Kasumi Yoshizawa’s story is a case study on how to carefully and respectfully navigate mental health issues in popular culture
Many people believe fiction has the power to influence real life. This idea is tied to mental health — a topic that has gained much more attention in recent times given the ongoing struggles due to COVID-19. According to Checkpoint.org, an overwhelming majority of gamers believe video games can help mental health. Games like Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, and even Destiny all help people maintain healthy minds through virtual escapes. Persona is no stranger to helping those in need — the characters of these lengthy JRPGs are written to reflect real-world issues.
Part of why video games, or media in…
The Pokémon Company finally looks forward, with a step back in time
Earlier this month, I ruthlessly ripped apart the mainline series of Pokémon games. I’ve never been happier to say I’m currently eating my words. On February 26th, 2021, the official Pokémon YouTube channel uploaded “Pokémon Presents” for the 25th anniversary of the series, detailing new games releasing within 2021 and onward. As expected, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl are getting remakes, dubbed Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, but fans of the pocket monster-catching series needn’t have their patience swayed, for The Pokémon Company has finally taken a step outside of its comfort zone.
The Octopath Traveler-styled tactical JRPG with choice and consequence
The latest Nintendo Direct had a ton of new announcements, but the game that caught my utmost attention was the 2022 release of an oddly titled JRPG, Project Triangle Strategy. The beautifully blended 2D-3D art style gives away that the game is being developed by the same team that did Octopath Traveler, a JRPG which I wrote high praise for earlier this year on SUPERJUMP, so Triangle Strategy is more than exciting for me.
Following the announcement, it was revealed that a “debut demo” for Triangle Strategy would be on the Nintendo Switch eShop after the Direct. …
A bite-sized adventure through “Meowrio’s” cat paradise
Mario games of the Wii U generation were seemingly lost in time due to the Wii U’s lackluster performance, but rereleases for the Nintendo Switch have given a second-life to titles such as Mario Kart 8 and Super Mario Bros. U. The latest (and arguably, most anticipated) addition to the plethora of Mario rereleases is Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury.
Bowser’s Fury is a bundled add-on to Super Mario 3D World, thus being dubbed by Nintendo Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury. Nintendo’s redelivery of the game opens up the experience once more to newer Mario fans…
It’s time for the venerable Pokémon series to let go of its ancient formula and move forward
When the Pokémon company coined the catchphrase “Gotta Catch ’Em All,” they weren’t talking about pocket monsters. They were talking about our hearts. Ever since I was young, I’ve always loved the Pokémon franchise. From the anime series to the video games, Pokémon has been something I’ve adored. After the release in 1996, the Pokémon IP has grown tremendously, still triumphing today as a globally known media franchise. One of the most successful games in the series, Pokémon GO, earned over $1 billion in 2020 alone. …
As a physical game connoisseur, I won’t forget GameStop’s strong presence in the days of my youth
Hopefully, you’ve been on the internet these past few days, because if you have, you’ve most definitely heard of the recent surging stock of GameStop ($GME). With some diligent research done by Redditors on r/WallStreetBets, as well as an abundance of media coverage, GameStop’s stock has skyrocketed the past week. The shares jumped to a peak of $468, a staggering 3000% increase, which has made many people a few thousand, hundred-thousand, and even million dollars richer. The logistics of the stock market is something I’m not getting into, but the whole idea is basically a massive battle between filthy rich…
We’re finally getting a glance at what’s ‘beneath the mask’ of the highly-anticipated sequel
In about a month’s time, the Phantom Thieves will once again be heading out on a crusade to pillage some hearts. After playing through the masterful Persona 5 Royal last year, I needed my fill on more Persona. The fourth game, Persona 4 Golden, was rereleased on Steam later that year; I got my fix, but it still wasn’t enough. It was then my friend introduced me to the formerly known Persona 5 Scramble a few months before the announcement of the western localization. With much anticipation, I waited. And I waited. …
It seems that a new Star Wars game isn’t far, far away
Lucasfilm Games’ recent announcement is more than welcome among Star Wars fans. In a newly released blog post, the Star Wars website discussed this news in detail and what it means for the future of games in the popular science fantasy series.
The new title announced by Lucasfilm Games is being published by Ubisoft and is set to be a story-driven, open-world game. This marks the end of a long-drawn-out partnership between Disney and EA for the exclusive development and publication of Star Wars games. For many fans, this news is uplifting.
EA’s exclusive rights to Star Wars games was…
An incessant mind bent on productivity will cause more problems than it solves, so change it.
If there’s one thing I see propagated all over, it’s that we need to make the most of the time we have. To a certain extent, I agree with said message. Yet, I found that forcing myself to think like a robot fixated on effective usage of free time was as infectious as it was productive.
There are lots of causes for my personal productivity anxiety. Living in a competitive, capitalist society is by far the biggest offender for causing me to live in a constant self-surveillance. It goes smaller than that, though, like being told to “make the most…
Taking an eager peak at four upcoming releases I’m itching to play
The clock just struck twelve at the time of writing this and the year 2021 has materialized. 2020 will soon be a bygone fever dream, a year of conflicting feelings. On one hand, there was a horrific pandemic that took a massive toll on everyone and everything. On the other? Video games. Lots and lots of video games, many of which stole my heart (quite literally, with the case of Persona 5 Royal). 2021 has just begun and there’s no better way to look forward to an amazing year on this planet than more video games! …
Paul Lombardo
Journalist writing mainly about video games and the stories they tell // Student at the University of Florida
