Author Archives: Lee

About Lee

Lee Laughead writes stuff about video games. Read his Twitter at https://twitter.com/Mesarphelous even though Twitter sucks.

Shovel Knight: Actually as Good as People Say It Is

Posted on July 26, 2014 by Lee Leave a comment

Shovel Knight : Actually as Good as People Say It Is Shovel Knight gets it. It doesn’t follow the cargo cult routine of indie games who use sprite-based graphics instead of good game design; it groks its favorite NES games … Continue reading →

Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Indie Games That Don't Suck, Music, Platformer, Video Gaming

Evo 2014

Posted on July 10, 2014 by Lee Leave a comment

There will be no article this weekend. I will be watching the Evolution fighting game tournament for several days and complaining about the results on Twitter . There’s one benefit to being unemployed!

Video Gaming

Thoughts on Nintendo as a Brand

Posted on July 6, 2014 by Lee 4 Comments

Thoughts on Nintendo as a Brand I read this article recently, and the confused LA Times article it draws upon. These two articles (despite their flaws) bring up some interesting concepts that I think are worth exploring in more detail. … Continue reading →

Video Gaming

The Ninja Warriors – The Best Beat-Em-Up

Posted on June 29, 2014 by Lee 3 Comments

The Ninja Warriors – The Best Beat-Em-Up Beat-em-ups were in vogue in the early 1990s. Capcom’s 1989 Final Fight is responsible for legions of imitators ( many by Capcom themselves ) and they introduced a surprising amount of variety for … Continue reading →

Beat-Em-Up, Video Gaming

Ascendant: A Capable But Flawed Roguelike-Like

Posted on June 21, 2014 by Lee 2 Comments

  Ascendant : A Capable But Flawed Roguelike-Like Ascendant is a 2D platformer with randomly-generated procedurally-generated levels and loot. The action is unforgiving and the plot is negligible—two things I find refreshing in a video game. Ascendant owes a lot … Continue reading →

Beat-Em-Up, Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Platformer, Roguelike-Like, Video Gaming

BattleBlock Theater is Great

Posted on June 7, 2014 by Lee Leave a comment

BattleBlock Theater is one of the best platformers in years. Continue reading →

Online Gaming, Platformer, Puzzle, Video Gaming

Final Fantasy Tactics – Best Game Ever Made?

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Lee 4 Comments

Final Fantasy Tactics – Best Game Ever Made? The true best Final Fantasy , the one that most people overlook, doesn’t even have a number. Made during Square’s creative renaissance in the late 90s, Final Fantasy Tactics for the PlayStation … Continue reading →

Animu, Fantasy/Sci-Fi, RPG or thereabouts, Strategy, Video Gaming

The Debate Over the Final Fantasy Series

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Lee 2 Comments

The Debate Over the Final Fantasy Series What’s your favorite Final Fantasy ? The most common favorites are VI and VII, but opinions vary wildly. You ask someone to rate any game in the series (whether you’re online or off) … Continue reading →

Comedy, Fantasy/Sci-Fi, RPG or thereabouts, Video Gaming

Two Total Failures With a Lot in Common — Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Lee 2 Comments

Two Total Failures With a Lot in Common — Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 This is a 2014 game in a long-running series many know and appreciate for its punishing but reasonable difficulty. The series … Continue reading →

Beat-Em-Up, Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Kusoge, Video Gaming

Ultra Rapid Fire — Riot, All is Forgiven

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Lee Leave a comment

Ultra Rapid Fire — Riot, All is Forgiven I’ve been critical of Riot Games’ League of Legends and its infamously awful fanbase in the past. I keep asking for rad stuff that they don’t deliver—variably due to their incompetence, the … Continue reading →

League of Legends, Online Gaming, Video Gaming