Dense Pixels - Video Game News and Reviews

Micah is diving into Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, the latest entry in the beloved arcade flight combat series. He shares his early impressions of the aerial dogfighting action and the anime-esque story that surrounds it. Brad has completed his playthrough of Super Metroid, the beloved classic that defined the Metroidvania genre. Also he's surprisingly fallen into an unexpected pinball rabbit hole...

Despite swearing off the Fire Emblem series following Fire Emblem: Fates, Carrie has returned to the tactical RPG franchise and is really enjoying her very early experience with Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave. She shares what's drawing her back after her previous frustrations with the series. Brad is thirteen years late to the party but has finally finished The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds,...

Micah delivers his reviews of both Insomniac's Marvel's Wolverine and Capcom's Onimusha: Way of the Sword, discovering a stark contrast in quality between the two titles. One of these games is shaping up to be one of his favorite games of the year, while the other is simply fine. Nintendo hosted two Direct showcases last week that delivered exciting news for fans, including our first look at gamep...

The premiere of Grand Theft Auto 6's first major reveal has finally arrived, and the hosts dive deep into their thoughts about the game's setting, visual fidelity, character designs, and ambitious scale. They discuss whether this official look changes their preconceptions of what to expect and speculate on a provocative question: could GTA 6 be the last proper Grand Theft Auto game? Gamescom took...

Terrence returns to the podcast and shares what he's been playing over the past couple of weeks, which surprisingly amounts to mostly a nostalgic return to Diablo III. He discusses what's drawing him back to Blizzard's action RPG and whether it still holds up. Carrie is preparing for the upcoming Evercold expansion to Final Fantasy XIV by catching up on the Dawntrail content, while Micah has disco...

Now that Fields of Mistria has reached its official 1.0 release, Carrie has been diving deep into the cozy farming simulation and shows no signs of slowing down. She shares her enjoyment of the game and why it's capturing so much of her gaming time. Twitch quietly rolls out a new opt-out policy allowing Amazon to use streamers' content to train its artificial intelligence tools, sparking immediate...

Micah shares his enthusiasm for Marvel Tokon, pleasantly surprised by how the fighting game manages to deliver a fairly deep yet welcoming fighting system while remaining very faithful to its Marvel source material. He discusses what makes the game approachable for newcomers while still offering meaningful depth for competitive players. Brad has invested time into Old World, an antiquity-focused 4...

Brad finally cracks the code on Warframe and finds himself completely obsessed with Digital Extremes' massive live service shooter. He explains how the game's expansive and intricate story campaign serves as the key to understanding and appreciating Warframe, and details the rewarding experience that awaits players who invest the time to let the game fully reveal what it has to offer. The hosts di...

Carrie details her first-ever trip to Las Vegas where she experienced the incredible Backstreet Boys concert at the iconic Sphere venue, and that she and her husband got paid out from a Bomberman slot machine. Brad expresses genuine positivity about Terratech Legion, a unique vehicle destruction roguelike that offers a fresh spin on the Survivors subgenre. He breaks down what makes this indie titl...

The console gaming landscape has undergone a massive shift over the past couple of weeks, with major announcements reshaping the industry's competitive dynamics. The hosts recap the dramatic changes and what they mean for players and the gaming market going forward. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma executes the major console reset she promised, including the cutting loose of Double Fine, Ninja Theory, and oth...

FULL SPOILERS FOR 007 FIRST LIGHT The Men With the Golden Tongues are back, and we're reviewing the newest James Bond adventure - 007 First Light! We discuss our impressions of IO Interactive's very unique take on a James Bond origin story, the new interpretations of the MI6 gang, the emotional rail that is John Greenway's character, the mystery around Isola's character, how the game tells a more...

Microsoft announces yet another price increase on their gaming consoles, and the hosts explain why their competitors will likely follow suit with similar price hikes. The discussion examines how rapidly increasing component costs show no signs of stopping and will almost certainly impact the pricing of upcoming console generations. The pricing structure for Grand Theft Auto VI has finally been rev...

The Steam Machine is finally a reality with Valve announcing the official release date and pricing details. The hosts share their thoughts on how the price aligns with market expectations and debate whether this gaming device represents a worthwhile purchase for its target audience at the price point Valve is charging. Epic Games reveals the first details about Unreal Engine 6, and the hosts expre...

