Nintendo's bright, brisk take on the fighting game has a range of outlandish characters engaging in lighthearted fisticuffs with customisable robotic arms. The Switch motion controllers make it a ridiculous physical workout. What we said: Arms is unique, colourful, and accessible, with enough complexity to tempt a competitive scene but not so much to make anyone feel alienated. Game designer David OReilly produced one of the most unusual video game releases of the decade with this exploration of time, space and being, all set to a soundtrack of quotes from philosopher Alan Watts. What we said: Everything takes the strange comfort of the procedurally generated personal to a universal scale, and it is good.

If only Torment: Tides of Numenera were twice as long. Even some of the genre's best could afford to lose 10 to 15 hours of filler quests, cinch up the story's sagging middle, and get on with it. What's frustrating and yet also tantalizing about Tides of Numenera is that it gives us a glimpse of infinite potential, then cuts it short. Despite being billed as a "spiritual successor" to Infinity Engine cult classic Planescape: Torment, it's important to mention the two are officially unrelated. This is not a sequel.

He graciously consented to devote a good deal of his time to this four-part interview about the video game writer's job and the special challenges and opportunities of writing Torment. The interview took place through email and has been edited for comprehension. Ziets received a Masters degree in Cognitive Psychology with an emphasis on Human-Computer Interaction in 1999. I was a member of his thesis committee.) In 2001 he took a job writing dialog for the MMO Earth & Beyond.

He graciously consented to devote a good deal of his time to this four-part interview about the video game writer's job and the special challenges and opportunities of writing Torment. The interview took place through email and has been edited for comprehension. Ziets received a Masters degree in Cognitive Psychology with an emphasis on Human-Computer Interaction in 1999. I was a member of his thesis committee.) In 2001 he took a job writing dialog for the MMO Earth & Beyond. Since then he has held various positions as a writer, designer or creative lead on games such as Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons & Dragons Online, Neverwinter Nights 2, Elder Scrolls Online, Dungeon Siege 3, Fallout: New Vegas and Torment among others.

He graciously consented to devote a good deal of his time to this four-part interview about the video game writer's job and the special challenges and opportunities of writing Torment. The interview took place through email and has been edited for comprehension. Ziets received a Masters degree in Cognitive Psychology with an emphasis on Human-Computer Interaction in 1999. I was a member of his thesis committee.) In 2001 he took a job writing dialog for the MMO Earth & Beyond.

There are tons of great-looking video games coming out in 2017. Many of these are western releases, but a huge number of fantastic titles are coming out of Japan also. In fact, many of my most hotly-anticipated games are Japanese this year. In any case, here's a list of all the best (or at least most important) video games currently announced for a 2017 release. I'll keep this list updated with other important releases as well.

Nothing you could possibly be paying attention to except for our weekly round-up of video game news, right? This week we've got Portal recreated for the Apple IIe, the possibility of a new Pillars of Eternity sequel, the Super Mario Odyssey trailer ported into the world of Grand Theft Auto IV, another Overwatch holiday event, and more! This one lacks Colin McComb unfortunately, but does provide a look at Torment's combat. It's turn-based, unlike the real-time-with-pause system used by Infinity Engine games. While we're on the subject of isometric CRPGs and Infinity Engine games: Obsidian's been teasing a new project all week, and it's starting to look like a sequel to Pillars of Eternity.