George Yang

George is a freelance writer specializing in video games and other entertainment.

Selected Works

The Ringer •

How ‘Call of Duty’ Got Dethroned in 2025

There are very few constants in the video game industry. The decades-long console wars waged by PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo are winding down. Business models are evolving to prioritize subscription services, free-to-play games, and microtransactions. And our gaming libraries are increasingly digital, with physical copies becoming collector’s items. But if there’s one thing that you could always count on amid the upheaval, it was Call of Duty’s overwhelming dominance. That is, until 2025, when the shortcomings of the online shooter’s latest incarnation, combined with a concerted attack by two rival games, conspired to take Call of Duty down.
The Guardian •

Can boba tea be high-protein and tasty? I tested 14 flavors to find out

Americans are obsessed with protein, but they’re not all gulping raw eggs out of a glass like Rocky. The last decade has given us protein bars, shakes, cereal, pancakes, chips, crackers, jerkies. More recently, Asian American entrepreneurs have made their own contribution to this protein bonanza: protein boba tea.Boba tea (or bubble tea, as it’s also called) originated in Taiwan in the 1980s before becoming a phenomenon in the United States in the last decade.
Rolling Stone •

How Hidetaka Miyazaki Made 'Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree,' His Biggest Expansion Yet

Elden Ring was undoubtedly 2022’s Game of the Year, winning numerous awards across different shows and publications. With its dark fantasy atmosphere, punishing combat, and challenging difficulty, players keep coming back for more. It was also developer FromSoftware’s first open-world game, so it needed to have more content than any game that the studio had made before.
Variety •

‘The Boys’ Star Karen Fukuhara Makes Her Video-Game Debut With ‘The Callisto Protocol’

Developed by Striking Distance Studios, “The Callisto Protocol” is a survival horror game set in the Black Iron Prison on one of Jupiter’s moons, Callisto. Players assume the role of an inmate named Jacob Lee, played by “Transformers” and “Shotgun Wedding” star Josh Duhamel. He meets Dani Nakamura, the leader of a resistance group called Outer Way, and together they must uncover the Black Iron Prison’s dark secrets and escape with their lives. Dani is portrayed by “The Boys” star Karen Fukuhara.
Digital Trends •

The Mega Man Battle Network esports scene is thriving in 2023

Imagine that your Nintendo Switch didn’t have the ability to connect online and that the competitive game you’re currently playing only supported local multiplayer. It’s a little hard to picture in 2023, right? That’s what Mega Man Battle Network fans had to deal with during the early 2000s. If you wanted to have a battle with your friend during Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance days, they’d have to be within your immediate vicinity and have a Link Cable available to connect two GBAs.
Complex •

The Live-Action ‘Halo’ Series Delivers High Impact Sci-Fi Storytelling

Taking video game plotlines and adapting them for television has had a shaky past. What kind of story should the series portray? Should it be an exact retelling of the source material? If so, why not just play the game itself? For gamers and television fanatics, it’s important that a new experience is created that’s appropriate for the medium. This challenge is what Paramount+ has taken on with the critically acclaimed Halo series (streaming now on the platform). Taking the iconic Xbox franchise
NPR •

'Shadow Warrior' tries to mend its flawed history with race by recasting its hero

Shadow Warrior 3 is the latest in a series of blood-soaked action games following assassin Lo Wang. It's got plenty of gunplay, sword fights, and fantastical monsters, but for the first time in its 25-year history, it now features an Asian actor to voice its Asian protagonist. For years, Lo Wang was played by Jason Liebrecht, a white man, but for this title, publisher Devolver Digital and developer Flying Wild Hog tapped Hollywood actor Mike Moh for a more authentic cultural portrayal.
IGN •

Why Japanese Games Are Increasingly Releasing at the Same Time Across The Globe

Since time immemorial, Japanese video games have followed a typical release schedule. Launch in Japan first, followed by a localized release for other countries a few months, or even years, later. But this trend shifted dramatically in 2021. Many high-profile Japanese games such as Tales of Arise, Shin Megami Tensei V, and both Monster Hunter Rise and Monster Hunter Stories 2 have been launched day-and-date worldwide.

So, what has changed? A simultaneous global ship date allows Japanese games t
The Verge •

‘The little handheld that could’: examining the Vita’s impact a decade later

Christian Phillips still remembers the most jaw-dropping moment he experienced on the PlayStation Vita — and it was something that was never actually released.

