Matthew Gonzalez

I’ve been waiting so long for a game like GTFO; my favorite genre combined with fun 4-player co-op mechanics and tactical gameplay to enjoy with my friends. It truly is as the tagline says tho; you work together or die together. Everything is rock solid, from the constant change up in moment to moment gameplay to the risk vs reward exploration. The sound design is amazing and the entire aesthetic of the game is awesome and immersive, from environments to UI. There are cool apparel unlocks and nothing AND I MEAN NOTHING is pay to play. It’s all skill. Tools make each teammate uniquely useful in their own way; for example, my friend ended up really having an affinity for sentry guns while I tried out a monster detector, meaning we were constantly relying on each other. Speaking of, monsters are something to be feared and ammo is very scarce and not dropped by enemies; this is truly a survival horror, not a run-and-fun, so treat your supplies as such. Bonus: trolling is very, very, very rarely seen just because it’s so clearly not worth all the effort to mess stuff up, making this one of the best online games I’ve enjoyed with total strangers. The GTFO online community is also really kind and the dev’s Discord is used to update everyone on new events as well as for setting up online matches for new and old players alike. Also, there’s lore to discover and pick through as you explore and put the pieces together of who, what, and, most importantly, why. All in all, this is a 10/10. If you’re a fan of horror and co-op and wondering if this is any good, do yourself a favor and pull the trigger on GTFO.

A fantastically mind-bending audio thriller that manages to balance both science fiction and raw emotion using voices from phone calls made during a string of cataclysmic events. Incredibly voice-acted by names both big and small, CALLS is an underground gem of a series that deserves far more attention than most would think. Every episode is short, yet concise, giving the audience a short but scrappy 15 minutes of surprisingly sharp and well-written narrative. The characters in each are fleshed out just enough to make you care. It also doesn’t hurt that the series knows exactly how to capture the audience through its medium alone; phone calls are uniquely intimate to experience as well as to listen to… and the team behind CALLS knows this. So put on some headphones and brace yourself; thank me later. 5/5

An Honest Review/Discussion Note: SPOILERS AHEAD As a TLOU fan from the beginning and player of both games including DLC, I really enjoyed this narrative, but this is also more of a character study piece (see “No Country For Old Men”) so I understand why some people feel slighted. I’m seeing a lot of people arguing that Abby was an unwelcome addition, but I really don’t understand why. I feel that she really added a lot of power, widening the scope and making us realize that both Ellie and Abby are both in the moral gray; they are the “heroes” and “villains” of each other’s stories, but no one is really “right”. I even found myself resistant to Abby at first, but her bonding with Lev made it impossible for me to not pine for her. Abby clearly has a “Tess” moment, realizing that she couldn’t help but do something for these kids that don’t know any better and hated on all sides; a chance at redemption for her actions but also simply a peek into how she’s not the heartless person she’s shown as during Joel’s death. Joel’s end resulted from his own actions + her father, the man who could create the cure, was killed for a selfish reason. Because of this, I found myself caring for Abby and her loved ones even when I didn’t want to, so I’ll never understand the problems with her on that front. I found myself in a crazy conflict with myself, not knowing who i was rooting for because I loved both Ellie and Abby and empathized with both of them. It’s an incredibly risky gamble, but I can’t help but give ND props. I will say the time jumps were running a little rampant near the middle and latter half, making things a little confusing to piece together sometimes. The story also felt stretched occasionally, with some gameplay taking up a bit longer than I felt was necessary encounter-wise. Also, the Seraphites felt a little underdeveloped, as I never really got a good sense of who they we’re simply as people; some more noticeable moments of empathy would have done them a lot more good. Nevertheless, I did understand that they were a religious believers run amok and immediately made the IRL parallels. Besides these few qualms, I truly enjoyed this game and the story it told. 8.5/10

One of the finest films I've ever seen and easily one of my favorites of all time. An amazing cast, spellbinding performances, and breathless realism creates a masterful slowburn thriller that makes think about every moment you watch, along with all the truths that linger in its narrative violence. A call to be aware of America's violent measures for peace while delivering an excellent story of humanity, vengeance, and identity. In less words, do yourself a favor and watch this.