Mikhail Kazachkin
Все публикации
What to Play on Your Smartphone: Honkai Inspiration, Anime Volleyball Players, Black and White Comfort, Halloween Express, and More
October in the mobile realm turned out to be a month of contrasts: on the one hand, there were high-profile releases, tempting with waifus and large-scale CGI, but disappointing with greedy monetization and barriers for Russian players; on the other hand, there were real finds like interesting and atmospheric indie games or a volleyball simulator, proving that a fresh idea can still break through the stream of gacha and the race for donations.
Top Indie Games of September: Building Nicely, Delivering Funnily, Investigating Gloomily, and More
Many indie games of August seemed to agree on one thing: we need to build. But now, not from a bird's-eye view, but brick by brick, like children playing with a construction set. From cozy villages to Martian logistics hubs, this month is particularly generous with projects where detail is more important than scale. But if you think it all comes down to therapeutic digging and arranging shops, get ready: among the quiet simulators are sharp parkour shooters, dark occult investigations, and even bloody runs with a sword.
Top Indie Games of August: Books, Puzzles, Post-Apocalypse - All Terribly Cute!
Indie developers have declared August the universal month of coziness. It seems they've conspired to wrap players in blankets until next summer. But if you dislike tranquility, don't rush to throw off the blanket - this selection has something else too. Cooperative horror, a "Souls-like in reverse," and Lovecraftian nightmares at a lighthouse will nicely diversify the therapeutic simulators. And we've also found a cozy post-apocalypse. Yes. It exists.
What to Play on Your Smartphone: Destiny in Your Pocket, Penguin Battle Royales, Ninja Action, Vertical Cuphead, and More
August promised to be hot with new shooters, soulful roguelikes, dream races, and battles of chubby penguins. In reality, it turned out as usual: a lot of noise, some disappointments, monetization at its maximum, and a few noteworthy games-including the first mobile Destiny. But Destiny wasn't the only interesting thing about mobile August.
What to Play on Your Smartphone. Smashing Faces, Winning Rhythm Battles, Diving into Consciousness, and More
The middle of summer hasn't brought any major releases to mobile platforms, but there are still interesting projects. Particularly noteworthy is a fighting game in the spirit of Super Smash Bros, the long-awaited port of a famous rhythm game, and several modest but worthy new releases.
Gaming Archive: Cult Games of Today That Were Released in 2005
It has been 20 years since the release of games that revolutionized the industry and became true cult phenomena. Unfortunately, not all of them have survived the test of time: some have remained forever tied to outdated platforms, while others have faded into oblivion due to the indifference of publishers to their own legacy. But there are also those that are still alive - they can and should be played even in 2025. The graphics, of course, will no longer impress, and you shouldn't expect support for modern technologies, but the atmosphere, gameplay, and emotions remain at their best. And all this for a symbolic price.
Chinese Dead End. Review of the ZZZ 2.0 Content Update
Zenless Zone Zero 2.0 has put me in a dead end. HoYoverse's game has to be "criticized", but not for the shortcomings that the developers quickly fix. So what will one of the best mobile action games get a scolding for today? Read about it in this review!
Gaming Archive: Cult Games Released in 1995
Your computer can't handle modern games, and even if it can, you're unlikely to buy new releases for $80? It's time to look to the past - to the timeless classics. In this edition of the Gaming Archive, we recall iconic projects that have turned or passed 30 years old this year. Almost all of them remain playable today - not just technically, but also in terms of enjoyment of the process.
ROG Xbox Ally - Will it work this time? What is known about Microsoft's new portable console
For the Xbox fan community, it's always the first. In reality, it's often the first from the end: in terms of sales, reach, and popularity. And now, years after the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck, the company has finally presented its vision of a portable hybrid console. Late, but perhaps with the potential that others lacked. Ironically, even though it's the last, Microsoft has a chance to create the most popular portable console. Another question is whether they can take advantage of this chance?
Top Indie Games of May: Monsters and Trains, Kingdom and Intrigue, Light and Horror, and More
May's indie games aim to intrigue players primarily with psychological depth, deep narratives, and the consequences of decisions made. However, that's not all. Among the new releases, you can find unrestrained projects with insane shooting, sequels to already cult series, and even classics in a new guise. These projects, of course, lack the polish of AAA games, but believe me, their gameplay is often better.
