Dense Pixels - Video Game News and Reviews

Micah shares his in-depth impressions of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, detailing how this game stands apart within the Dragon Age series but noting that it might not appeal to every fan, possibly even himself. We analyze the shutdown of Firewalk Studios, discussing who bears responsibility for the failure of Concord. Additionally, we dive into the implications of the recent QA walkout at Activision B...

Micah shares his thoughts on the official Dragon Age: Vows and Vengeance podcast and expresses concerns about the direction of The Veilguard. He also dives into Metaphor ReFantazio, discussing how it evolves the Shin Megami Tensei/Persona formula. Brad is deeply immersed in the new Diablo IV endgame content, particularly enjoying the challenges in the Kurast Undercity and Dark Citadel areas. Meanw...

Brad shares his experiences with more demos from Steam Next Fest, diving into why the Zachtronics Solitaire Collection has been capturing his attention. Carrie provides her early thoughts on the Olympus update for Hades II, offering insight into its latest changes. Meanwhile, Vampire Survivors is coming full circle with an exciting announcement: a new Castlevania-themed DLC called Ode to Castlevan...

Brad shares his thoughts on Metaphor: ReFantazio after spending significant time with it, highlighting the evolution of the battle system and the integration of social links into party development. He also dives into the Diablo IV expansion Vessel of Hatred, discussing the improvements made to the game's systems and leveling. Nintendo's latest hardware release is an unexpected motion-sensing alarm...

We share our impressions of the Metaphor: ReFantazio demo as we anticipate its full release. Carrie dives into why the Monster Hunter Stories games are underrated gems in the turn-based RPG genre. Brad has more thoughts on UFO 50 and why he expects it to rank among his top games of 2024. Ubisoft is in turmoil with a delay to Assassin's Creed: Shadows and a steep drop in their share price. We discu...

Sony has announced the PlayStation 5 Pro at the staggering price of $700. We debate whether we’re planning to get one and if this signals the future of console pricing. Sony’s State of Play brought several big announcements, with the standout reveal being the Ghost of Tsushima sequel, Ghost of Yotei. Brad shares his impressions on the quirky game collection UFO 50. Additionally, we discuss the ind...

Micah is about to dive deep into the Warhammer 40,000 universe as he begins his journey with Space Marine 2. Meanwhile, Brad is not playing Space Marine because he's been engrossed in Astro Bot and has a lot to say—though he's holding back to avoid spoilers. He's also been spending some time with Age of Mythology. We also discuss the recent agreement between SAG-AFTRA and a developer over the use...

In this episode, we discuss Sony's surprising decision to quickly delist the troubled shooter Concord and whether we think it will return as a free-to-play title or if it's gone for good. We also dive into Randy Pitchford's...interesting comparison of Gearbox Software to The Beatles and the recent layoffs at Rocksteady following the underperformance of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Addit...

In this episode, we react to the exciting announcements from Gamescom, with a particular focus on Monster Hunter Wilds and Sid Meier's Civilization VII. We discuss the overwhelming success of Black Myth: Wukong on Steam and how its achievements are somewhat overshadowed by the controversial instructions given to content creators. We also delve into Concord's disappointing initial response on PC, q...

In this episode, we discuss the recent controversy surrounding The Verge and its decision to publish information about Valve’s secret shooter Deadlock. We also touch on the unusual request from the Black Myth: Wukong studio, asking influencers to avoid including feminist propaganda or COVID-19 references in their coverage. Micah expresses his ongoing frustrations with Fortnite and why the game nev...

In this episode, we delve into the critical juncture facing WB Games as they consider whether to start licensing their IPs and exit game development or potentially sell off their studios. This discussion comes amid significant industry changes, including BioWare's reflections on lessons learned from Anthem and Meta's decision to shut down Ready at Dawn. We also explore the inspiring story of Balat...

This week, we recap the tumultuous events at Bungie. The company laid off over 200 employees, a move that has sparked discussions about their possible misleading of Sony before the acquisition. We explore why Pete Parsons, Bungie's CEO, deserves a significant portion of the blame and argue that leadership should bear greater responsibility in such crises. We also speculate on the future of Bungie'...

The crew recaps the highlights from EVO 2024. Video game actors confirm strike action over AI concerns. Bethesda and Activision Blizzard employees have successfully unionized, creating the largest video game unions in the game industry to date. Humble Games shutters as Ziff Davis reckons with the challenges of publishing in the game industry and why media corporations might not be a good fit for t...

