In our review of The Witch’s Bakery, learn how this cozy French adventure nails the pastries but might have bitten off more than it can chew.
Amanda Tien
Amanda Tien
Amanda Tien (she/her or they) loves video games where she can pet dogs, solve mysteries, punch bad guys, play as a cool female character, and/or have a good cry. She began writing with The Punished Backlog in 2020 and became an Editor in Fall 2021. Amanda also does a lot of the site's graphic designs and podcast editing. Amanda's work has been published in Mothership, Unwinnable Monthly, Poets.org, Salt Hill Journal, and elsewhere. She holds an MFA in Fiction from the University of Pittsburgh and a BA in Creative Writing from Columbia University. Learn more about her writing, visual art, teaching, graphic design, and marketing consulting at www.amandatien.com.
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In this podcast episode, we discuss the joy in familiarity, difficulty, hype, and gameplay loops as we consider video games as comfort food.
In our review of Virtue and a Sledgehammer, find out how this indie game lives up to its smashing title.
EA closing BioWare is sad not just for employees and fans, but for the gaming industry and society at large.
Our 2026 Fantasy Gaming league heats up! Read on for our second waiver wire of the year, plus mid-October standings.
Our list of the best cozy games covers puzzles, platform adventures, farming, shop sims, visual novels, and much more.
Why are cozy games fun? What draws us to farm and business sims? How can the genre innovate moving forward?
In this podcast episode, we discuss video game protagonists. We debate create-a-character versus heroes and share our favorites.
The Mermaid Mask features a charming original soundtrack by Raphael Benjamin Meyer and the Budapest Art Orchestra. Here’s why it’s brilliant.
In this humorous list, learn about seven upcoming horror indie games coming out in fall 2026, just in time for spooky season.