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Anthony Franklin Ii

Anthony Franklin Ii

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Retro Runback: Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle-Earth II

Very few people have had the level of impact on me that J.R.R. Tolkien has. From the moment my dad introduced me to the Lord of the Rings series, it...

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Anthony Franklin Ii

‘Malys’, in All Its Demon-Exorcising Glory, could be the Next Great Roguelike

Hi, it’s me. your Roguelike King. I’ve made an effort to take a break from throwing these all over the place. But today, that break is over and I...

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Anthony Franklin Ii

‘Frostpunk 1886′ An Unreal Engine 5 Remake of the Original Frostpunk’ is Coming in…2027

Frostpunk, a game that has frightened me since I first heard about it, is getting a remake in Unreal Engine 5 with mod support, new content and visual...

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Anthony Franklin Ii

‘Madden’ on Switch 2? Is That You Playa? Coming Over the Himalayas?

Right in time for me to watch Howie Roseman talk a man out of his shirt and pants at the NFL Draft tonight (Hi, Giants), we have Madden 26 and College...

yesterday 3

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Anthony Franklin Ii

‘Wartorn’ Is Scratching That RTS Itch, but It’s So Much More and It’s Coming to Early Access on June 17th (Preview)

I got the chance to check out the presentation for Wartorn from Stray Kite Studios. The game is being led in development by Creative Director Paul...

previous day 3

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Anthony Franklin Ii

I Don’t Think I’ve Been More Skeptical of a Game in My Life, but a ‘Wheel of Time’ RPG Is Apparently on the Way

It’s been a weird week in the category of games that may or may not exist. And things just get weirder with this Variety report regarding the game...

previous day 3

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Anthony Franklin Ii

Do You Miss ‘Condemned’? ‘Displacement’ Looks to Be a Sci-Fi Twist on the Classic Action-Horror Game

Remember the Xbox 360 launch title Condemned: Criminal Origins? A first-person psychological thriller/survival horror action game, it was unique for...

wednesday 2

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Anthony Franklin Ii

‘Ghost of Yotei’ Gets a Release Date and a New Trailer

I have zero reason to doubt Sucker Punch, but when they announced that Ghost of Yotei was coming out this year, I wasn’t sure. But I know why that...

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Anthony Franklin Ii

Two Game Tuesday- Indie Timeline Shenanigans with ‘Treasures of the Aegean’ and ‘Kingmakers’

Alright, we are back on track for Two Game Tuesday. Normally, I try to highlight indie games that haven’t yet released — or if they have,...

wednesday 2

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Anthony Franklin Ii

Nintendo Did the Impossible and Found a Way to Make Paul Rudd Look Old in New Switch 2 Ad

Nintendo just dropped an homage to its classic Super Nintendo commercial this time around featuring the Switch 2. It’s a picture-perfect recreation...

22.04.2025 3

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Anthony Franklin Ii

Backlog Bangers Volume 1- Games I Can’t Wait to Dive Into

We are all guilty of this, grabbing games thanks to a ridiculous sale and saying, “I can’t wait to get into this”. Knowing good and well we...

22.04.2025 4

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Anthony Franklin Ii

Unbeatable is a Rhythm-Adeventure Game That Lives Up to Its Name at Its Highest Difficulty (Demo Impressions)

Thanks to Dwayne, I got my hands on Unbeatable, an indie rhythm-adventure title that took great delight in laying the smackethdown on my candy ass...

22.04.2025 3

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Anthony Franklin Ii

The All-Time Classic ‘Oddworld’ Series Is on Sale for an Absolutely INSANE Amount

My dad has a lot to do with the stuff I’m into. Whether it’s gaming, Lord of the Rings, or others. But one game he exposed me to early is...

21.04.2025 3

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Anthony Franklin Ii

My Interview With the Master of Mayhem Himself, Tonda Ros, Creator of Blue Prince

I’m still in the middle of uncovering everything Blue Prince has to offer. I managed to roll credits on the game about 12 hours before my interview...

20.04.2025 3

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Anthony Franklin Ii

PowerWash Simulator 2 Gets a Cool Dev Video

I’ve spoken about my love for PowerWash Simulator as a game I play to just turn my brain off and relax. To be honest, it still blows my mind that I...

18.04.2025 2

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Anthony Franklin Ii

Phil Spencer Said Xbox Game Pass Is “Not for Everybody” – Which Brings Me to a Point I’ve Long Held

GameSpot pulled some of the most important quotes out of a recent Phil Spencer interview, where he said that he understands that their Xbox Game Pass...

18.04.2025 3

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Anthony Franklin Ii

Two Game…Thursday: The Indies Get Musical and Full of Futuristic Horror

So, I missed the last Two Game Tuesday and then I missed this week. You gotta shoot me some bail here, I’m still getting used to working from home....

