A screenshot from Destiny 2: The Final Shape, showing a Warlock, Titan, and Hunter sitting on a spaceship looking out into space, Earth and The Traveller are visible.
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Destiny 2: The Final Shape – The End To Light and Darkness

In 2014, the launch of Destiny promised the start of an epic ten-year story. It was a promise echoed by other live-service games that rose (and fell) in its wake.  With Destiny 2: The Final Shape,…

June 12, 2024 | 08:30 EDT

Animal Well DuelSense opinion header image
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Animal Well Features My Favorite Use of DuelSense Yet

I get unreasonably excited when a PS5 game has "Vibration function and trigger effect supported" on the back of the box. Games like Returnal and Ghostwire: Tokyo make incredible use of the DuelSense'…

May 9, 2024 | 09:05 EDT

A ghoul looking down and to the right, pointing a gun at something.
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The Fallout TV Show Proves The Last of Us Wasn’t A Fluke

Video-game adaptations are mostly bad, so bad they’re good, or lucked into some cult following. Thankfully, we’ve now had the amazing The Last of Us release, and Fallout just knocked it out of the…

April 11, 2024 | 10:00 EDT

GTA6 Player Character in Prison Trailer
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GTA Online's Success Undermines GTA 6's Relationship With Political Satire

If there's one thing that the Grand Theft Auto series is no stranger to, it's American politics. There was a time when lawyers and politicians were practically tripping over each other in an attempt…

January 27, 2024 | 09:00 EST

A Regenerador attacks Ada in Resident Evil 4 Separate Ways
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If You Skip Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways, You're Doing Yourself a Disservice

When the Resident Evil 4 Remake was released back in March, it quickly became regarded as one of the best remakes ever made by fans and critics alike. So how can Capcom follow that up?  The answer…

October 23, 2023 | 09:00 EDT

Ace Attorney Parody starring Poenix Wright as Microsoft and Edgeworth as the CMA and FTC
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Microsoft's Acquisition of Activision Shows Regulators Haven't Taken Gaming Seriously

The battle over the $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft has shed light on the fact that major antitrust watchdogs are woefully unprepared to regulate the gaming industry. …

October 15, 2023 | 09:00 EDT

starfield ship in orbit
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Starfield's Shipbuilding Is the Endgame Bethesda Needed

Anyone who is familiar with Bethesda's open-world RPGs will tell you that although there is a nearly limitless amount of content available to you, only a fraction of that content can be considered…

September 26, 2023 | 09:00 EDT

Starfield outpost in front of stars
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Starfield's Outpost System Is Holding the Game Back

Now that Starfield has been released into the hands of millions of adoring fans across the world, it seems that most people would agree that the game has more or less lived up to expectations. Yes,…

September 19, 2023 | 09:10 EDT

The player stares up at the Labyrinth Sentinel, a large world boss in Remnant 2.
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Which Platform Has Best Remnant 2 Performance?

If there's one element that defines this generation of gaming, it's performance. Players want to know that their games aren't just going to look good, they want them to perform well. Often that means…

August 8, 2023 | 10:09 EDT

starfield
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Could Starfield Lead the Way to Xbox's Best Year Yet?

Anyone who has been keeping up with the happenings of the gaming industry for any substantial time will tell you that it's best to keep your expectations low. Even with this maxim in mind, the last…

June 14, 2023 | 12:00 EDT

Leon aims his gun at enemies in Resident Evil 4 Remake
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Resident Evil 4 Remake Sets a Gold Standard for Replayability

For over two decades, Resident Evil has been a series that rewards those who want to return to the campaigns over and over again. New game modes, new unlockables, and a plethora of secrets ensure…

April 24, 2023 | 11:00 EDT

The main characters staring at a portal opening from The Traveler at the conclusion of Destiny 2 Lightfall
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Destiny 2 Lightfall: What Happened With That Finale?

With the release of Destiny 2 Lightfall, the community has tucked into its newest content with zeal. Part of this was due to the emotional climax of the most recent season, setting high expectations…

March 6, 2023 | 11:00 EST

Saint and Osiris watching The Traveler from Destiny 2 Season of the Seraph
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Destiny 2 Season of the Seraph Prepares for the End

With the final story mission live and its ending cutscene revealed, the Destiny 2 community has been rocked to its core by the events of Season of the Seraph. What started as a solid continuation of…

February 20, 2023 | 12:32 EST

Map while travelling in Pathfinder Kingmaker
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Paper Maps Make Fantasy Games More Immersive

Fantasy is one of the most popular genres of fiction, and at its core, it relies on presenting an alternate world that its audience can become invested in, moved by, and perhaps even escape to.…

February 8, 2023 | 11:00 EST

Comic book world of Hi-Fi Rush
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Don't Love Rhythm Games? Try Out Hi-Fi Rush Anyway

If you're like me, you may be a bit skeptical whenever a new rhythm game is announced. Even the best stories and most fun gameplay can feel forced when there's a rhythm element to it, alienating a…

February 7, 2023 | 12:00 EST

fortnite chapter 4
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Fortnite's Battle Passes: How Did They Take Over the Gaming Industry?

