The Mermaid Mask features a charming original soundtrack by Raphael Benjamin Meyer and the Budapest Art Orchestra. Here’s why it’s brilliant.
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 humorous list, learn about seven upcoming horror indie games coming out in fall 2026, just in time for spooky season.
In our list of the Best Video Game Dogs, we highlight the old and the new, the lithe and the chonky, the magical and the normal. They are all good dogs!
ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs invites players to quietly fix Y2K tech in a small shop in Japan. The vibes are good.
In this podcast episode, we discuss the history of open-world video games: the good, the bad, and everything in between. (Also, GTA VI!)
After all playing Disco Elysium, several writers weigh in on the good, the bad, and the very ugly of the cult classic.
In our Wolverine preview, explore spoiler-free highlights of today’s hands-on previews of one of the fall’s most anticipated games.
In our Sovereign Tower review, discover the joys (and pitfalls) of micro-managing knights on quests and holding court with nobles.
In this Mass Effect showdown, two fans of the series debate whether the Citadel or Afterlife is the better hub.
In their hit game 007 First Light, IO Interactive gives Moneypenny a computer science degree and a lot of responsibility.