January 2017 - The Inner Gamer

Can the Nintendo Switch Change Handhelds Forever?

Will the Nintendo Switch Change Handhelds Forever?

January 18, 2017 By Brett Yanoski No Comments

For over two decades, handheld gaming has gone through its ebbs and its flows and today we’re still searching for that perfect device. Nintendo has always been on the forefront of the handheld world and has released a number of amazing devices over the years. However, Nintendo has always operated in two separate hardware markets: the handheld and the home console. Their home consoles have never sold as well as their handhelds, and they failed in their first attempt to meld the two together with the Wii U. The Nintendo Switch is their second attempt, and with it, they may have created something truly magical. But first, how did we get here?

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The Game I Never Knew I Wanted

January 11, 2017 By Luis Gonzalez No Comments

It was July and the birds were chirping. No, not the avian kind. The human kind. They were saying something indistinguishable. It wasn’t in another language or anything, but it was something I’d never heard before: Rocket League. What the hell is Rocket League? “Another racing game,” I thought; wrong. It wasn’t a racing game at all. Far from it, actually. It was a soccer game…with cars. “Now we’re talking.” It was summertime and I had all the time in the World…but it would only take minutes. I was hooked.

The Delicate Balance Between Story and Gameplay in Video Games

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The Delicate Balance of Story and Gameplay

January 4, 2017 By Austin Morales No Comments

Storytelling dates back to ancient man. Stories of hunters, of gatherers, of man rising up against all odds to save his people. We have all seen, heard, and read stories just like these all our lives. They have molded us, shaped us, and changed our lives for better and for worse. Stories are integral parts of what makes us human, an outlet for self expression, and video games have changed the way we interact with them. Before video games, only in our wildest dreams could we physically and emotionally connect with a story and its world. But video games aren’t just stories and they’re not just video games. One can’t exist without the other. A great story is only as good as the mechanics that make it tick.

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There Are (Not) Enough Hours in the Day

January 4, 2017 By Luis Gonzalez No Comments

It’s 1 AM and I’m rushing to bed.

There are not enough hours in the day.

The rooster crows, it’s time to wake, it’s 6 AM with no time to waste. I turn on the tube, check the weather and news, “The spirits are (somewhat) mildly perturbed.” By seven I’m farming, harvest and sow, these sprinklers are great, not one little crow. An hour goes by, albeit too quick, it was time to tend to my cows and my chicks. Pet, feed, rinse and repeat, just a little bit of help, well, that would be sweet. It’s a quarter to ten with not a moment to spare, an hour with kegs, to town with errands I bear.

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My Journey as the Chosen Undead

January 4, 2017 By Devan Duree 1 Comment

Difficulty in video games has always been appealing to me. I find myself drawn to the challenge of beating a game on its hardest difficulty or unlocking its incredibly secret, game-breaking super weapon. So when a friend of mine told me I HAD to play Dark Souls, I knew I couldn’t deny him. I was the guy who bested both Ninja Gaiden and God of War on their hardest difficulties. I had a reputation to uphold. After all, how bad could it be?
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Month: January 2017

Will the Nintendo Switch Change Handhelds Forever?

The Game I Never Knew I Wanted

The Delicate Balance of Story and Gameplay

There Are (Not) Enough Hours in the Day

My Journey as the Chosen Undead