Much like any other art form, there are no small number of games that are so good that they are almost transformative to the individual playing them. On occasion, there are also games that…

January 11, 2023 | 01:00 EST

Carol Danvers and Hunter playing video games
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Marvel's Midnight Suns' Most Benign Moments Are Its Best

Slow and methodical video games are certainly nothing new, but since the pandemic, this type of gameplay has been embraced more and more by players who don't mind taking their time with a story. Just…

December 19, 2022 | 12:00 EST

league of legends
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Is League of Legends on Xbox Game Pass Riot's Way of Fighting the Future?

Out of all the games that were added to Xbox Game Pass in 2022, it would probably be safe to say that League of Legends, Valorant, Legends of Runeterra, and Teamfight Tactics stand out the most.…

December 19, 2022 | 11:00 EST

The Guardian in Spider's Bar from Destiny 2 Season of Plunder
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Destiny 2 Season of Plunder Feels Like Swashbuckling Filler

Looking back on Destiny 2 Season of Plunder, there wasn't a lot that stuck in my mind. The content that propelled this season was exciting, continuing Bungie's push towards fun rewarding PvE seasonal…

November 17, 2022 | 11:00 EST

halo infinite co op
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Did the Halo Infinite Winter Update Fix Year-Old Problems?

When Halo Infinite was first released to the public a year ago, there was some genuine belief that the game would shake up the FPS genre by making Halo a top contender again. After all, Battlefield…

November 16, 2022 | 11:00 EST

FIFA 23 Manager Mode
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Why I'm Hopelessly Addicted to FIFA 23's Manager Mode

As each year passes, I become more enraptured with FIFA's Manager Mode, and in FIFA 23, I'm even more addicted from the slight tweaks that EA has implemented. By signing new players, organizing…

October 11, 2022 | 11:00 EDT

Bright Future Disposal billboard with yellow hazmat suited figure
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Saints Row Doesn’t Take Advantage of its Perfect Setting

The latest Saints Row is the industry’s latest harsh lesson on how not to do a reboot. It is a mess of a game, one of the most obviously unfinished AAA releases of the last few years. The game-…

September 2, 2022 | 11:00 EDT

Neon White's Impressive HUD
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Neon White’s HUD Is a Divine Union of Style & Substance

There’s a lot of reasons to love Neon White. It’s a game confident in its ambitions, singularly focused on delivering small slices of exhilarating, speedrun-centric action gameplay. In a year that’s…

July 1, 2022 | 11:00 EDT

Pac-Man World 2 Cover
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Pac-Man World Re-Pac is Great, But What About Pac-Man World 2?

When I heard the news that a Nintendo Direct Mini had been announced, the last thing I imagined was being wowed. The release date had already been leaked for Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, and I…

June 30, 2022 | 12:00 EDT

The Game Cover of Spec Ops: The Line, showcasing a buzzcut man brandishing an assault rifle.
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Spec Ops: The Line 10 Years Later and the Lessons (Un)learned

2012 turned out to be a turning point for maturity in video-game storytelling. Games like Hotline Miami and The Walking Dead approached the age-old ultra-violence in video games debate with a certain…

June 28, 2022 | 12:00 EDT

A red clad Nightmare of the Destiny 2 villain, Ghaul.
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Destiny 2 Season of the Haunted: Emotional Trauma and Reconciliation

The first month of Destiny 2 Season of the Haunted has been an emotional rollercoaster both in terms of gameplay and story content. Major characters have become the focus for some insightful…

June 21, 2022 | 11:30 EDT

Sea of Thieves Arena Art
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A Fond Farewell to the Sea Of Thieves Arena

After releasing to mixed critical and fan reception in 2018, Sea of Thieves has blossomed into something far more endearing and worthwhile since launch. You can practically categorize the slow-yet-…

June 6, 2022 | 12:00 EDT

Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition
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15 Years Later: Resident Evil 4 Wii Is Still the Definitive RE4 Experience

It has been 15 years since the Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition release date, and even in 2022, this game stands up as the definitive Resident Evil experience. There are parts of Resident Evil 4 that are…

May 31, 2022 | 12:00 EDT

halo tv show lore
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Halo TV Show: Lore Breaking or Expanding the Universe?

After nine episodes, the Halo TV show's first season has come to an end. It was definitely a wild ride that can best be summed up as an ambitious re-imagining of the tale of the Master Chief. Like…

May 21, 2022 | 12:35 EDT

halo infinite lone wolves
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Halo Infinite Season 2: Has Free to Play Been Working?

