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Swapna Krishna

Guardians of the Galaxy Made Me Love Linear Games

Open worlds can be fantastic, but they can also be exhausting.

Cozy Grove Saved Me While Stuck on a Train for 35 Hours

Last week’s massive snowstorm in the northeast left me stranded with a toddler. A Nintendo Switch helped us keep our cool.

In 2021, Gaming Was Crucial and Also a Privilege

With pressures bearing down and social gatherings still fraught, gaming has become important for many people's mental health, but it's also quite expensive.

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Sims

 I’d been avoiding the game for years because I feared it would take over my life. Now I don’t mind if it does.

Help, I’m Stuck in Cutscene Hell

The cutscenes in Yakuza: Like a Dragon are great—until you need to put down your controller in a hurry.

‘New Game+’ Is a Terrible Name but Offers a Great Advantage

Enabling the feature in Horizon Zero Dawn allows you to learn how to play it in a whole new way.

Dragon Age and Why It Sucks to Play Cult Favorite Games

Suddenly everyone has an opinion on your gameplay.

Worn Down by Covid Anxiety? Keep a Handheld Game With You

It’s important to take a breather when you’re exhausted by the world.

I'm Trapped in the Witcher 3 Grind, and I Hate It Here

No one should have to work this hard this early in a game.

Stop Complaining About Mass Effect: Andromeda

Once you stop comparing it to the original trilogy, it’s actually pretty good.

Immortality Should Be an Option in Every Video Game

The best part of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is one very specific difficulty setting. 

Give Me More Romance Options in Video Games

Show me DLC and I will pay good money to spend, uh, quality time with characters.

Stop Putting Pressure on Developers to Rush Games to Market

If you hate buggy new releases, then you’re just going to have to learn to wait.

The Case for Putting Down the Video Game Controller

If gaming isn’t as fulfilling as it used to be, it’s OK to walk away and go do something else.

Replaying Mass Effect Is Good for My Mental Health

When I revisited the trilogy, I asked a researcher whether video game nostalgia is actually beneficial. Turns out, it is.

I’m So Over DLC

Dropping a bunch of cash and relearning game controls just to play a few new levels isn’t worth it anymore. 

Time Travel in Video Games Isn’t Really Cheating

Games like Animal Crossing and Cozy Grove are meant to be played every day, but who’s got that kind of time?

It’s Hard to Play a Character Who’s a Dick—but It’s Worth It

In God of War, Kratos is kind of mean, but finishing his journey has its rewards. 

The New Story of Seasons Is Animal Crossing for Post-Lockdown Life

Animal Crossing provided a respite for people overwhelmed in quarantine. Pioneers of Olive Town offers similar consolation, but with a bit more challenge.