Mark Smith-Contributor

Editorial Team

Contributor

May, 2023
Creative Writing (BA)
RPG, The Elder Scrolls, Final Fantasy
  • 311
    articles
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Page 14

About Mark Smith

Mark has been thinking and writing about games since a Gameboy Pocket and a copy of Link's Awakening was first placed into his tender, seven-year-old hands.

Since then, he snagged a creative writing (BA) degree, roleplayed as a banker, an English teacher, and finally, a games writer – all while pursuing his true passion: inhabiting and creating virtual worlds.

As well as writing about, reading about, thinking about, talking about, dreaming about, and generally fantasizing about video games, Mark also dabbles with game development.

Proudest Gaming Achievement

I make my own video games (achievement unlocked!), which you can check out (and play for free) here:

https://markgsmith.itch.io/

Favorite Games

Mark's favorite game worlds are found in titles such as the Elder Scrolls, Metal Gear Solid, Jak and Daxter, and Guild Wars.

Favorite Console

The PS2 had all the bangers, but who can deny the divine right of PC gaming?

Latest

Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy: 7 Worst Worlds To Live In

The Final Fantasy series is home to many beautiful worlds, but not all of them are good places to settle down in.

Final Fantasy blue mage
Final Fantasy: The 7 Strongest Blue Mages In The Games, Ranked

Blue Mage is an unconventional job in Final Fantasy, but it is still a powerful job that can use enemy abilities and spells.

Black mage lulu Lalai Lai
Final Fantasy: The 6 Strongest Black Mages In The Games, Ranked

The Black Mage job allows characters to unleash devastating amounts of damage upon their foes.

Final Fantasy Bard
Final Fantasy: Every Playable Bard Character In The Games, Ranked

Bard has been a recurring job in various Final Fantasy games, and here is how they compare.

the sims 4 supernatural
The Sims: Every Supernatural Expansion In The Series, Ranked

The Sims franchise is no stranger to injecting the supernatural into the experience. Here's how they stack up.

Monk Oblivion Baldur's Gate Pillars of Eternity
Packing A Punch: The 7 Best RPGs With Viable Unarmed Builds
RPG

An unarmed build can be a ton of fun in an RPG, assuming there are enough incentives to make it viable.

Minecraft Best Updates
Minecraft: The Top 10 Best Game Updates, Ranked

Minecraft has incorporated several great updates over the years. These are the best of the bunch.

Minecraft Crossbow lava bucket trident
Minecraft: The 10 Most Useful Weapons, Ranked

When it comes to combat in Minecraft, players will want to make sure they have useful weapons at the ready.

Bully Rockstar GTA 5
Roads Untraveled: 6 Fascinating Cancelled Projects From Rockstar Studios

Rockstar has an almost perfect history of making fantastic video games, so much so that their canceled projects just feel like missed opportunities.

Albion Online FF14 Mounts
5 MMOs With The Greatest Mount Systems
MMO

Most MMOs have a massive world for players to explore, so having a mount is crucial for getting around quickly.

Space Invaders Skyrim Quake bugs
7 Game Bugs That Became Iconic Features

In rare instances, video game bugs can sometimes be a good thing...

Battle Brothers Valkyria Chronicles Roadwarden
Best 7 Low Fantasy Video Games

Low Fantasy is a popular genre that several games have tried to tackle. These are the best of the bunch.

Doom 4 Battlecry Prey 2
What Could Have Been: 6 Tantalizing Cancelled Projects From Bethesda Studios

Despite the grand success of some of Bethesda's best games, some lesser-known properties were canceled.

Chronicles of Myrtana Archolo Enderal
The 6 Best Total Conversion Mods That Became Free Standalone Games

Sometimes, a great total conversion mod is so good it spawns its very own game. Here are the finest examples in gaming history.

The Halberd Cortex Airship
The 7 Most Iconic Airships In Video Games, Ranked

Airships may not work in real life, but video games don't have that kind of limitation which has resulted in some incredible looking ships.

Meryl Snake Eva Master Collection
Metal Gear Solid - Master Collection Vol. 1: 7 Subtle Gameplay Differences And Omissions From The Original Games

The Master Collection Vol. 1 may just be a remaster collection, but some elements are very different from the original games.

Max Payne 3 LISA The Painful Disco Elysium Addiction
7 Games That Tackle The Struggles Of Addiction

Addiction is a hard reality that video games often find hard to tackle. Through hardship, these games help show players the struggle of addiction.

Guns of Icarus Black Skylands
6 Best Games About Being A Sky Pirate

Being a sky pirate is as cool as it sounds. These games pull off this fantasy the best.

Fallout Charisma Outer Worlds Disco Elysium
The 7 Best RPGs With Highly Viable Charisma Builds
RPG

These RPGs allow players to utilize the "gift of gab" to its fullest extent.

Tomb Raider DMC5 Mortal Kombat 2011
8 Games That Brought Floundering Franchises Back To Life

Just when these franchises seemed to be on their last legs, they brought out a game that reinvigorated the series in the best ways.