Kyle Hilliard
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Writing For
Game Informer 
GameSpot 
IGN Latest Reviews
Working your way through lists in a video game can be incredibly satisfying. Whether it’s collecting items or completing missions, there is just something enticing about listing out your plans and marking them as complete one by one. Ghost of Yōtei understands this intimately and capitalizes on it by starting with protagonist Atsu literally writing out her hit list of the six men who took everything from her. You even use the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller’s touchpad to write out the...
Despite nearly sharing its name with a joyful Mario squid enemy, developer Bloober Team makes horror games almost exclusively, but its track record is spotty. Its last game, however, the 2024 remake of Silent Hill 2, was met with nearly universal acclaim. The positivity surrounding that game inspired confidence in Cronos: The New Dawn, and while there are some clear lessons the team has taken away from its time in foggy scary town, Bloober’s time-travel horror game is not without its pain p...
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is a PlayStation 2 classic in a way not many games from that era are. Few games from that generation continue to hold up graphically, narratively, and remain fun to play. Metal Gear Solid 3 is still impressive to look at and play, even in 2025, which is a testament to Hideo Kojima and the team that created and released it in 2004. I never thought it needed a remake, but now that it’s here, I’m not sure I will ever be able to go back to the original versions.
Getting your hands on Drag x Drive for the first time, the instinct is to make fun of its absurd control scheme. Essentially gliding two mice around to move and pantomiming the act of shooting a basketball to score is admittedly not the primary way any logical person would imagine playing a wheelchair basketball video game. But if you give it a little time and move past those initial skepticisms, what you find is a game that is surprisingly functional and is unique. Ultimately, however, it's ...
Developer Giant Squid was born from members of the team that created 2012’s Journey. Giant Squid founder and Sword of the Sea’s director, Matt Nava, is credited as Journey’s art director, but frankly, you could have guessed that just from looking at the screenshots at the top of this page. This is Giant Squid’s third game, but it is arguably the one that feels the most indebted to Journey – and that’s a compliment. It certainly has its own distinct vibe, story, and, as you progres...
Super Mario Party Jamboree released for Switch late last year to a generally positive reception, and for good reason. The unavoidable frustrations of the typical Mario Party game still exist in Jamboree (it can feel slow and unfair and isn’t particularly fun to play alone), but lots of smart decisions set it apart from the Parties that preceded it. All those good things still exist in the Switch 2 edition of the game, but the additions, though novel, are mostly underwhelming and don’t aut...
Mario may be the most important platformer in Nintendo’s gameography, but depending on your generation (mine, specifically), Donkey Kong represents a very, very close second. Maybe even a first, depending on my mood that day. Rare’s Donkey Kong Country games are formative video game experiences for me, and Retro’s Returns and Tropical Freeze games are some of the best 2D platformers ever made. Donkey Kong has, however, often been a franchise farmed out to talented developers outside of ...
Kojima Productions has proven it is good at sequels. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was an incredibly impactful game that remains my favorite from director Hideo Kojima and his team. As a result, I went into Death Stranding 2: On the Beach with high expectations. Continuing the story in this fascinating world while iterating on the delivery mechanics of the first game seemed like an inevitable recipe for success. Mechanically, the sequel is absolutely an upgrade over the first. Improved ...
At reveal, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour seemed like a charming way to learn about the tech of the Switch 2. A lovely journey through the hardware that would feature some fun tech demos and minigames to show you what your new system could do. And then, like many others, I was shocked to learn that it would not be installed on every Switch 2, but would instead be sold as a separate game. After spending a substantial amount of time with it, I understand why Nintendo is treating it as a premium...
Blades of Fire developer MercurySteam has a fascinating trajectory. Amidst excellent releases in the Castlevania and Metroid franchises, MercurySteam interrupted its strong run with a few disappointing releases. All of that is to say, its output has been inconsistent. Blades of Fire, sadly, falls on the lower end of the spectrum of its games, but it is not completely without merit. Excellent art direction, technical proficiency, impressive animation, and a unique combat system are all in its ...