GameInformer

The role-playing game genre's focus on stories has always drawn me. Having a reason to play beyond "let's get to the end" is a powerful lure. For over two decades, I've enjoyed watching characters grow to save the world. The ending credits always matter so much more with the added... More

Aliens: Colonial Marines will likely be remembered as one of the biggest disappointments of this generation of gaming. Sega and developer Gearbox have rightly been vilified for the game's poor quality and their failure to deliver on the promises they made to fans. However, the class action lawsuit... More

With the impending announcement of next-generation hardware, the major console manufacturers have undoubtedly spent a lot of time analyzing their approach to the current systems, taking stock of what worked and what needs to improve. Flashy new features are inevitable, but companies also need to focus... More

We’ve all been there: The game is paused, the choice menu stares you in the face. Do you return the lost pet to the grieving old lady, hold out for a better reward, or punt the puppy across the street for sociopathic kicks? If you want to build the most powerful antihero you can, you better warm... More

[This editorial contains spoilers about BioShock Infinite, its characters, and its ending.] Irrational Games’ BioShock Infinite delivers a standout gameplay experience, but its biggest contribution to the interactive medium is its complex story and willingness to challenge gamers to think in new... More

An open operating system that you don't have to buy sounds like a win-win for gamers and developers, but many obstacles prevent Linux from moving past its current niche status. Here's what needs to happen to break Windows' dominance of computer gaming. As awesome as a Linux-driven future... More

Having a child is like playing life on the hardest difficulty. It’s the most rewarding and fulfilling way to play the game, but it makes everything just a little bit more difficult to pull off. Playing video games on the hardest difficulties offers the truest representation of how a game was intended... More

The open-source operating system has long been the exclusive domain of programmers and other DIY computer nerds, but big players like Valve have recently begun making real progress in supporting Linux for heavy-duty gaming. Here's why you should cheer for those efforts rather than laughing them off... More

On the one hand, I am happy to see Rayman Legends coming to other consoles. I had the privilege of checking out the game at E3 last year and writing an extended hands-on preview of the game for a recent issue of the magazine. Rayman Legends is one of the games I am most excited to play this year, and... More

Often, seemingly small decisions have a profound impact. This is true in life, and doubly true for companies that manufacture video game consoles. Since the beginning of this generation, tech experts and journalists have spent thousands of words breaking down the difference between the Xbox 360 and PlayStation... More

I grew up thinking Transformers were super stupid. My older brother was into them, but I was too young to figure out the toys’ puzzling transformations and stuck to my Ninja Turtles. Time passed and I never understood the nostalgic reverence with which Transformers fans regard the series. Michael... More

Replayability is a big deal to gamers. Not everyone is ready to be done with a game once the credits (and the inevitable sequel-tease afterwards) are finished. Replayability can come in the form of a massive world with tons of quests to complete, while other times it means starting from the beginning... More

I don’t exactly know what Kojima’s The Phantom Pain is, but I love it because it’s pure Kojima. When The Phantom Pain was announced at the VGAs recently, it didn’t take long for people to theorize that Kojima’s latest game was actually a Metal Gear game (either Metal Gear... More

I used to never put a game down until I’d completely conquered it, even if things got so ridiculous that I found myself dodging 100 consecutive randomly timed lightning bolts. Nowadays I’ve stopped going for the full-clear in games from Final Fantasy to Arkham Asylum, and I’m enjoying... More

Some things you just can't let go. Our current fascination with the unreleased Star Wars: Battlefront III is just one example throughout video game history of gamers' love affair with what could of been and what likely will never be. I understand how easy it is to pine for a title you can't... More

The rush of holiday releases are enough reason for anyone to put down a game that came out in September, but I stopped playing Borderlands 2 shortly after its release. Talking about my issues with the game has been difficult, given the nearly unified praise it’s received. I agree that Borderlands... More

The new operating system from Microsoft hasn’t caused my computer to explode, burned my house down, or deleted my save files. In that regard, the reports of the coming PC gaming apocalypse may have been slightly overstated. Heck, Windows 8 even has some nifty new tricks and shortcuts that I am... More

Role-playing fans probably didn’t anticipate that the Nintendo DS would become a go-to platform for the genre. After all, RPGs have classically dominated home consoles; the PlayStation 2 epitomized the RPGs of the era, bursting with cutscenes and voice acting. With this generation and its superior... More

Nintendo's Wii U lands on retail shelves on November 18. If you haven't decided which games to pick up, you're running out of time. Take these suggestions into account. 1. New Super Mario Bros. U It's kinda sad that most of the Wii U launch games I want to play are also available on another... More

Guild Wars 2’s cash shop is the death knell for monthly subscription fees on even the highest-quality games. For over a decade, a monthly fee was the accepted price of entry for massively multiplayer games. Players were happy to fork over $10-15 per month in return for access to sprawling online... More