Kyle Hilliard
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Writing For
Game Informer 
GameSpot 
IGN Latest Reviews
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 ...
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 drops you into its melancholy world with a refreshing lack of context. While the game is undeniably a fantasy RPG (with a smattering of science fiction), it blessedly does not begin with scrolling text explaining its universe. It may be confusing at first, but the trade-off is a fantastic opening few hours that establish the stakes quickly, get you fighting right away, and immediately set up a compelling mystery. In a genre known for slow starts, Clair Obscur steps...
Developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (RGG) have committed to a breakneck pace for its Like a Dragon series since it finally began to find its global audience and the results have been consistently impressive. Upon reveal, it seemed Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii might be a smaller sidequest taking place alongside the primary franchise. That is generally true (don’t expect any gigantic character or story revelations), but protagonist Goro Majima’s adventure is deeper and denser than I ex...
Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Wii is one of the best 2D platformers of the past 20 years. It’s a hyperbolic statement I would typically avoid in a review, but revisiting the game on Switch and years of reflection have given me the confidence to commit. The Switch transition does have some downsides making it a somewhat underwhelming port of a fantastic game, but it doesn’t change the fact that Returns is a classic and I am glad I no longer have to break out a Wii Remote and Nunchuck...
For the first time since The Legend of Zelda’s inception in 1986, the series’ namesake is finally the playable protagonist. Echoes of Wisdom is not a spin-off or a non-canon entry in the ongoing legend but rather a proper Zelda game filled with dungeons and puzzles. Getting to explore a version of Hyrule as Zelda is overdue, and efforts have been made to make sure it retains the feeling of a Zelda game, while undeniably trying something new. Echoes lacks the scale and grandeur of previous...