TheGamer - Triple-A Game Features

Barbarian Is The Best Baldur's Gate 3 Class Because I Can Yell At Everyone

James Troughton — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 17:30:18 GMT

I played 12 hours of Baldur’s Gate 3 with a custom bard and stumbled on the end of Act 2 by complete accident. I wasn’t trying to rush through this gargantuan RPG like I had a deadline to hit, but there I was at Moonrise Towers with my Penis C in my hands… my party of four squishy under levelled morons scrambling to fight a small army. I spent three hours in a death loop before retreating back to the drawing board.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Is Finally Making Me Upgrade My PC

Jade King — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 17:01:17 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 runs like a dream on PC. Except when it doesn’t. Performance is usually solid thanks to my RTX 2080 Ti, but an ageing CPU and power supply I’ve had in my rig for the better part of a decade means the poor machine has trouble keeping up sometimes.

We Need to Stop Making Fun of the Wiglett Plush I Just Bought

Mike Drucker — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 16:30:22 GMT

Everyone please calm down. By now you’ve all seen the official Wiglett plush available at the real Pokémon Center website. Go on. Start giggling. And, yes, it’s a long, cylindrical object with a bright pink head. But just because it resembles the genitals of a ghost that’s doing very well for itself doesn’t mean we need to make fun of it. This is a plush from a video game series meant to be put on display, likely behind a beaded curtain with a sign and an age requirement. Not everything has to be sexual, especially when I purchased this for myself the moment I saw it.

Baldur's Gate 3's On-Screen Dice Rolls Are The Perfect Tabletop Experience

Ben Sledge — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 15:00:20 GMT

I’m fast approaching my two decade anniversary of playing Warhammer. I’ve dipped in and out of the hobby in that time, mostly when I was a teenager and discovered beer, but the vast majority of those years have been spent hunched over tiny miniatures. So I was the only one of my work D&D party, made up of a fair few newcomers, to know the curse that our DM was spelling when she uttered the words, “anything but a one”.

I Don't Know What Baldur's Gate 3 Is, And At This Point I'm Too Afraid To Ask

Vaspaan Dastoor — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 14:31:19 GMT

Among my social circles, I was always that guy who played the video games that most people hadn’t heard of. Considering that the farthest these social circles ventured into gaming was FIFA, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was kind of a niche game for them. It was during my first few days as a bright-eyed games journalism hopeful in 2017, when I was tasked with writing a list of best RPGs of all time, that I first heard of Baldur's Gate.

Baldur's Gate 3 Is Helping Me Learn My D&D Role Better

Meg Pelliccio — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 14:00:18 GMT

Dungeons & Dragons has always been a game that has fascinated, and intimidated me in equal measure. There is far too much to remember, so I find it overwhelming. A few years back, I tried a D&D group with some other newbies and a couple of veteran players at the helm, but it fizzled out quickly as the experience gap proved too much for people to bear.

I'm Going To Suck At Starfield

Quinton O'Connor — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 18:00:22 GMT

I’m kind of obsessed with Starfield’s pending launch. I’ve been counting down the days, mentally dividing them all into hours for a ‘clearer picture’, and even doing that kid thing where I calculate how many more ‘sleeps’ I have before I can boot up Bethesda’s upcoming open-world sci-fi RPG for the first time. I can’t wait to suck at it.

Would Baldur’s Gate 3 Be Getting The Same Hype If It Hadn’t Shifted Its Release Date?

Tessa Kaur — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 17:30:20 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 has taken the world by storm. Every website is talking about it, it trended on Twitter for almost a week straight after release, and it’s currently the top-selling game on Steam. We at TheGamer haven’t shut up about it either, because there’s just so much to say. Even outside of work, my friends are texting me about it constantly. I cannot escape Baldur’s Gate 3, and I’ve been wondering, would we be hearing this much about the game if its release date hadn’t been pushed up?

Patenting Game Mechanics Is The Biggest Threat Facing The Games Industry

Andrew King — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 16:30:20 GMT

This week, reports got out that Nintendo has filed 32 gameplay-related patents since mid-July, and 31 of them are related to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The company is attempting to patent mechanics both big — like Ultrahand and Fuse — and small — like hanging onto ledges and riding on floating platforms.

Enjoy 2023. It Will Forever Be The Year That Gave Us Tears Of The Kingdom And Baldur's Gate 3

Andrew King — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 16:00:20 GMT

It’s still a little early to call it, but 2023 is almost certainly going to go down as the best gaming year since 2017.

Final Fantasy XIV's Dawntrail Is Meant To Be A Holiday, But It's Already Stressing Me Out

Meg Pelliccio — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 15:30:20 GMT

When going on holiday, no matter how excited you are about reaching your picturesque destination, you first must go through all the stress and rigmarole of ensuring you have everything ready before you leave. You have to make sure your suitcase is packed, buy anything you’re missing, triple-check the kids are in the car, and ensure you’ve got your travel documents, insurance, and all that jazz.

How Does Baldur's Gate 3 Run This Well On Steam Deck?

Ben Sledge — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 15:00:19 GMT

The first thing I noticed about Baldur’s Gate 3 was how good it looked. I saw the moist skin of a Mindflayer as it strolled around my prison cell. I watched on, immobile, as he implanted a fanged worm in my retina, no doubt chewing on my optic nerve as we speak. I saw every glint of enamel in the beast’s tiny, gruesome maw as it condemned me to a fate worse than death. Then I noticed how quiet my PC was.

Goodbye Volcano High Could Be The Next Life Is Strange

Jade King — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 18:00:20 GMT

There is something profoundly sad about Goodbye Volcano High. Even when you put aside the thematic brilliance of angsty dinosaur teenagers fearing the arrival of an asteroid poised to wipe out the entire planet, it captures a youthful experience that has increasingly become all about paranoia, belonging, and fearing what the world will soon devolve into.