18.04.2025 3

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Anthony Franklin Ii

The Mario Kart World Direct Wasn’t Throwing Out Anything New if You Already Know the Game, but There Were Still Some Interesting Parts

The Mario Kart Direct is over and it was cool. I mean, if you’re a Mario Kart vet. This was an instruction manual with a few new items. If you’re...

17.04.2025 5

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Anthony Franklin Ii

Retro Runback: Nintendo 64 Games I Loved and Personally Need Back

Ok so normally with these, I pick games that I really did enjoy and would like to see because they belong to franchises that shouldn’t have died...

17.04.2025 4

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Anthony Franklin Ii

‘Gennady’ is What You Would Get If Someone Gave Wario a Gun and Told Him to Run Around with His Pants Off

Dwayne — in his continued effort to make up for not telling me about ‘Lil Guardsman’ — has placed in front of me a game so oddly familiar but...

16.04.2025 3

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Anthony Franklin Ii

‘Bionic Bay’ is a Dark Puzzle Platformer with More Depth Than a First Look Would Reveal (Review)

From the moment I saw the trailer for Bionic Bay, this game had my attention. As someone who loves What Lies in the Multiverse, puzzle platformers...

16.04.2025 3

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Anthony Franklin Ii

Leaks and Rumors and Screenshots! Oh — I’m Not Doing That. ‘The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion’ Remaster Seems to Be on the Way

So, screw sleeping in, right? I mean I have a toddler anyway but still. Thanks to the community over at ResetEra (you eagle-eyed SOBs), we have what...

15.04.2025 40

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Anthony Franklin Ii

The Original Marathon Trilogy is Available for Free While You Wait for the Reboot

Bungie’s reboot of Marathon has, not surprisingly, created some divide among gamers. While people argue over the game being an extraction shooter or...

15.04.2025 4

Vice

Anthony Franklin Ii

Hi Housemarque, I Have Something to Ask of You, Please Give Us Another ‘Dead Nation’

Long before Housemarque gave us classics like Resogun and Alienation, they gave us one of my favorite twin-stick shooters ever, Dead Nation. Released...

15.04.2025 3

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Anthony Franklin Ii

We’re Going Shopping! GOG Came Through with a Massive Sale

GOG is once again coming up clutch. The people responsible for top notch game preservation efforts are putting over 1,000 games on sale via their...

14.04.2025 3

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Anthony Franklin Ii

‘Lil Guardsman’- A Cartoon Network Show in Gaming Form

I love it when Bluesky’s functionality proves its worth for the millionth time and finding out about Lil Guardsman has been a result of that. I...

12.04.2025 5

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Anthony Franklin Ii

Retro Runback- Two Xbox 360 Indie Classics: ‘Dust: An Elysian Tail’ and ‘Quantum Conundrum’

I’m currently sitting in a chair, wistfully reminiscing about the Xbox 360 days. And two games popped into my head. Dust: An Elysian Tail and...

11.04.2025 10

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Anthony Franklin Ii

I Have Found a Home for My Love of Puzzle Games, Thinky Games is Made for Puzzle Sickos Like Me

Now that I’ve had a chance to talk about how much I love puzzle/mystery games, I can really get into some crazy shit here. Ever since I was younger,...

10.04.2025 3

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Anthony Franklin Ii

‘Metal Eden’ Looks Like Everything I Love About ‘DOOM’ In an Extremely Sci-Fi Package

I love it when people put me on to a game I didn’t know about. And Metal Eden is now squarely in my crosshairs. The Sci-Fi element alone would have...

09.04.2025 3

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Anthony Franklin Ii

Someone at Nintendo Has to Stop Doug Bowser from Speaking. Apparently, the Switch 2 Isn’t for Broke Bois

Where is Reggie? I want to speak to the adult in the room. Look, console prices are a tough thing to balance. I get it. And the Switch 2 certainly has...

09.04.2025 4

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Anthony Franklin Ii

I Interviewed Split Fiction’s Kaja Chan and Elsie Bennett

Recently, I had the chance to interview Hazelight Founder and Director, Josef Fares. This time around I had the pleasure of talking with Split Fiction...

09.04.2025 4

Vice

Anthony Franklin Ii

Nintendo Has Confirmed a Price for the ‘Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour’ and It’s Gonna Run You a Lin-Manuel Miranda Play

That was hot, right? Now that we’re into the next week, I don’t feel nearly as bad talking about Switch 2 again. So, no more Simpsons gifs. I am...

08.04.2025 4

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Anthony Franklin Ii

‘Awita: Journey of Hope’ Has Me Thinking That I Might Have Found a Pretty Cool Metroidvania

Everyone (Mostly Dwayne), I believe I have something that will help you through your Hollow Knight: Silksong induced mental hells. Then again, this...

