Category: Features

FEATURE – I confessed my sins to priests for “The Blood of Dawnwalker” at MCM Comic Con 2026

by Chris Penwell | Features PC PlayStation 5 Steam Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 22 May 2026

Bandai Namco gets creative with its marketing for The Blood of Dawnwalker. So creative I went into a confessional booth for a video game.

VIDEO – Unboxing a “Jollibee x Final Fantasy XIV” mystery box

by Danreb Victorio | Features Videos | 0 Comments | 20 May 2026

It’s been a little over a month since the hype that was Final Fantasy XIV FanFest, and while we definitely felt the FOMO not getting invited, I was living my best life thanks to FFXIV’s out-of-nowhere collaboration with Jollibee. Leading…

INTERVIEW – “The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales” was heavily inspired by “Final Fantasy Adventure”

by Myles Obenza | Features Nintendo Switch 2 PC PlayStation 5 Previews Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 18 May 2026

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Square Enix offices in Los Angeles to play a couple hours of The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, where I came away impressed and excited to finally explore the world of…

INTERVIEW – “Fishbowl” team talks about how their heartfelt shelter-in-place cozy title was inspired by Ghibli, “To The Moon” and more

by Danreb Victorio | Features PC PlayStation 5 | 0 Comments | 15 May 2026

Last month, Fishbowl from imissmyfriends.studio came out with high marks, including a 4 out of 5 from yours truly. I recently had the time to talk with the members of the two-person studio, based in India, and I left the interview with a smile.

HANDS-ON + INTERVIEW – “Brigandine: Abyss” demo was punishing but has potential

by Danreb Victorio | Events Features PAX East Previews | 0 Comments | 13 May 2026

Our appointment with NIS America during PAX East was one of the opportunities I was most looking forward to, as I got to play Brigandine: Abyss behind closed doors, and it turned out to be quite a humbling experience. Typically, such a punishing demo would make me lose interest, but I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something worthwhile here, especially after the talk I had with the developer after the play session.

“Dead as Disco” early access — Is it worth it?

by Andrew Farrell | Features | 0 Comments | 08 May 2026

What do you get if you take Batman: Arkham’s combat, mix it with a rhythm game, and throw it into several short levels? Well, you get Dead as Disco, that’s what! The game has just entered early access and is set to stay there for at least a year as it receives new combat mechanics, levels, and bosses to fight. At launch, there are five levels, in addition to the endless mode available in the demo. The game has a long way to go and is sure to receive lots of additional polish, but is Dead as Disco worth it in early access?

[MagicCon Vegas 2026] Expansion for today and tomorrow’s community

by Marie Ablaza | Features | 0 Comments | 07 May 2026

MagicCon Vegas 2026 showcase didn’t just tease new cards. It outlined a broader strategy: expand Magic’s reach through crossovers, experiment with new formats, and lower the barrier to entry without losing depth. From “Universes Beyond” spectacles to entirely new ways to play, MagicCon Vegas 2026 felt less like a preview and more like a mission statement.

GAAS UPDATE – “Apex Legends” is making things exciting again with the new Overclocked seasonal update

by David Rodriguez | Epic Games Store Features Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 PC PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Steam Xbox One Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 06 May 2026

I’ve been playing Apex Legends since the day it launched and I will say the new Overclocked update for season 29 is probably the most excited I’ve been for more Apex in over a year or two.

Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month with Steam’s first AAPI Games Sale

by Danreb Victorio | Features | 0 Comments | 01 May 2026

May is Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the United States, and in celebration of this special month, Steam will be running a 10-day activation from May 1 through May 10 featuring games by and about made by development teams with a focus on the AAPI diaspora. Assisting with the spotlight for these titles, developers, and publishers in AAPI in Gaming, a community platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of the Asian American and Pacific Islander diaspora in the video game industry.

Hands-On + INTERVIEW – “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth” Director Naoki Hamaguchi talks Switch 2 performance

by Myles Obenza | Features Nintendo Switch 2 Previews | 0 Comments | 28 Apr 2026

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was one of 2024’s best games, earning SmashPad’s #6 spot on our Top 10 Games of 2024. It originally released on the PlayStation 5, eventually seeing a PC release in January of last year. But this June, both Xbox and Nintendo gamers will get the opportunity to play the gargantuan Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy’s sophomore outing. I recently had the opportunity to test the Switch 2 version of Rebirth for about half an hour, and even chatted digitally with game director Naoki Hamaguchi about porting the game to Nintendo’s handheld hybrid console, the concessions made, and what we can expect in the future.

INTERVIEW – Filipino fast food giant, Jollibee, brings Filipino flavor to FFXIV FanFest

by Danreb Victorio | Events Features | 0 Comments | 23 Apr 2026

Those who know me on a personal level know that I’m really proud of my Filipino roots. I spent over a decade helping develop and lead youth programs geared toward Filipino-Americans and eventually parlayed that into a job with Ayala Land, one of the biggest and most respected real estate developers in the Philippines before I eventually landed in the gaming industry. That said, Jollibee is something my family helps itself to more than occasionally.

And then there’s Final Fantasy.

FEATURE – Spray painting at “The Rogue Prince of Persia” event was both fun and complicated

by Chris Penwell | Events Features | 0 Comments | 09 Apr 2026

The Prince looks amazing in graffiti art.