Brad rejoins millions of lapsed Guardians checking out Destiny 2 in the wake of its final update, the recently released Monument of Triumph. He finds himself unexpectedly hooked back into Bungie's space opera, rediscovering what made the franchise so compelling despite its controversial live service ending. Nintendo's Summer Game Fest Nintendo Direct delivered major announcements that the hosts br...

It's the week of not-E3 or Keigh-3...better known as Summer Game Fest, and we dive deep into the major presentations from across the industry, highlighting the games that most captured our attention and excitement. Sony's presentation delivered impressive announcements including Marvel's Wolverine, Dr Doom coming to Marvel Tokon, Rayman Legends Untold bringing a classic platformer back with new ad...

Brad and Micah have both completed 007 First Light and share their thoughts on James Bond's triumphant return to video games. The Men with the Golden Tongues discuss whether this new spy thriller lives up to the iconic franchise's legacy and what makes it stand out in the gaming landscape. Brad has also explored Mina the Hollower and finds himself disappointed as the game fails to live up to expec...

Brad delivers his review of Forza Horizon 6, finding the racing game very fun while simultaneously identifying significant missed opportunities. He critiques how the game fails to meaningfully differentiate itself from prior Forza Horizon entries and doesn't fully embrace the unique possibilities of its Japanese setting, leaving potential on the table. Subnautica 2 launches to impressive success w...

Brad finds himself completely engrossed in the revamped Diablo IV endgame experience following the Lord of Hatred expansion, crediting the addition of a legitimate and satisfying crafting system that transforms the itemization grind. The new mechanics have breathed fresh life into the action RPG's post-campaign content. The long-awaited Steam Controller finally arrives and it's pretty damn good ac...

Brad shares his comprehensive review after crushing through Vampire Crawlers, analyzing how this spiritual successor stacks up against the genre-defining Vampire Survivors. He breaks down the similarities, improvements, and what makes this deck building roguelike worth players' time. Micah checks out the superhero brawler Invincible VS and finds himself disappointed by the execution. He explains w...

Micah and Brad share their impressions of Pragmata, exploring what makes this intriguing departure from Capcom's typical offerings such a remarkable and unique gaming experience. They analyze the game's innovative mechanics, atmospheric storytelling, and how it stands apart from the publisher's established franchises. Micah has been fully indoctrinated into the world of Crimson Desert, but the que...

Terrence continues investing significant time into Crimson Desert, discussing what makes the game absolutely compelling and addictive for him personally despite his hesitation to recommend it broadly to others. He explores the paradox of loving a game while recognizing its polarizing nature and niche appeal. Disney and Epic Games are reportedly collaborating on a Disney-themed extraction shooter,...

Carrie shares her thoughts on the Super Mario Galaxy movie, giving it a solid if unremarkable assessment. The hosts dive into the specific aspects she genuinely enjoyed while examining why critics responded negatively to Nintendo's latest animated film adaptation and whether that criticism is fair. Brad provides detailed impressions from the Civilization VII Test of Time playtest that took place o...

Brad expresses amazement at Marathon's Cryo Archive map design while confronting the sobering reality that he may never fully experience everything this complex environment has to offer. The map showcases Bungie's ambitious level design but highlights accessibility challenges for casual players. Carrie delivers a glowing review of the latest Final Fantasy: Distant Worlds concert tour, sharing her...

Carrie shares the incredible experience of performing at GDC with her band Premium Vintage alongside Hades composer Darren Korb, one of gaming's most celebrated musicians. The performance brought together gaming music talent in an unforgettable showcase at the Game Developers Conference. Carrie delivers enthusiastic early impressions of Monster Hunter Stories 3, praising the game's improvements an...

Carrie shares her early impressions of Pokemon Pokopia and the timeless RPG classic Chrono Trigger. Her insights offer perspective on how both games approach storytelling and gameplay. Brad expresses his genuine enthusiasm for Marathon's multiplayer experience while being completely blown away by the early access release of Slay the Spire II. The roguelike deckbuilder sequel has exceeded his expec...