If You Haven't Tried Half-Life: Opposing Force, Play It This Weekend

James Troughton — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 17:30:20 GMT

I was 12 when I found out there was more Half-Life I’d yet to play as a child. At that point, I’d been waiting five years for a conclusion to Episode 2’s cliffhanger. Little did I know I’d still be waiting 11 years later for any sort of actual closure.

Go Woke, Go Broke Doesn't Exist And The Proof Is Barbie And Baldur's Gate 3

Andrew King — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 16:51:20 GMT

A cohort of far right morons got a little too cocky after turning Bud Light into a pilsner non grata among American conservatives through an unhinged boycott over the company sending one (1) customized can of beer to trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney. As stupid as that boycott was, it did actually manage to hurt the beer’s sales. Right-wing commentator Ben Shapiro imagined that Barbie would be similarly hurt with audiences by its progressive themes, confidently predicting a huge second weekend drop. That didn’t happen, and Greta Gerwig’s comedy has now made over a billion dollars. Facts don’t care about your feelings, Shapiro.

Armored Core Is Finally Getting The Respect It Deserves

James Kennedy — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 16:45:19 GMT

The main man of Mecha is back, baby. After being absent for a decade, Armored Core is finally set to make its return. As of the writing of this article, we are a little over two weeks away from Armored Core 6’s launch. As the release approaches, the media has been getting their hands on the game and the response has been extremely positive. Naturally, this has been hyping up my already hyped hype—creating a hypeception, if you will.

Why Is Rockstar So Committed To Doing The Bare Minimum For Rereleases Of GTA And Red Dead Redemption?

Andrew King — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 16:21:19 GMT

Like the grandfatherly capitalist John Hammond in Jurassic Park, Rockstar Games has a reputation for sparing no expense. The company waited a decade to follow up Grand Theft Auto 5 and took almost eight years to work up to Red Dead Redemption 2. The result is games that are often a cut above anything else produced at such a large scale.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Scratched My Knights Of The Old Republic Itch

Tessa Kaur — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 15:31:20 GMT

As readers probably know, I’m incapable of shutting up about Bioware’s 2003 game Knights of the Old Republic. I’ve written about it more than the average writer should in 2023, but it was a hugely formative game for me and made me fall in love with RPGs as a child. I remember getting lost in the game for years on end when I first got it, and I’ve returned to it many times since then. I’ve been chasing the high of getting so sucked into a game that I fall completely in love with ever since, and I’m glad to say that Baldur’s Gate 3 might be that game.

I Don’t Care That Baldur’s Gate 3 Has 2023's Highest Metacritic Score

Tessa Kaur — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 15:00:20 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 reviews are finally starting to trickle in, and they have been unanimously glowing. So unanimously, in fact, that the game has now taken Tears of the Kingdom’s spot as 2023’s highest-rated game, with a Metacritic score of 97. The game has 18 critic reviews at the time of writing, all above 90, with ten being a full score of 100. It’s not just the highest-rated game of the year, it’s the second-highest-rated PC game of all time right now. Of course, there’s no saying how long this will last – Tears of the Kingdom’s rating is based on 145 critic reviews, and we’ll likely see the score change as more sites post reviews. More importantly, it’s just a review score, and I don’t care about it.

PlayStation Plus Premium Is Finally Worth The Asking Price

Jade King — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 14:01:20 GMT

Xbox Game Pass has been losing some of its lustre in recent months. While several smaller titles and stunning indies continue to launch on the service, its prime selling point of housing big Microsoft exclusives upon release for no additional cost has faded into obscurity, thanks to the fact that its platform holder doesn’t have many of them right now. Unless you’re one of the seven people still playing Redfall - yes, that is an actual statistic - then there’s fewer and fewer reasons these days to remain subscribed unless you’re smitten for the smaller stuff and a healthy back catalogue of existing games. Conversation around Game Pass is now fading.

Avowed Almost Being A Multiplayer Game Bodes Ill For Gaming

Tessa Kaur — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 17:30:17 GMT

It’s hardly breaking news that the gaming scene is awash with multiplayer titles. You can’t watch a games showcase these days without bumping up against a couple of them, and most of the time, they look like they’re belatedly trying to capture the magic of earlier, more successful attempts at capturing mainstream interest.

What Elden Ring’s Success Has In Common With Baldur’s Gate 3

Andrew King — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 16:15:51 GMT

Like a curious Twitch streamer clicking Hide Clothes, Larian has finally revealed Baldur’s Gate 3 to the world in all its glory. The Dungeons & Dragons RPG has emerged from early access and the Divinity: Original Sin 2 studio was packing a bigger hit than anyone could have imagined. It’s another example of an acclaimed developer leveling up its skill set and audience at the same time, and it has me thinking about last year’s blockbuster example: Elden Ring.

Stop Talking About Baldur’s Gate 3 DLC

Mike Drucker — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 16:00:52 GMT

Are we seriously already talking about DLC for Baldur’s Gate 3? Are we already talking about expanding a game that, as far as I can tell, encompasses the entire sentient experience in a fantasy setting? That’s on people’s minds?

Baldur’s Gate 3 Should Raise The Standard Of RPGs Going Forward

Ben Sledge — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 15:30:40 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a game-changer. I’ve only scratched the surface of this sprawling RPG, and I’m already hooked. From giving my carefully-crafted character silly hats that undermine their seriousness to forging strong alliances in the earliest stages of the game, I can’t wait to see what the giant world of Faerûn has to offer.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Already Has More Scousers Than 99 Percent Of Games

Ben Sledge — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 15:01:22 GMT

When was the last time you heard a Scouser in a video game? I remember exactly when. It was 14 months ago, after I wrote a long feature about the lack of Scouse representation in games. I was only able to name Conker’s Bad Fur Day and some grunts in Worms at this time, before I came across Jason Isaacs’ portrayal of faulty robot Skew in The Last Worker. The game was ultimately disappointing, but I appreciated Isaacs’ accent nonetheless.