08.04.2025 3

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Anthony Franklin Ii

Retro Runback- Sega Genesis 3-Pack

The Sega Genesis was actually the first console I ever played. It is also home to my ultimate gaming nemesis, The Lion King. But beyond that...

07.04.2025 4

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Anthony Franklin Ii

‘Blue Prince’ — An All-Time Great Puzzle/Mystery Game That Sets a New Standard in the Genre

I don’t even have a clever introduction for you for this one. Blue Prince is a first-person puzzle, mystery, and roguelike game from Tonda Ros and...

07.04.2025 4

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Anthony Franklin Ii

I Really Want to See a ‘Breaking Bad’-Like Character Change in a Video Game, Here’s Who I Think Could Pull It Off

One of my favorite shows of all time is Breaking Bad. It ran for 5 seasons and if you don’t know about it, it chronicles the transformation of...

05.04.2025 4

Vice

Anthony Franklin Ii

Thanks to the Tangerine Tariff Tyrant, Switch 2 Prices May Skyrocket Before Release

Well, it only took me a day to go back on being done with Switch 2 stuff. Just as I was sitting down with an unnecessarily large bowl of cereal,...

04.04.2025 5

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Anthony Franklin Ii

I Swear This Is the Last Nintendo Switch 2 Thing From Me This Week, but I Got One Question for Y’all… Why Are You So Mad?

Before I get into this, I’m just a dude who loves games and happens to be in a position to write about them. My opinion isn’t gospel or anything...

04.04.2025 6

Vice

Anthony Franklin Ii

‘South of Midnight’ is More Than an Excellent Love Letter to the South — It’s a Story of the Perseverance of a People

As I’m running through one of the beautiful areas of South of Midnight, I’m struck by the silence of the world, which is then immediately cut...

03.04.2025 4

Vice

Anthony Franklin Ii

The Dust from the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct Has Settled. Here Are My Standout Moments

It’s been a wild morning for Switch 2 news. There were some pretty exciting announcements, and a few that were flat out unexpected. It’s hard...

03.04.2025 20

Vice

Anthony Franklin Ii

‘Donkey Kong Bonanza’ is a Nintendo Switch 2 Exclusive that Proves You Can’t Judge a Character Model by its Blurry Debut

Alright so that was pretty awesome. Nintendo always has had a pretty good track record at throwing out a game no one (except Shaun) saw coming. Donkey...

02.04.2025 7

Vice

Anthony Franklin Ii

‘Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker’ is Coming to Nintendo Switch 2 After Nintendo’s Best Ron Swanson Impression, But There’s a Catch

I’m genuinely confused by how I feel right now. I, like many others, have been banging the drum for Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD to make a...

02.04.2025 5

Vice

Anthony Franklin Ii

Two-Game Tuesday- Steam Showed Me ‘Hell Clock’ and ‘Reignbreaker’

I’m still getting used to this work-from-home life after years of being stuffed in an office, so I almost forgot what today was. But I recovered and...

01.04.2025 3

Vice

Anthony Franklin Ii

Josef Fares Talks About ‘Split Fiction’, Connecting Through Games, and the Importance of Being Yourself (Interview)

I reviewed Split Fiction recently and loved it. The characters, story, and gameplay were all on an elite level. Yesterday, I got the chance to...

29.03.2025 10

Vice

Anthony Franklin Ii

Trailer Breakdown: ‘Metroid Prime 4: Beyond’

Alright, Nintendo came through with one last Switch Direct and showed off a number of titles but the biggest of all of them is Metroid Prime 4. Shaun...

28.03.2025 3

Vice

Anthony Franklin Ii

‘Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet’ Likely Won’t be Seen Until After 2026

Big, fat surprise everyone! Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, Naughty Dog’s new IP won’t be seeing a release in 2026. That news coming from...

27.03.2025 2

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Anthony Franklin Ii

Microsoft Seems to be Cracking the Code — Sits at the Top of the Playstation Pre-order List

With the recent announcement of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle hitting the PS5 and the previous reveal that Forza Horizon 5 doing the same,...

26.03.2025 3

Vice

Anthony Franklin Ii

Playstation Plus April Games Have Me Ready to Deliver Justice

I’m sure I’m not the only who thinks this, but the Playstation Plus offerings sometimes leave a lot to be desired. Every now and then they’ll...

26.03.2025 10

Vice

Anthony Franklin Ii

I Don’t Know What Has Gotten Into Nintendo Lately But I Love It!

The rumors have been swirling for a couple days now thanks to apparent gaming oracle NateTheHate who is on a 2016 Steph Curry heater with the Switch...

26.03.2025 9

Vice

Anthony Franklin Ii

Two-Game Tuesday: Roll With the Indies — ‘Axis Football 2026’ and ‘Desperate Place’

I liked the idea of highlighting two indie games a week that I either stumbled upon or that were already on my radar. So, this will be the space for...

26.03.2025 2

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Anthony Franklin Ii