Fresh Look: Why AI Efficiency Could Affect the Very Soul of Gaming

Artificial intelligence is being sold as a way to make game development faster and cheaper, but at what cost? Fresh Look columnist Neal Sayatovich explores how the growing push toward AI-driven content creation could undermine creativity and leave players with games that feel efficient but empty.
Fresh Look: Neal Sayatovich’s Early Picks for Gaming in 2026

With 2025 winding down, Fresh Look columnist Neal Sayatovich looks ahead to the upcoming games he’s most excited to play in 2026. From long-awaited sequels and tactical RPGs to surprise racers and delightfully odd simulations, this Fresh Look proves there’s new releases in 2026 for all kinds of gamers.
Fresh Look Levels Up: Neal Builds His First Real Gaming PC

Fresh Look columnist Neal Sayatovich finally takes the plunge into high-powered PC gaming, building his first full desktop rig with help from friends and fellow GiN contributors. The results transformed his favorite games and winter plans, although the shocking price of RAM nearly derailed the whole train.
Fresh Look’s Neal Sayatovich Picks His Top Five Games of the Year

Awards season is here, and Fresh Look columnist Neal Sayatovich is counting down his top five games of the year. These picks come straight from the titles he’s played and reviewed, from surprise hits to new personal favorites.
Fresh Look Examines if the Remasters Rush Is Happening too Quickly

Fresh Look columnist Neal Sayatovich this week enjoys the PlayStation 5 remastered version of Horizon Zero Dawn. He finds a thrilling journey through a vivid landscape, but also a chance to ask if too many titles are being remastered too soon.
From 2012 to Today: Tales of Graces f Still Holds Its Charm

Fresh Look columnist Neal Sayatovich gave his first perfect review score to Tales of Graces f in 2012. This week, he takes a look at Tales of Graces f Remastered to see if that perfect score for the action JRPG still applies in 2025.
Looking Forward to Pocketpair’s New Seeds With Palfarm’s Cozy Spin on Chaos

From the makers of gaming’s most chaotic monster-collecting world, Palworld: Palfarm is an upcoming new spinoff that promises equal parts charm, crafting and mild mayhem.
Fresh Look’s Unplugged Adventures: Literary Trivia, Caveman Speak and App-Powered Play
From literary challenges to one-syllable caveman wordplay, columnist Neal Sayatovich sampled three very different titles with friends. Some sparked instant laughs and others fizzled, but all made for a memorable weekend of offline gaming.
A Fresh Look at Cross-Promotions in Modern Gaming

Beavis and Butthead in Call of Duty? Vegeta running and gunning with John Wick? Fresh Look’s Neal Sayatovich dives into the growing chaos of cross-promotional content in modern gaming, and how it’s eroding what makes each title unique.
Fresh Look: Five Game Studios That Almost Always Get It Right

Everyone has their favorite developers that always seem to deliver the kinds of games they enjoy. For Neal Sayatovich, that means a top five list of studios and publishers, from Hooded Horse to Square Enix, that never miss when it comes to making memorable experiences.
