The ex-military, gay, Lamborghini-driving CEO of Rocketwerkz is one of the highest profile figures in New Zealand gaming. Michael Andrew went to the new Auckland office to meet the man known as “rocket”. “It’s the fastest lift in the country,” said Rocketwerkz’s chief operating officer Stephen Knightly before we shot to the top of the … Read more
A new first-person photography game set in a dystopian Tauranga under lockdown is the best work of Māori science-fiction this decade, writes Dan Taipua. Umurangi Generation is a first-person photography game set din the shitty future. Designed and developed by Naphtali Faulkner (aka Veselekov) the game has you move about a futuristic Tauranga and surrounding … Read more
For the last two months, Animal Crossing’s gentle version of agrarian economics has taken over our gaming consoles, and the internet at large. Sam Brooks looks back at the game that became a lockdown sensation. Animal Crossing: New Horizons came out for the Nintendo Switch on March 20. In the two months since, I’ve never … Read more
The minister of economic development is trumpeting news that gaming is on track to be a billion dollar industry in New Zealand. Meanwhile Dean Hall, CEO of Dunedin-based gaming developer Rocketwerkz, is waiting for the government to do more than issue glowing press releases. When the NZ Herald spoke to me about the lack of … Read more
Māori culture shouldn’t be something that’s half-heartedly appropriated for some cool video game visuals. So why do developers keep doing it? This year’s Xbox E3 Briefing kicked off with a new game reveal, Bleeding Edge – a multiplayer action game in which players fight in 4v4 battles – and some exciting news for New Zealand players: … Read more
The internet is a place where the darkest seeds of the world take root – but there’s light there too. Sam Brooks talks to the person behind one of those lights, the Can You Pet the Dog twitter account which documents dogs you can pet in video games. When I see a dog, there’s one question … Read more
The Spinoff’s gaming journalist morbid_angel_69 still can’t tear himself away from RDR2. In this video he goes on a not-at-all stressful fishing trip into the hills to hunt for the Legendary Rock Bass. (NB: This video contains end story SPOILERS) morbid_angel_69 plays Red Dead Redemption 2: Watch more The Red Dead Redemption 2 hat shooting … Read more
People are loving Red Dead Redemption 2 and its ultra realistic depiction of the wild west. Nothing says western more than shooting people’s hats off, so we’ve decided to attempt a hat shooting challenge. Our video journalist @morbid_slag_angel_69 takes up the revolver!
From April 26, approximately 3% of all original Xbox games will be available in their original form on the Xbox One. That’s more than you can play on the Playstation 4 – but still far, far from what we hoped for, writes Adam Goodall. On Tuesday, Microsoft announced that they’d be bringing 19 games from … Read more
A game where two dudes break out of prison isn’t groundbreaking, but A Way Out still tries to play with expectations. But is it successful? Sam Brooks reviews. About a third of the way into A Way Out’s five hours there’s a classic co-op game moment. You and your heroes have to navigate your way up two opposing … Read more
In the space of 13 years, the Yakuza series has turned from a clone underdog into a cult classic, and the latest game is their most anticipated yet. Sam Brooks reviews Yakuza 6. It’s 2005. I’m wandering in the United Video in Papakura trying to find a game to rent out for the weekend – … Read more
The latest from Sam Barlow pushes the form of both video games and TV – but the writing lags behind it, Sam Brooks writes. Back in 2015, I was a big fan of Her Story, creator-writer Sam Barlow’s award-winning game that precedes the recently released #WarGames. In Her Story, you were left to figure out … Read more
Tof Eklund goes deep on the historical context and significance of Dandara, a newly released Metroidvania-style game about the famous-in-Brazil folk hero. I was certain, from the first screenshot I saw of Dandara, that there were layers to the world and narrative of Brazilian studio Long Hat House’s jump-warping Metroidvania. Reviewers seemed not to care, noting that … Read more
Video games get a bad rep, mostly from people who don’t even play them. Uther Dean suggests some games to bridge the gap between video games and the people who just CANNOT with them. Everyone plays video games these days. From Candy Crush on up, people are wittling away their one special life torturing pixels. … Read more
