Author: Vincent Mahoney

Vincent is a game reviewer, graphic designer, illustrator and insurance agent: He wears many hats, but none of them properly cover his bald spot. His long-term goal is to publish a comic of the story he and his wife created together. He grew up playing action-platform games such as Super Mario, Metroid, Mega Man, Contra and Castlevania, but discovered his love for RPGs through Super Mario RPG and Final Fantasy VI, then embarking upon a quest to play every RPG he possibly can. At over 200 RPGs and counting the quest is not going so well, and there are buster swords, giant cats, eight virtues and personae appearing to him in his sleep. Please send help.

Save State: Celeste Has More to Offer Than Tough Platforming

This week Save State columnist Vincent Mahoney writes about how Celeste combines tight controls, optional high-level challenges and a touching story into one of the most rewarding indie platformers of the past decade.

R-Type Dimensions III Gives a Tough Classic a Flashy Remaster

R-Type Dimensions III, the remastered version of R-Type III: The Third Lightning, captures the visual punch and old-school intensity of the SNES classic, but frustrating hitbox issues keep it from being the definitive version just yet.

Constance Gives a Fresh New Coat of Paint to Metroidvanias

Constance may not reinvent the labyrinthine platformer, but its hand-drawn world, relatable story and polished exploration make it an easy title to recommend.

Save State: Vincent Has a Shell of a Good Time With TMNT: Splintered Fate

Save State columnist Vincent Mahoney takes a look at TMNT: Splintered Fate and finds a fast, colorful roguelite that borrows smartly from Hades, adds co-op chaos and becomes especially hard to resist when found at the right price.

Crimson Desert Is One of the Boldest RPGs in Years

With spectacular combat, a massive world full of distractions and more systems than most action RPGs would dare attempt, Crimson Desert offers a bold and often thrilling adventure even if its story does not always keep up.

Save State on the Secret to Unlocking Powers Earlier in Crimson Desert

Returning to Crimson Desert with more knowledge and better routing, Save State columnist Vincent Mahoney finds that some of the open world action adventure’s most exciting elemental powers can be earned much earlier than expected.

Save State Enjoys the Explosions of Confetti and Coins in Vampire Crawlers

Save State’s Vincent Mahoney takes a look at Vampire Crawlers, a stylish first-person deckbuilder from the Vampire Survivors team that trades brutal challenges for big combos, fast progress and the joy of feeling wildly overpowered.

Guards II: Chaos in Hell Delivers Fast and Fiendish Strategy

With easy-to-learn mechanics and its smart mix of turn-based strategy and auto battler gameplay, Guards II: Chaos in Hell offers a fast and satisfying descent into tactical combat that is perfect for both veteran players and those new to the genre.

Save State: Pokemon Champions Brings Competitive Pokemon Battling Online

Save State’s Vincent Mahoney writes this week about Pokemon Champions, a stripped-down but enjoyable online Pokemon battler that makes competitive play more accessible while still leaving room for serious team building.

Circle Empires II Puts a Fresh Spin on RTS Combat

With randomly generated maps, quick-fire strategy battles and a simple but satisfying loop of expansion and conquest, Circle Empires II offers an accessible RTS that still leaves room for smart play, strategic planning and deep customization of a player’s combat forces.