Latest articles by Alan Wen
Why Big Hops’ Mario-style movement and Zelda-like world design fall just short of greatness
Inventive, joyful, but frustratingly unstable.
Switch 2’s AAA ambitions face a make-or-break year in 2026
Enough of old ports; all eyes are on how Nintendo's console handles new AAA releases.
Why Big Hops avoids classic 3D platformer clichés to feel genuinely new
Luckshot Games' Chris Wade explains why the team rejected retro-level design (but kept the Zelda influence).
Why Ghibli-inspired Planet of Lana II is "working against" Unity to achieve its unique 2.5D aesthetic
Believability, not just pixel-art beauty, is the key to the sequel’s alien world.
Demon Tides '90s retro design has a surprisingly modern influence
This indie 3D platformer's anime cel-shaded style nods to Nintendo and draws inspiration from Elden Ring.
10 ways 2026 will be a turning point for game design, according to indie devs
From Switch 2 momentum and Steam Machine 2.0, to AI fatigue, GTA 6 shockwaves, and the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 legacy.
This retro-inspired point-and-click game looks like a Rick and Morty cartoon
I love the look of this artist-led game where being awful is half the fun.
The best hidden gem indie games of 2025 you probably missed
Finished Hollow Knight: Silksong? These overlooked games deserve some love.
This 90s-inspired low-poly fighter might be the most inventive game of the year
How Poly Fighter nails the feeling of retro 3D brawlers.
Terminator 2D: No Fate is the '90s-inspired pixel-art game of my dreams
Art director Henk Nieborg is bringing back Arnie with hand-drawn pixel art perfection.
Skate Story’s surreal, glassy visual design is more real than you think
Sam Eng explains the real-world inspirations behind his ambitious indie game.
How Photoshop sparked the design behind this colourful hand-drawn indie game
Constance director Sebastian Drews speaks in awe of hand-drawn animation.
Retro-inspired shooter Birdcage feels like it's 1998 again, right down to purposeful slowdown
Why did this indie dev choose GameMaker's limitations over Unreal Engine 5?
Why I laughed with delight at the sheer visual audacity of Lumines Arise
Enhance's Takashi Ishihara shares insights on making visuals that connect with sound and emotions.
Why indie game Possessor(s) ditches Unreal Engine 5’s latest tools for hand-drawn art
Heart Machine reveals the animation and illustration influences behind its new game.
The most human game I've seen this year looks like it was made in MS Paint
Meredith Gran’s indie journey from Octopus Pie to Perfect Tides.
Indie game Denshattack turns Japan’s iconic train culture into pure pop-art motion
Undercoders' David Jaumandreu on faithfully mashing up Japanese train culture with Jet Set Radio's style.
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls' fusion of anime and comic book visuals blows away the Marvel fighting games of Capcom's past
Hands-on with Arc System Works' stylised Unreal 5 tag fighter at Evo France.
How colour theory from the '90s still defines great JRPGs
Limiting your colours is the secret to great pixel art, reveals Forge of the Fae dev.
There Are No Ghosts At The Grand is a seaside haunted house musical packed with eccentric British characters
Friday Sundae's Anil Glendinning and Dillon Waugh discuss using Unity to create an authentically British setting.
Drifted is like flying a paper plane through Inside's 2.5D dystopian world
Japan-based solo dev Chi Hu tells us about creating atmosphere from the minimalist and abstract.
Why this indie dev built its own game engine to push pixel art further
Neverway ditches Unity to blend cute farming with pixel-art horror.
The unlikely inspiration behind indie game Outbound's cosy art style
How an inspired animated ad led to a creative breakthrough.
