Review: Tacoma is soft sci-fi, in the best way

Sam Brooks reviews the latest from Gone Home hitmaker Fullbright: a meander through an abandoned space station called Tacoma. If you hated Gone Home, stop reading this now. You’re not good enough for these words and you should go and learn how to get feelings from your videogames like a good honest nerd who also gets feelings from their … Read more

Top of the Pile #5 – Tour de France 2017 (WATCH)

Welcome to Top of the Pile, a gaming series in which the participants are forced to play a game at the top of the ‘just released’ list. This week José and guest Joseph Harper actually play a game they might be good at: Tour de France 2017. Joseph is a dedicated cycling nut, so we … Read more

The Spinoff’s ultimate epic fantasy battles REVEALED

With modern computing grunt it’s now possible to create whole worlds within one’s humble home PC. Using the Ultimate Epic Battle Simulator, a core crew of Spinoff writers construct their best imaginary wars and let the sim do its thing! Don Rowe: WW2 Germans Vs WW2 Americans Vs 300 Spartans Millions of men died in the … Read more

Pokémon: Magikarp Jump – discover beauty and wisdom with the dumbest Pokémon

In the soft, glazed eyes of the Magikarp we see a challenge to love that which is unlovable, or so argues Uther Dean. Magikarp are no one’s favourite Pokémon. Essentially powerless, the limp, flappy fish is famous for its Splash attack that famously, no matter how hard your Magikarp hurls themself into the air, always … Read more

‘Death is the thing we all share’: Why one father made a video game about his son’s cancer battle

That Dragon, Cancer was one of the most critically acclaimed indie games released in 2016. The point and click adventure’s frank depiction of a family’s battle with illness seemed to push video games into new territory. Tof Eklund spoke with one of the game’s creators about how the game was made and how some critics missed … Read more

Birthdays: The Beginning – evolution, gamified

Think you can drive the very building blocks of life? Matthew Codd gives the evolution simulator Birthdays: The Beginning a hoon and he bloody learns stuff! Creationists need not apply. Games make fascinating learning tools. I’m not talking about the “edutainment” that many of us remember, with fondness, disdain, or some strange mixture of both, from our primary … Read more

The first episode of our new gaming series, Top of the Pile

Welcome to Top of the Pile, a gaming series in which the participants are forced to play a game at the top of the ‘just released’ list. In this the inaugural episode José Barbosa and Joseph Harper find themselves playing the Japanese visual novel game, Gakuen Club.  Video edited by Joseph Harper Made with the … Read more

R.I.P, WiiU: A tearful eulogy for Nintendo’s unloved gaming console

The Nintendo Switch is the latest piece of gaming gear everyone’s got to have. But spare a thought for what the Switch replaces: the underappreciated WiiU. Liam Maguren takes to the pulpit to share some stories and plead for the maligned console’s legacy.  How does one kick off a funeral? Is it insensitive to crack … Read more

What Remains of Edith Finch: a game that finds perfect beauty in death

The California based devs Giant Sparrow have another hit on their hands. Their new narrative adventure game explores all the great themes, life, death and beauty. Matthew Codd reckons it’s a must play. What Remains of Edith Finch is a game about life, death, and storytelling. What may at first feel like a run-of-the-mill “walking … Read more

Grinding Gear Games: the studio that prefers to go with its gut – and it’s working

Auckland based Grinding Gear Games will launch its blockbuster PC game Path of Exile on Xbox One later this year. It’s a big move for the company that has seen continuous growth in player numbers with every expansion and currently boasts a serious player base of 16 million. José Barbosa took a slow train to Henderson … Read more

Watch a real life hunter show a real life softie how to kill PC-simulated deer

In association with our mates Bigpipe Broadband we’re livestreaming a different video game every Wednesday at 7pm on Facebook Live. Join José Barbosa and a cast of roped-in innocents for these highlights from a journey into utter mayhem. True blue real life hunter Don Rowe takes fretful townie José Barbosa on a crash course on … Read more

On the ‘Reg: Let’s Play – Eternal Forces: Left Behind

In association with our mates Bigpipe Broadband we’re livestreaming a different video game every Wednesday at 7pm on Facebook Live. Join José Barbosa and a cast of roped in innocents for these highlights from a journey into utter mayhem. As Easter draws to a close José and special guest Natasha Boyland celebrate the Resurrection with … Read more

‘The story of my utter failure’: Why The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is ‘unreviewable’

Tasked with reviewing the hotly anticipated new Zelda game, Liam Maguren proves himself to be inadequate; both as a critic and as a functioning human being. It’s been a month since the new Zelda came out and I still can’t review this fucking game. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild came out a … Read more

On the ‘Reg: Let’s Play – Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back

In association with our mates Bigpipe Broadband we’re livestreaming a different video game every Wednesday at 7pm on Facebook Live. Join José Barbosa and a cast of roped in innocents for these highlights from a journey into utter mayhem. In anticipation of the remastered Crash Bandicoot series coming later this year, José invites avowed Bandicoot … Read more

On the ‘Reg: Let’s Play – Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin PS VR

In association with our mates Bigpipe Broadband we’re livestreaming a different video game every Wednesday at 7pm on Facebook Live. Join José Barbosa and a cast of roped in innocents for these highlights from a journey into utter mayhem. Laden with costly virtual reality gear host José Barbosa and his mate Ashley Noel Hinton tackle … Read more

Mythbusting diversity in video games: Why studios need to stop hiding behind discredited excuses

Is the mainstream video game industry kidding itself and, by extension, us? Eugenia Woo unpacks the excuses often presented as reasons to avoid diversity.  This essay was originally posted online on August 25, 2016. The issue of diversity in video games is polarising. BioWare’s Manveer Heir said it best – “there is a vocal crowd in … Read more

Why is Alice not in the video games? Resident Evil’s greatest mystery SOLVED

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

Why the DOOM Boardgame deserves to exist

Rubbish knock-off licensing seems to hound every mega popular entertainment property out there. (Exhibit A). Among the most questionable products are boardgames based on video games – but the DOOM boardgame might just be an honourable exception, as Liam Maguren discovers.  I’ve written about DOOM three bloody times for The Spinoff. I thought I had … Read more

Is Nioh the finest game of its generation?

2017 is barely through the turnstile, but already ‘best game of the year’ designations are being made. Leo Rae-Brown suggests that despite its flaws, the vicious Nioh deserves your consideration.   To say that Nioh has been long-anticipated is an understatement. It practically fell off the face of the earth for nearly a decade after its announcement … Read more