Sidequest
@sidequestzone.bsky.social
The earnest yet somewhat creepy gaming site you didn’t know you were looking for. Pitch us at editors@sidequest.zone and enter THE SIDEQUEST ZONE.
"Moving through the game as Morgan, I was confronted by my old self time and time again—their dreams, their fears, their desires, all of which were automatically assumed to be perfectly analogous with my new self." — C. C. Rayne
sidequest.zone/2025/11/03/w...
sidequest.zone/2025/11/03/w...
Who Are Yu?: Prey and The Power of Self-Determination - Sidequest
C. C. Rayne examines themes of monstrosity, identity, and gender in Prey, and the impact of their relationship with protagonist Morgan Yu.
sidequest.zone
December 12, 2025 at 11:35 AM
"Moving through the game as Morgan, I was confronted by my old self time and time again—their dreams, their fears, their desires, all of which were automatically assumed to be perfectly analogous with my new self." — C. C. Rayne
sidequest.zone/2025/11/03/w...
sidequest.zone/2025/11/03/w...
"The game’s namesake isn’t just a cute reference to Bloodborne—the game implicitly invokes a connection to dreams. As in Bloodborne, we travel through dream and physical worlds that affect one another." — Cress
Read more in REVIEW: Wake Up, Mudborne: sidequest.zone/2025/11/24/r...
Read more in REVIEW: Wake Up, Mudborne: sidequest.zone/2025/11/24/r...
REVIEW: Wake Up, Mudborne - Sidequest
Cress reviews TNgineers' Mudborne, a casual frog management simulator in which players breed and discover frogs.
sidequest.zone
November 26, 2025 at 3:31 PM
"The game’s namesake isn’t just a cute reference to Bloodborne—the game implicitly invokes a connection to dreams. As in Bloodborne, we travel through dream and physical worlds that affect one another." — Cress
Read more in REVIEW: Wake Up, Mudborne: sidequest.zone/2025/11/24/r...
Read more in REVIEW: Wake Up, Mudborne: sidequest.zone/2025/11/24/r...
"I bring these to you, along with a pretentiousness rating (which, importantly, is not a rating of quality) to help sell you on the value of art that rankles and irritates and maybe makes you feel a bit stupid."
Read more in Pretentious Game Jam is Authentically Good: sidequest.zone/2025/10/20/p...
Read more in Pretentious Game Jam is Authentically Good: sidequest.zone/2025/10/20/p...
November 26, 2025 at 11:35 AM
"I bring these to you, along with a pretentiousness rating (which, importantly, is not a rating of quality) to help sell you on the value of art that rankles and irritates and maybe makes you feel a bit stupid."
Read more in Pretentious Game Jam is Authentically Good: sidequest.zone/2025/10/20/p...
Read more in Pretentious Game Jam is Authentically Good: sidequest.zone/2025/10/20/p...
DID YOU KNOW that Sidequest has a zine compiling some of our favorite pieces from the first decade (ish) of our existence? For just $5, you can get a beautifully designed example of some of the pieces we think best showcase our whole "thing."
Check it out: sidequestzone.itch.io/decade
Check it out: sidequestzone.itch.io/decade
A "Decade" of Sidequest by Sidequest
A Collection of Games Lit, Crit, and Wit from Launch to Present
sidequestzone.itch.io
November 24, 2025 at 11:35 AM
DID YOU KNOW that Sidequest has a zine compiling some of our favorite pieces from the first decade (ish) of our existence? For just $5, you can get a beautifully designed example of some of the pieces we think best showcase our whole "thing."
Check it out: sidequestzone.itch.io/decade
Check it out: sidequestzone.itch.io/decade
In this month's (not so) cosy gaming news, EA is sold for $55bn to conservative investors, plus upcoming indie games to stay alive for.
Read more in GYGO Cosy: The Sims Publisher EA Bought For $55 Billion By Conservative Private Investors: sidequest.zone/2025/11/12/g...
Read more in GYGO Cosy: The Sims Publisher EA Bought For $55 Billion By Conservative Private Investors: sidequest.zone/2025/11/12/g...
GYGO Cosy: The Sims Publisher EA Bought For $55 Billion By Conservative Private Investors - Sidequest
In this month's (not so) cosy gaming news, EA is sold for $55bn to conservative investors, plus upcoming indie games to stay alive for.
sidequest.zone
November 22, 2025 at 11:35 AM
In this month's (not so) cosy gaming news, EA is sold for $55bn to conservative investors, plus upcoming indie games to stay alive for.
