2019 Was The Year Of Developer Vs. Consumer (But 2020 Can Be Better)

I have a lot of respect for Ninja. The man, alongside his wife, Jessica, built an a multinational empire by playing video games. I, on the other hand, spend most of my days in my pajamas, tweeting jokes and Photoshopping bad Apex Legends ranked guide Legends me

Taking Ninja’s advice, I’ve tried different strategies: Dropping hot every game, carrying shotguns only, consistently playing a single specific character (which is, by the way, something he also recommends to maximize your success with that character). Spoiler alert: I die a ton! It's tough to win a sniper fight with dual EVA-8s. But ultimately, this helped me learn how to better use these weap

Lifeline can be useful in almost any team comp with her healing ability and her passive. Add to that regular drops of purple armor and she is is a solid choice, even though her playmaking ability is limited. She shines as a support, but the reason she ranks in the bottom half is that she is rarely put to good

While there were so many outstanding game releases in 2019, what usually garners the most attention is consumer backlash against developers. In each of the following circumstances, a lack of communication or an overwhelming show of greed was often the reason for a fallout between the two sides, and hopefully there are lessons to be learned to make 2020 a better y

While I loved playing every game in my top five, I put Control at number one because of the way it grabbed my attention and held it in a way that the other four just couldn’t. It was creepy and bizarre in all the right, unique ways. I’d obviously never want to actually venture into the Oldest House for real, but Control made it a joy to explore with its unsettlingly intriguing twists and tu

However, others have taken the Epic Games exclusive deal because of the possibilities that open when receiving an influx of cash. Ooblets is a perfect example of a small company that greatly benefited from the cash Epic Games offered at first, but the result was a backlash of negativity online against the practice of exclusive deals. With each announcement, for Indie games or larger developers, online reaction has been similar in a show of frustration against Epic Ga

This year has been a boon for the medium, and frankly, it's hard to pick just five games that I fell in love with (sorry, Pokemon !) But from top-notch fighters to tripped-out techno-thrillers, from RPG masterpieces to ornate remakes, one game edges everything out. __ Resident Evil 2 is not just a stellar remake, it's a master-class in game design - a brilliant case of how to do literally everything right, then somehow go beyond that. It's a sumptuous visual feast held together by tense, responsive gameplay that understands how to maintain what makes classic survival horror while being accessible to contemporary audiences. It's a game literally anyone can enjoy - unless you're a bit squeamish - and the best entry of the franchise to d

This also makes Revenant an excellent mid to long-range fighting character. As his small crouching character model coupled with its incredible speed in this crouching state, a difficult target to hit. It's quick poking in and out of cover in a crouching state will make the legend a difficult character to overcome in the right ha

As an ultimate ability, it is only useful if the player can immediately engage after the EMP goes off. If the enemy has time to recharge shields, especially with the abundance of golden shields, then it has little impact on the fight. For this reason, Crypto ranks lower on the scale, with his saving grace being the drone intel and ability to open doors from afar for a quick grenade t

It was only through the intervention of Legion that the Geth finally managed to regain their autonomy and fight against the Reapers in Mass Effect 3 , in the best-case scenario, that is. Watching him shut down and say farewell is a surprisingly poignant moment in the ser

Right in the middle, Bangalore is a safe choice, albeit hit or miss for effectiveness. Her smoke can get a team out in a pinch in the open expanses on World’s Edge or be used offensively when coupled with a thermal si

In this chapter, Ninja offers tips on pimping a stream to make it seem more professional. Recently, TheGamer invited me to do some product reviews. With a green screen backdrop, a nice LED light and more desktop space due to a wireless mouse option, I felt so good about my setup that I'm now convinced I'm the next Ninja (have you seen the header image on this stor

However, she is most clutch as a team player, granting an escape route via her ultimate in almost any situation. Whether pinned inside a building or trying to escape sniper fire outside in the open, Dimensional Rift is a life-saving ability that puts Wraith above the rest of the champi

What can I say? I'm a sucker for Pokemon . The jump to the Switch wasn't without its faults, yet I found myself enjoying every second of my time with the game. The Wild Area brings thrilling new content to the Galar region, the dialog is witty/corny, and the battles strike the sweet spot of being too easy and aggravatingly difficult. Many games might be more technically advanced, or tell a better story, but there isn't a game this year I enjoyed more than the latest Pokemon advent