Baldur's Gate 3 Proves That AI Has No Place In Voice Acting

Tessa Kaur — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 14:31:12 GMT

Every gamer I know is furiously working their way through Baldur’s Gate 3 right now, and for good reason. The game has been getting praise for its flexibility, the depth of its choice and consequence system, how it’s embraced different playstyles, and even its approach to nudity. Larian has pulled off creating an unthinkably complex game, but one thing that sticks with me more than anything else is the greatness of its acting performances.

Hogwarts Legacy Was Just Another Bland Open World Game After All

Jade King — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 14:00:43 GMT

Hogwarts Legacy was consumed by millions of people and made billions of dollars, but less than a year later it’s hard to find anyone with enough passion to talk about it. It came and went, which is a big feat for a game which once brought up so much controversy. What was once a calling card for the transphobic and those who wished to bat against the ‘go woke, go broke’ crowds has grown into little more than yet another forgettable open world game in a sprawling sea of them.

I Want To Play Every CRPG Whenever I Play One Like Baldur's Gate 3

Andrew King — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 16:15:17 GMT

In the movie About Time, the men of the Lake family are able to travel backwards through time. On his 21st birthday, Domnhall Gleeson's Tim Lake finds out he has this power, and decides to use it to improve his romantic prospects. I've always related more to the way his father James (Bill Nighy) chooses to use the gift: reliving days repeatedly just to get more reading done.

Is It Bad That I’m Not Trying To Romance Anybody In Baldur’s Gate 3?

Tessa Kaur — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 16:00:18 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 has taken over my life, and the lives of many of my friends. One assumed that I had a pre-release build and verbally accosted me for saying I wouldn’t break embargo for him. (It’s hard to blame him.) Another has been giving me regular updates on the horrible things his Dark Urge character has done and exactly how many companions he’s accidentally murdered. I’m watching Instagram stories where people I know have been posting pictures of their lovingly-crafted custom characters for admiration. More than anything though, people have been talking about which characters they’ve been able to bone down with, and I simply cannot relate.

Baldur's Gate 3's Weakest Element Is The Unforgiving Combat

Jade King — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 15:30:20 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a bigger hit than anyone could have ever imagined. Even Larian Studios was blown away by the reception as it planned for 100,000 concurrent players and was greeted by a whopping 800,000. People love this game, many of whom hail from established D&D circles or happen to be experiencing an RPG like this for the very first time. Either way, it’s doing gangbusters, and the video game industry will take notice very quickly.

Modern Warfare 3 Is Coming, And I Hope Activision Hasn't Rushed It

Jade King — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 17:01:19 GMT

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is coming only a year after the release of Modern Warfare 2. Sledgehammer is taking the reins from Infinity Ward instead of the franchise stepping away from annual releases as part of a move that was previously discussed by Activision.

The Red Dead Redemption Port Missed A Trick Not Coming To PC

Ben Sledge — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 16:45:20 GMT

Rumours of a Red Dead Redemption remake or remaster have been swirling for months, but fans have been left disappointed as Rockstar instead announced ports of the game to the Switch and PS4. Yes, a 13 year old game is coming to ten year old hardware and an underpowered handheld, but that’s not even the worst news.

For Once We All Agree – The Red Dead Redemption Port Sucks

Tessa Kaur — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 16:31:20 GMT

After months of swirling rumours about a possible Red Dead Redemption remaster, Rockstar has announced that we’re getting… a port. A PS4 and Nintendo Switch port, to be precise, which will release digitally on August 17 and physically on October 13. The Nintendo eShop price lists the game as $49.99, and the PS4 version will presumably cost the same, but the PlayStation store doesn’t list the price as of right now.

The Dark Urge Was The Best Possible Addition To Baldur’s Gate 3

Tessa Kaur — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 16:00:20 GMT

I’ve been loving Baldur’s Gate 3, despite the growing pains that come with playing such a punishing game with only a bare minimum knowledge of the mechanics. After spending a full day getting my ass kicked in a goblin camp, I followed my colleague Jade King’s advice and dropped my difficulty level to Narrative so I can actually get on with the game. Now, instead of sitting in front of my PC, groaning in frustration with my head in my hands, I’m completely sold. I’ve never played a game that’s made me feel as if every choice I make really matters, or at the very least where I can’t predict what ending my choices will get me. I am constantly stressed about making the best decision for the people around me, because there is no binary good or evil path for me to walk. That’s a truly extraordinary feat.

Overwatch 2 Is Back, And All It Took Was John Cena

Jade King — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 15:30:21 GMT

I will watch, play, read, and consume anything with John Cena. The Man Who Can’t Be Seen was my first childhood crush, and that fascination has extended into adulthood as he begins to star in exceedingly bigger films and TV shows. He isn’t just a WWE superstar anymore, he’s a gamer.

Does Gordon Freeman Wear A Helmet In Half-Life?

James Troughton — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 14:31:29 GMT

Half-Life is home to many age-old debates—who the hell is G-Man? How does Magnusson know we ruined his casserole? Is Dr Breen out there somewhere as a big telepathic interdimensional slug? What was the Nihilanth trying to tell us?

Baldur's Gate 3's Level Cap Feels Way Too Low

Ryan Thomas Bamsey — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 17:30:19 GMT

According to Steam, I am 40 hours into my first proper Baldur’s Gate 3 playthrough. I’ve spent almost two days with my Dragonborn Monk, who loves to get a bit murdery every now and then (through no fault of his own!). He’s level eight at the moment, and he’s powerful. He can attack three times a turn, turn his Ki into glorious magic effects, and is decked out with more magic items than Gale could ever gulp down.

Every Patron Deity In Baldur's Gate 3

Ryan Thomas Bamsey — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 17:01:21 GMT

Baldur's Gate 3 takes place in the world of Faerun, which is one of Dungeons & Dragons' official worlds. It is a rich world, filled with lore, and it has a great many deities watching over it.

