The upcoming shutdown of Highguard only weeks after launch highlights a growing problem in the game industry. As more titles adopt the live service model, players are increasingly expected to treat them like daily obligations rather than entertainment.
Code Vein II blends demanding Soulslike combat with striking anime storytelling while also delivering challenging battles, memorable characters and a surprisingly welcoming entry point for newcomers to the genre.
Columnist Neal Sayatovich reluctantly steps into the punishing world of soulslikes this week. Despite his reluctance, he discovers why this brutally difficult and challenging genre inspires both fierce loyalty and total burnout.
Video game movies and shows are finally getting it right, and that raises an obvious question: what should be adapted next? In this Fresh Look column, Neal Sayatovich runs through five titles, from cult classics to forgotten oddities, that could shine as movies or TV shows in today’s golden age of game-based storytelling.
As winter weather bears down and industry headlines pile up, Fresh Look’s Neal Sayatovich looks at Ubisoft’s recent business moves and what they say about the modern AAA game industry. He examines everything from AI experimentation and live-service models to the slow erosion of creative risk-taking.
Artificial intelligence is being sold as a way to make game development faster and cheaper, but at what cost? Fresh Look columnist Neal Sayatovich explores how the growing push toward AI-driven content creation could undermine creativity and leave players with games that feel efficient but empty.
City builders often reward patience, but Farthest Frontier demands precision. With brutal difficulty, hands-on micromanagement and little room for error, Crate Entertainment’s frontier survival sim challenges players to think carefully about every command they issue.
With 2025 winding down, Fresh Look columnist Neal Sayatovich looks ahead to the upcoming games he’s most excited to play in 2026. From long-awaited sequels and tactical RPGs to surprise racers and delightfully odd simulations, this Fresh Look proves there’s new releases in 2026 for all kinds of gamers.
Neal Sayatovich temporarily takes over Save State this week to explore the oddly comforting world of simulations. From building cheap gaming PCs to renovating and running a medieval fantasy tavern, this week’s column looks at why cozy sims are the perfect escape from demanding lives.
Fresh Look columnist Neal Sayatovich finally takes the plunge into high-powered PC gaming, building his first full desktop rig with help from friends and fellow GiN contributors. The results transformed his favorite games and winter plans, although the shocking price of RAM nearly derailed the whole train.
