Author: Brett Yanoski

When I play games, I don’t often do it for the challenge. I’m the guy that picks Easy in the difficulty settings. In my mind, games are meant to be enjoyed, not studied. I want to play to take a break from a long day of work and multitasking to do something rewarding. When Monster Hunter: World arrived I was intrigued by the open world and cooperative focus. What I discovered was much deeper. What have I gotten myself into? When I began my first hunt, I realized there is more than meets the eye in Monster Hunter.

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How do you feel when you play a game? Happy? Sad? Angry? Games have the ability to make us feel these things, and often times these feelings are as real as they come. Games that make you truly feel something for another character are the ones that stick with us forever; they have a lasting impact on us as players and as people. For me, the feelings of empathy, admiration and love have been the most impactful.

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Have you ever walked in on a surprise birthday just for you? What about an unexpected raise at work? These are the kinds of surprises that make us feel amazing. With video game releases, these surprises can be few and far between. For years, gamers have lived with the expectation that after a game has been announced, it won’t release for another one, two or even three years. Our initial excitement quickly fades, and what first brought us to the edge of our seats turns into a singular source of frustration. But things don’t have to be that way. How special would it be to see release windows within a few months of a game’s reveal? Well, we’re in luck; gamers may start seeing that more often.
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In the games of old, everything was simpler. You got one character, one weapon and a handful of abilities. Mario was Mario and a sword was a sword. As the years have come and gone, however, the idea of “loot” has become more and more prominent. Loot gives players a sense of progression, reward and personal accomplishment, and the birth of the “loot box” has transformed that even further. What used to be a neat little bonus has become an integral part of game progression. Will we ever reach a point where we say we’ve had enough? Continue reading

It’s amazing how much time we had as kids to play games. I could easily play eight hours of video games in a single night. Today is much different. We have jobs, lives and commitments that have reduced our free time to just a small fraction of what it once was. Time is sacred now, and we must choose how we spend it wisely. I’ve been a gamer for over 20 years and I’ve learned a lot about video games in that time. But the most important things I’ve learned are three simple ways to enjoy games without sacrificing everything else. Continue reading

Need for Speed. It’s a name we have all known for decades. What began in the 90’s as a true-to-life simulation racing game quickly became the high-action arcade racer we know today. Throughout the years, Electronic Arts (EA) has had many wins and just as many misses with this franchise, but it continues to hold a special place in my heart for its ability to capture the thrill of driving for everyone. This franchise still has the potential to build something few others can; a thriving world with a need for speed. But the newly announced Payback isn’t the answer. So what is?

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Stories are traditionally told in three parts: the setup, the confrontation and the resolution. Movies, TV shows and even video games follow this structure. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, however, does not. In fact, it tells no story at all. Instead, it tells its stories dynamically through the individual experiences of its players. No two stories are the same, making for rich experiences that you just have to share with others. I may have changed some names, but the stories I’m telling are true; these are my stories from the Battlegrounds. Continue reading

Stories are traditionally told in three parts: the setup, the confrontation and the resolution. Movies, TV shows and even video games follow this structure. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, however, does not. In fact, it tells no story at all. Instead, it tells its stories dynamically through the individual experiences of its players. No two stories are the same, making for rich experiences that you just have to share with others. I may have changed some names, but the stories I’m telling are true; these are my stories from the Battlegrounds. Continue reading

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