There Is No Right Or Wrong Way To Play Baldur's Gate 3

Jade King — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 16:46:19 GMT

Everyone and their dog is playing Baldur’s Gate 3 right now. The RPG blew developer Larian Studio’s expectations and amassed 500,000 concurrent players on Steam within just days of its launch. Sitting pretty amongst the likes of Counter Strike: Global Offensive and DOTA 2, we’ve never seen a game of this ilk take over the world so successfully before. It’s wonderful to see a game all about making your own decisions on a grand adventure so easily capturing the imagination of millions, and that’s before it even comes to consoles where a mainstream audience is free to embrace it. When that happens, the floodgates will truly be able to open.

The Fantasy Racism In Baldur’s Gate 3 Affected Me More Than I Thought It Would

Tessa Kaur — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 16:31:19 GMT

I have mixed feelings about fantasy racism. Media can and should be used to make people confront their biases, and it doesn’t bother me when people throw fantasy slurs around. The issue should be treated with the appropriate weight and gravity and not played off like it’s no big deal, but I typically try to interpret fantasy racism in good faith, assuming it’s an earnest attempt to portray a harmful behaviour that is all too pervasive in the real world. Some players are uncomfortable with it, though, as they don’t want to face racism in games when they already face it in real life. That’s totally valid. But as a mixed-race person who does face some degree of racism, I find it validating to see my experiences portrayed in games.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Turned Me Into A Save Scummer

Tessa Kaur — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 15:30:20 GMT

I haven’t had time to play much of Baldur’s Gate 3 yet, but I’ve learned many hard lessons in my few hours so far. One major thing that I’ve already written about is that I was immediately overwhelmed by the amount of Dungeons and Dragons know-how necessary to do justice to the game – I’m not a hardcore D&D player so I was immediately stressed out. However, the hardest lesson I’ve had to learn is that I need to save more. Like, a lot more. Like, every ten minutes more.

Playing The Arkham Trilogy To Prepare For Suicide Squad Was A Mistake

Josh Coulson — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 14:31:20 GMT

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League was revealed... wait, let me check.

Obsidian Should Handle Fallout 5

James Troughton — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 14:00:19 GMT

I’m going to be in my 30s by the time Fallout 5 comes out. For context, I was 15 when Fallout 4 launched in 2015. We still have Starfield to play later this year, before god-knows-how-long it’ll take to get The Elder Scrolls 6, and then finally, we’ll be back in the apocalyptic wasteland, chilling with Super Mutants and sipping Nuka-Cola by the radioactive ocean. I don’t even want to think about how long the wait for Fallout 6 will be. We could be in a nuclear wasteland of our own by that point. God help us.

Paper Moon Is The Perfect Comedy Classic For Fans Of The Last Of Us

Andrew King — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 17:01:20 GMT

The Last of Us is a game about life after the apocalypse and a dangerous mission to navigate a zombie-infested United States. But, on the story's most basic level, it's a road movie about a morally dubious man taking a young girl from Point A to Point B and the bond they form on the trip. In that way, it's an awful lot like the wonderful 1973 film, Paper Moon.

I’m Struggling To Be Evil in Baldur’s Gate 3

Mike Drucker — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 16:30:19 GMT

When I read about The Dark Urge origin path in Baldur’s Gate 3, I knew where I was going to take my character. Everything I read about the path seemed like exactly what I wanted. You lost your memory and all you can remember is your thirst for blood and violence. Extra narration pulls you towards extra choices that let you be extra evil. Rather than breaking the system or being an afterthought, going fully evil in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a well-designed route through the game.

FromSoftware Should Try Survival Horror Again

James Troughton — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 15:31:18 GMT

I recently wrote about how I turned my Steam Deck into a PS2 which has let me try out games I never had the chance to play when I was younger. As a kid, my gaming habits were dictated by my dad who would show me titles he'd worked on like Midnight, Driver San Francisco, and Wheelman, as well as his up-and-coming favourites like Prince of Persia and God of War. That meant I missed the boat on Silent Hill and Resident Evil. If I never played the classics, I was never going to see anything niche.

Baldur's Gate 3 Isn't Ashamed Of Nudity, It Actively Celebrates It

Jade King — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 15:00:19 GMT

When I meet a new party member in Baldur’s Gate 3, I strip them naked. I know it sounds weird, and it kinda is, but I swear it isn’t part of some perverse hazing ritual. The reason I do it is that Larian Studios has taken an approach to nudity that isn’t juvenile, despite its rampant explicitness. Seconds before starting a new game you’re asked if you want to enable or disable nudity. I cannot overestimate the severity of this decision.

The Clementine Comic Has Me Finally Wanting To Play Telltale’s The Walking Dead

Andrew King — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 14:00:19 GMT

It's been a long time since I’ve cared about The Walking Dead. During my last year of high school, I got really into the AMC series, marathoning the second season at a friend's house. Daryl looking extremely cool with a crossbow may or may not have played a role in me and my dad deciding to buy a compound bow so we could shoot stuff in our yard while also looking cool.

I'm Nervous About Starting Baldur's Gate 3

Andrew King — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 17:30:19 GMT

Baldur's Gate 3 is finally out, though the absence of a preload option means that I have spent very little time with it so far. But that doesn't matter because I've set aside most of the month of August for Larian's beefy role-playing game.

I Hope Other Games Take A Lesson From The Length Of Assassin's Creed Mirage

Andrew King — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:30:20 GMT

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is, reportedly, much shorter than any recent game in the series.

Baldur's Gate 3's Narrative Difficulty Is Nothing To Be Ashamed Of

Jade King — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 15:30:20 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 is kicking my butt. I’m not used to games like this, let alone ones that grant me access to countless different characters and abilities to consider, alongside challenging combat encounters and environmental hazards that test my mettle from the very beginning.

