Stan Hogeweg-Editor

Staff Writer

Editor

June, 2020
BA in English from California State University, San Bernardino
Persona, The Legend of Zelda, Dungeons and Dragons
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About Stan Hogeweg

Stan owes their love of turn-based RPGs and all other things gaming to a second-hand Game Boy Advance SP and Wario Land 3. Persona, Zelda, and Pokemon rank among their all-time franchises, but they can be caught playing Dungeons & Dragons on a weekly basis too. Stan has a BA in English from California State University, San Bernardino.

Favorite Games

Persona 5 Royal handily takes the crown in Stan's gaming library, although that love extends to various other RPGs, especially TTRPGs like Dungeons & Dragons 5e. Other winners include The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Horizon Forbidden West, League of Legends, and Pokemon Black and White.

Favorite Console

The PS5 is Stan's most-used console and hub for games right now, although the Switch, 3DS, and Wii all hold special places in their heart as well. Stan also makes frequent use of a custom-built PC.

Industry Focus

Stan handles The Best War Games features throughout the week, with a particular affection for lore dives as well as analysis of stories and characters in gaming. They're always striving to expand their knowledge of Nintendo games and RPGs.

Latest

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Baldur's Gate 3, Dungeons and Dragons' New UA Class Are Two Ships Passing in the Night

Dungeons and Dragons' latest UA class would have fit right into Baldur's Gate 3, but it's sadly clear that the two will never meet.

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Minecraft's Chase the Skies Update is a Match Made in Heaven With an Undersung World Type

Minecraft's Chase the Skies update gives players an all-new way to take flight, which is particularly useful in a somewhat niche world type.

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persona 5 the phantom x preview
Persona 5: The Phantom X Hands-On Preview

The Best War Games recently played about two hours of Persona 5: The Phantom X, a mobile gacha RPG entry in the Persona franchise, releasing on June 26.

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Dungeons and Dragons 2024's Wild Magic Sorcerer is Secretly a Well-Oiled Machine

Dungeons and Dragons 2024's take on the classic Wild Magic Sorcerer still offers unpredictable fun, but a couple changes make it far more consistent.

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How Persona 6 Can Profit Off of Metaphor: ReFantazio's Merchant Archetype

Metaphor: ReFantazio's Merchant Archetype channels classic JRPG vibes with its creative uses for cash, and Persona 6 would be wise to copy it.

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A Fictional Setting for Persona 6 Would Still Need One Core Part of Persona 5's Tokyo

It wouldn't be surprising if Persona 6 takes place in a fictional city unlike its predecessor, but if so, P5's Tokyo needs to leave its mark.

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Metaphor: ReFantazio's Summoner Archetype Could Inspire a Knockout Feature for Persona 6

Metaphor: ReFantazio's Summoner Archetype combines in-world action with Atlus nostalgia in a way that Persona 6 could recapture to great effect.

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League of Legends' Ambessa Sets the Precedent for Another Noxian to Finally Join the Game

Ambessa plays a unique role in League of Legends' Arcane TV show that could help Riot justify adding a famous missing Noxian to the game.

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Persona 6's Rumored Setting Primes it to Follow Persona 5 More Closely Than P3, P4 in One Way

One rumor claims Persona 6 will take place in an art school, and if that's true, odds are its party will imitate the Phantom Thieves in one way.

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Persona 5 Tactica's Story is Unlike Any Other P5 Spinoffs, and That's Great

Not satisfied to simply break mechanical conventions for Phantom Thieves adventures, Persona 5 Tactica also innovates in the story department.

Close up of Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos key art for Dungeons and Dragons featuring two human students and one owlin student
One D&D's New Bastion System Explained

Dungeons and Dragons' One D&D playtest materials have largely focused on classes so far, but a recent document adds a compelling new mechanic.

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How Persona 5 Royal's Very Last Battle Drives Home the Themes of the Franchise

The end of Persona 5 Royal's final boss battle makes great use of that last antagonist to send a message about agency, community, and hope.

Persona 5 Strikers Zenkichi Hasegawa/Wolf closeup in his Phantom Thief attire with revolver raised
Persona 5 Strikers Can't Be Sophia and Zenkichi's Only Vehicle

Persona 5 Strikers is the home of Sophia and Zenkichi Hasegawa, two Phantom Thieves who have a lot left to offer the franchise in other games.

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Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's Story Role for Princess Zelda is a Double Edged Sword

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom does some unique things with Princess Zelda, but she doesn't totally escape an unfortunate pattern.

Key art of Zagreus from Hades and Melinoe from Hades 2
Hades 2: Melinoe Already Seems Like a Big Change From Zagreus in One Way

Hades 2 switches to a new protagonist from deep Greek mythology, and Melinoe already seems like she could differ from Zagreus quite a lot.

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Super Mario Bros. Wonder Can Bump Up Its Replay Value Using a Super Mario 3D World Element

Super Mario Bros. Wonder marks a return to the franchise's classic 2D style, but it can still learn from a great idea that its 3D cousin had.

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Persona 3 Reload's Extra Story Elements Are a Light of Hope for Some Dark Characters

Persona 3 Reload promises to flesh out the player's whole party, which could lead to new story beats for other characters who need attention.

persona 6 jose mementos boss battle
Persona 6: The Case for P5 Royal's Jose to Become a Party Member

Persona 5 Royal's Mementos merchant Jose was both mysterious and rather uninvolved, but Persona 6 can follow up on Jose by making him playable.

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Classic Zelda Enemies That Should Return in Tears Of The Kingdom

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild omitted a lot of famous Zelda enemies, but this year’s upcoming sequel could bring a few of them back.

Persona 5: The Phantom X protagonist Wonder summoning his Persona Janosik
Persona 5: The Phantom X Seems Like a Possible Clue for Atlus' Persona 6 Plans

Although Atlus is taking quite some time to reveal Persona 6, it just announced Persona 5: The Phantom X, which could say a lot about P6.