What to Play in June. Karting for Plumbers, a Brilliant Courier, Fantastic Survival, NEW Football, and More
Summer is traditionally considered a "dead season" in the gaming industry - major releases are usually saved for the fall. But this summer is an exception. The Switch 2 with the long-awaited Mario Kart is hitting the shelves, and among the releases are: a sequel to courier deliveries from the "genius" Hideo Kojima, a football simulator that challenged EA Sports, as well as a domestic tactical strategy. These projects can already claim the title of "game of the year" in their genres. At the same time, even less high-profile releases promise to pleasantly surprise players.
What to play on your smartphone. Card hits of the past and future, anniversary escape room with cake, and more
May turned out to be a fruitful month for card games on smartphones. But it's not just roguelikes that please the eye - this month saw the release of atmospheric quests, cute puzzles, and even serious dark RPGs. And also - projects that are difficult to call serious, but that's what makes them special.
Old Mechanics on New Rakes. A Review of Commandos: Origins
The revival of the cult Commandos series in the form of the Origins prequel raised many expectations among fans of tactical stealth games. However, the new game from Claymore Game Studios, despite all the efforts of the developers, turned out to be a controversial project, combining both the advantages of the classic series and serious problems of modern games. Let's figure out what it has more of - nostalgia or disappointment.
What to play on your smartphone. Special forces against special forces, mechs against aliens, players against the apocalypse and more
April on mobile is a battle of giants and quiet indie projects. While large studios overwhelm us with "survival games" and action games with millions of downloads, indie developers stubbornly make point-and-click games. So choose: download top titles or tap on pixelated objects in search of hidden meanings.
The DNA of the Industry's Main Shooter. Why DOOM Captured Minds and Is Still Loved by Gamers
On May 15th, a new installment of DOOM with the subtitle The Dark Ages is being released. We decided to recall and analyze the DNA of the entire series in an unusual format - where it started, where it has reached today, and why it still remains the main shooter in the entire gaming industry.
Top Indie Games of March: Jungles in the City, a Cat in a Warehouse, a Boat at Sea, Psychedelia in Rhythm, and More
While some indie developers try to scare you by stuffing you into dark basements with monsters, others wrap you in a blanket and place a ficus nearby. But both attract cats. Modern indie gaming is either meditation with a dancing squirrel or extreme sports with an overheating spear. Want to clean the ocean of garbage? Please do. Dreamed of musical battles in psychedelic hell? That exists too. The main thing is, you won't be bored.
Top Indie Games of February: Hardcore Rhythms, Deep Pits, Monastery Ale, and Ghost Hunting
February's indie scene continues to surprise with its variety of genres and unconventional concepts: from rhythm roguelikes with captivating musical battles to leisurely automotive adventures in pixelated aesthetics. Players can fight monsters to the accompaniment of electronic tracks, go on a treasure hunt right in their own backyard, or try to expose urban legends, taking on the role of a psychic detective. Who would have thought that managing a monastery brewery or digging a hole in the garden could become an exciting pastime?
What to play in February. Melee in Bohemia, Civilization showdowns, Yakuza pirates, wild Monsters and more
Regarding the games of February this year, we have two news: good and bad. Let's start with the sad news - there are not many major releases. The good news is that a major release from a mega-popular franchise will be released every week! Fans of the indie scene and B-projects will either have to jump on the hype train or wait for the next, March, lineup.
What to Play on Your Smartphone. Funny Petya and the Wolf, Sad Cyberpunks, Fighting Schoolchildren, Automatic Chess, and More
January flew by unnoticed, leaving behind a whole host of new mobile games. Among them, two domestic projects stand out, strikingly different from each other: do you want to enter the world of children's adventures or a cyberpunk dystopia? Or maybe you prefer dynamic online battles and meditative puzzles from Western developers? We have them!
Top Indie Games of December. Our Alien, Watercolor Cats, Spacecraft Repair, and More
December turned out to be rich in interesting indie platformers. Moreover, platformers for every taste. Here our Alien crawls along the walls of the laboratory, and a watercolor cat embarks on an adventure, accompanied by a "masterpiece in the world of platformers" and a symphonic platformer. In general, lovers of classic games have plenty to choose from. And not only among classic platformers. How about a classic role-playing game or an adventure game? Only the space roguelike spacecraft repair simulator falls out of the December trend of modernizing classics.
