In The Punished Podcast Episode 16, we discuss the best old school games, what retro even means, preservation, and much more.
Amanda Tien
Amanda Tien
Amanda Tien (she/her or they) loves video games where she can pet dogs, punch bad guys, make friends, and have a good cry. She started writing for the site in 2020, and became an editor in 2022. She enjoys writing about mystery games, indies, and strong femme protagonists. Her work has also been published in Unwinnable Monthly (click here to read her cover feature on Nancy Drew games), Salt Hill Journal, Poets.org, Litro Magazine, Public Books, and more. She was the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Columbia University's Culinarian Magazine, and served for two years as the Managing Editor of Aster(ix) Literary Journal. She recently graduated with a MFA (Master of Fine Arts) in Creative Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. Her writing, art, graphic design, and marketing work can be viewed at www.amandatien.com. She does not post a lot on social, but you can find her on X and on Instagram.
Having trouble tracking down specific heart events? Use our Stardew Valley heart events guide to learn when and where to find them.
In our Expelled! review, learn whether indie developer inkle Studios’ newest story-driven game stacks up to its other titles.
In our Carmen Sandiego (2025) review, learn if Gameloft’s newest title lives up to the nostalgic hype. (Spoiler: It doesn’t.)
In honor of Valentine’s Day, we discussed romance in games. Learn our favorite romance mechanics, characters, subplots, and more.
Horses in video games should be treated better, especially the one in Stardew Valley. There’s a few simple ways it could be better.
In this interview with indie developer Kaizen Game Works, we asked about great characters, world-building, and how tricky truck physics are.
In The Punished Podcast Episode 14, we crown our Fantasy Gaming 2024 winner and host our 2025 draft—with a new dynasty format!
In our Citizen Sleeper 2 review, learn how Starward Vector builds on its award-winning predecessor while maintaining the same heart.
Indie games are labors of love, and this year, it looks like there will be a lot to love! These are our most anticipated indie games of 2025.