Tomas Franzese
@tomasfranzese
Video Game Industry Reporter & Critic | Author of the Remastered Newsletter | Weekend News Editor at Polygon | Bylines: GameSpot, Digital Trends, XDA, Android Police, ComicBook, Noisy Pixel, and more | ODU Graduate Student
Just sneezed and noticed I sound like the moon in Rhythm Heaven Groove when I do. Not sure what to think about this.
I'm watching that Persona TV show that's of interest, and this guy doesn't look like Joker at all!
Here's how the tiered ranking ended up for me! I'd also add Star Wars: Zero Company to that top tier if it were on the list.
10 years ago today, I ditched high school to write my first few articles for DualShockers. I wasn't being paid and had no idea what I was getting myself into, but that decision would go on to shape the next decade of my life. Thank you to everyone who has guided me along the way.
I've played about 5 hours of Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, and I'm enjoying it. The story sometimes feels rushed because it's covering so much ground, and it's obviously a bit easier than I'd like it to be as an Arkham fan, but it's a clear love letter to the character and Arkham games.
Happy to see so many positive previews of The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales. It's one of my most anticipated games of the year. If anyone is looking for a reviewer for its launch next month, I'd love to review it for you!
Wake me up when they start putting REAL Nintendo characters in the movie!
This store went to the Minshoot' Adventures Academy of Naming Things
#7: Minishoot' Adventures: Just beat this one tonight, and it was absolutely wonderful. It nails that classic The Legend of Zelda feel by making exploration natural and meaningful while also recognizing how well that pairs with schmup mechanics. If you missed this one in 2024, play it now!
So the thing about Highguard is that it was the final reveal at The Game Awards and people didn't like it. Then, a bunch of people willed it to fail as a live service game up to its release. Then, it came out and did actually kind of well but the studio struggled because of the Tencent money they...
Just confirmed my attendance at Summer Game Fest this June! I know it's still a ways out, but please reach out if you're an editor looking for freelance support from the event. I'm very much open to work related to SGF.
Finally built a new shelf for my games in my office! Somehow, Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit ended up as the centerpiece (I'll definitely be swapping it out for other stuff in the future).
I have no problem with the Talking Flower. I actually think it's kind of funny.
I'm pleased to unveil my new weekly newsletter: Remastered! Inspired by my Save State column for Digital Trends, Remastered is all about how video game history and retro games impact what we play today. It'll feature editorials, interviews, and reviews on that subject authored by me. It's also free!
#4: Lovish - A delightful 2D platformer. It has simple yet difficult gameplay that harkens back to indie classics like 1001 Spikes and Super Meat Boy. Each single-screen level is like a fun little puzzle to solve. It's also surprisingly funny and meta, with a "hero" who is the absolute worst.
#3: Unravel Two - Never played this one before, so I was shocked at how different it was. The original is a cinematic, slow-paced puzzle-platformer, while this is a co-op (optional) physics-driven platformer. I prefer Unravel, but I appreciate this sequel innovating and delivering feel-good vibes.
#2: To de-stress today, I replayed Unravel ahead of its 10-year anniversary. It's still a joy to experience in 2026. A beautiful game made by a small team of passionate developers backed by a big game company. The industry would be better off today if more games like this had the room to thrive.
I don't think I'll be playing any new games before the year is over, so I wanted to share my personal Top 10 games list: 1. Donkey Kong Bananza 2. Sword of the Sea 3. Avowed 4. Ball X Pit 5. Lumines Arise 6. Keeper 7. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound 8. Hades 2 9. Kirby Air Riders 10. Mario Kart World
Guessing no one else is really going to call out Twig from Keeper or the Salamander Pyromancer from Sunderfolk!