Dense Pixels - Video Game News and Reviews

We finally have all the details on the Nintendo Switch 2, and we break down everything from the Switch 2 Direct. We discuss the specs, price, and whether it's a day 1 purchase for any of us. We give our impressions of the games revealed during the presentation, including Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, The Duskbloods, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, and many more. We also dive into la...

We're still deep in the Forbidden Lands of Monster Hunter Wilds, grinding our way through the latest hunts. Reports suggest an Xbox handheld could be coming this year. We discuss what it might look like and whether it could shake up the current gaming hardware landscape. SAG-AFTRA continues its fight against AI in the voice acting industry, raising concerns about the future of human talent in game...

Brad and Carrie are fully immersed in Monster Hunter Wilds, and even Micah is feeling the Monster Hunter FOMO… but is he finally hooked? Brad has discovered Two-Point Museum and regrets to inform everyone that he has a new obsession that will consume dozens of hours. Terrence has realized that Game Pass is actually a great value for him and shares his impressions of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black and Diablo...

The James Bond franchise now creatively resides with Amazon, and Micah and Brad have some thoughts on what this could mean for the series. Carrie has been playing the Warsong update in Hades 2 and is mighty impressed with the new content. Carrie also gives her impressions of the demo for Promise Mascot Agency and what makes it stand out. Brad may have discovered another hidden Capcom gem in Kunits...

Brad played a ton of Sid Meier's Civilization VII and explains why he’s loving the new additions to the gameplay. He also breaks down why this might be the best entry point for new Civ players. PlayStation Network was mysteriously down for almost a whole day, and Sony isn’t explaining why. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick might be the most unexpected person to make a fantastic point about AI and its r...

Terrence is back on the show and shares his shift to the mini PC space for gaming, along with the slew of roguelikes he's been playing. Brad is feeling a bit ambivalent about the run-based tower defense game Dome Keeper. Micah might not be teaching the best lessons as he shows his son how to play Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. Carrie is working on a video game soundtrack. Bioware seems to be on its...

Carrie is back from an unforgettable MAGfest and brings a hardware review of the MAGfest Swadge. Coincidentally, Brad also has a hardware review, sharing his excitement over the Playdate console. Unfortunately, we're once again discussing industry layoffs, this time at Ubisoft and Phoenix Labs. Sony has pulled the plug on live service projects from Bend Studios and Bluepoint. Microsoft's developer...

Brad has been diving into Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and it’s absolutely fantastic. Carrie shares her thoughts on Sonic x Shadow Generations and explains why Sonic fans are eating good right now. Awesome Games Done Quick wraps up an incredible event, raising $2.5 million for charity. Ubisoft delays Assassin's Creed Shadow again and attempts to justify the move with questionable reasoning. W...

We’re back from the holiday break, and we’ve been diving into some incredible games! Carrie has joined the crew in tackling the epic Metaphor ReFantazio. We share our impressions of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, and Okami HD. The PEGI ratings board delivers a hilariously misguided content rating for Balatro. Meanwhile, we discuss the surprising revelati...

We recap the 2024 Game Awards, which somehow turned out to be one of the best video game shows…ever? From our takes on the winners to a breakdown of the smorgasbord of world premiere trailers, we dive into everything that made the night unforgettable. Ubisoft strikes again with the planned shutdown of their multiplayer shooter xDefiant, and we discuss how it went so wrong. Plus, a surprising conne...

It’s our 2024 Game of the Year show! We dive into the games that defined our year and brought us the most joy, excitement, and surprises. Which title will take home the coveted Dense Pixels Game of the Year award? Tune in to hear our top picks, honorable mentions, and the ultimate winner of 2024. Dense Pixels is a weekly video game podcast covering gaming news, game reviews, and industry analysis....

It’s a lighter week in the wake of winter, but there’s plenty to discuss. MIcah caved and bought Star Wars Outlaws; How is he liking it? Brad recommends spatial puzzle game Humanity. Elon Musk claims he wants to save video games by creating an AI-focused gaming studio, and we explore why this idea—and Musk himself—deserves skepticism. Valve is facing a class-action lawsuit over its Steam commissio...

Micah has finished Dragon Age: The Veilguard and shares whether the game improved from his initial impressions and who it’s best suited for. Brad returns to VR, throwing punches in Batman: Arkham VR, and finally dives into the Peggle-roguelike Peglin, which he’s finding utterly delightful. Brad also takes on crime in dystopian Detroit while playing Robocop: Rogue City. Sony is making waves with an...

We break down the 2024 Game Awards nominee slate and address the controversy surrounding Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree’s nominations. Micah surprises everyone by playing—and enjoying—Balatro. Brad shares his experience with the interactive museum-style game Tetris Forever and gives his impressions of The Rise of the Golden Idol, calling it a stellar follow-up to the original. GOG continues to...

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...