Nate Hermanson 4/12

REVIEW: Death Trick: Double Blind has more twists and turns than a high-flying acrobat

Nate Hermanson

Apr 47 min read

REVIEW: Death Trick: Double Blind has more twists and turns than a high-flying acrobat

A slow burn of a mystery — full of surprising warmth, misdirection, tension, and surprise.

307 views0 comments

How the Playdate's crank reignited my passion

Nate Hermanson

Apr 14 min read

How the Playdate's crank reignited my passion

This little box with a crank is full of some of the most creative bits of game design I've seen in years.

282 views3 comments

REVIEW: Pepper Grinder is a drillin' platformer that's smooth as butter

Nate Hermanson

Mar 288 min read

REVIEW: Pepper Grinder is a drillin' platformer that's smooth as butter

Thrilling drilling and buttery smooth platforming. If this Pepper Grinder asked me to "say when" I simply wouldn't.

125 views0 comments

REVIEW: Capitalism's a drag in the work-work balance simulator CorpoNation: The Sorting Process

Nate Hermanson

Mar 257 min read

REVIEW: Capitalism's a drag in the work-work balance simulator CorpoNation: The Sorting Process

CorpoNation's gameplay bravely toes a line between fun and total drudgery (on purpose) in this dystopian corporate world.

134 views1 comment

REVIEW: Gambling's addictive?! Balatro's poker-based roguelite style showcases exactly that

Nate Hermanson

Feb 257 min read

REVIEW: Gambling's addictive?! Balatro's poker-based roguelite style showcases exactly that

By blending the inherently addictive nature of the roguelike with the go-big-or-go-home nature of poker, LocalThunk has ruined me.

527 views1 comment

REVIEW: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth honors its past and sets up a brilliant future

Nate Hermanson

Feb 1812 min read

REVIEW: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth honors its past and sets up a brilliant future

I don't even think I ever want to go back to Like a Dragon after spending 85 hours in Infinite Wealth.

164 views4 comments

Steam Next Fest 2024 Mini-Preview: Embrace open world simplicity and absurdity with Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip

Nate Hermanson

Feb 85 min read

Steam Next Fest 2024 Mini-Preview: Embrace open world simplicity and absurdity with Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip

Some dreams are worth anything — especially if that dream is a shoe-shaped car that'll catapult you into space someday.

79 views2 comments

Steam Next Fest 2024 Mini-Preview: Destroy religious trauma with stylish character action combat in Death of a Wish

Nate Hermanson

Feb 75 min read

Steam Next Fest 2024 Mini-Preview: Destroy religious trauma with stylish character action combat in Death of a Wish

Fans of character action games, queer narratives outside of visual novels, and incredibly cohesive art projects... this one's for you.

107 views2 comments

Steam Next Fest 2024 Mini-Preview: Arco accelerates tactical combat and decolonization

Nate Hermanson

Feb 64 min read

Steam Next Fest 2024 Mini-Preview: Arco accelerates tactical combat and decolonization

With Arco's Steam Next Fest demo, what you see is what you get. And WHEW, I like what I see.

119 views0 comments

The four most irresistible co-op game demos coming to Steam Next Fest February 2024

Nate Hermanson

Feb 49 min read

The four most irresistible co-op game demos coming to Steam Next Fest February 2024

Being a site run by a couple, co-op games are a must. Here are four must-try multiplayer demos to check out during Steam Next Fest!

728 views1 comment

REVIEW: Chronique des Silencieux's detective gameplay sacrifices playability for intrigue

Nate Hermanson

Feb 36 min read

REVIEW: Chronique des Silencieux's detective gameplay sacrifices playability for intrigue

Chronique des Silencieux is an interesting historical fiction approach to mystery, but beware of hiccups in translation and logic.

176 views0 comments

REVIEW: Lil' Guardsman has big laughs, heart, and LucasArts energy

Nate Hermanson

Jan 238 min read

REVIEW: Lil' Guardsman has big laughs, heart, and LucasArts energy

Hilltop Studios gets comedy. And we all could use a laugh these days.

314 views0 comments

Backlog Busting: Into 2024 or Once is Enough?

Nate Hermanson

Jan 206 min read

Backlog Busting: Into 2024 or Once is Enough?

We checked out four under-the-radar 2023 releases to determine what's worth carrying into 2024.

55 views0 comments

Four bite-sized 2023 games you shouldn't miss

Nate Hermanson

Jan 189 min read

Four bite-sized 2023 games you shouldn't miss

Can't buckle in for another 100-hour adventure right now? We see you. We feel you. We have four game recommendations for you.

120 views0 comments

REVIEW: Protect your community and appease the creature in the shadows in Home Safety Hotline

Nate Hermanson

Jan 168 min read

REVIEW: Protect your community and appease the creature in the shadows in Home Safety Hotline

Analog horror game Home Safety Hotline has you identifying pests and creepy entities for concerned callers.

2,221 views1 comment

REVIEW: Born of Bread's paper RPG vibes aren't thin, but a bit crinkled

Nate Hermanson

Jan 148 min read

REVIEW: Born of Bread's paper RPG vibes aren't thin, but a bit crinkled

Born of Bread is charming, cute, cozy, and approachable; a classic Paper Mario experience for those missing it.

270 views2 comments

ANNOUNCING: The VGG 2023 Community Game of the Year!

Nate Hermanson

Jan 72 min read

ANNOUNCING: The VGG 2023 Community Game of the Year!

After polling our community, we are proud to announce the winner of our inaugural Community Game of the Year award!

71 views0 comments

REVIEW: Planet of Lana's simplicity lets its heartwarming cinematic adventure shine

Nate Hermanson

Jan 58 min read

REVIEW: Planet of Lana's simplicity lets its heartwarming cinematic adventure shine

An equally simple and stunning experience, all aspects of Planet of Lana click into place for a whole that's greater than the parts.

228 views2 comments

VGG 2023 Game of the Year Winner - Alan Wake 2, Remedy Entertainment

Nate Hermanson

Dec 23, 20234 min read

VGG 2023 Game of the Year Winner - Alan Wake 2, Remedy Entertainment

In a standout year, Alan Wake 2 takes home Game of the Year for its brilliant design, sophisticated horror, and absolute creativity.

120 views0 comments

REVIEW: Jackbox Party Pack 10 celebrates a milestone with one of the best pack games yet

Nate Hermanson

Dec 11, 202310 min read

REVIEW: Jackbox Party Pack 10 celebrates a milestone with one of the best pack games yet

Jackbox 10 delivers some of the highest highs with a milestone pack. TimeJinx and Dodo Re Mi will be a hit for holiday parties everywhere.

164 views0 comments

Check out our reviews on:

Join my mailing list