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

God of War Secret Level Clip
God of War's Secret Level Appearance Can Move the Needle if Only a Little

God of War will appear in Amazon's Secret Level series, and while it may not be particularly revelatory, it may have big implications for the series.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree's Major 1.14 Boss Nerf is a Double-Edged Sword

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree recently got a hotly-anticipated patch, and while its biggest change is a welcome one, it has a downside.

1:56
Echoes of Innovation Link Zelda
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Doubles Down on One Key Aspect of the Franchise

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is generating excitement for its innovative take on the series. Unlike previous entries, this game will follow Princess Zelda herself, as Link has fallen to a mysterious blight. Echoes of Wisdom shifts away from the traditional action-focused combat, opting for slower, more methodical gameplay with an emphasis on magic. This major departure in mechanics highlights the unpredictability that has long defined the Zelda franchise.

Towerborne Key Art
Towerborne Early Access Impressions: Unstoppable Fun

Towerborne is a new co-op action-adventure game from Stoic Studios, and it's an addictive, relentlessly good time.

2:06
the-legend-of-zelda-echoes-of-wisdom-with-twilight-princess-logo-overlay-1
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Has Serious Twilight Princess Vibes

Anyone still disappointed about the lack of Twilight Princess on Switch may be able to get their fix with Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom.

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Avowed Combat BioShock logo
BioShock 4's Gunplay Might Want to Take Notes From Avowed

When BioShock 4 rolls around, it could benefit by taking a few notes from Avowed's flexible combat system, adopting some of its greatest strengths.

the-last-of-us-3-fake-logo-abby-ellie-game-rant-thumb
The Last of Us Part 3 Should Avoid the Temptation of Outdoing Its Predecessor in One Way

With The Last of Us 3 looming over PlayStation's suite of first-party titles, Naughty Dog has important decisions to make with its story structure.

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Mass Effect 3 Ending London
Why Mass Effect 4’s Chosen Canon Will Make a Huge Difference in Its Storytelling

Mass Effect 4 is positioned as a direct sequel to the original trilogy, which raises a lot of questions about canonization and continuity.

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Holstin Screenshot Man Standing in a Doorway
Holstin Has Classic Resident Evil Meets Disco Elysium Vibes

Upcoming indie game Holstin looks to blend genres, art styles, and narrative influences to create a stunning horror experience.

Hogwarts Legacy summoning broom
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions Offers a Perfect Blueprint For Hogwarts Legacy 2 to Follow

If Hogwarts Legacy 2 wants to improve its broom-riding traversal mechanics, it has a fairly obvious, recently released game to learn from.

1
God of War Ragnarok Valhalla DLC combat
The Gameplay of God of War's Next Saga Could Hinge On The Way It Approaches One Concept

God of War has played with real-world mythologies in interesting ways, and its next saga could take this general creative approach up a notch.

avowed-xbox-logo-sad-game-rant
Avowed Seems to Be the Next Victim of an Unfortunate Xbox Trend

For all the promise that Avowed seems to have, it's still lagging behind in one area, much like other sought-after Xbox exclusives.

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Sekiro Shadows Die Twice Fountainhead Palace
A Potential Sekiro Sequel Would Face a Major Fork in the Road

If a Sekiro sequel ever sees the light of day, which many are hoping it will, it will need to contend with one key design issue.

Mass Effect Shepard Punching Reaper
Mass Effect Challenge Tier List

The original Mass Effect trilogy wrapped up over a decade ago, but players are still finding unique ways to replay the series.

Far Cry 7 Location Timer
Far Cry 7's Timer Rumors Raise Questions About a Basic Open World Feature

Rumors have swirled about Far Cry 7's potential time limit system, which could have an unexpected impact on a staple mechanic.

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Astro Bot with Sackboy
Astro Bot Might Be Taking the Throne that Little Big Planet Left Empty

Astro Bot just might shape up to fill a void that Media Molecule's LittleBigPlanet and subsequent spin-off games left behind on PlayStation.

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2:51
Animal xc
Animal Crossing Might Be Heading to the City for its Next Title

Animal Crossing has ballooned into one of the most beloved and relevant video game franchises of all time.

Wii U Nintendo Logo
Nintendo Wii U Ports That May Have Missed the Switch, But Should Come to Switch 2

The Switch has given a second life to many Wii U games, but not everything from Nintendo's underselling 8th-generation console has made the jump.

5
Lego Horizon Adventures Aloy Posing with a Robot
LEGO Horizon Adventures' Use of Ranged Weapons Could Make or Break It

Lego Horizon Adventures will undoubtedly be a departure from the usual Horizon games, but it needs to get one element of its gameplay loop right.

Resident Evil Village Chris Redfield smirking
Resident Evil 9 May Already Have Sealed its Protagonist's Fate

Resident Evil 9's story premise is anyone's guess at this point, but at least one element of its narrative seems set in stone.

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