Gaming NPR explores the latest in games and gaming culture — from the latest digital titles to what's on our tabletops.

Gaming

Wednesday November 23, 2022

Video games are tough on you because they love you

Elden Ring, just one of several recent games that force players to persevere through failure. FromSoftware hide caption

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FromSoftware

Video games are tough on you because they love you

November 23, 2022 • Some video game fans chide others for not "getting good" enough to beat tough games. But frequent failure can foster personal growth and knit communities together.

Thursday November 3, 2022

'God of War Ragnarok' Review: A majestic, if sometimes aggravating, triumph

A tearful Freya. Sony Interactive Entertainment hide caption

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Sony Interactive Entertainment

'God of War Ragnarok' Review: A majestic, if sometimes aggravating, triumph

November 3, 2022 • God of War Ragnarök's story, setting, and characters inspire just as much awe as its 2018 predecessor did, even as the game undercuts its grand scale with aggravating design decisions.

Monday October 31, 2022

Playing Pirate: Looking back on the 'Monkey Island' series after its 'Return'

The intrepid Guybrush Threepwood (right), disguised as a zombie, beside his nemesis, LeChuck in 2022's 'Return to Monkey Island.' Lucasfilm Games hide caption

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Lucasfilm Games

Playing Pirate: Looking back on the 'Monkey Island' series after its 'Return'

October 31, 2022 • 'Return to Monkey Island' revived a beloved series that began in 1990. Critics have liked the new game, but fans are split on its art style and its controversial ending.

Thursday October 20, 2022

Batman is dead and four new heroes can't quite replace him in 'Gotham Knights'

Batgirl near her new hideout, the Belfry. WB Games Montréal hide caption

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WB Games Montréal

Batman is dead and four new heroes can't quite replace him in 'Gotham Knights'

October 20, 2022 • Batman is dead. Four heroes are left to defend Gotham from countless enemies. It's an intriguing start, but Gotham Knights doesn't quite deliver.

Monday September 19, 2022

How 'Splatoon' carved a welcoming niche in the brutal shooter game genre

Splatoon players readying for ink-splatting mayhem. Nintendo hide caption

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Nintendo

How 'Splatoon' carved a welcoming niche in the brutal shooter game genre

September 19, 2022 • Nintendo's 'Splatoon 3' features cute battles with paint brushes, bathtubs, and even windshield wipers. Unlike other shooter games, Splatoon has attracted an especially friendly, inclusive fan base.

Monday August 22, 2022

Volition

'Saints Row' takes players on a GTA-style spree that's goofy, sincere — and glitchy

August 22, 2022 • 'Saints Row' presents a sunny sandbox bursting with heists, hijinks, and banter. But the new reboot doesn't quite live up to the satisfying gameplay of franchise competitor, 'Grand Theft Auto.'

Tuesday August 16, 2022

Mikkel William/Getty Images

Burnout turned Twitch streamers' dreams of playing games full time into nightmares

August 16, 2022 • Playing video games for a living sounds like a dream job. But toxic fans and demanding schedules can turn that dream into a nightmare.

Wednesday July 20, 2022

The best games of 2022, picked by the NPR staff

poncle; Crows Crows Crows; SNK Corporation; Normal; Thomas van den Berge; Warner Bros. Games; Finji; Square Enix; Konami Digital Entertainment; Square Enix; Spike Chunsoft; Annapurna Interactive; Sony Interactive Entertainment; Bandai Namco; Fellow Travel

Culture

The best games of 2022, picked by the NPR staff

July 20, 2022 • From critical hits like Elden Ring to indie darlings like Tunic, it's been a busy year for video games. NPR staffers and contributors round up their favorites so far.

Thursday June 30, 2022

Hand-animated 'Cuphead' game delights in 'The Delicious Last Course'

The villainous Mortimer Freeze, having a whale of a time. Studio MDHR hide caption

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Studio MDHR

Culture

Hand-animated 'Cuphead' game delights in 'The Delicious Last Course'

June 30, 2022 • After comics, novels, and a spinoff Netflix show, Cuphead returns to its roots with new game content. It's brutally difficult, brilliantly surreal, and entirely worth playing.

Wednesday June 8, 2022

Fight to save camp counselors from a deadly monster in this summer's best horror game

Unhappy campers in Supermassive Games' The Quarry. Supermassive Games hide caption

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Supermassive Games

Culture

Fight to save camp counselors from a deadly monster in this summer's best horror game

June 8, 2022 • An extra night after summer camp results in the most terrifying experience a group of counselors will ever face. They'll live or die based on your actions — and it's a thrilling ride.

Friday May 27, 2022

Xbox promotes Asian characters and creators amid calls for greater diversity in games

One of Xbox's headlining Asian characters, Morgan Yu from Prey, playable as either a man or a woman. Arkane Studios hide caption

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Arkane Studios

Culture

Xbox promotes Asian characters and creators amid calls for greater diversity in games

May 27, 2022 • Microsoft has touted Asian representation on their services throughout AAPI month as they aggressively acquire more games and studios for Xbox.

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Supernatural sleuthing, bloody frustrations in 'Vampire: The Masquerade — Swansong'

Leysha, a vampire with psychic powers, is on the case. Big Bad Wolf hide caption

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Big Bad Wolf

Culture

Supernatural sleuthing, bloody frustrations in 'Vampire: The Masquerade — Swansong'

May 18, 2022 • A new video game features three vampire investigators sniffing out a conspiracy in modern Boston. But it's not the gothic epic that franchise fans keep waiting for.

Friday May 13, 2022

How a father's gift brought sense to an uncertain life, from 'Zelda' to 'Elden Ring'

Alexander Tuerk

Culture

How a father's gift brought sense to an uncertain life, from 'Zelda' to 'Elden Ring'

May 13, 2022 • Contributor Alexander Tuerk revisits departed family and the virtual worlds that sustained him in uncertain times.

Monday April 18, 2022

Review: Playdate console offers pocket-sized gaming, a hand crank and nostalgia

Bright and cheerful, the Playdate fits in the palm of your hand. Keller Gordon hide caption

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Keller Gordon

Culture

Review: Playdate console offers pocket-sized gaming, a hand crank and nostalgia

April 18, 2022 • A new handheld console doesn't have the appeal of the Nintendo Switch or the power of the Steam Deck, but it's got nostalgia and novelty galore.

Friday April 15, 2022

Researchers explore an unlikely treatment for cognitive disorders: video games

A screenshot of Neurogrow, which tests a patient's memory and reaction time as an experimental treatment for cognitive decline. Therapeutic Games and Apps Lab, University of Utah hide caption

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Therapeutic Games and Apps Lab, University of Utah

Culture

Researchers explore an unlikely treatment for cognitive disorders: video games

April 15, 2022 • Video games distract, amuse, and inspire. But new research begs the question: can they heal?