Phillips, a former senior director at Sony, describes a tech demo that ultimately led to the PS4 game Days Gone. Sometime after shipping Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Bend Studio showed leadership the Vita tech demo that was similar to the famous Jerusalem scene in the movie World War Z.

The demo had a scene with a horde of zombies scramblin
Wired •

Orientalism, 'Cyberpunk 2077,' and Yellow Peril in Science Fiction

2020 has been one of the most tumultuous years in recent memory, but at least, in a few days, the most anticipated game of the year will come out. That game, Cyberpunk 2077, has already drawn both praise and criticism, but one of those criticisms is of how it handles different cultures—especially Asian culture, which is inextricably tied to the cyberpunk genre.

The Origins of the Cyberpunk Genre

The origins of the cyberpunk genre involve Western anxieties about the East. Techno-orientalism is
Washington Post •

How some savvy fans are preserving the PS3’s multiplayer games

It wasn’t hard to understand why players reached this conclusion. Although “Mercenary’s” servers eventually came back online (the reason for the shutdown is still unknown) Sony has earned a reputation over the past several years for unceremoniously shutting down multiplayer service for its first party franchises. In October, Sony announced that it was updating the PlayStation Network webstore to only feature PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 titles for purchase, effectively locking away PS3, PS Vi
Polygon •

The personal experiences that Lev and Yara’s actors brought to The Last of Us Part 2

Share All sharing options for: The personal experiences that Lev and Yara’s actors brought to The Last of Us Part 2

Both Ian Alexander and Victoria Grace had never worked on a video game before, and neither had any prior experience with performance capture. However, in a recent interview with Polygon, both agreed that playing the Seraphite siblings in The Last of Us Part II was one of the most transformative experiences they ever had.

Alexander plays Lev, a former member of the in-game extremi

Latest Work

Forbes •

‘Vampire Crawlers’ PC Review: Lightning Strikes Twice

I was curious to see how developer poncle would follow up its 2022 hit, Vampire Survivors. It was a fresh take on the auto-hit mechanic to create an experience that kept me obsessed. To everyone’s surprise, poncle and Nosebleed Interactive created a spin-off deck-building dungeon crawler that’s just as fantastic. Even in a hugely crowded genre, Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors (what a mouthful) manages to translate Vampire Survivors’ unique gameplay mechanics to make it stand out.
Mashable •

Review: 'Marathon' is a rewarding, slow burn of a game

Bungie is a world-class studio making some of the best first-person shooters in the world. In my initial hand-on piece on Marathon, I said the gunplay was impressive and the art direction enticing, but after fully playing through this title, I'm even more impressed — and that's no surprise.

From Halo all the way to Destiny, Bungie has a record of hits. For Marathon, the company brought back one of its older franchises to add to its shooter repertoire. It’s Bungie at its best and shows why the developer is still a top player in the video game space. From its incredible gunplay, level design, art direction, and soundscapes, there’s nothing quite like Marathon.
MMORPG.com •

Saros Review: Returnal but Make it Yellow

2021’s Returnal was a fantastic evolution of the shoot ‘em up genre, combining roguelike gameplay with AAA polish to create truly mesmerizing gunplay. The story was fantastic too, showing protagonist Selene trying to escape a planet in an unending loop while confronting trauma. Saros is very much in the same vein. It’s much smoother to play, thanks to developer Housemarque iterating on previous mechanics, but suffers from an underwhelming story that doesn’t shine as bright as its spiritual predecessor.
Crunchyroll •

Orbitals is a Video Game Love Letter to Retro ‘80s and ‘90s Anime

Orbitals is a co-op adventure game that follows two young space explorers named Maki and Omura as they go on an intergalactic adventure to save their home. Its art direction is inspired by 1980s and ‘90s anime, emphasizing hand drawn animations and thick lines. It’s a striking visual style that helps it stand out amongst other anime-inspired games. Orbitals is also a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive and is set to launch later in 2026.

