The games that made me: Jet Set Willy
It's 1984. The most exciting thing in the world is crisps. But all that is about to change. Let's take a beige-tinted amble down remembery avenue.
GOTY 2021: The 21 best video games of 2021
We're at it again, trying to compile subjective opinions into official-looking lists – here are the 21 best video games of 2021, according to Thumbsticks.
The wonder and fear of radio in video games
There's a childlike sense of wonder to radio. Making an ocean of the sky, radio waves broadcast out like the tide, songs and voices carried out like messages in bottles.
Final Fantasy VII Remake: The big plot comparison and ending analysis
One year on, the Final Fantasy VII Remake is still living rent-free in our head. Here's the most comprehensive plot analysis we could muster.
Five years on, Firewatch is more relatable than ever
On its fifth anniversary, Firewatch – with its themes of isolation and forging relationships over great distances – hits differently in the midst of a global pandemic.
The 21 most anticipated video game releases of 2021
Our list of the 21 most anticipated video games of 2021 is, as you might expect, stuffed to the brim with indie games.
GOTY 2020: The 20 best video games of 2020
It's that time of year again, where we subjectively list what we think are the best video games of 2020, then you lot get mad at us for being wrong.
Final Fantasy VII Remake faithfully recreates one of gaming’s greatest moments
The Final Fantasy VII Remake proves that it is the little things that matter most.
How The Last of Us Part II rekindled my love of the guitar
After the end of the world, Joel found peace in restoring guitars. That inspired me to do the same in the midst of a real-life pandemic.
Towards entropy: Time and death in Dishonored
An affliction is spreading in Dishonored's Dunwall, an affliction of accelerating industrialization made manifest as disease.
A video game vision of Britain, from Fable to Watch Dogs Legion
Media representations of Britain are often rose-tinted, but the reality is quite different. How does that play out in video game versions of the UK?
An idiot’s guide to Crusader Kings 3
Crusader Kings 3 might be good, but it's the astonishing stories the game produces that have been the real hit. So, naturally intrigued, we sent an idiot to do a king's job.
That’s time gentlemen, please: Lair of the Clockwork God ‘a nice swansong’ for Ben and Dan
We caught up with Dan Marshall to ask about expectations for Lair of the Clockwork God, designing games in the pub, and the end of the road for Ben and Dan.
The Last of Us Part II, violence, and the problem with pursuing prestige TV
Are AAA video games – like The Last of Us Part II – right to model themselves on prestige TV, or will they be forever chasing maturity and legitimacy?
An idiot’s guide to Final Fantasy VII, learned entirely through the Remake
I decided it was time I experienced Final Fantasy 7 how it was intended: by playing a 35-hour reimagining of the first 6 hours of the original game
Our comprehensive The Last of Us story recap
The Last of Us Part II is upon us. Forgotten what happened in the original, or just need a refresher? Then you need our comprehensive The Last of Us story recap.
An idiot’s guide to Dragon Ball Z, learned entirely through Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
When we realised that plot of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot spans the entire history of the franchise, we wondered: is it possible to gain a passable understanding of the series' vast history through one video game?
Xbox Series X: Why is 12 teraflops a big deal? Is it a good number?
You've probably heard quite enough about "12 teraflops" this week. But if you'll indulge us one more article, we'll break down what the figure means – in useful, real-world, value terms – for the Xbox Series X.
Large, open-world video games are a sprint, not a marathon
If you can get to the end of a long video game with the wind in your sails and enthusiasm still in your heart, then that's an achievement in itself. But it shouldn't be so difficult. Games shouldn't feel like work.
One indie game developer’s quest for perfect dice
For almost a year, indie developer Sophie Houlden has been building the ultimate virtual dice roller, called Sophie's Dice.