Baldur's Gate 3 Fans, Please Don't Forget About The First Two Games

Rhiannon Bevan — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 14:31:20 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 feels like an anomaly in the best way possible. Not only did it have a successful Early Access period with constant communication from devs and a bucket load of goodwill from fans, it’s also, as the name would suggest, a threequel. More specifically, it’s a follow-up to an old, boomer RPG most modern fans have only heard of in passing, much less played through.

Baldur's Gate 3 Is A Game Where Every Decision Actually Matters

Jade King — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 08:57:00 GMT

I’ve barely scratched the surface of Baldur’s Gate 3. I’m still communicating with a seemingly endless array of characters amidst a bustling grove mere metres away from the Mind Flayer ship that crash-landed following the game’s introduction. As a relative novice to Dungeons & Dragons, much of this universe and the mechanics, races, and lore that underpin it remain a mystery to me. But I’m eating it all up, welcoming the confusion that defines every moment.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Is Going To Suck On PS4 and Xbox One

Jade King — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 19:01:21 GMT

EA and Respawn Entertainment have confirmed that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is in development for the PS4 and Xbox One. Despite previously making it clear that the action adventure game was exclusive to current-gen platforms and PC to take full advantage of the updated technology, it seems the unlimited power of additional sales and piles of money have helped change a tune which once sounded absolute. This is a bad idea, and will be a version of the game not worth playing. It will look worse, run terribly, and drag down Survivor for no good reason. How do I know? Well, we only need to look back on how Fallen Order fared on old hardware.

What's With All The Discourse About Miles Morales' Hair In Spider-Man 2?

George Foster — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 14:31:18 GMT

As a young, generic-looking white guy, seeing myself represented in video games isn’t something I’ve ever struggled with. I may not be as handsome as Nathan Drake and might have some difficulty finding my specific brand of skater boy patchwork tattoos, but it’s not hard to see myself in the games I play. For people of colour, things aren’t so easy.

The Sims 4 Horse Ranch Overview: Goating Around

Helen Ashcroft — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 14:00:18 GMT

Despite my small village upbringing, I’ve not been near a horse since 1993, when I fell off one of the towering animals and landed ass-first in a river. So, as someone who knows a little about horses but isn’t especially interested in them, I wondered how long The Sims 4’s latest expansion pack, Horse Ranch, would hold my attention.

Starfield Won't Be The Same If It Isn't Filled With Bugs And Glitches

Jade King — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 09:39:47 GMT

Microsoft and Bethesda have made it clear that armies of QA testers are working away on Starfield right now. Likely to ensure the uncompromisingly massive RPG is free from bugs and glitches ahead of its September release.

Silent Hill Is Never Going To Work As An Until Dawn Clone

Jade King — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 09:37:53 GMT

Silent Hill fans are hard to please. I should know, I’m one of them and I never shut the fuck up about how Konami keeps dragging the survival horror icon through the mud. It was once the genre’s poster child, taking inspiration from Resident Evil and Alone in the Dark before it surpassed them with a compelling perspective on psychological horror and a willingness to make the player feel helpless and terrified at every turn. On the PlayStation 2 there seemed to be no stopping this sleepy little town, but its future bastardization would see Silent Hill grow dormant for the better part of a decade. Now, it’s back, and I’m not sure what to think.

There's Something For Everyone In Pikmin 4

Andrew King — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 17:30:20 GMT

While playing Pikmin 4, you read the word “dandori” a lot. Though there doesn’t seem to be a direct English translation from its Japanese origin, Pikmin uses it to mean effectively planning how you will use your time. In the game, that means choosing where you will send your Pikmin in order to maximize your troops’ efficiency. If there’s a dirt wall in one area of the map, and a buried treasure in another, it doesn’t make much sense to throw all of your Pikmin at the wall, wait for them to finish, then move on to the buried treasure. Good time management means juggling dozens of the little creatures, balancing a variety of tasks at once, and not leaving any of your Pikmin idle.

His AI Post Is Another Reminder That Game Culture Shouldn’t Revolve Around Geoff Keighley

Andrew King — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 17:00:21 GMT

Last Tuesday saw Geoff Keighley tweet a short, unimpressive, AI-generated video of a woman turning her head that gaming's most famous pitchman seemed extremely impressed by.

The World Is Ready For Nintendo Switch 2

Jade King — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 16:30:16 GMT

The Nintendo Switch 2 is coming next year. At least, that’s according to a recent report from VGC claiming that key partners are already in possession of development kits prior to a scheduled 2024 launch. Given the Switch OLED released a couple of years ago and the base model all the way back in 2017, a successor to the hybrid console has been a long time coming.

Nick Brawl 2 Is The Second And Last Chance For Platform Fighters

Jade King — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 15:30:19 GMT

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is coming our way later this year. That was quick, since I swear it’s only been a few months since the first game was updated with enough new content and fixes to be considered playable by the vast majority of fans. But with dwindling player counts and the viral success of the original under its belt, developers Ludosity and Fair Play Labs are taking another shot at the platform fighter which wants to do more than mine nostalgia.

I Can't Believe There Were Not One, But Two Crazy Frog Racer Games

Tessa Kaur — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 16:45:26 GMT

I think about Crazy Frog more than the average person should in 2023. More than any person should, really. Being in my late 20s and attending independent rave events means there is always a non-zero chance of hearing Axel F blasting through tall speakers as I drink red wine from a tumbler given to me by a friend who didn’t want to pay for drinks at the bar.

We Deserve More Mentally Ill Protagonists In Triple-A Games

Tessa Kaur — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 16:16:19 GMT

I love media for its real, gritty portrayals of people. I’ve been working my way through The Bear since it dropped on Disney+, and I just watched the holiday episode last night – if you’ve seen it, you know the one. It made me think about how seen I feel through media that focuses on complicated family dynamics and how mental illnesses trickle down through bloodlines. It’s something I’m almost hyper-fixated on in my own writing, and it’s why I’m so influenced by movies like Hereditary and shows like Bojack Horseman.

