Behind Valve's Greenlight and Early Access programs: bad games, minimum transparency
These days, it seems like Valve will let just about anything on Steam. Programs like Greenlight and Early Access make it easier than ever to get a game on the preposterously popular PC storefront. Some of these games are very bad. How does this happen? What is the process actually like?
Dying Light: The Following Review: A sprawling, satisfying expansion to an already good game
Dying Light: The Following is just what an expansion should be: more of the the same great game, with a number of refinements and small, interesting tweaks. In one respect it's altogether different: You have an automobile now, and an enormous new explorable area that requires the use of it.
The Witness Review: A meditative masterpiece of puzzle design
In The Witness, a magnificent new puzzle game from from developer Jonathan Blow you come upon challenges by wandering, in a first-person perspective, through the most beautiful island I've ever been to in a video game. The island is densely packed with puzzles, some propped up for you to solve, many others masterfully hidden.
Opinion: 10 Tech Predictions for 2016
Looking ahead to 2016, I expect we will see changes that, on the surface, also don't seem to amount to much initially, but will actually prove to be key foundational shifts that drive a very different, and very exciting future.
4K Monitors: Can the human eye actually see the difference?
The state of PC gaming in 2015: The future looks promising
Unlike the other gaming platforms we've been evaluating here at the end of the year, the PC's been around for decades. Recently, the PC's long legacy of openness and customization has come into conflict with a mainstream that's finally---finally---realized just how big of a deal PC gaming actually is. By and large, the PC is in a great place in 2015.
StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void Review: Killer mission design, great new innovations
With Legacy of the Void, StarCraft II multiplayer is in a better place than it's ever been. Competitive matches are faster and more interesting. The new co-op mode is an unexpected delight. There appear to be balance issues but this is a living game that will be patched and updated for years to come. Amid new ideas and changes it's clear that Blizzard is not afraid to experiment.