Nick Rodriguez-Contributor

Staff Writer

Contributor

August, 2023
Bachelor's Degree in Creative Writing, University of Illinois
Action RPG, From Software, Mass Effect
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About Nick Rodriguez

Nick is a freelance writer from Chicago, IL, with a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His lifelong belief in the artistic power of video games led him to contribute to The Best War Games and Screen Rant, platforms where he has managed to share helpful news content, thoughtful opinion pieces, and more than a few hot takes.

While he believes all gaming genres and categories have worth, Nick's interests lie primarily in the realm of single-player experiences, with hand-crafted stories, tight and challenging gameplay, and emotive, unique visual and audio design. On the industry side of things, he is committed to supporting creators, identifying and criticizing exploitation, and combating negativity and toxicity.

Aside from gaming, he enjoys long-distance running, reading, contributing to his blog, working on his Honda CX650C, writing fiction, and having a beer or two.

Favorite Games

- Bloodborne
- Disco Elysium
- Death Stranding
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Mass Effect 2
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Dead Space
- Signalis
- Hades
- BioShock
- Super Mario Galaxy
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Industry Focus

A bit of everything, but with a particular affinity for indie games, industry news, gaming events, and new technology.

Favorite Console

Easy win for the PS2.

Latest

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Why Uncharted 5 Should Take 007 First Light’s Route

007 First Light is taking a smart approach to reintroducing its iconic lead, and Uncharted 5 could play a similar trick, whenever it arrives.

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How Donkey Kong Bananza's Review Scores Compare to Other DK Games

Donkey Kong Bananza is getting rave reviews, but how does it stack up against other entries in the long-running Nintendo series?

Animal Crossing Kangaroo Baby and Parent
The Next Animal Crossing Game Should Give Villagers The Sims 4 Treatment

It's hard to know what the next Animal Crossing game will look like, but it should consider taking some inspiration from The Sims.

9
Starfield Rog Xbox Ally
The Rog Xbox Ally Can Fix One of Starfield's Strangest Shortcomings

Starfield is still missing one major feature, but Xbox's foray into handheld gaming via the new Rog Ally could remedy this shortcoming.

Donkey Kong Bananza Action Shot
Nintendo's Rumored July 2025 Direct Has a Lot of Ground to Cover

There have been rumors about a new Nintendo Direct this month, and it would be the perfect opportunity for Nintendo to bring out the big guns.

Silent Hill 2 James Sunderland Intro Fog
Silent Hill: First Impressions Will Be Everything For Bloober's Next Remake

Bloober Team is remaking the first Silent Hill, though this project will require a particularly unique design and writing approach.

PlayStation Plus Logo Night in the Woods
5 PS Plus Games to Play This Week (July 14-20)

If you've got a PlayStation Plus subscription and are looking for something to fill the mid-summer slump, then these games might be perfect for you.

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One Part of God of War 6 Would Be a Logical Progression, But It's Not a Good Thing

The God of War series is on the verge of establishing a narrative pattern, which might not be for the best come the next entry.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Miles Morales Doctor Strange Mission
Even Though Marvel's Spider-Man 3 is Years Away, Its Version of SM2's Doctor Strange Mission is Already Clear

Although Marvel's Spider-Man 3 is still a bit far out, it's clear Insomniac has at least two ways to top Spider-Man 2's Doctor Strange setpiece.

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Borderlands 2 Handsome Jack
Borderlands' Handsome Jack and Other Villains Who Almost Derailed Their Franchises

Handsome Jack set an unbelievably high bar for the Borderlands franchise, but he's not the only video game villain to pose this issue.

Nintendo Switch 2 PlayStation Logo
Some PlayStation Classics Just Came to Nintendo Switch, and They Could Spark a Chain Reaction

Some cult classic Sony games have recently made the jump to Nintendo Switch, and there should be some more PlayStation classics waiting in the wings.

Grand Theft Auto 4 Niko Bellic
Grand Theft Auto Fans May Want to Keep Their Expectations in Check Regarding This GTA 4 Rumor

Rumors have emerged about a big next step for Grand Theft Auto 4, but fans of the series should hear these murmurs with caution.

1
gta-cheat-tier-list-game-rant
GTA 5 Cheats Tier List

Like its predecessors, Grand Theft Auto 5 has a slew of cheat codes that alter gameplay, but some are a bit more useful and interesting than others.

Overwatch Watch Cyberpunk Not Rivals
Overwatch Should be Watching Cyberpunk 2077, Not Marvel Rivals

Overwatch is in a heated competition with fellow hero shooter Marvel Rivals, but it'd be better off emulating some Cyberpunk 2077's moves instead.

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Cyberpunk 2077’s Stars Are Aligning Ahead of Patch 2.3

Cyberpunk 2077's 2.3 update is well on its way, and it's getting set up to be a perfect lay-up thanks to some external factors.

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Starfield Key Art Cyberpunk 2077 Male V
It's Clear Starfield Won't Be the Next Cyberpunk 2077

Starfield's ongoing improvement has been likened to Cyberpunk 2077's, but the two games actually couldn't be any more different in this regard.

9
Mass Effect 2 Tali
Mass Effect 4 Should Learn a Valuable Lesson from Mass Effect 1's Tali Romance

Mass Effect 4 will almost definitely feature romance of some kind, and it will hopefully avoid the same pitfalls that victimized Mass Effect 1.

2
Death Stranding 2 Norman Reedus Close Shot
Norman Reedus is Having a Major Gaming Moment

Norman Reedus has had a long career in Hollywood, but his work in the world of video game acting has been heating up recently.

No Man's Sky Starfield Planet
Starfield Players Bored of Waiting for New Content Should Dive Headfirst Into This Nine-Year-Old Gem

Starfield players looking for something new ought to check out another highly touted game, which offers a variety of similar features and mechanics.

Anthem Player Character
Anthem Fans Likely Won't Get Their Big Wish, But They Can Still Look Forward to One Thing

Anthem is finally nearing the end of its life, but those who lament the game's imminent shutdown might have something else to look forward to.

1