Disney Illusion Island Looks Like The Co-op Game I've Been Waiting For

Josh Coulson — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 14:31:21 GMT

In a year packed with excellent video games, Disney Illusion Island was one title I wasn’t fully on board with. While not a must-buy like Tears of the Kingdom, it’s a game I’m bound to pick up in a few months when I have the time and money. Although, with how stacked the rest of the year is, that might be a while yet.

Starfield’s 900 Empty Planets Are Perfect For DLC

Ben Sledge — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 14:00:18 GMT

Bethesda’s Todd Howard has made no secret of the fact he wants Starfield to be the next Skyrim. I’d wager he’s uttered the words “forever game” more often than he’s seen his kids over the past few months. I don’t actually know if he has kids, but if he doesn’t then that previous sentence is definitely true. All I’m saying, in an exaggerated manner for comic effect, is that Bethesda really wants this to be a hit.

I’m Not Ready To Move On From The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

Andrew King — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 18:00:20 GMT

According to my Switch, I've played 105 hours of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom since it came out back in May. If you’re the kind of multiplayer fiend who has thousands of hours in Destiny or Overwatch, that may not sound like much. But, for me — someone who almost exclusively plays single-player games — it’s a lot. The last game I played for that long was Hitman 3 — which is the rare live-service game to get its hooks in me (or, rather, its garrote around my neck). Before that, it hadn't happened since Breath of the Wild in 2017.

Nick Brawl 2 Has All The Signs Of Being A Rushed Product

James Troughton — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 17:30:18 GMT

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl launched in October 2021, and now, less than two years later, a sequel is set to follow. It seems miraculous, especially considering art director Diego Hernández has said 98 percent of the game’s assets are built from scratch. But looking at how the first entry was at launch, I’m not optimistic.

The One Thing This Year's Blockbusters Have In Common, From Oppenheimer To Barbie

Andrew King — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 14:31:19 GMT

Barbie and Oppenheimer made a great (and viral) double feature because the two movies seemed to have nothing in common. One was primarily targeted at women, the other at men. One had a bright pink, plastic aesthetic, the other alternated between muted grays, blacks, and browns and the bright orange of fire. One was a light fantasy comedy, the other was a harrowing true story about becoming death, destroyer of worlds.

Defeating Ganondorf Has Never Been More Satisfying Than It Is In The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

Andrew King — Sat, 29 Jul 2023 15:00:21 GMT

This article contains spoilers for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

I Started Baldur's Gate 3 In Early Access And Regret It

Jade King — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 20:00:22 GMT

Of all the big games coming out this year, I didn’t expect Baldur’s Gate 3 of all things to get me so damn excited. I’m normally a fickle bitch when it comes to western fantasy, with many of my colleagues often badgering me for never playing Dragon Age or seeing all of the Lord of the Rings films. I’m getting around to them, I promise, it’s just taking me several decades.

My Biggest Surprise Of The Year Is Pikmin 4

Andrew King — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 17:00:19 GMT

I picked up Pikmin 4 on a whim. When I was buying The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, I realized I could scoop up one additional game for only 30 bucks thanks to Nintendo’s 2-for-1 voucher which lets you get two full price titles for only $100. Given that TOTK is Nintendo’s first and (for now, at least) only $70 game, it was an easy decision to make and Pikmin 4 being the only other unreleased game on the list made it an easy choice for content purposes. People like to read about new games and this deal guaranteed I’d have a new game to write about.

It’s Always Fun To See An Old Console In A New Game Like Pikmin 4

Andrew King — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 17:31:19 GMT

Pikmin 4 is all about collecting treasure. Of that treasure, it turns out the thing I treasure most is my Cobalt Blue Game Boy Advance SP.

It Sucks That Side Quest Progress Doesn’t Transfer In Diablo 4 Seasons

Tessa Kaur — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 15:30:19 GMT

Diablo 4 has a surprisingly strong hold on me, considering it’s my first Diablo game and I’ve never really been into the ARPG genre at all. I was pushed to finally wrap up the campaign by the fast approach of Diablo’s first season, so I could dive head-first into the Season of the Malignant. Speaking to the developers about the season only made me more interested in jumping in, but since I did, I’ve been finding myself getting more and more annoyed. Everywhere, people are asking me for help, and I’m going out of my way to offer assistance. I consider myself a relatively helpful person, and it doesn’t really bother me to do these side quests, except for the fact that I’ve done a ton of them once before already.

Pokemon Sleep Is Actually Helping Me Sleep

Josh Coulson — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 15:01:19 GMT

Pokemon has gripped the world and changed the way we do things on so many occasions during its 25 years on top, so it should really come as no surprise that the latest project from The Pokemon Company to take everyone by storm is an app that gamifies sleep. Pokemon Sleep is a tracker that turns your Zs into Pokemon interactions, and even though no one involved with its creation wants to suggest it's a health app, because it most definitely is not, Pokemon Sleep has actually been helping me sleep.

Diablo 4's Equipment Vendors Are Completely Pointless

Tessa Kaur — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:30:20 GMT

I recently roped a friend into playing Diablo 4 with me, but he made the ill-advised decision of sprinting through the campaign so he could get to Season One by the time it started two days later. Because he was short on time, he asked me for pro tips to make his rushed journey a little easier. After listing off a couple of the basics, I added, “Don’t sell junk equipment, it makes more sense to salvage it.”

Please Don't Go Into Armored Core 6 Expecting A Souls Game

Jade King — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:00:18 GMT

Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon previews arrived earlier this week, and as expected, the majority of press are trying their darnedest to compare the mech shooter with FromSoftware’s more popular efforts. With Elden Ring taking over the world last year and Dark Souls being a long-standing gaming institution, it’s no surprise that one of the developer’s hidden gems is taking on a bunch of unnecessary baggage. It doesn’t necessarily deserve these expectations placed upon it.

