GVMERS

[EARLY ACCESS] The Tragedy of The Callisto Protocol

Survival horror has continuously evolved since Resident Evil 4 revolutionized it with intense over-the-shoulder action in 2005. Numerous gam

Survival horror has continuously evolved since Resident Evil 4 revolutionized it with intense over-the-shoulder action in 2005. Numerous games have further contributed to the genre’s evolution in the years since then, chief among them being Dead Sp...

[PREVIEW] The Tragedy of The Callisto Protocol

Survival horror has continuously evolved since Resident Evil 4 revolutionized it with intense over-the-shoulder action in 2005. Numerous gam

Survival horror has continuously evolved since Resident Evil 4 revolutionized it with intense over-the-shoulder action in 2005. Numerous games have further contributed to the genre’s evolution in the years since then, chief among them bein...

[EARLY ACCESS] The Tragedy of XDefiant

To many publishers, the explosive rise of free-to-play games promised near-endless earning potential, thanks to microtransactions providing

To many publishers, the explosive rise of free-to-play games promised near-endless earning potential, thanks to microtransactions providing extraordinary amounts of passive income. In 2021, for instance, Call of Duty publisher Activision’s live-serv...

[PREVIEW] The Tragedy of XDefiant

To many publishers, the explosive rise of free-to-play games promised near-endless earning potential, thanks to microtransactions providing extraordinary amounts of passive income. In 2021, for instance, Call of Duty publisher Activision’s live-service titles generated a staggering $5.1 billion from in-game purchases alone. The lucrative recurring revenue stream inspired other big-name publis...

[EARLY ACCESS] The Tragedy of Concord

Successful live-service games generate lucrative and recurring revenue streams, courtesy of microtransactions and battle pass sales. Blizzard Entertainment set the standard in many respects considering the way it supported the original Overwatch, which accrued an astounding $1 billion in revenue and 30 million registered users in its first year of availability. Game publishers across the indust...

[PREVIEW] The Tragedy of Concord

Successful live-service games generate lucrative and recurring revenue streams, courtesy of microtransactions and battle pass sales. Blizzard Entertainment set the standard in many respects considering the way it supported the original Overwatch, which accrued an astounding $1 billion in revenue and 30 million registered users in its first year of availability. Game publishers across the indust...

[EARLY ACCESS] The Story of Mafia

Often reduced to another in a long line of Grand Theft Auto clones, the original Mafia actually differentiated itself from the pack upon its August 2002 release on PC, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. Mafia writer and director Daniel Vávra argued in an interview with Intern...

[PREVIEW] The Story of Mafia

Often reduced to another in a long line of Grand Theft Auto clones, the original Mafia actually differentiated itself from the pack upon its August 2002 release on PC, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. Mafia writer and director Daniel Vávra argued in an interview with Intern...

[EARLY ACCESS] The Rise and Fall of Twisted Metal

Built by a team with minimal game development experience, the original Twisted Metal raced on to PlayStation in 1995 and revolutionized vehicular combat games. A short single-player campaign and weak graphics left much to be desired, but these flaws were easily overlooked considering fun, high-octane gameplay and a competitive Duel Mode kept players engaged for hours on end. Sony found repeat s...

[PREVIEW] The Rise and Fall of Twisted Metal

Built by a team with minimal game development experience, the original Twisted Metal raced on to PlayStation in 1995 and revolutionized vehicular combat games. A short single-player campaign and weak graphics left much to be desired, but these flaws were easily overlooked considering fun, high-octane gameplay and a competitive Duel Mode kept players engaged for hours on end. Sony found repeat s...

[EARLY ACCESS] The Rise and Fall of SSX

Electronic Arts’s EA Sports division dominated sports-based video games throughout the 1990s, having produced multiple FIFA Soccer, John Madden Football, and NBA Live titles. However, very few of these experiences ever set the world on fire in terms of quality, with the average review rating of an EA Sports release settling in around the mid-70s. The publisher’s first venture into Americaâ€...

[PREVIEW] The Rise and Fall of SSX

Electronic Arts’s EA Sports division dominated sports-based video games throughout the 1990s, having produced multiple FIFA Soccer, John Madden Football, and NBA Live titles. However, very few of these experiences ever set the world on fire in terms of quality, with the average review rating of an EA Sports release settling in around the mid-70s. The publisher’s first venture into Americaâ€...

[EARLY ACCESS] The History of Fallout

The role-playing game genre wears many faces, its unremitting flexibility stemming from deep tabletop games and pen-and-paper experiences which inspired a generation of developers to implement similar themes and mechanics into interactive adventures. Fallout spawned from such an era, initially conceived as the first computer game adaptation of GURPS. For a brief period, i...

[PREVIEW] The History of Fallout

The role-playing game genre wears many faces, its unremitting flexibility stemming from deep tabletop games and pen-and-paper experiences which inspired a generation of developers to implement similar themes and mechanics into interactive adventures. Fallout spawned from such an era, initially conceived as the first computer game adaptation of GURPS. For a brief period, i...

[EARLY ACCESS] The Tragedy of PayDay 3

Payday: The Heist may have received middling reviews in 2011, yet few could deny it offered anything less than a thrilling cooperative experience. The bank robber fantasy invited PC and PlayStation 3 users to assemble crews of four and take on daring, high-stakes heists. Within a year, over 700,000 players had joined the shooter’s criminal underworld, an impressive feat for developer Overkill...

