By Ronald Gordon

Hello and welcome back to the Roundup! This is one of a series of articles dedicated to highlighting the work of members and interns alike! This time around we’ve got news on Theresa’s enjoyment of Pokémon Fire Red, the not-so-perfect society within D-Topia, Dicero being more than just a mobile game, the best ways to get into PC gaming, a passionate Bethesda fan decides to make their own Elder Scrolls game, and so much more! 

To start us off, Theresa Afful enjoyed the blast from the past that was Pokémon Fire Red, re-released for the Switch 2! When it comes to series that have withstood the test of time, Pokémon stands tall as one of the most prolific roleplaying games out there. It’s no wonder then that the re-release of Pokémon Fire Red for the Nintendo Switch 2 did more than just hand out nostalgia, it got fans like Theresa hooked on a classic. She speaks about her time with the game as she writes, “I played the game for a month. While I was playing, I found myself getting addicted. The gameplay and the competitiveness drew me in. I often talk about how I’m not a Pokémon fan but after having my first real encounter, my mind has been changed.” If you’re not a Pokémon fan, or have been for a long while, Nintendo’s call back is exactly what you might want. Theresa can’t help but sing the praises of Fire Red’s Switch port as she writes, “If you’re a Pokémon fan, please don’t come after me for my nitpicks. But if you aren’t, then give the game a try. Pokémon FireRed is one of those games you really can’t knock until you try. I have become super addicted to the nostalgic play. I’m always hunting down looking for the rarest Pokémon to add to my collection. It’s become an obsession.”

Some people may imagine that a society ruled by AI would be perfect, but Khloe Wilkerson has her doubts after experiencing the prejudice within D-Topia. D-Topia may look like a light hearted puzzle game on the surface, but deep below its cutesy art style lies moments of discrimination and prejudice. Khloe expresses her shock at these moments as she writes, “When you’re not solving problems, you’re interacting with citizens and supporting them through different situations. Some residents vent about personal struggles while others need guidance with life-changing decisions. One memorable character is a girl who hasn’t officially been accepted as a citizen yet and is taking an important test to determine if she’ll be allowed to stay. The rainy weather threatens to affect her performance, so Shiro risked changing the weather for the rest of the day to give her a fair chance. Another storyline introduces Poppy, a child who is bullied for being exceptionally intelligent, while Mari, a clone, struggles because some people don’t consider clones to be real humans. These moments show that even in a society designed to eliminate suffering, prejudice and exclusion still exist.”

Dicero is more than just a mobile game, it’s an experience that even Mary-Ellis Ryan walked away with only one complaint. As a mobile game enjoyer, Mary-Ellis knows what makes a good game and what makes an ad riddled mess, and Dicero is more than just ads. When recounting her time with the game, Mary-Ellis writes “Overall, the concept of Dicero is awesome. It takes traditional dice matching and adds a thrilling fantasy twist that makes the traditional mobile play feel fresh. However, it’s important to note that past Chapter 5, the game hits a major difficulty wall. The enemy’s health goes so high that even a perfect dice roll won’t beat them unless you grind for hours or spend real money on small transactions. So this game all depends on your personal interests – and bank account. For some, this can get frustrating, while for others, it’s engaging. So whether you usually hate these kinds of games or love them, I’d still recommend giving it a shot. It can definitely keep you hooked for a few days.”

“This was my first experience ever playing a Star Fox game, and might I say, I was heavily disappointed.” Zhya Colon is a Nintendo fan, that’s for sure, but that doesn’t mean she was a huge fan of the Switch 2 Star Fox remake, writing, “I am aware that this game is a remake of a Star Fox game made back in 1997, so perhaps this is most likely targeted to older Star Fox enjoyers. But I am also someone who has played many remakes and thoroughly enjoyed them.” The topic of game remakes has always been a point of contention within the gaming community, and while some thoroughly enjoy their favorite games being remade, others will disagree for varying reasons. Zhya falls into neither category however, which she admits as she writes, “I know I just bashed heavily, but it wasn’t really meant for me. It was meant for those who are already fans of Star Fox. I am not, but I still have constructive criticism, such as, I wish this game had an upgrade feature. It mimics game play of Roguelikes heavily already, so having upgrades would be nice. The game already gives a fake currency when you finish a run, so why not implement that and let me buy upgrades for my ship? It would make gameplay and replaying so much more rewarding. I also wish the characters interacted more with each other. For all I know, they all hate each other’s guts.”