Final Fantasy 16 Is Going To Age Terribly

Jade King — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 15:31:17 GMT

Final Fantasy 16 is an excellent game. However, it’s also a game that’s trying to be so many different things that it never quite solidifies its own identity. Naoki Yoshida made it clear he asked the entire development team to watch Game of Thrones during production, so there was a nuanced understanding about the sort of characters, atmosphere, and world the RPG hoped to depict. Square Enix seeked to create a game with global appeal that honored the series’ history while aiming to provide an experience that capitalised on the status quo.

Starfield Is Going To Be Lonely In Ways Skyrim Never Could Be

Jade King — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 17:00:21 GMT

Bethesda Game Studios has been honest about the fact that many of Starfield’s thousands of planets will be relatively devoid of life. Larger cities and civilian settlements will be found on specific planets likely pertaining to the main quest and major side missions, while every explorable planet off the beaten path will be down to you to discover. Certain players have expressed dismay about the potential of most planets not being worth a visit, but for me, it’s the opposite. I cannot wait to stand upon daunting plains of extraterrestrial terrain with little idea of what awaits me. To bask in the solitude of an alien world that doesn’t belong to me.

Virtual Console Is Long Dead In The World Of Remasters And Remakes

Jade King — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 16:30:19 GMT

A few weeks ago Nintendo shadow dropped Pikmin 1+2 HD onto the eShop alongside a demo for Pikmin 4. Suddenly, two forgotten GameCube classics had a new home on Switch with a handful of modern bells and whistles. Except there was a catch - they each cost $30.

Barbie Would Make The Perfect Saints Row Game

Jade King — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 16:16:19 GMT

Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is an insightful examination of the patriarchal society we exist within and the unfair expectations placed upon men and women in the modern world, but it’s also extremely pink and a jolly good time. Editor-in-Chief Stacey Henley has already written about how the film is far more than anti-men in its intentions, so it’s up to me to carry the silly torch on behalf of TheGamer. As Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling explore the sunny beaches and gaudy artificiality of Los Angeles, the couple are blissfully ignorant of their surroundings and immediately find themselves in a variety of unrealistic hijinks.

My Husband Keeps Ruining My Pokemon Sleep Research With His Snoring

Meg Pelliccio — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 17:00:22 GMT

I am not a big mobile gamer, but what I definitely am is easily sucked into the latest trends. Pokemon Go was the mobile game I played the longest, only losing interest after a good few years as new features were added and updates proved overwhelming, while my passion for Peridot fizzled out in mere days. The latest to hook me is Pokemon Sleep, a game I’ll gladly embrace as a serial nap-taker.

Everything You Should Do Before Playing Baldur’s Gate 3

Mike Drucker — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 16:31:19 GMT

Hey, everyone! You folks having a good summer? Everybody finish all those big, incredible games we’ve been playing the last few months? Wow! Zelda! Final Fantasy! So much to do in the incredible world of games we could just play forever! And that’s too bad because beep beep, it’s new game time, assholes. You better start running your Barbarian ass around Sanctuary on the double because there’s another game coming that we’re all going to have to pretend we finished when we talk about it: Baldur’s Gate 3.

Why Are We So Obsessed With Kazuma Kiryu's Virginity?

Jade King — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 15:30:21 GMT

Kazuma Kiryu is still a virgin. Rumours began spreading after a new Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name trailer hinted that Kiryu had not only been around the block a few times, but was maybe even engaged and could have started a family. Fans across the world came to mourn in response. A man, who for years has been considered a precious cinnamon roll too pure for this world, had gone and done the nasty while we weren’t looking.

That One Week In October Will Kill Us All

Josh Coulson — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 17:01:18 GMT

There are always busy periods on the video game calendar, usually during Summer and the holidays. However, the pandemic has resulted in release dates bottlenecking to a more extreme level than usual. In February 2022 alone we got Elden Ring, Horizon Forbidden West, and Dying Light 2, and last month we juggled Final Fantasy 16, Street Fighter 6, and Diablo 4.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons And Doom Eternal Are The Original Barbenheimer

Jade King — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 16:30:19 GMT

Barbie and Oppenheimer are finally here. The cinematic duo have dominated popular culture for months with their dual release dates and divergent subject matter. One is a film about the devastation of nuclear power, and the other is Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Both movies are already hits too, with critical reviews and word of mouth incredibly positive ahead of release and as audiences rush into screens for the first time. With two tickets booked for this weekend, I can’t wait to lose myself watching them back-to-back.

Final Fantasy XIV Community Spotlight: Esprit's Way Off Broadway Show

Meg Pelliccio — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 16:00:19 GMT

There’s no business like show business, even in the magical world of Final Fantasy 14. Macro dance troupe Esprit’s Way Off Broadway show treated us to numbers from all of our favourite musicals — and seriously, how much further can you get from Broadway than the digital world of Eorzea?

What's Going On With The Immortals: Fenyx Rising Sequel?

Stacey Henley — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 15:00:19 GMT

Immortals: Fenyx Rising wasn't that good, which might be an odd thing to say about a game I'm clamouring for a sequel to, but it's true. Immortals: Fenyx Rising was only okay, but for a mid-budget open-world new IP with some fresh ideas, made by a studio most used to developing DLC packs and whose origins stemmed from a bug in Assassin's Creed's code, 'only okay' is a solid benchmark. I think the first Mass Effect game is only okay, and I think the second is the greatest video game ever to exist. Wonderful things can start from only okay. Immortals is perhaps not at Mass Effect's heights, and I doubt the sequel will reach Mass Effect 2's, but still, it deserves another attempt.

We're All Going To Play Stealth Archer Again In Starfield, Aren't We?

James Troughton — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 17:30:18 GMT

Starfield’s character creator looks incredible, with sprinkles of Fallout: New Vegas and Oblivion, making it far more in-depth than Skyrim’s and Fallout 4’s options. That means we can make some truly unique builds to explore the galaxy with, rather than defaulting to safe, tried and tested formulas. But let’s be honest - we’re all gonna make a stealth archer again.