Read more in GYGO Cosy: The Sims Publisher EA Bought For $55 Billion By Conservative Private Investors: sidequest.zone/2025/11/12/g...
Read more in GYGO Cosy: The Sims Publisher EA Bought For $55 Billion By Conservative Private Investors: sidequest.zone/2025/11/12/g...
Reposted by Sidequest
I had the pleasure of writing about one of my all-time favorite video games for Sidequest - a game that shaped how I view narratives, characters, and consequences, and taught me quite a bit about myself in the process to boot. Please enjoy! ☄️👽💉
"But [the past] is out of your hands; it happens before the gameplay ever starts. The only thing you actually control is what you will do moving forwards—and these choices set up who you want your Morgan Yu to be." — C. C. Rayne
Read more: sidequest.zone/2025/11/03/w...
Read more: sidequest.zone/2025/11/03/w...
Who Are Yu?: Prey and The Power of Self-Determination - Sidequest
C. C. Rayne examines themes of monstrosity, identity, and gender in Prey, and the impact of their relationship with protagonist Morgan Yu.
sidequest.zone
November 11, 2025 at 10:33 PM
I had the pleasure of writing about one of my all-time favorite video games for Sidequest - a game that shaped how I view narratives, characters, and consequences, and taught me quite a bit about myself in the process to boot. Please enjoy! ☄️👽💉
"When I engage with art that holds sincerity at arm’s length, including through ironic detachment, I feel a bit sad. Why are you afraid to say what you want to say?" — Melissa Brinks
Read more in Pretentious Game Jam is Authentically Good: sidequest.zone/2025/10/20/p...
Read more in Pretentious Game Jam is Authentically Good: sidequest.zone/2025/10/20/p...
Pretentious Game Jam is Authentically Good - Sidequest
Put on your black turtlenecks and thickest-rimmed glasses to take a look at Pretentious Jam with Sidequest editor in chief, Melissa Brinks.
sidequest.zone
November 8, 2025 at 11:35 AM
"When I engage with art that holds sincerity at arm’s length, including through ironic detachment, I feel a bit sad. Why are you afraid to say what you want to say?" — Melissa Brinks
Read more in Pretentious Game Jam is Authentically Good: sidequest.zone/2025/10/20/p...
Read more in Pretentious Game Jam is Authentically Good: sidequest.zone/2025/10/20/p...
"But [the past] is out of your hands; it happens before the gameplay ever starts. The only thing you actually control is what you will do moving forwards—and these choices set up who you want your Morgan Yu to be." — C. C. Rayne
Read more: sidequest.zone/2025/11/03/w...
Read more: sidequest.zone/2025/11/03/w...
Who Are Yu?: Prey and The Power of Self-Determination - Sidequest
C. C. Rayne examines themes of monstrosity, identity, and gender in Prey, and the impact of their relationship with protagonist Morgan Yu.
sidequest.zone
November 7, 2025 at 11:35 AM
"But [the past] is out of your hands; it happens before the gameplay ever starts. The only thing you actually control is what you will do moving forwards—and these choices set up who you want your Morgan Yu to be." — C. C. Rayne
Read more: sidequest.zone/2025/11/03/w...
Read more: sidequest.zone/2025/11/03/w...
"χ suggested they could tag along, with Gin seeming hesitant to that idea. Noting this, I promised a future hangout with everyone and waved bye. Gin shyly pulled his hat down, wondering if he was acting too girly by wanting to hang out with me one on one."
sidequest.zone/2025/10/28/c...
sidequest.zone/2025/10/28/c...
Caligula Effect 2: My Body is Filled with Regret - Sidequest
In The Caligula Effect 2, Gin's second chance at self-expression in Redo gives Cress—and all of us—the opportunity to reflect on who we are.
sidequest.zone
October 30, 2025 at 11:35 AM
"χ suggested they could tag along, with Gin seeming hesitant to that idea. Noting this, I promised a future hangout with everyone and waved bye. Gin shyly pulled his hat down, wondering if he was acting too girly by wanting to hang out with me one on one."
sidequest.zone/2025/10/28/c...
sidequest.zone/2025/10/28/c...
