Nick Rodriguez-Contributor

Staff Writer

Contributor

August, 2023
Bachelor's Degree in Creative Writing, University of Illinois
Action RPG, From Software, Mass Effect
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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

Basic Blueprint Illustration of Valve's New Steam Controller
Is the New Steam Controller Just One Big Compromise?

Valve's upcoming Steam Machine will come with a Steam Controller, though whether it's better than its Sony or Microsoft counterparts is hard to say.

Resident Evil Code Veronica Key Art Claire Redfield
All Resident Evil Code: Veronica Remake and Leak Rumors Explained

Resident Evil Code: Veronica might be getting a remake, and leaks and rumors suggest it will be quite a substantial one indeed.

A Ship Flying Through Space in Exodus
What is Exodus, The Upcoming RPG That's Very Similar to Mass Effect?

Exodus, a game helmed by ex-BioWare developers, promises to deliver hard-sci-fi thrills and action, much like the original Mass Effect games.

7
A Church in Red Dead Redemption 2
The Hidden Spirituality of Red Dead Redemption 2: Faith, Fate, and the Weight of the American Frontier

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a bombastic, intense wild-west ride, but it's also an unexpectedly deep commentary on faith and spirituality.

Battlefield 6 large scale fight with snipers and parachutes
All Battlefield 6 Season 2 Rumors and Leaks Explained

Battlefield 6 Season 2, slated for release sometime in January 2026, has had some of its information leaked courtesy of a long-established dataminer.

new-xbox-game-pass-co-op-game-was-just-shadow-dropped-game-rant-feature
New Xbox Game Pass Co-Op Game Was Just Shadow Dropped

Developer KO-OP, best known for Goodbye Volcano High, releases a new cooperative game, free for Game Pass subscribers on PC and Xbox.

GTA 6 Jason and Lucia in front of The Elder Scrolls 6 reveal trailer
Why Video Game Release Dates Get Announced So Early

The path from reveal to release can be lengthy, and it's important to understand the underlying factors behind some games getting announced so early.

3
Final Fantasy Versus 13 Noctis Trailer
14 Years Ago, Final Fantasy Versus 13 Began Falling Apart and Led to Final Fantasy 15

Final Fantasy 15 may not be renowned as the series' most groundbreaking entry, but its development story is far more complex than one might expect.

Elden Ring Baldur's Gate 3 Ranni Shadowheart
Elden Ring vs. Baldur's Gate 3: Which GOTY is Actually Better?

Back-to-back GOTY winners Elden Ring and Baldur's Gate 3 are both fantastic, but how do they stack up against each other, all told?

2
Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag Mary Read Edward Kenway
Assassin's Creed: Black Flag's Remake May Be Bringing Back Cut Content, But There's One Storyline That Deserves It the Most

If Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag really is making a comeback soon, it needs to include the original's most promising cut content.

Arc Raider ARC attack
If you’ve picked up Arc Raiders and can’t seem to enjoy it, you’re not alone

Arc Raiders is 2025's biggest extraction shooter, but it's not for everyone—if you bounced off the game, welcome to the club.

129
Battlefield 6 Sniper in Ghillie Suit
“BF6 has beaten Black Ops 7" was not something many expected to hear, yet here we are—and for good reason

Battlefield 6 has officially outperformed Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 across several crucial vectors, putting DICE's military sim back on top.

Battlefield 6 player angry at operator skin
“Preserving The Experience” Why weirdly colorful skins are viewed so negatively in Battlefield 6

Players have expressed extreme vitriol toward the notion of Battlefield 6 having colorful skins like Call of Duty, and here's why.

New Steam Controller
Dropping the 3.5mm Jack in 2026: The New Steam Controller Is 10 Years Late to a Bad Trend

The new Steam Controller and Steam Machine look promising, but they are lacking a common hardware component, following a bad industry trend.

PS4 PS5 Consoles on Cosmic Background
PS5’s First 5 Years of Games VS PS4’s At This Point in Their Lifecycle (and The Clear Winner)
PS5

The PS5 has been on the market for nearly five years now, prompting the question: how does it compare to the PS4, its best-selling predecessor?

ea-claims-battlefield-6-is-the-best-selling-shooter-game-of-the-year-game-rant-feature
EA Claims Battlefield 6 is the Best-Selling Shooter Game of the Year

EA updates its website to announce that Battlefield 6 is the best-selling shooter game of 2025, outselling its Call of Duty counterpart.

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Xbox Series X UI PS5
It’s 2026 (Almost) and PS5 Still Doesn’t Have the Best Feature on Xbox
PS5

Many have deemed Xbox the worst of the Big Three, but the Series S and Series X still have at least one big advantage over their competition.

The Game Awards 2025 Hollow Knight Silksong Hades 2 Clair Obscur Expedition 33
For the First Time, Game of the Year Is Split 50/50 Between Blockbusters and Indies

The Game Awards 2025 is set to be an unprecedented bout between the expensive world of AAA gaming and the ever-expanding indie scene.

Metroid Prime 4 Myles Mackenzie and Samus
I Played Metroid Prime 4, and I'm Not Worried About Samus' 'Annoying' Sidekick

There's been a lot of talk about Metroid Prime 4's human companions, but as someone who's played the game, I'm not all to worried about them.

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Anno 117: Pax Romana Landscape with a Roman figure
Ubisoft Comments on Anno 117: Pax Romana AI Art Controversy

Players have been catching glimpses of AI-generated art in Ubisoft's Anno 117: Pax Romana; Ubisoft issues a statement regarding the accusations.