Tess Smith-Writer

Staff Writer

Writer

June, 2023
PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X
  • 74
    articles
  • 205
    Features

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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

Asuka riding her bike in Tekken 8
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 guitar section of the Fortnite Festival reveal trailer
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.

Erina placing the flag of the rebel corps in p5t
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.

elizabeth and igor in Persona 3 Reload
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.

Nishitani at the ambush in LAD Gaiden
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.

mk1-quan-chi-creating-ermac
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-jin-playing-shakuhachi
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-victor-chevalier-sword
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-reina-throne
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.

lad gaiden majima
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.

lad gaiden kiryu in a burning building
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.

lad-gaiden-shishido
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.

lad gaiden nishitani
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.

a villager hits a rock with an axe
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-scarlet-violet-indigo-disk-piplup-oshawott
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.

rdr2 manmade mutant lab
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-norman-and-harry
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.

rdr-2-van-der-linde-gang-at-camp
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.

mk1-balance-patch-explained
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.

DK Smash Attacking Captain Falcon
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.