[PREVIEW] The Tragedy of PayDay 3

Payday: The Heist may have received middling reviews in 2011, yet few could deny it offered anything less than a thrilling cooperative experience. The bank robber fantasy invited PC and PlayStation 3 users to assemble crews of four and take on daring, high-stakes heists. Within a year, over 700,000 players had joined the shooter’s criminal underworld, an impressive feat for developer Overkill...

[EARLY ACCESS] The Tragedy of Skull and Bones

After recreating the Crusades, renaissance Italy, and the American Revolution, Assassin’s Creed made the Golden Age of Piracy its playground in 2013. The historical setting enveloped players in a swashbuckling adventure across early 18th Century Caribbean waters. Naval combat mechanics entered the mix as a series first, proving so thrilling that fans wasted no time wishing for an Ubisoft-prod...

[PREVIEW] The Tragedy of Skull and Bones

After recreating the Crusades, renaissance Italy, and the American Revolution, Assassin’s Creed made the Golden Age of Piracy its playground in 2013. The historical setting enveloped players in a swashbuckling adventure across early 18th Century Caribbean waters. Naval combat mechanics entered the mix as a series first, proving so thrilling that fans wasted no time wishing for an Ubisoft-prod...

[EARLY ACCESS] The Tragedy of Gotham Knights

After years of countless missteps and few success stories, Batman: Arkham Asylum’s 2009 debut reinvigorated licensed video games, its innovative combat and compelling use of Metroidvania elements influencing the next-generation of action games and beyond. The title’s critical acclaim and commercial wins resulted in developer Rocksteady Studios shipping a similarly beloved sequ...

[PREVIEW] The Tragedy of Gotham Knights

After years of countless missteps and few success stories, Batman: Arkham Asylum’s 2009 debut reinvigorated licensed video games, its innovative combat and compelling use of Metroidvania elements influencing the next-generation of action games and beyond. The title’s critical acclaim and commercial wins resulted in developer Rocksteady Studios shipping a similarly beloved sequ...

[EARLY ACCESS] The Tragedy of Doom 4

Regarded as the father of first-person shooters, id Software’s Doom had long set the standard for first-person action when the studio entered production on the franchise’s fourth numbered entry. Doom 3 hadn’t exactly hit the mark, though, a sentiment shared among critics and series faithful who begrudged the game for prioritizing its technical prowess at the ex...

[PREVIEW] The Tragedy of Doom 4

Regarded as the father of first-person shooters, id Software’s Doom had long set the standard for first-person action when the studio entered production on the franchise’s fourth numbered entry. Doom 3 hadn’t exactly hit the mark, though, a sentiment shared among critics and series faithful who begrudged the game for prioritizing its technical prowess at the ex...

[EARLY ACCESS] The Rise and Fall of Unreal

Wolfenstein 3D, Duke Nukem 3D, Quake. These seminal games rest at the forefront of the first-person shooter genre. All were instrumental to the genre’s birth and subsequent growth in one way or another. Although, there does exist one title of consequence that too often goes without mention—Epic’s Unreal.

In recent years, Unreal has exclusively been associated with the game engine of...

[PREVIEW] The Rise and Fall of Unreal

Wolfenstein 3D, Duke Nukem 3D, Quake. These seminal games rest at the forefront of the first-person shooter genre. All were instrumental to the genre’s birth and subsequent growth in one way or another. Although, there does exist one title of consequence that too often goes without mention—Epic’s Unreal.

In recent years, Unreal has exclusively been associated with the game engine of...

[PATREON EXCLUSIVE] The Tragedy of Prophecy

Introducing our very first Patreon exclusive available to all our paying members as a special thanks for your support, we hope you'll enjoy this look into the Sucker Punch game that never was, this is the tragedy of Prophecy.

Sly Cooper and InFamous developer Sucker Punch Productions stunned audiences when it unveiled Ghost of Tsushima during Paris Games Week in 2017. The...

[EARLY ACCESS] The History of Call of Duty's Cancelled Games

Since debuting 2003, the Infinity Ward-created Call of Duty series has immersed players in dozens of military conflicts spread across historically accurate settings and futuristic time periods. 2007’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare proved especially pivotal, steering the brand away from its preceding World War 2 engagements while also redefining first-person action and online multiplayer. By ...

[PREVIEW] The History of Call of Duty's Cancelled Games

Since debuting 2003, the Infinity Ward-created Call of Duty series has immersed players in dozens of military conflicts spread across historically accurate settings and futuristic time periods. 2007’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare proved especially pivotal, steering the brand away from its preceding World War 2 engagements while also redefining first-person action and online multiplayer. By ...

[EARLY ACCESS] The Rise and Fall of Motorstorm

PlayStation owners throughout the PS1 and PS2 eras had no shortage of arcade and simulation racers. From first-party offerings like Gran Turismo and Wipeout to third-party endeavors such as Formula 1, Ridge Racer, and Burnout, PlayStation players regularly enjoyed their fill of high-octane action. One development house—Evolution Studiosâ€...

[PREVIEW] The Rise and Fall of Motorstorm

PlayStation owners throughout the PS1 and PS2 eras had no shortage of arcade and simulation racers. From first-party offerings like Gran Turismo and Wipeout to third-party endeavors such as Formula 1, Ridge Racer, and Burnout, PlayStation players regularly enjoyed their fill of high-octane action. One development house—Evolution Studiosâ€...

[EARLY ACCESS] The Tragedy of Overwatch

Blizzard Entertainment made a name for itself by taking big swings, developing video games whose day one offerings paled in comparison to what the experiences evolved into five to 10 years down the road. World of Warcraft set a particularly high bar, so much so that the studio spent years and an untold number of resources attempting to replicate such success on multiple occasions. One such Worl...