Alex Rowe
@xander51.bsky.social
I write about gaming, tech, music, and their industries. I have a background in video production, and I used to review games for a computer magazine. Please join my awesome 56k audience at xander51.medium.com
I published some impressions of Beast of Reincarnation. I'm now hours deep in two different versions of the game after almost not trying it at all! medium.com/analog-stick...
Beast of Reincarnation Hooked Me Immediately
Turns out the Pokémon people know how to Dark Souls
medium.com
I randomly felt like diving back in to Far Cry 6, and I'm still impressed at how well it is aging. medium.com/analog-stick...
Far Cry 6 Had 4 Good Ideas
Everything old can be new again
medium.com
It seemed like the entire internet wanted me to buy Splatoon Raiders, so I did. It's totally awesome. medium.com/analog-stick...
Splatoon Raiders: Nintendo’s Best Switch 2 Game?
I almost skipped this beginner-friendly loot adventure
medium.com
Rachel Addison returns once more to Analog Stick with some thoughts on Disco Elysium, a one-of-a-kind RPG that will probably remain a cult hit forever. medium.com/analog-stick...
‘Disco Elysium’ (2019) — Making Decisions Amidst Despair, Decay & Dependency
A search for a murderer and meaning
medium.com
New Analog Stick contributor sent me this review of FMV horror classic D, and I had to add it to the pub immediately. It's an iconic classic. I'm launching a retro subsection on the publication homepage to go with it. If you've never played an Eno game, you missed out. medium.com/analog-stick...
D | In Memoriam
D Review
medium.com
My thoughts on the new Halo are now live on @medium.com! It struck a chord with me, but not the one I was hoping for. medium.com/analog-stick...
Halo Is No Longer Important
The Campaign Evolved remake lacks that design spark
medium.com
Today on @medium.com, a fond look back at the dead gaming audio brand that should be leading the market. medium.com/analog-stick...
The Best Defunct Gaming Audio Brand
A terrible name did them no favors
medium.com
Analog Stick newcomer Sean Cooly has some impressions/a quick review of Screamer, a stylish racing game that most of us overlooked. medium.com/analog-stick...
The Best New Racing Game You Probably Never Heard Of
Screamer is a game I took a chance on as what I knew going into this game was very limited. The only thing I really knew was that multiple…
medium.com
Rachel Addison returns to Analog Stick with a great story about her time acquiring a *totally legit* copy of Final Fantasy VIII ahead of its launch. medium.com/analog-stick...
Final Fantasy VIII — ‘Fragments Of Memories’ Tell Incomplete Stories
Time compression comes for us all in the end
medium.com
I've published a headphone review of a cheap model that really surprised me. xander51.medium.com/the-kiwi-ear...
The Kiwi Ears Altruva Headphones Crush All Others
I haven’t tried a better, cheaper open back
xander51.medium.com
It is my solemn duty to remind the world that my favorite Final Fantasy exists every year or so! Check out my latest on @medium.com if you'd be so kind! medium.com/analog-stick...
You Absolutely Skipped My Favorite Modern Final Fantasy Game
I can’t really blame you
medium.com
Reid Bauer joins the Analog Stick universe with a new piece about the challenge of fully completing Sifu, all 173 hours of it. Check it out right now on @medium.com! medium.com/analog-stick...
I 100%-ed Sifu. But Did I Actually Master It?
I 100%-ed Sifu last week.
medium.com
Some weekend headphone thoughts now live over on @medium.com. 😁 xander51.medium.com/the-only-two...
The Only Two Important Things About Headphones
Most specs are just distractions
xander51.medium.com
I thought PlayStation Link would be a much bigger deal by now. medium.com/analog-stick...
PlayStation Link: Gaming’s Best Wireless Audio is a Missed Opportunity
Why is Sony failing to treat it like a serious platform?
medium.com
I posted some thoughts on Logitech's latest mouse release over on @medium.com. I bet it'll be a big hit! medium.com/analog-stick...
Don’t Believe The Hate: Logitech’s G305X Superlight Rules
Is this the best gaming mouse under $100?
medium.com
Today on Analog Stick: A look back at a classic pair of headphones (which are still great for gaming) that share a vibe with Nintendo's "use old tech" strategy. medium.com/analog-stick...
Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 2026 Review: The Best Old Headphones
The rest of the tech industry should learn from these
medium.com
My favorite samurai game is still out there, waiting for you to notice it. medium.com/analog-stick...
Rise of the Ronin: A Masterclass in Action RPG Design
This PS5 and PC samurai adventure demands your attention
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I'm playing games with studio headphones again and loving every second of it. Read more about it over on @medium.com! medium.com/analog-stick...
The Best Studio Headphones For Gaming
Premium and budget choices with great positional audio
medium.com
I posted some detailed thoughts on Black Flag Resynced over on @medium.com. The combat is more fun than I expected. The sound mix is about as disappointing as I feared. And then there's all that DLC... medium.com/analog-stick...
Black Flag Resynced: The Good And The Bad
A visual masterpiece held back by disjointed audio and a bloated economy
medium.com
My passion boiled over. Some thoughts on the Xbox "cuts" now live on @medium.com. It's such a stupid mess. medium.com/analog-stick...
Microsoft Destroyed the Sequel to 2025’s Coolest Game
Xbox found more things to burn
medium.com
The excellent @medium.com writer Rachel Addison returns again to Analog Stick, this time with a piece about a surprising video-game-fueled family connection. Please enjoy it! medium.com/analog-stick...
We Bonded Over ‘Fallout’ When My Nan Fell Out Of Bed
How Bethesda’s Game Helped In a Crisis
medium.com
I loathe it when games have beautiful worlds but then they make me stare at a little map the whole time to navigate. Ghost of Tsushima and Yotei rise above this with cool design. medium.com/analog-stick...
Stop Making Me Stare At Mini-Maps
How Ghost Of Tsushima and Yotei fix open world design
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I'm on the fence about picking up Black Flag Resynced this week, honestly. medium.com/analog-stick...
I Lost My Black Flag Resynced Hype
I feel like Ubisoft is trying to trick me
medium.com
My favorite thing about Threads is when I post a link to a new article I've written there and then weird men reply to the post and get mad at me without reading my article. No wait.
Okay fine. I published my probably-controversial take on the PlayStation discs thing over on @medium.com. medium.com/analog-stick...
Sony Should Have Stopped Making PlayStation Discs Years Ago
I don’t want more plastic in my house
medium.com
If you're the sort of gamer who is upset about Sony killing discs, you might also be irked by the PS5 Pro's handling of color and upscaling, like I am! medium.com/analog-stick...
The Switch 2’s Secret Advantage Over The PS5 Pro
Nintendo’s tiny portable console offers better real-world user-friendly support for full gamut color at high refresh rates than the PS5…
medium.com
I love my Switch 2. I'd love it even more if I could get these cool games on it. medium.com/analog-stick...
The 3 Switch 2 Ports I’d Buy Immediately
Because I always need more open world RPGs
medium.com
I know that things are rough for gaming hardware right now, but also, I've lived through this sort of doom cycle dozens of times. Come and join me for a trip down memory lane over on @medium.com, and see why I'm not too worried about gaming ever going away. medium.com/analog-stick...
The Gaming Industry Is Always Doomed
Video gaming always predicts its own demise, but it’s never actually the end
medium.com
No matter how much time I spend with Crimson Desert, its combat still feels so weird. It's not really the system that I was led to expect by the marketing and trailers. medium.com/analog-stick...
The Worst Part of Crimson Desert
The combat feels like a laggy disappointment compared to its beautiful open world
medium.com