"Gaming’s my favourite thing to do when flaring up because it’s less passive than watching TV or listening to podcasts, which lets me feel like I’m “doing” something when I physically can’t do anything."
Read more: sidequest.zone/2022/01/17/6...
Read more: sidequest.zone/2022/01/17/6...
6 Video Games to Play During a Chronic Illness Flare - Sidequest
These games are light and cozy, perfect for fun and distraction when you're experiencing a chronic illness or chronic pain flare.
sidequest.zone
October 28, 2025 at 11:35 AM
"Gaming’s my favourite thing to do when flaring up because it’s less passive than watching TV or listening to podcasts, which lets me feel like I’m “doing” something when I physically can’t do anything."
Read more: sidequest.zone/2022/01/17/6...
Read more: sidequest.zone/2022/01/17/6...
"In honor of spooky season, dust off your haunted CRT monitor and plug into these short but chilling retro-inspired indie horror games." — Kathryn Hemmann
Read more from Kathryn Hemmann in "Eight Free Retro Horror Games on Itch.io" — sidequest.zone/2025/10/15/r...
Read more from Kathryn Hemmann in "Eight Free Retro Horror Games on Itch.io" — sidequest.zone/2025/10/15/r...
October 25, 2025 at 10:35 AM
"In honor of spooky season, dust off your haunted CRT monitor and plug into these short but chilling retro-inspired indie horror games." — Kathryn Hemmann
Read more from Kathryn Hemmann in "Eight Free Retro Horror Games on Itch.io" — sidequest.zone/2025/10/15/r...
Read more from Kathryn Hemmann in "Eight Free Retro Horror Games on Itch.io" — sidequest.zone/2025/10/15/r...
"A while ago, I asked in the Sidequest Slack if I would ever be free of talking about Epic Games vs. whoever in court. Maddi wisely said no. She was correct.""— Melissa Brinks
Read more in GYGO Mobile: Roblox, Epic Games, You Know the Drill: sidequest.zone/2025/10/22/g...
Read more in GYGO Mobile: Roblox, Epic Games, You Know the Drill: sidequest.zone/2025/10/22/g...
GYGO Mobile: Roblox, Epic Games, You Know the Drill - Sidequest
This month in mobile gaming: Roblox does weird stuff! Epic Games vs. Google! Water is wet! The Pope is Catholic! Bears shit in the woods!
sidequest.zone
October 23, 2025 at 10:35 AM
"A while ago, I asked in the Sidequest Slack if I would ever be free of talking about Epic Games vs. whoever in court. Maddi wisely said no. She was correct.""— Melissa Brinks
Read more in GYGO Mobile: Roblox, Epic Games, You Know the Drill: sidequest.zone/2025/10/22/g...
Read more in GYGO Mobile: Roblox, Epic Games, You Know the Drill: sidequest.zone/2025/10/22/g...
"I bring [these games] to you, along with a pretentiousness rating (which, importantly, is not a rating of quality) to help sell you on the value of art that rankles and irritates and maybe makes you feel a bit stupid." — Melissa Brinks
Read more: sidequest.zone/2025/10/20/p...
Read more: sidequest.zone/2025/10/20/p...
Pretentious Game Jam is Authentically Good - Sidequest
Put on your black turtlenecks and thickest-rimmed glasses to take a look at Pretentious Jam with Sidequest editor in chief, Melissa Brinks.
sidequest.zone
October 22, 2025 at 10:35 AM
"I bring [these games] to you, along with a pretentiousness rating (which, importantly, is not a rating of quality) to help sell you on the value of art that rankles and irritates and maybe makes you feel a bit stupid." — Melissa Brinks
Read more: sidequest.zone/2025/10/20/p...
Read more: sidequest.zone/2025/10/20/p...
"I explained that someday all the memes he knows and loves will be dead, and he’ll be looking at reels on Futuregram and a video reminiscing about the 2010s will pop up, and it will feel like being pierced through the chest."
sidequest.zone/2024/04/29/t...
sidequest.zone/2024/04/29/t...