I Need A Modern Zelda-Like

Stacey Henley — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 17:30:18 GMT

If I was to say to you, as I already have via the headline, that I wanted more Zelda-likes, you'd probably look at me and cross your eyes while swirling your finger around next to your ear, then realise that might be seen as ableist so sheepishly stop doing that while still thinking I'm very stupid. It's true, on the indie scene, we are drowning in Zelda-likes. Tunic is the most notable one in recent years, but many titles have been built around 'what if Zelda, but we make it?'. I still think we need a real contender to rise into the gap created by Zelda leaving its roots behind, but it's where Zelda has moved to that most interests me today.

Exoprimal Takes Way Too Long To Show Its True Colours

Jade King — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 17:00:16 GMT

Exoprimal isn’t your typical hero shooter. While I wasn’t kind to the game in my review, I am sticking with Capcom’s flawed live-service effort to see exactly where the future updates and developing story takes me. It’s already going to strange places, although I’m unsure its bold diversion from industry trends is doing it any favours when the fundamentals are so lacking.

Tears Of The Kingdom Is Too Afraid To Show Us Link's Balls

Jade King — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 16:30:17 GMT

Gamers are horny. Millennials and Zoomers are less prudish than the older generation when it comes to openly expressing their sexuality, which means the internet is home to thirst traps, horny posting, and frank conversations about the fictional characters we develop an attraction towards. Inevitably, we also end up touching on their balls, or a notable lack of them in the case of Tears of the Kingdom’s Link. He’s trans in my head so it makes sense.

A Group Of WoW Redditors Successfully Trolled A News Website That Uses AI To Generate Articles

Tessa Kaur — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 16:15:16 GMT

Ever since I started writing for TheGamer, I’ve been accused of being artificial intelligence several times, despite the fact that I regularly write about how AI is hurting the industries we most care about. Every time I publish a take that readers don’t particularly like, I inevitably receive an email saying my work is ‘rage-baiting trash’ that’s ‘clearly written by an AI’. This isn’t actually true. I am very much a real person, and so are all my co-workers, as far as I know. AI couldn’t generate our completely inappropriate Slack chats, and thank god for that.

King Kong's New Games Look Terrible, So Play The Old One Instead

Jade King — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 16:00:20 GMT

Terrible licensed games are coming back into fashion. Gollum was trash, there’s an awful-looking Bumblebee game on the horizon, and now King Kong is joining in on the fun with a new title from GameMill Entertainment. Judging from the reveal trailer, it’s a third-person action experience with big insects, big dinosaurs, and a big gorilla beating the crap out of them all. It sounds good on paper, but looks a bit rubbish.

Don't Assume Everyone Will Be An Elephant In Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Stacey Henley — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:01:19 GMT

When Super Mario Bros. Wonder was revealed at the most recent Nintendo Direct, the one thing everyone was interested in was Elephant Mario. After eating an elephant shaped fruit, Mario transforms into an elephant. In the short gameplay footage we've seen, there's no suggestion as to what Elephant Mario's powers might be, but we can assume it's something to do with increased size or extra strength. We can also assume that other characters turn into elephants too, since we can play as Luigi, Toad, Peach, and for the first time in a mainline Mario game, Daisy. Except, is that assumption really correct?

We Should Have Heard About The Rock's Big Video Game Movie By Now

Josh Coulson — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 14:30:18 GMT

I’m not sure if you heard, but The Rock is making a big, badass video game movie. Well, at least I think he is. It's been 18 months since the wrestler-turned-movie star casually dropped that reveal during an interview, revealing he was working on an adaptation of a video game he has been playing for years, promising to do good by gamers. I love The Rock, but those words filled me with a fear that hasn't really subsided in the year and a half since I read them.

Now We Know Who Venom Is, I Have A Lot More Questions For Spider-Man 2

Stacey Henley — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 14:00:17 GMT

It seemed obvious from the ending of Insomniac’s first Spider-Man game that Harry Osborn would be Venom in the sequel. In a twist on the typical 'Norman Osborn as Green Goblin' plot thread, Osborn is just regular capitalist evil rather than supervillain evil. His son Harry, Peter's closest friend, is absent during the game for a vacation that sounds more and more impromptu and suspicious as the game goes on. Finally, in the last scene, we see Harry suspended in a tank of green goo, baiting us with a Green Goblin reveal before the switcheroo of the Symbiote in the tank with him.

Pikmin 4 Has A Bunch Of Pointless New Features

Jade King — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 16:15:17 GMT

Pikmin 4 is great, and it might even be the strongest game of the series. However, in this advancement it can’t help implement new mechanics and means of approachability that dilute the once-challenging gameplay formula. Most of these features I never used once during my review playthrough, or felt confused about what exactly they’d add to the experience if I did. Nintendo takes it too far in one direction with no going back.

How Many Pikmin Would It Take To Carry A Dead Body?

Jade King — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 14:00:18 GMT

I would like to preface this article by making it clear that I’m not very good at maths. Every little thing about this hypothetical scenario is going to be defined by some diabolical napkin science bullshit fuelled by morbid curiosity and easy access to any answers I might require through a quick Google search. I’ve also never buried or even seen a dead body myself, promise, so please don’t put me on a list for exploring the long held question of how many Pikmin it would take to carry one. If I ever was to need help disposing of a dead body, hypothetically of course, I know I’d call on these lil’ dudes because they’re hella loyal.

Star Wars Outlaws Already Sounds Too Big For Its Own Good

Jade King — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 15:30:15 GMT

Big things aren’t always good. Cheeseburgers. Penises. Ubisoft games. All things at risk of becoming overwhelming thanks to their overzealous size. Sometimes it’s okay to admit that something a little smaller might work just as well, and in many instances, is much preferred.