Look Outside is a uniquely scary survival-horror game that somehow makes a drab apartment building absolutely terrifying. Read my thoughts here: medium.com/@criticalpig... #LookOutside #GamesJournalism #HorrorGames #IndieGames #GamingCommunity

Look Outside Made a Simple Apartment Building Fun to Explore

Are you ready for what’s out there? If you’re anything like me, the answer to that question is almost always a resounding “no.”

medium.com

The 'friend slop' genre is pretty frustrating. People butchering Lethal Company's design without really getting the point of it all. Gamble With Your Friends has proximity voice chat for what reason? Read my thoughts here: medium.com/@criticalpig... #FriendSlop #GameDesign #GamesCriticism

Pure Randomness != Fun

How Gamble With Your Friends Wasted My Time

medium.com

If you're a @medium.com member and enjoy personal and analytical stories about games, there's plenty for you to read on the Critical Pigeon page. Stories are 5 minute reads (or less!) - Perfect for a quick coffee break. medium.com/@harrytedfre... #Gaming #Videogames #IndieGames #RetroGaming #Medium

Dark Souls 2 is a Bigger Adventure Than the Original

This one design choice made Dark Souls 2 feel huge

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It's 2026 and I'm still thinking about Left 4 Dead 2. You can read my recent ramble about what makes it so special here: criticalpigeon.com/2026/08/30/why-left-4-dead-2-is-great/ #Gaming #RetroGaming #PCGaming #Left4Dead2

Why I Loved Left 4 Dead 2 - Critical Pigeon

Why Valve's iconic co-op shooter is still relevant today. Forget about the mods and the AI Director - this is why Left 4 Dead 2 is great.

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Finding a game to play is easy. Buying it is awfully simple. You don't even have to move to boot up a game anymore. I miss physical discs. And now most of us lose interest with a game before it actually gets fun. Do games need to grab us instantly? Should it be that way?

Dark Souls 2 has its fans, but I'd say it's still underrated for one very specific reason. Here's me rambling about its world, and why I think it offers a bigger adventure than the first game. criticalpigeon.com/2026/08/06/dark-souls-2-is-bigger-than-the-original/

Dark Souls 2 is a Bigger Adventure Than the Original. - Critical Pigeon

Why I think this one design choice makes Dark Souls 2 bigger than the original, and how its ambition offers a grander adventure.

criticalpigeon.com

While I have enjoyed cosy games in the past, I find it hard to get into them. Some games, though, games that have no business in the cosy genre, feel like a warm blanket to me. Caves of Qud is one of them. Here's me rambling about why. criticalpigeon.com/2026/08/04/c...

Why Caves of Qud is my cosy game. - Critical Pigeon

An opinion piece on the expansive open-world roguelike, Caves of Qud, my thoughts on the cosy game genre, and why Qud is my happy place.

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Slay the Spire is a titan in the indie game scene, but I don't think it's the best deck-builder. Not for me. Here's why: criticalpigeon.com/2026/07/21/deck-building-has-a-problem-wildfrost-fixes-it/ @chucklefishltd.bsky.social @gaziter.bsky.social

Deck-building has a problem. Wildfrost fixes it. - Critical Pigeon

My biggest problem with roguelike deck-builders like Slay the Spire and why I think more deck-building fans should play Wildfrost.

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It's easy to be scared by Mixed reviews on Steam. But polarising doesn't mean bad. Read my thoughts and feelings about why I think people are too quick to run away from games with negative reviews: criticalpigeon.com/2026/07/20/why-you-shouldnt-be-scared-of-mixed-reviews-on-steam/

Why you shouldn't be scared of Mixed Reviews on Steam. - Critical Pigeon

Why games with Overwhelmingly Positive Steam reviews may not be the best, and why players shouldn't be scared of Mixed reviews.

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Ever wander what everyone's obsession is with Quake? Why is this 90s shooter such a big deal? The answer is simple. Sort of. criticalpigeon.com/2026/06/09/first-levels-quake/

QUAKE'S FIRST LEVEL TEACHES EXPLORATION ON MULTIPLE PLANES - Critical Pigeon

A deep dive into the design decisions behind the first level of the legendary first-person shooter, Quake, including quotes from John Romero.

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Don't get me wrong, I love a good, fun, colourful, video-gamey game. HiFi Rush is one of my favourites. But sometimes you just need to get knee-deep in grime. PIGFACE is my current favourite way to do that. criticalpigeon.com/2026/07/07/pigface-is-disgusting-thats-why-its-fun/

PIGFACE feels disgusting and that's why it's fun. - Critical Pigeon

How the developer of PIGFACE took inspiration from Texas Chainsaw Massacre and retro shooters to create a grimy FPS with an old-school look.

criticalpigeon.com

@godzone6.com I think it's a crime that your game Wild Bastards was so overlooked on Steam. Incredibly underrated game. My thoughts: criticalpigeon.com/2026/06/18/wild-bastards-is-underrated/

WILD BASTARDS IS STILL UNDERRATED (ALMOST TWO YEARS LATER) - Critical Pigeon

Why Wild Bastards is an underrated roguelite.

criticalpigeon.com

Even if you're not a fan of board games, the digital adaptation of Dune: Imperium is a must play, especially if you enjoy deck-builders like Slay The Spire. Read my thoughts here: criticalpigeon.com/2026/07/15/dune-imperium-is-a-digital-board-game-thats-worth-playing/

One of my favourite video games is a digital board game. - Critical Pigeon

An article about the digital adaptation of Dune: Imperium that's currently out on Steam. This article provides opinions and analysis.

criticalpigeon.com