Mark Steighner
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Writing For
COGConnectedLatest Reviews
I’m lucky enough to have the chance to preview and review a lot of games. That’s awesome, but there’s a downside. I rarely have time to get endlessly lost in a sprawling and ridiculously deep MMORPG like The Elder Scrolls Online. However, I have reviewed nearly every annual expansion, including...
Trepang2
Although it has been a long minute — 12 years — since the last F.E.A.R game, many fans still remember the supernatural shooter and its unsettling child antagonist, Alma. The three-game F.E.A.R franchise was known for excellent, first-person shooting and its blend of otherworldly powers. Though there’s no literal connection,...
Planet of Lana
Are games art? Or entertainment? It’s an old argument that I think we’ve moved past. Games can be either, neither, or both. Planet of Lana certainly looks artistic and painterly. But is it also entertaining to play?
Diablo IV
Every gamer has a story about THE game. You know the one. The first game that kept you up at night, calling in sick for work or missing class, turning your gaming space into a funky-smelling trash heap of pizza boxes and soda cans. For me, it was Diablo 2....
When it comes to the Lord of the Rings, there are a few levels of fandom. Some people, of course, think the whole fantasy genre is a bunch of silly nonsense. We’ll ignore them. Then there are those who have read the books, maybe more than once. And seen the...
If there’s ever a world-ending apocalypse, it will be interesting to see if any fictional scenarios line up with the real thing. There are many to choose from. Zombie plagues, nuclear holocausts, weird magical uprisings, vampire takeovers, and many more. Before I bum myself out even further, let’s dive into...
Ravenlok
Although they’ve evolved into complex games with deep skill trees, timing-based moves, and endless depth, action RPGs really only require a few basics to be fun. Even young players require a coherent narrative, a strong main character, and some degree of customization. Add visual appeal, some clear goals, engaging missions,...
Redfall
Considering they’re a staple of horror and fantasy, vampires have been the subject of relatively few great video games. Sure, there’s Castlevania, and Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines, Legacy of Kain, and a few others. But compared to zombie-themed games, for example, vampires are lagging way behind. Is Redfall a chance...
Despite the fact that there are small armies of developers and creatives working in the video game industry, fresh ideas are relatively rare. While Meet Your Maker isn’t entirely original, it does have a gameplay loop that’s both addictive and frustrating in equal measure. If you were the kind of...
Stray Blade
I don’t envy developers, especially those making a soulslike action game. The competition is enormous, and any game hoping to claim even a small fraction of fan love needs to bring some new ideas and deliver on them. In the case of Stray Blade, developer Point Blank Games is banking...
Part art project, part action game, Clash: Artifacts of Chaos looks like nothing you’ve played this year. Or, probably any other. But there are lots of games oozing style but lacking substance. Where does Clash: Artifacts of Chaos land as an action game, aside from its art?
Just as you thought the turn-based RPG bus was already full, Redemption Reapers squeezes into the back seat with another, substantial take on a popular genre. Well, “another take” might be generous. From its gothic fantasy setting to its stock characters, Redemption Reapers sticks pretty close to the basics.
