Alexandra O'Leary-Contributor

Staff Writer

Contributor

Contributor Since September, 2023
Qualifications Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Creative Writing; Master of Arts in Creative Writing
Expertise
Nintendo, RPG, Indie Games
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The Best War Games logo Profile

Page 5

About Alexandra O'Leary

Alex is a world-explorer, obsessive looter and story adorer. When she's not writing, she's being left halfway across the Divinity map staring at something she *thinks* might be a secret.
Alex has a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, and a MA in creative writing. Aside from writing about the things she loves, Alex is an avid fiction writer/reader. When she was nineteen, one of her short stories was published in an anthology, and she is currently working on a novel.
Writing for TheBestWarGames allows Alex to showcase some of her favorite games and share her enthusiasm with others in the gaming sphere. She easily falls in love with a good story, so a lot of narrative and thematic-based articles can be found on her author profile. She's also massively into Zelda, particularly looking at what connects the games and how they've evolved over the years. 
Alex believes that video games are a unique and incredible medium for art and narrative. They are able to achieve a level of immersion and captivation that essentially no other form can. She is thrilled to be a part of the narrative surrounding games, and is incredibly excited to continue to watch the industry grow.

Favorite Games

Some of Alex's favorite games include Breath of the Wild, Uncharted and a plethora of indie RPGs like Oneshot, Undertale, Stardew Valley and Sea of Stars. She's certainly more of a story, lore and dialogue lover, although she does venture into League of Legends (but can't claim to be any good).
On top of this, Alex absolutely loves a good board game and TTRPG, and generally suffers from a lack of people to play with. Some of her favorites include Blockbuster, One Night Ultimate Werewolf, D&D and Secret Hitler.

Proudest Gaming Achievement

One of Alex's first gaming achievements was beating 'Mandark's Laboratory' in Cartoon Network Racing DS, which was evidently a serious struggle. She was so excited she jumped up and tripped on the charging wire like a fool. However, Alex's proudest gaming achievement was completing (almost) the entirety of Breath of the Wild - finishing everything but the Koroks, because they honestly aren't worth it.

Favorite Console

Alex has always adored Nintendo, with her love of gaming growing from watching her cousin play Sonic Adventure 2 on the GameCube. Thanks to this, she has a particular soft spot for the Nintendo DS. Alex spent a lot of her childhood whittling away hours on Mario 64, Mario Kart DS and Sonic Classic Collection. She was reluctant to upgrade to the Nintendo 3DS, but Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda (Ocarina of Tim e, Majora's Mask and A Link between worlds),  and Super Smash Bros. quickly won her over. It's a tough call to pick a console, but the DS will always hold a special place in her heart.

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Many sages have appeared throughout The Legend of Zelda franchise. These characters are some of the best.

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Zelda: Link's Best Friends, Ranked
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Over the many generations in The Legend of Zelda, Link has made some of the best friends one could ask for both in and out of Hyrule.

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Throughout Nintendo's flagship franchise, Mario has acquired a lot of friends throughout his adventures. These are his closest companions.

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Playing as a child in games offers interesting opportunities for both storytelling and gameplay.

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A lot of games over the years have incorporated multiple endings. These examples are just the tip of the iceberg.

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5 Best Games That Explore Existentialism
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Existentialism is a theme that certain games try to tackle. These examples pull it off the best.

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8 Games Where The Protagonist Isn't Human
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The following games go against the grain by having non-human characters in the leading role, which often leads to unique gameplay experiences.

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Some RPGs go for a nontraditional narrative where they explore themes of mental health and trauma, and here are some examples.

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There are many enemies to defeat in the Tears of the Kingdom, but players will have to keep their guard up when going after these challenging bosses

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8 Great Video Games For Halloween Costume Ideas
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Those looking to dress up as a video game character for Halloween should check out these iconic releases for inspiration.

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Sea Of Stars: Best Snacks & Their Effects
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Players should always try to keep these useful snacks handy in Sea of Stars.

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Top 13 Video Game Brothers
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Whether raised together or separated at birth, these video game brothers are our absolute favorites.

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Rosalina has quickly solidified herself as one of the Mario roster's most popular characters. These games are great for playing as Rosalina.

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10 Best Mario Games With Playable Princess Peach
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While waiting for Princess Peach: Showtime, players can check out these other great games that feature Peach as a playable character.

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