For the New York Times, Harold Goldberg recently discovered a new game about animal companionship, which ironically came from Pokémon’s GAME FREAK inc. What came about as a string of thoughts from Kota Furushima eventually became a story of a girl saving a post-apocalyptic world alongside her giant Shiba Inu pal, which was more akin to the strange creatures found within Pokémon. Though these similarities cease, as Harold mentions as he writes, “Merging flora and fauna is familiar to Furushima, who has been involved in creating five Pokémon games in which grass-type fantasy creatures, like the amphibious Bulbasaur, bear plantlike qualities. That is where the similarity ends. The themes in Beast of Reincarnation include loneliness versus being alone, the burdens of having no memories and the looming end of the world. These motifs are far more mature than what has been portrayed in the popular ‘catch ’em all’ games.” Beast of Reincarnation carries itself with a much heavier tone than GAME FREAK’s other titles, yet it still manages to keep the whimsy of a mystical world through its music and environments. Harold mentions one such moment at the end of his review as he writes, “When Emma and Koo see a bucolic field in Beast of Reincarnation, the music that plays is ‘a representation of the emotions and the moments that Emma and Koo spend together.’ It is then, in this calm before the storm, that Koo appears peaceful and satisfied.”

Giovanni Colantonio uncovers a horrifying side of Splatoon Raiders’ current player base, that being the terrifyingly efficient speedrunners. If there’s a game out there, there’s a high chance that there’s also a speedrunner who’s figured out how to get through even the most grueling parts of said game in no time flat. Splatoon Raiders is no exception, with Giovanni mentioning speedrunners ripping apart one of the hardest levels as he writes, “Just days after Splatoon Raiders launched, its fans were already finding ways to bypass Awlmun Den’s intended route entirely. The motivation, in part, comes from the fact that you’re likely to get some high-level rewards if you clear the challenge on Ultra Spicy difficulty. Redditors wasted no time figuring out reliable routes to get the job done as quickly as possible. One post from LeficiosG shows a player using the Flywire, Jump Bomb, and Dash Bomb to skip entire stretches of the level, clearing it in just over 20 seconds.” 

Tony Polanco opens his article for Inkl with a comforting line, “As a computing writer for Tom’s Guide, part of my job is helping readers save money on PCs and components.” As a long time PC master, he knows exactly how to save you money on PC builds. It’s no secret, tech is getting harder to jump into, PC building especially so considering the current state of RAM thanks to AI. Luckily, Tony has three suggestions for anyone looking for a proper set up, which he mentions as he writes, “In this guide, I’ll walk through the three main ways people start PC gaming right now: a gaming handheld, a pre-built desktop, and building your own PC. I’ll break down the pros and cons of each, then explain which path makes the most sense depending on your budget, space, and priorities.”

Fans of the Elder Scrolls series have been waiting for ages for the sixth installment, so much so that Ashley Bardhan even has a story about a fan who’s making their own Indie addition to the franchise. Creativity can come via many avenues, including the excruciating pain of waiting for a distant release date. One such  endeavor has been documented online as “The Indie Scrolls,” which Ashley mentions as she writes, “The, apparently, solo developer has been tracking their development progress since March 13 across social media, announcing their intentions via Twitter post: ‘Day 1 making my own TES until TES 6 goes out!’ The developer has now reached Day 116 of The Indie Scrolls in Unreal Engine 5, and the pixel art fan game is looking lovely with evocative character design and an array of fantasy creatures.” After over 100 days of content, the game isn’t just a DIY Elder Scrolls project, it’s more like a pixelated love letter to everything that Bethesda has put together. 

Beyond the Circle

There’s a new online phenomenon regarding a raccoon with a spinal deformity named Jimothy. After scurrying across a TikTok with long limbs and a shrunken body, Jimothy found his way into the hearts of many, including those within the game industry as well. Jimothy can even be found in Guild Wars 2 soon enough! In a LinkedIn post regarding their community with care, ArenaNet writes, “Listening to players and celebrating the moments that bring communities together is part of what makes developing games special. Bringing a little piece of Jimothy into Tyria felt like a fitting way to honor a story that connected so many people. Starting Aug. 11, track him down in Guild Wars 2 to unlock a Jimothy mini of your own.” If you’re a fan of Guild Wars and are excited to see everyone’s favorite raccoon, definitely make sure you find him in the game on August 11th!

Ronald Gordon is a New York Videogame Critics Circle Member and Mentor. He was the first of our writers – or any intern anywhere – to complete an internship at Rockstar Games.

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