That’s Just a Theory: On MatPat, Five Nights at Freddy's, and Saying Goodbye - Sidequest
Kamie Wootan explores the lasting impact of MatPat and Five Nights at Freddy's on the memories she's made with her child.
sidequest.zone
October 19, 2025 at 10:35 AM
"I explained that someday all the memes he knows and loves will be dead, and he’ll be looking at reels on Futuregram and a video reminiscing about the 2010s will pop up, and it will feel like being pierced through the chest."
sidequest.zone/2024/04/29/t...
sidequest.zone/2024/04/29/t...
"Halloween is the perfect excuse to dim the lights, grab some headphones, and delve into the eerie world of indie retro horror."
Eight Free Retro Horror Games on Itch.io — sidequest.zone/2025/10/15/r...
Eight Free Retro Horror Games on Itch.io — sidequest.zone/2025/10/15/r...
October 16, 2025 at 10:35 AM
"Halloween is the perfect excuse to dim the lights, grab some headphones, and delve into the eerie world of indie retro horror."
Eight Free Retro Horror Games on Itch.io — sidequest.zone/2025/10/15/r...
Eight Free Retro Horror Games on Itch.io — sidequest.zone/2025/10/15/r...
Melissa and Zora sat down to discuss the representations of sexuality and gender in the Dragon Age series, with some (maybe) surprising praise and some (less) surprising criticisms.
Check it out: sidequest.zone/2025/03/23/p...
Check it out: sidequest.zone/2025/03/23/p...
September 20, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Melissa and Zora sat down to discuss the representations of sexuality and gender in the Dragon Age series, with some (maybe) surprising praise and some (less) surprising criticisms.
Check it out: sidequest.zone/2025/03/23/p...
Check it out: sidequest.zone/2025/03/23/p...
"Sometimes [challenging convention is] throwing convention and practicality out the window and just reveling in making us screw up our faces and demand that our friends take a look at what we’re playing."
sidequest.zone/2017/01/19/d...
sidequest.zone/2017/01/19/d...
September 17, 2025 at 10:35 AM
"Sometimes [challenging convention is] throwing convention and practicality out the window and just reveling in making us screw up our faces and demand that our friends take a look at what we’re playing."
sidequest.zone/2017/01/19/d...
sidequest.zone/2017/01/19/d...
"Sewers combine the allure of secret underground tunnels with the chance to study old artifacts that have been thrown away and forgotten." — Kathryn Hemmann
Read more in Seven Intriguing Video Game Sewers: sidequest.zone/2025/03/03/v...
Read more in Seven Intriguing Video Game Sewers: sidequest.zone/2025/03/03/v...
Seven Intriguing Video Game Sewers - Sidequest
Delve into the mysteries, horrors, and eerie beauty of sewers in seven video games with intriguing subterranean tunnel systems.
sidequest.zone
September 13, 2025 at 10:35 AM
"Sewers combine the allure of secret underground tunnels with the chance to study old artifacts that have been thrown away and forgotten." — Kathryn Hemmann
Read more in Seven Intriguing Video Game Sewers: sidequest.zone/2025/03/03/v...
Read more in Seven Intriguing Video Game Sewers: sidequest.zone/2025/03/03/v...
"And as I watched the playthrough again, I recognized an issue that I didn’t think I would have when I played it back then. You spend the vast majority of this game playing for and even lionising the bad guys. Genesis may be a dick, but he’s right." — Cress
Read more: sidequest.zone/2023/06/12/w...
Read more: sidequest.zone/2023/06/12/w...
September 10, 2025 at 10:35 AM
"And as I watched the playthrough again, I recognized an issue that I didn’t think I would have when I played it back then. You spend the vast majority of this game playing for and even lionising the bad guys. Genesis may be a dick, but he’s right." — Cress
Read more: sidequest.zone/2023/06/12/w...
Read more: sidequest.zone/2023/06/12/w...
"The forest represents a mysterious, forbidden realm or a boundary that cannot be crossed." — Kathryn Hemmann
Read more in Trees in Video Games: sidequest.zone/2024/12/16/t...
Read more in Trees in Video Games: sidequest.zone/2024/12/16/t...
Trees in Video Games - Sidequest
A short comic about ludic representations of nature and the value of digital green spaces as sources of healing and inspiration.
sidequest.zone
September 7, 2025 at 10:35 AM
"The forest represents a mysterious, forbidden realm or a boundary that cannot be crossed." — Kathryn Hemmann
Read more in Trees in Video Games: sidequest.zone/2024/12/16/t...