What the Gamer Pays For: Domestic Developers Reveal the Secrets of Game Pricing
What determines the price of a video game? Why do some projects sell for next to nothing, while others cost players a fortune? In this interview, gaming industry experts from Astrum Entertainment reveal the secrets of game pricing. They explained to us what factors influence the final cost of the product, and shared their thoughts on what makes a game truly valuable to players.
Deconstruction of Half-Life 2. Why such games are no longer made 20 years later
20 years have passed since the release of Half-Life 2. In 2004, it seemed that the high bar of quality set by the game was just another milestone on the way to future incredible projects. But it turned out that not only to surpass, but simply to reach such a level is incredibly difficult for developers. Although attempts are being made to create similar games, only a few manage to achieve a similar result. This article is a deconstruction of Half-Life 2.
2014 Games That Can Be Called "Cult Classics" Today. Game Archive
The New Year holidays are approaching, and all the games of 2024 have already been completed? It's time to go back 10 years and choose entertainment to your liking from more than 20 of the best games of 2014. Many of them remain relevant both in terms of gameplay and graphics. Special attention should be paid to games from Ubisoft, which released a number of high-quality projects in 2014 - no publisher was able to release as many cool projects in one year as the French of that "vintage"!
How do developers fight for fair play? Interview with Astrum Entertainment about anti-cheats and cheaters
Cheating is perceived as evil by most players. But, according to some gamers, the reality can be much more complex. We do not seek to dissuade either the former or the latter, but we suggest listening to the opinion of the developers. Perhaps their view on cheats and methods of combating them will allow you to see the problem from a different angle.
What to play in November. Return to Chernobyl, horror from the creator of Silent Hill, metamorphosis of Microsoft Flight Simulator, Aloy in LEGO
This November promises to be unusual in terms of game releases. No major blockbusters are expected, but there will be plenty of quality games for all platforms: a horror game from the creator of Silent Hill, a LEGO version of Horizon from Sony, an updated and improved Microsoft Flight Simulator. This is just what immediately attracts attention, but fans of tactics, strategies, or arcades from Nintendo will also find games to their liking. And, of course, it is worth paying attention to the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2.
What to play on your smartphone. Famous series in a "new way", "cardboard games" in the spirit of MTG and Hearthstone, PC game ports and classic mobile games
September on smartphones pleased players with The Elder Srolls in the spirit of Fallout Shelter, Dragon Quest a la Pokémon, and a new collectible card game inspired by Hearthstone and MTG Arena. In addition, several good PC games have now been released on smartphones, including a fighting game based on Naruto.
What to Play on Your Smartphone. Checking Documents in This World and the Next, a Clumsy Royal Battle, a Cute Adventure, and More
PC games are increasingly getting versions for smartphones, and in August there were quite a few such projects, including such a well-known game as Fall Guys. But all genres are available to smartphone players: from cute adventures to horror games and flight simulators.
She's Still on Fire - Just Don't Get Burned! Genshin Impact Content Update 5.0 Review
"I'm tired of it" - you tell yourself every time, after a couple of months in Genshin Impact. But with the release of another major update, you return to the game. After all, Hoyoverse knows how to make exciting products for all ages and draw you back in - they will find a thread for everyone that is worth pulling.
Gaming Archive: Cult Games of Today That Were Released in 2004
For the cost of one modern AAA game, you can now buy a good collection of cult games that celebrated their 20th anniversary this year. Ironically, they will bring as much pleasure as they did in 2004. Today, we have gathered truly iconic projects in one place - if you are not familiar with some of them, then this is a big omission that needs to be corrected as soon as possible!
Indie Games of April. Apples on Mars, Rebellion in the Kingdom, Brawl in the Forest, and Cozy Adventures of a Hardcore Crab
Brawl in the forest and cozy adventures can coexist if it's a selection of indie studio games released last month. And in these games, you can terraform a distant planet, survive in the Middle Ages, and play a Souls-like with a fun atmosphere of toxic swamps.