Xbox Game Pass is getting price increases and a standard tier with no day-one releases, which leads us to a tangent about how Nintendo is about the only game maker who could possibly get away with this. Microsoft says plainly in a new ad that you don’t need an Xbox to play Xbox games. An indie game publisher notably explains how they prioritize developer health over profits. External translators h...

Carrie takes a trip to the Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail expansion and explains why some of the criticism of the new content is off the mark, and the best way for new players to enter the game. Summer Games Done Quick raises over $2.5 million, taking its lifetime total beyond $50 million (also a dog hit a homer in Ken Griffey Jr Presents Major League Baseball). Apex Legends is evolving its battle p...

Dr Disrespect admits Twitch ban due to messages with minor in the direction of being inappropriate. Dr Disrespect continued to send sexually explicit messages to minor after their age was known, former Twitch employee says. Donkey Kong could have been called Kong Dong, Nintendo court documents state. Brad returns to Art of Rally and finds a lot to love in this minimalist rally racer. We prognostic...

Brad and Carrie discuss the demos that stood out to them during the most recent Steam Next Fest. Brad is checking out space grand strategy civ Endless Space 2. Elden Ring publisher calls out Shadow of the Erdtree players struggling with the difficulty of the DLC. Carrie gives her impressions of thatgamecompany's newest release, Sky: Children of Light. Dense Pixels is a weekly video game podcast co...

We react to the summer Nintendo Direct, including thoughts on Metroid Prime 4 footage, Mario & Luigi Brothership, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, and the shocking return of Marvel vs Capcom 2. We discuss Epic acknowledging the issue with Fortnite's free cars being more dangerous than paid ones. Paradox Interactive cancels Life by You. Meme clicker game Banana nears 850,000 concurrent pl...

The crew shares their overall impressions of the major presentations from this year's Summer Game Fest. We then dive into the games we're most excited about from the event, including Astro Bot, Assassin's Creed: Shadows, Wanderstop, UFO50, Possessor(s), Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Dragon Age: Veilguard, Street Fighter 6 Season 2, Gears of War: E-Day, Perfect Dark, Sonic x Shadow Generation...

In this episode, we discuss the faux outrage surrounding the Assassin's Creed Shadows announcement, highlighting how the situation is both amusing and sad. Carrie and Brad share their most anticipated games for the remainder of 2024. Microsoft executives are reportedly advocating for a flexible approach regarding which Xbox games can launch on PlayStation. Sony names two new CEOs to replace Jim Ry...

In this episode, Brad and Carrie dive deeper into their experiences with Hades II early access, sharing more detailed thoughts after spending additional time in the game. Brad explores V Rising but questions if survival games are his thing. Carrie returns to the Capital Wasteland, revisiting Fallout 3 after several years. The gaming industry faces significant changes as Xbox shuts down several Bet...

Supergiant Games surprised everyone by releasing Hades II in early access, and Brad shares his initial impressions of this highly anticipated title, which is poised to become one of the year's biggest hits. Additionally, Brad uncovers a hidden gem in Minishoot Adventures, as we wonder why we don't see more games dip into the classic Zelda-style well.  Meanwhile, we delve into the absurdity of the...

Micah shares his impressions of two exciting games, Tales of Kenzara: Zau and Stellar Blade. However, the mood shifts when we inform Micah about the online discourse surrounding Stellar Blade's main character, Eve. Meanwhile, Carrie delves deeper into Final Fantasy VII Remake, offering her thoughts on a key aspect of the game's progression. In industry news, we discuss the reluctance of game publi...

In our milestone 500th episode, we celebrate with some exciting updates! Carrie surprises us all by revealing her newfound role in a metal band and shares her exhilarating experience performing at VGM Con in Minnesota. Meanwhile, we dive into industry news, including Embracer's plan to split into three companies, with highlights on Middle Earth Enterprises and Friends. Additionally, we discuss Gho...

In this episode, Brad shares his impressions of two roguelikes, Fights in Tight Spaces and Slice & Dice. Meanwhile, Micah passionately discusses the Nomura-ing of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth's ending. We also delve into former Blizzard boss Mike Ybarra's perspective on game development, as well as Saber Interactive founder's comments on the scrutiny faced by Embracer. Additionally, we hear insig...