaming, Video Games

Sony’s July State of Play Live Updates

July 8, 2021July 9, 2021 Jamal Michel

Sony’s State of Play goes live today at 2PM PT/ 5PM ET with “a nine-minute look at Deathloop’s time-twisted world,” as well as updates to indie and third-party titles. They’ve made it clear on their blog post that today’s presentation will not cover God of War, Horizon Forbidden West, or the next generation of PlayStation VR news. However, folks at PlayStation did say they’ll be sharing news in the future about highly-anticipated titles and more so stay tuned.

Gaming, Video Games

‘Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut’ Set to Arrive in August

July 1, 2021July 1, 2021 Jamal Michel

Sucker Punch announced today that Ghost of Tsushima, their Japanese masterpiece of an RPG, is getting a director’s cut release on both PS4 and PS5 August 20. Players will experience the brand new Iki Island and loads of additional content, new features, and some PS5 exclusive enchantments that will further elevate the critical hailed title.

Comics, Video Games

Blizzard Announces Afua Richardson Comic Covers and ‘Overwatch’ Rewards for Their 30th Anniversary

June 24, 2021June 25, 2021 Jamal Michel

With the recent launch of Cross-Play for Overwatch across PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch, Blizzard Entertainment also announced that Ashe’s Deadlock Challenge is now live across all platforms. Additionally, if gamers play and watch Overwatch from June 22 to July 5, they have the opportunity to earn sweet rewards, including the new Legendary Ashe and B.O.B. Skin.

Origins, Video Games

After 25 Years and Zero Games Played, My Father Remains the Ultimate Gamer

June 20, 2021March 11, 2022 Jamal Michel

The other day, my father noticed one of the PC games I was playing and was pretty stunned — not just at the graphics but the overall presentation of gaming today. Growing up, the computer in our home was mostly used for homework, school projects, and of course, Math Blaster. I don’t know that my father knows how deep the rabbit hole of PC gaming goes, or its history, but he remains one of the single most significant figures in introducing video games to me.

Marvel, Video Games

‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Console Game Debuts, Prompts ‘Avengers’ Comparisons

June 15, 2021June 27, 2021 Dominic Mah

Square Enix and Eidos Montreal showed off the first clips from a new Guardians of the Galaxy game for PS5/PS4/Xbox Series XJS/PC at their E3 showcase on Sunday. The preview included the reveal trailer, an extended Alpha-build gameplay clip, and information about the AAA superhero game’s launch date.

Conventions, Tech, Video Games2 Comments

E3 2021 Press Conference Live Updates!

June 11, 2021June 21, 2021 Jamal Michel

This year, The Nerds of Color has got your back on everything E3! Be sure you’re tuned in on Twitch, YouTube, or wherever else you plan to watch the online press conferences, and keep our tab open to catch live updates.

Reviews, Video Games

Flight School Studio’s ‘Stonefly’ is a Must-Play Indie Game

June 2, 2021June 3, 2021 Jamal Michel

This week, the folks at Flight School Studios and MWM Interactive released their indie mech title, Stonefly. The adventure game is a chill yet wholly beautifully exploration of legacy, resource gathering and mech building, as players follow Annika Stonefly in her search for her father’s stolen rig. After a late-night excursion, Annika mistakenly leaves the garage door storing the mech wide open, leaving it victim to a theft that launches our main character on her journey through dangerous and captivating flora and fauna.

Books, Marvel, Video Games

Brittney Morris’ ‘Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales – Wings of Fury’ Delivers

December 2, 2020June 3, 2021 Jamal Michel

There could not be a better time to grab the companion novel to Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales than now. The game dropped on PS4 and PS5 November 12 to rave reviews, as the pop cultural significance of Miles Morales seems to be losing zero steam, and rightly so.

Author Brittney Morris (Slay, The Cost of Knowing and Together, Apart) packs a ton into the prequel novel — from Miles’ dealings with police outside of his uniform, to Peter having to grapple with being a mentor to a Spider-Man whose reality greatly differs from his own. Wings of Fury delivers a story both heartfelt and absolutely action-packed that leads directly into the start of the game on consoles.

Marvel, Video Games

Why ‘Spider-Man: Miles Morales’ for PS5 Brings Me So Much Black Boy Joy

September 16, 2020June 3, 2021 Jamal Michel

My first real experience as the famous web-slinger, in a purely polygonal sense, came in the year 2000, when my dad surprised me with a copy of Spider-Man for the original PlayStation. I couldn’t believe what I was experiencing, and the elation that came from donning original and secret costumes as our one and only friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man was something my little heart could hardly contain at the time.