Nick Rodriguez-Contributor

Editorial Team

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

Elden Ring Consort Radahn First Phase
FromSoftware’s Future Bosses Should Be More Like Malenia and Less Like Consort Radahn in One Way

Elden Ring's Consort Radahn caught a lot of flak, and this could be avoided in future games by following the footsteps of Malenia's boss fight.

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assassins-creed-modern-day-segments-layla-desmond-game-rant
Predicting Assassin's Creed Shadows' New Modern Day Storyline

Assassin's Creed Shadows will reportedly be pivoting how the series handles the modern-day plot, leaving a lot of room for speculation.

1
Jak 3 key art
20 Years Ago, Naughty Dog Left Jak & Daxter On a High Note With Jak 3

The last proper release in the Jak & Daxter series turns 20 years old today, serving as a reminder of what was lost when Naughty Dog shifted gears.

2
Death Stranding BB With Logo Overlay
Death Stranding Defied Expectations, for Better or Worse, Five Years Ago

Death Stranding is five years old today, and worth remembering for its inventiveness, creativity, and courage to be something special.

Lies of P DLC Train Station
Lies of P’s DLC May Have a Hard Time Escaping the Shadow of its Genre Influences

Lies of P managed to become a breakout hit in the soulslike space, but now it will have to prove itself with its DLC, which has stiff competition.

1
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Splintered Fate Key Art
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate Review

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate doesn't quite reach the heights of its obvious inspirations, but it's a good time all the same.

3
GTA 6 Vice City Jason and Lucia Overlay
GTA 6's Story and Setting Still Have the Element of Surprise in One Regard

Audiences got only the briefest of looks at GTA 6 through its reveal trailer last year, which left a suite of questions in its wake.

silent-hill-2-james-sunderland
Silent Hill 2's Success is Hopefully a Precursor to Future Franchise Projects

Silent Hill 2's remake turned out to be a remarkable achievement—now, future Silent Hill games will need to live up to this expectation.

2
REDACTED gameplay screenshot
[REDACTED] Should Open the Floodgates for The Callisto Protocol’s Universe

Striking Distance Studios is pushing ahead with [REDACTED], and this should only be the first step on the road to The Callisto Protocol's redemption.

Dragon Age the Veilguard Rook
Mass Effect 4 Not Adopting Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Art Style is a Double-Edged Sword

Dragon Age: The Veilguard took a big leap with its art style, and it will be interesting to see how Mass Effect 4's graphics contrast it.

3
Red Dead Redemption Adult Jack
Red Dead Redemption 3's Best Way Forward Might Be The Most Daunting Choice

Only Rockstar's top brass can say what the future of the Red Dead Redemption franchise will look like, but there's one clear path it could take.

3
Yakuza Kiwami Kiryu and Nishiki drinking
Yakuza Kiwami’s Switch Success Should Open the Floodgates for the Series on Switch 2

Yakuza Kiwami is doing the rounds on the Nintendo Switch, and it should only be the start of the series' cooperation with Nintendo.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Miquella Cross
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree's Text Hints Hopefully Aren't a Worrying Omen

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree introduces some quality-of-life quest design features, but FromSoftware shouldn't jump the shark in this regard.

2
PlatinumGames Marks Bayonetta's 15th Anniversary with Year-Long Celebration
15 Years Ago, Bayonetta Grabbed the Character-Action Genre by the Horns

In 2009, Bayonetta broke into the competitive world of character-action games, challenging and, in many ways, surpassing its contemporaries.

Life Is Strange Double Exposure Key Art
Life Is Strange: Double Exposure Review

Life Is Strange: Double Exposure attempts to continue Max Caufield's story in a bold way, but it often fails at being narratively competent.

4
Spider Slayer Armour Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy 2's Customization Could Use More Outfits Like Legendary Armor, Spider Slayer

Hogwarts Legacy has a nice spread of cool outfits to choose from, but its sequel could take things a bit further with crazier concepts.

Pokemon Emerald Rayquaza
Nintendo Switch Online May Finally Cross an Item Off Pokemon Fans' Wish Lists in 2025

It's hard to know what the future holds for Nintendo Switch Online, but 2025 could be the year that the service delivers something special.

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Resident Evil Village Rose Winters Baby
Why Resident Evil 9's Protagonist Will Undoubtedly Be Its Most Important Reveal

The gaming world is holding its breath for Resident Evil 9, and knowing more about its protagonist will provide valuable insight.

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas Anniversary-1
20 Years Later, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Is Still One of Rockstar's Most Compelling Open-World Sandboxes

It may have been surpassed by its successors in terms of visual fidelity and polish, but GTA: San Andreas is still one of Rockstar's best outings.

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Dragon Age the Veilguard Teaming Up Against Monsters
How Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Marketing Could Give Mass Effect 4 Lots to Chew on

Dragon Age: The Veilguard's informative marketing strategy has been informative and alluring, and Mass Effect 4's could follow suit.

2