I sat down with Orbitals developer Shapefarm to play one hour of the game, as well as speak with the studio about its artistic process, how it’s making its colorful debut with an original IP, and its stance on how modern technology impacts development.
MMORPG.com •

Interview: Double Fine's Kiln Feels Surprisingly Like A MOBA

Double Fine Productions has always been a studio creating odd games. It’s best known for Psychonauts, an excellent platformer that’s surprisingly one of the studio’s more straightforward games. Since then, Double Fine has created some weirdly charming adventures like Costume Quest, Massive Chalice, and Rad. Last year’s Keeper was the studio’s most abstract game yet, following a walking lighthouse and a bird as they travel through a surrealist post-apocalyptic environment. It also featured no spoken dialogue, instead using visual indicators to convey emotion and gameplay.
Anime News Network •

OPUS: Prism Peak Video Game Review

Developer Sigono creates emotionally moving story games through the OPUS series, a collection of standalone adventures that touch upon topics such as grief, love, and growing up. OPUS: Prism Peak starts off showcasing Eugene's childhood and his love for photography before jumping to the present. He's now a 40-year old man who's essentially lost everything: his job, his wife, his money, and now even his camera, as he pawned it off to pay off some debts.
Roger Ebert •

Capcom's "Pragmata" is the Next Great Dad Game

“The Last of Us,” “BioShock Infinite,” and “God of War Ragnarok”. What do they all have in common? Their stories center around a central father figure protecting a young companion, whether it’d be a son, daughter, or an important character they come across. It’s a popular trope that works both narratively and gameplay-wise. You play as one character while your companion tags along with you, helping out in some fashion.

Capcom’s “Pragmata” is joining that fold, but with a compelling sci-fi setting, as well as touching character moments and engaging gameplay that makes it one of the best games of 2026 so far.
IGN •

Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection Review

When I was in 7th grade, I thought Mega Man Star Force’s themes about friendship and brotherhood were profound. Its villains were cartoonishly evil, spouting lines like, “who needs friendship when you have power?” I ate all of that up! Playing through the Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection almost 20 years later, I now couldn’t help but wince at the cringy dialogue. That’s not a shock given this Nintendo DS series was tailormade for kids like me back then, but it was still fun to get a chance to reexamine these games on a deeper level two decades on. And when taken as a whole, Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection has a still-poignant story arc about gaining confidence through camaraderie packed alongside exciting card battling, newly restored content, and welcome quality-of-life improvements.
MMORPG.com •

Hands-On Preview: Waiting 6 Years for Pragmata Was Worth It

When Pragmata was announced back in 2020, it became one of my most anticipated games. It was initially slated for a 2022 release, but it kept getting delayed, eventually landing on a 2026 release. Pragmata’s unique blend of real-time puzzle solving and shooting mechanics drew me in, while the father-daughter-like relationship between the two main characters, Diana and Hugh, kept me engaged for the long-term.
Crunchyroll •

The Team Behind Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection on How the New Game Came to Be

The Monster Hunter Stories series has been a wonderful spin-off of the mainline Monster Hunter adventures. Instead of real-time action, Monster Hunter Stories takes a more traditional Japanese RPG route with a Pokemon-style collectathon angle that rivals even Nintendo’s iconic franchise. Additionally, it opts for a turn-based battle system instead of real-time action, further establishing its own identity from the main games.
Crunchyroll •

The Team Behind Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake on What to Expect From the Game

The Fatal Frame franchise has seen a resurgence lately with recent remasters of its fourth and fifth entries, Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse and Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water.

However, this time around Koei Tecmo has opted to give the arguably best entry in the series, Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly, the full remake treatment. With overhauled visuals, more intense combat, and new content, Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake seeks to take the series into the modern age. It’s one of the most unique Japanese horror franchises out there, and Koei Tecmo is hoping this remake will bring in some new fans.
Fangoria •

FATAL FRAME II: CRIMSON BUTTERFLY Is A Tantalizing Horror Game With One Fatal Flaw

Fatal Frame has always been one of the most underrated horror franchises in gaming. Its classic Japanese style horror made it stand out amongst Capcom’s Resident Evil and Konami’s Silent Hill franchises. 2002’s Fatal Frame II: The Crimson Butterfly is regarded as the best entry in the series, and one of the best horror games on the PlayStation 2.
​
With developers Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo remastering Fatal Frame’s most recent entries, they decided to give Crimson Butterfly the full remake treatment. This Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly remake succeeds in creating a horrifyingly scary game, but its new emphasis on combat isn’t picture-perfect.
Forbes •

‘Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection’ Review: A Grand Adventure

Monster Hunter Stories is a turn-based spinoff of the action adventure series Monster Hunter. It follows more of a traditional Japanese RPG template like Final Fantasy or Persona, but with a creature collecting twist along the likes of Pokemon. It also trades a realistic art style for a more stylized one, befitting its usual themes of friendship and companionship.

But don’t let this more cutesy direction fool you. This latest entry has a surprisingly mature story with a likable cast of characters. The turn-based combat has been further refined with more cinematic moments than ever before. As a result, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is one of the best RPGs you’ll play in 2026.
Load More