Staff Writer
Writer
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74articles
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205Features
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About Tess Smith
Having worked as a writer, filmmaker and musician, Tess Smith has experience across much of the entertainment industry. As a lifelong gamer, first discovering the wonder of RPGs on her Gameboy Advance, and general fan of nerd culture, Tess now works to share her love for the medium with others. Taking a multimedia approach to media consumption and analysis, she has become an avid lover of video game music. This love has fueled much of her own work in the music space, working as a composer, producer and a vocalist. Tess is also deeply passionate about gaming as a medium for storyelling and is fascinated by the ways the medium can bring people together. Up until this point, much of her work has been in the academic sphere in pursuit of her degrees in Film and Media Studies from Bucknell and Columbia University. Even while working in these spaces, Tess' work focused on nerd culture, having completed pieces on Neon Genesis Evangelion and importance of games journalism in the new media space. She is now excited to share her writing with the world.
Favorite Console
PS4
Favorite Games
Death Stranding, Guilty Gear Strive, Heaven Will Be Mine, Persona 4 Golden, Street Fighter 6, and Yakuza 6.
Industry Focus
Fighting Games and JRPGS
Latest
Tekken 8: Why You Should Consider Maining Asuka Kazama
Tekken 8 has a big roster of 32 characters, but Asuka is the clear choice of main for defensively inclined players and Tekken newcomers.
The Unwritten Rules of Fortnite Festival Explained
New players to the rhythm game genre should follow these unspoken rules to succeed in the new Rock Band-inspired Fortnite Festival mode.
Why Persona 5 Tactica's Erina is the Perfect Blueprint for Persona 6's Mascot
Persona 5 Tactica's Erina is a brave new type of mascot for the series that future mainline entries should take inspiration from.
Why 2026 Would Be the Perfect Year to Release Persona 6
Fans want to play Persona 6 as soon as possible, but several factors make 2026 the best possible time for Atlus to release the long-awaited game.
Like a Dragon Gaiden Leaves the Door Open for Two Villains to Return
Two of Like a Dragon Gaiden's prominent antagonists are abducted by the Daidoji Faction, making their return only a matter of time.
What to Expect From Mortal Kombat 1 DLC Character Quan Chi
Mortal Kombat 1's first Kombat Pack will make Quan Chi playable for the first time since MKX, and he will likely play similarly.
Ghost of Tsushima 2 Has a Clear Path Ahead After the First Game's Ending
Ghost of Tsushima 2 is still awaiting its reveal, but the events and themes the game will likely touch on are already rather obvious.
Tekken 8 New Character Victor Breakdown
Victor Chevalier is one of Tekken 8's new characters, but his move set borrows from some other members of previous Tekken rosters.
Tekken 8 New Character Reina Breakdown
Tekken 8 recently introduced its final new character, Reina, a fast-moving Tadio practitioner with ties to the infamous Mishima family.
Like a Dragon Gaiden Has the Best 'Kiryu-Chan' of the Franchise
Like a Dragon Gaiden brings Kiryu and Majima face to face once more, delivering one of their most sincere and heartfelt moments together.
Like a Dragon Gaiden May Subtly Tease What Type of Cancer Kiryu Has in Infinite Wealth
Like a Dragon Gaiden contains hints about the origins of Kazuma Kiryu's cancer in the upcoming Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Meaning Behind Shishido's Tattoo Explained
Like a Dragon Gaiden introduces players to series newcomer Shishido, whose tattoos embody his traits and role in the game's story.
Like a Dragon Gaiden Continues a Disappointing Trend
The Like a Dragon Franchise has always told enthralling crime dramas, but its handling of race in many of these stories is disappointing.
One Small Feature Could Fix Several Animal Crossing Problems
Animal Crossing: New Horizons innovated on previous entries with plenty of new features, but now it needs some quality-of-life changes.
Pokemon That Will Still be Unavailable on the Switch After Scarlet and Violet's Indigo Disk DLC
Scarlet and Violet's Indigo Disk DLC will bring back all of the previous starter Pokemon, but 10 of the monsters will still be absent from the Switch.
Red Dead Redemption 3 Needs to Pull the Trigger On One Fun RDR2 Easter Egg
Red Dead Redemption 2 includes a spooky monster from another franchise, but RDR3 needs to take this Easter egg to the next level.
Spider-Man 2: What is the G-Serum?
G-Serum has been a part of the Spider-Man franchise for decades, but some newer fans may not be familiar with the villain that it beckons forth.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Characters That Should Return in a Prequel
Red Dead Redemption 2 is filled with a robust cast of characters, many of whom are deserving of an appearance in another prequel.
Mortal Kombat 1's Latest Patch Changes Explained
Mortal Kombat 1's first major balance patch has changed the game in a number of substantial ways that players should be aware of.
How Smash 6 Can Improve Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's Event Tourneys
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was a fantastic celebration of the IP's history, but future entries need to improve on features like Event Tourneys.