Staff Writer
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1157articles
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About Nick Rodriguez
Nick is a freelance writer from Chicago, IL, with a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His lifelong belief in the artistic power of video games led him to contribute to The Best War Games and Screen Rant, platforms where he has managed to share helpful news content, thoughtful opinion pieces, and more than a few hot takes.
While he believes all gaming genres and categories have worth, Nick's interests lie primarily in the realm of single-player experiences, with hand-crafted stories, tight and challenging gameplay, and emotive, unique visual and audio design. On the industry side of things, he is committed to supporting creators, identifying and criticizing exploitation, and combating negativity and toxicity.
Aside from gaming, he enjoys long-distance running, reading, contributing to his blog, working on his Honda CX650C, writing fiction, and having a beer or two.
Favorite Games
- Bloodborne
- Disco Elysium
- Death Stranding
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Mass Effect 2
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Dead Space
- Signalis
- Hades
- BioShock
- Super Mario Galaxy
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Industry Focus
A bit of everything, but with a particular affinity for indie games, industry news, gaming events, and new technology.
Favorite Console
Easy win for the PS2.
Latest
Two Beloved PS4/PS5 Game Are Losing Their Console Exclusivity Status in 2026, and That's for the Best
One heavy-hitting PlayStation exclusive is headed to Xbox and Switch 2 this year, which is a good portent for things to come.
What Is The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, the Upcoming Game that Has Major Mass Effect Vibes?
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn will bring the famed sci-fi series into the action-RPG realm, prompting comparisons to the Mass Effect series.
What Is MIO: Memories in Orbit, the Hollow Knight-Like Game Coming to Xbox Game Pass Soon?
A new Hollow Knight-esque metroidvania called MIO: Memories in Orbit is landing on Game Pass soon, and there's reason to believe it'll make a splash.
New Cozy RPG on Steam Takes the Best of Stardew Valley's Presentation and Puts It Into a Magical Setting Like Hogwarts Legacy
Stardew Valley's art style has been much-imitated, but one upcoming indie adds an alluring magical spin akin to the Harry Potter franchise.
Brand New Creature Collector on Steam Feels Like Pokemon & Palworld Finally Agreed to Get Along
Creature collecting games are having a major moment right now, but one upcoming title feels especially promising in the wake of Palworld.
Two Soulslike Games on Steam Are Strong Replacements for FromSoftware's Officially Dead IP
FromSoftware has more or less abandoned one of its older IP, but its spirit lives on in two modern, first-person adventure games.
What is Beast of Reincarnation, the New IP Coming From Pokemon Developer Game Freak?
Game Freak, a company historically associated exclusively with the Pokemon franchise, is stepping out of its niche with Beast of Reincarnation.
The Best Game to Play Before Half-Life 3 Isn’t Made By Valve at All
Half-Life 3 was a no-show in 2025, but there's another project, made sans Valve's involvement, that might help tide fans over.
The Steam-Only Masterpiece That’s Still Scarier Than Anything On PlayStation Or Xbox
Console gamers have plenty of flashy horror games to sink their teeth into, but some creepy tales are restricted to the PC realm.
Soaring RAM and SSD Prices Could Keep the Current PC and Console Generation Alive Longer—and That’s a Good Thing
Costs of gaming-related electronic components are rising, which could result in a prolonged life cycle for the current hardware generation.
The 15 Best PS Plus Games Added in 2025
2025 has been a landmark year for games and the games industry, and that was reflected by a surprisingly busy PS Plus lineup.
Duskbloods is Something Completely Different for FromSoft, But It Keeps the Most Iconic Soulslike Feature (Not Combat!)
For as different as it is from its predecessors, The Duskbloods will retain at least one major FromSoftware staple—and it's not what you think.
The New Witcher Trilogy is Setting Itself Up for Controversy, but More Games Should Follow Suit
The next Witcher saga has ambitious plans for its release cycle, but this may not be as risky as you think, and could be a smart development strategy.
What is Starfinder: Afterlight, the Upcoming Baldur's Gate 3-Like CRPG?
Starfinder: Afterlight is set to be the first CRPG in the Starfinder franchise, and naturally, it's pulling quite a bit from Baldur's Gate 3.
Rockstar’s Forgotten 2005 Action Game Remains One of the Best—and Most Surprising—New York City Games
Rockstar has spawned several classic games, but one 2005 New York City brawler is still one of the developer's best takes on the big city.
Which Divinity Games Do You Need to Play Before Larian's New Game Comes Out?
Divinity will be the next major project from CRPG leader Larian Studios, but contrary to its simple title, it's not the first of its kind.
$900 million Raised. 12 Years in Development. So Why Isn’t Star Citizen Done Yet?
Star Citizen will go down in history as having one of the most interesting development stories ever—and the game might not even come out.
What Even Is an Indie Game?
We all know that indie games have been on a tear these past few years, but defining something as "indie" isn't as simple as it once was.
What happened to the Command & Conquer Franchise, and Will We Ever See Red Alert 4?
The Command & Conquer series was once at the forefront of the real-time strategy genre, but it's now mostly faded into irrelevance.
Exodus' Greatest Weakness Means Mass Effect 5 Needs to Strike While the Iron is Hot
Archetype Entertainment offered another look at Exodus at TGA 2025, but one major element may have left some viewers feeling cold.