There's Ambitious and Then There Is Watch Dogs: Legion

By: Ryan Ramakrishnan

When it comes to innovating in the modern age of gaming, developers and publishers really have to push to stand out. Once upon a time, tropes like choices that actually matter, a focus on storytelling and narrative execution and dynamic open worlds to explore were all new and unheard of. Today, as we near the next generation of consoles, few titles really attempt unheard of ideas and good ones at that.

While Ubisoft has certainly missed the mark on plenty of their games through questionable decision making over the last several years, I am on the side of believers in the French publisher. Ubisoft is responsible for some of my favorite games of the current and previous generation. Few have left me with such fond memories as 2016’s “Watch Dogs 2.” And its predecessor, though clearly flawed, was also a favorite of mine. So when E3 2019 went down and Ubisoft unveiled an extensive look at the next game in the hacking series of open world mayhem, I was sold right away.

8 Pokemon that Deserve Evolutions

By: Ryan Ramakrishnan

As if we needed more of a reason to be excited for the next generation of “Pokemon,” earlier today some new Pokemon were revealed for the upcoming “Pokemon: Sword” and “Pokemon: Shield.” Weezing has a Galarian form (yes they are doing this again for the Galar region… and yes that is awesome) leaving it to look like a cross between a bong and Abraham Lincoln, though some social media users may go with Doug Dimmadome instead. But the Pokemon that got attention in today’s news that really stood out, at least for me, was Linoone. A creature that is as generic as any other “HM Slave” of yesteryear is actually getting both a fresh Galarian form and a new evolution. I thought this was awesome news and leaves me all the more curious to see if and how Game Freak will best their attempts at improving older Pokemon as seen vividly in “Pokemon: Diamond and Pearl.”

So here we go with a list that everyone has done before. The difference is I have good incentive to countdown with you Pokemon I want to evolve thanks to today’s exciting news. These are the top eight (I chose to with eight since this is generation 8 technically) Pokemon that deserve new evolutions, specifically in “Sword and Shield.”

What Games Am I the Most Excited for This Month?

By: Ryan Ramakrishnan

Sure, the summer has never been the most lively time for game developers and publishers to come out swinging; nevertheless, there have always been at least a few notable titles to hit store shelves and digital marketplaces alike amidst the heat. I personally loved and continue to love my time with “Super Mario Maker 2” capping off June and recently found myself very invested in the brutal action of “Wolfenstein: Youngblood” making the last two months at least somewhat impactful for game releases for me. This month may just step it up tenfold though with more than a couple of games that are genuinely on my radar. Read on to see what games of August 2019 I'm most excited for and why. Then be sure to leave me your own list or single game that has you the most hyped in this swansong of summer.

Top 10 New Games of E3 2019

By: Ryan Ramakrishnan

E3 2019 may have just begun for those attending the event; however, for viewers like myself sitting at home, the conferences define E3. And with that, this year’s press conferences, though less in quantity than usual, have come to an end. I watched Microsoft, Bethesda, Ubisoft, Square Enix and Nintendo and, despite them overall lacking in comparison to some of the past, they all left me with some titles to get very excited for. Of course, many were already technically revealed in the past. For this list, I’d like to look only at the new games, titles that got proper reveals at E3 2019 and not prior, titles that I am the most excited for. Be sure to let me know in the comments below what new game reveals of E3 you are looking forward to and loved seeing revealed the most.

Ubisoft E3 2019- Do's and Don'ts; Hopes and Fears

By: Ryan Ramakrishnan

In a few days, Ubisoft will hold their E3 2019 press conference and in many ways, I am really excited for the event. For starters, the publisher already has a few confirmed titles on the horizon that are exciting for many, certainly for my taste. But also, there is a strong chance of at least a couple of surprises, chances for franchises to return with sequels that will be on our radars for both the end of this console generation and the start of the next.

Bethesda E3 2019- Do's and Don'ts; Hopes and Fears

By: Ryan Ramakrishnan

With the Electronic Entertainment Expo excitedly returning in just a few days, there is certainly a lot of hype surrounding press conferences and appearances from publishers like Microsoft and Nintendo; however, others too will make their usual appearance. One of the publishers I am the most concerned for however is Bethesda Softworks. While the publisher is home to many a revered franchise including but not limited to “The Elder Scrolls,” “Fallout” and “Doom,” I am kind of excited but very skeptical of just how important a press conference can really be this time around for them.

What Does Mario Kart Look like in a Post-Mario Kart 8 Deluxe World?

By: Ryan Ramakrishnan

Five years ago today, Nintendo shipped one of its greatest exclusives yet in the form of “Mario Kart 8.” And while the platform exclusivity didn’t help the Wii U as much as they certainly would have liked, it nevertheless went down in the console’s short history as one of its best games around.

Fast forward a few years and we see a bigger, better and ultimately much more successful Nintendo. They may have not provided their fans with the next proper sequel to the long-running kart racing series; however, the already great “Mario Kart 8” quickly found its way over to the Switch and somehow became even better.

Today, the niche of driving games that “Mario Kart” falls into isn’t overly populated; however, even when in comparison to other games with the “Mario” namesake and Nintendo's other big titles as well, “Mario Kart 8” remains to be one of the finest first party hits they have delivered in recent years.

In celebration of “Mario Kart 8’s” five year anniversary, I was originally planning on a bit of a retrospective for the kart racer, one that I’d use to look at all of the aspects that Nintendo incorporated into it that make it the definitive experience. I then however decided what would be more interesting would be to analyze what the series could do moving forward. With “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” on the Switch being arguably the best in the franchise and easily the most content-heavy and enjoyable game of its kind in today’s market, what could Nintendo possibly do in the future? It’s hard to imagine they haven’t already begun planning the inevitable “Mario Kart 9” but what exactly does that look like? I’d like to dive into what I think about the subject with you.