Read more in Trees in Video Games: sidequest.zone/2024/12/16/t...
"It is just and beautiful for friends to part when life... presents a fork in the road. When that moment comes... we will feel something precious when we say goodbye, for the joy of having known each other will be proven in the bittersweetness of our parting."
sidequest.zone/2025/08/19/i...
sidequest.zone/2025/08/19/i...
In Pyre, Every Game Is a God Game - Sidequest
Andrei Filote writes about the world of Supergiant Games' Pyre, and what liberation means for those who are exiled.
sidequest.zone
September 5, 2025 at 10:35 AM
"It is just and beautiful for friends to part when life... presents a fork in the road. When that moment comes... we will feel something precious when we say goodbye, for the joy of having known each other will be proven in the bittersweetness of our parting."
sidequest.zone/2025/08/19/i...
sidequest.zone/2025/08/19/i...
"To truly understand this fight, to become one with it, we are chasing the hitless run. Radiant Difficulty. Perfection.
Nothing else will force the state of mind we need."
Read more in How to Beat Nightmare King Grimm and Ignore Your Grief in Ten Easy Steps: sidequest.zone/2024/11/04/h...
Nothing else will force the state of mind we need."
Read more in How to Beat Nightmare King Grimm and Ignore Your Grief in Ten Easy Steps: sidequest.zone/2024/11/04/h...
How to Beat Nightmare King Grimm and Ignore Your Grief in Ten Easy Steps - Sidequest
Writer Rory Hoeschen walks gamers through defeating Hollow Knight's Nightmare King Grimm and working—or not—through grief.
sidequest.zone
September 4, 2025 at 10:35 AM
"To truly understand this fight, to become one with it, we are chasing the hitless run. Radiant Difficulty. Perfection.
Nothing else will force the state of mind we need."
Read more in How to Beat Nightmare King Grimm and Ignore Your Grief in Ten Easy Steps: sidequest.zone/2024/11/04/h...
Nothing else will force the state of mind we need."
Read more in How to Beat Nightmare King Grimm and Ignore Your Grief in Ten Easy Steps: sidequest.zone/2024/11/04/h...
"Pyre is an unusually reactive game; there are many variations of its ending. In one ... you are not separated from your friends at all, and that is when you fail. It is possible in Pyre to meet your enemies with gratuitous mercy, by losing on purpose."
sidequest.zone/2025/08/19/i...
sidequest.zone/2025/08/19/i...
In Pyre, Every Game Is a God Game - Sidequest
Andrei Filote writes about the world of Supergiant Games' Pyre, and what liberation means for those who are exiled.
sidequest.zone
August 27, 2025 at 10:35 AM
"Pyre is an unusually reactive game; there are many variations of its ending. In one ... you are not separated from your friends at all, and that is when you fail. It is possible in Pyre to meet your enemies with gratuitous mercy, by losing on purpose."
sidequest.zone/2025/08/19/i...
sidequest.zone/2025/08/19/i...
"Mystic Messenger... removes all of the layers between game and player.... The characters speak directly to you, the individual. You are your own player character. You are the one experiencing these emotions alongside the others."
Read more: sidequest.zone/2018/05/01/m...
Read more: sidequest.zone/2018/05/01/m...
August 22, 2025 at 10:35 AM
"Mystic Messenger... removes all of the layers between game and player.... The characters speak directly to you, the individual. You are your own player character. You are the one experiencing these emotions alongside the others."
Read more: sidequest.zone/2018/05/01/m...
Read more: sidequest.zone/2018/05/01/m...
Andrei Filote writes about the world of Supergiant Games' Pyre, and what liberation means for those who are exiled.
Read more in In Pyre, Every Game Is a God Game: sidequest.zone/2025/08/19/i...
Read more in In Pyre, Every Game Is a God Game: sidequest.zone/2025/08/19/i...
In Pyre, Every Game Is a God Game - Sidequest
Andrei Filote writes about the world of Supergiant Games' Pyre, and what liberation means for those who are exiled.
sidequest.zone
August 20, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Andrei Filote writes about the world of Supergiant Games' Pyre, and what liberation means for those who are exiled.
Read more in In Pyre, Every Game Is a God Game: sidequest.zone/2025/08/19/i...
Read more in In Pyre, Every Game Is a God Game: sidequest.zone/2025/08/19/i...