It’s a mystery that deserves an answer. Alice, the protagonist of all six Resident Evil films, has not once made an appearance in the video games. This could not be by accident. To get to the bottom of this enduring riddle, Uther Dean interviewed* some of the key players in both the films and the video … Read more
Sony is making a grab for everyone who isn’t already on the PlayStation train with PlayLink, a series of party games that are played by linking smartphones with the PS4. The Spinoff team had a good blat with two of the games currently available, That’s You! and Knowledge Is Power. If you plonk yourself in … Read more
One of 2016’s best games has had its best feature, Elusive Targets, turned back on. Jessica Alouette explains what makes Hitman special, and why you shouldn’t miss out on it. The former headmaster sits on a roof, learning to use his new recording device to help him write a book. People in the streets below … Read more
Ten years of Assassin’s Creed games is a long time to run around stabbing things. In this hybrid review/chin stroking musing session, José Barbosa wonders if it’s time for the Brotherhood to fall on its own sword. There’s a moment in any ongoing creative endeavour when one reaches the precipice of one’s efforts; this is … Read more
Back by lukewarm demand On The ‘Reg is The Spinoff’s regular gaming session streamed live every Wednesday at 7pm on Facebook and Twitch. This highlights package sees José Barbosa and Ashley Noel Hinton load up for Call Of Duty WWII Zombies. In a brutal multi-hour event host José Barbosa and guest Ashley Noel Hinton deal out some split-screen … Read more
Back by lukewarm demand On The ‘Reg is The Spinoff’s regular gaming session streamed live every Wednesday at 7pm on Facebook and Twitch. Once again into the breach head Joe and José and this time they try out wrestling IP WWE 2K18. It’s a good whack of flying elbows, DDTs and brutal damage dealt out with folding chairs. … Read more
Duncan Greive plays the SNES Mini and recalls a time in his life when it was the one thing he wanted to be happy. When I was a child, all I wanted was Super NES. I grew up in London in the ‘80s and my mum was deeply fearful of all things that weren’t English … Read more
Arguably the best part of Armageddon is the cosplay, so we sent photographer Joel Thomas along to the Auckland event to capture the colour and creativity. (Also keep your optics peeled for Sam Brooks’ write up of the cosplay contest coming later today). This post, like all our gaming content, comes to your peepers only … Read more
Those visual novel games can be extremely hit or miss, but Matthew Codd reckons locally made Inverness Nights is a high water mark for the genre. A few months ago, Kiwi developer Maddi Mackenzie released Inverness Nights. “Break up with your boyfriend in Inverness Nights, a queer historical fantasy visual novel,” the media release said, calling … Read more
Twenty-one seasons in, South Park seems reluctant to die – and the intense licensing of the IP is no different. Don Rowe take the new video game version of everyone’s favourite depraved cartoon for a spin. I’m always nervous when franchises are ported across mediums. Not every show is fit for a game and vice … Read more
Craig Cliff finds the narrative elements within the latest installment of the popular 2K franchise don’t work, unless you resort to a radical reading of DJ’s story. I’ve never played Dungeons and Dragons or Zelda or anything normally associated with role-playing or fantasy. Y’know, things you might expect a novelist-in-training might wallow in while waiting … Read more
If Bill Shakespeare was around today, the old huckster would probably have a crack at making a video game. A stage show currently playing in Auckland aims to construct what that might look like, complete with Angry Birds and live Tetris. Eugenia Woo talked to director Greg Copper. Auckland’s theatre scene is no slouch. With … Read more
Welcome to Top of the Pile, a gaming series in which two idiots are forced to play a game at the top of the ‘just released’ list. Once again Joseph and José dive deep into their own mediocrity as even the relative quality of this licensed fighting game with recognisable characters can’t stir within themselves … Read more
Welcome to Top of the Pile, a gaming series in which two idiots are forced to play a game at the top of the ‘just released’ list. This week TOTP returns and what a game Joseph and José are forced to play. Say hello to fairy-tale set, talking animal board game Armello! This post, like … Read more
There’s a new Chief Censor in town. David Shanks, a former director and deputy CEO for the Ministry of Social Development, has barely been in the job three months so we decided to throw Eugenia Woo at him. Pity the job of those they call censors. It used to be so easy when there … Read more