When Halo Infinite was officially released in December 2021, it seemed like 343 Industries basically caught a unicorn. Halo Infinite's solid gameplay mechanics combined with a free to play…

May 7, 2022 | 12:00 EDT

The Guardian walking through Savathun's mindscape
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Destiny 2 The Witch Queen is Bungie's Best Campaign in Years

Last week, Destiny 2's latest premium expansion, The Witch Queen went live. While there was understandable hype for the features and mechanics the expansion would introduce, such as the heavily…

March 4, 2022 | 12:00 EST

A warlock sitting in the Shattered Realms, a ball of dark energy in the background
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The State of Destiny 2: Season of The Lost

Eyes up, Guardians. The final mission event has dropped for Destiny 2's Season of the Lost, setting the stage for the newest premium expansion: The Witch Queen. While I would love to say that there…

February 19, 2022 | 11:00 EST

A shadowy creature made of self doubt looming over Raz
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The Mindful Compassion of Psychonauts 2

We're not even two full weeks into 2022 and it is still maddening just how many great video games came out last year. But my mind kept going back to one title in particular, one that managed to…

January 12, 2022 | 01:00 EST

Persona 3 Portable box art main characters
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What Would the Ideal Persona 3 Remaster Look Like?

To this day, there is still no definitive way to play Persona 3. Granted, you can still purchase digital downloads of Persona 3 FES and Persona 3 Portable via the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita…

December 29, 2021 | 12:00 EST

A robot wearing a denim jacket covered with pins and symbols from Bungie's history as a developer
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Destiny 2's Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack is A Successful Celebration

While Season of the Lost is still on hiatus, Destiny 2's players have been waiting for the Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack. Not only is it a celebration of the developer's long history in the industry,…

December 28, 2021 | 12:00 EST

halo infinite mp
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Can Halo Infinite Stand Up to Its Competitors?

After the release of two somewhat mediocre Halo games, 343 Industries seems to have finally rediscovered the formula to turn bits of code into gold with Halo Infinite. The latest entry to the Halo …

December 11, 2021 | 12:00 EST

battlefield 2042 irish
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Did Battlefield 2042's Missing Campaign Hurt It?

There's much that can be said about Battlefield 2042's multiplayer gameplay, yet it's clear that the game must've had a rather interesting development cycle for DICE to have made some of the…

November 19, 2021 | 12:00 EST

The crumbling remains of the estate in Darkest Dungeon
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The Sympathetic Focus of Darkest Dungeon II

We here at TechRaptor have put a lot of time into Red Hook Studio's dark fantasy RPG, Darkest Dungeon II. While it is still in Early Access on the Epic Games Store, this sequel makes a lot of…

November 16, 2021 | 12:00 EST

Forza Horizon 5 feature image showcasing desert landscape
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Forza Horizon 5: Is Quality Mode Winning the Race?

As the latest first-party title from Microsoft, Forza Horizon 5 is a triumph in many ways. It nails the gameplay and tone that draws fans to Playground Games' open-world interpretation of the…

November 12, 2021 | 01:00 EST

Star-Lord Guardians of the Galaxy
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Guardians of the Galaxy Puts an Interesting Spin on the Sad Dad Trope

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy has been one of the biggest surprises of 2021, partially because of how much love and care it puts into its characters and their relationships. Warning:…

November 10, 2021 | 12:30 EST

A black and white image of two Guardians walking together
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Destiny 2's Seasons 2021: The Ups and the Downs

If you haven't noticed from my output on this site by now, I am quite invested in Destiny 2. I was there for the doldrums of its launch in 2017 and its bevy of mediocre support. I was there when it…

November 9, 2021 | 12:00 EST

The Shattered Throne in a plane of moving shadows and fog
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Destiny 2 Paywalling Dungeons is a Bad Idea

If you've been paying attention to recent developments of the ongoing space fantasy action MMO, Destiny 2, you'll know that new details have been coming out regarding its upcoming premium expansion.…

October 21, 2021 | 01:00 EDT

battlefield 2042 tank
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Tradition vs Innovation: Will Battlefield 2042's Specialist Gamble Work?

With the gaming industry gearing up to take advantage of the new generation of consoles, it's almost inevitable that developers will want to take risks. After all, it's the start of a new era of…

October 12, 2021 | 01:00 EDT

Cayde staring down an army of Scorn
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Destiny 2's Recent Vaulting is Necessary

I've always managed to be patient and understanding with Destiny 2. As an ongoing experience, it has made some stumbles as well as genuine strides when it comes to being a sci-fi action MMO everyone…

October 9, 2021 | 12:00 EDT

pyschonauts 2
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Difficulty in Games: Psychonauts 2's Invincibility Experiment

Whenever a new game comes out, everyone loves to focus on things like the art style or level design or specific mechanics that make the game stand out from its peers. After all, it's perfectly…

August 30, 2021 | 12:00 EDT

Skyrim
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Every Version of Skyrim Ranked

With the announcement of Skyrim: Anniversary Edition slated to release this November, a sobering realization hit: There are way too many versions of this open-world RPG out there. In the 10 years it…

August 23, 2021 | 12:00 EDT

Hades poster in front of the Bone Hydra
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How Hades Parallels Mental Health Resiliency

Failure is the status quo in Hades. Focusing on its lead character Zagreus, this Greek mythology-inspired roguelike by Supergiant Games is built around how its main protagonist consistently loses. As…

August 12, 2021 | 12:00 EDT

The Avengers in endgame armor standing together
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Marvel's Avengers, 11 Months Later

We're coming up on one year since the launch of Marvel's Avengers, one of the most high-profile disappointments of 2020. Post launch, it has been plagued by baffling design decisions and longstanding…

August 5, 2021 | 11:00 EDT