Dominic Tarason
@dominictarason.com
Veteran freelance games crit & PR. Hyped for indie games & mods. Bylines on RPS, PC Gamer, PCGamesN. Find my work, Steam curation & contact info below - He/Him
Find me elsewhere online at dominictarason.com
Contact email: jdtarason@gmail.com
Find me elsewhere online at dominictarason.com
Contact email: jdtarason@gmail.com
Pinned
Dominic Tarason
@dominictarason.com
· Apr 26
Dominic Tarason - Games Crit & PR
Professional Profile, Contact Details & Links
dominictarason.com
Wow, I apparently cleared 10,000 followers!
You've all made a terrible mistake and are going to spend too much on obscure games!
I am terribly sorry, but relieved to see others suffering from my curse.
I also have a Steam curator page, and accept tips (which helps me find games). Details below:
You've all made a terrible mistake and are going to spend too much on obscure games!
I am terribly sorry, but relieved to see others suffering from my curse.
I also have a Steam curator page, and accept tips (which helps me find games). Details below:
Reposted by Dominic Tarason
Huge respect to the Jamaican cooking channel Feed & Teach, which is still running on limited power from a gas-powered generator after the hurricane.
Today's show: A recipe you can make with your dwindling perishables!
Donation links for hurricane relief efforts in the description, because goddamn.
Today's show: A recipe you can make with your dwindling perishables!
Donation links for hurricane relief efforts in the description, because goddamn.
One-Pot Jamaican Seasoned Rice | Quick, Flavorful, and Practical
YouTube video by Feed & Teach
www.youtube.com
November 14, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Huge respect to the Jamaican cooking channel Feed & Teach, which is still running on limited power from a gas-powered generator after the hurricane.
Today's show: A recipe you can make with your dwindling perishables!
Donation links for hurricane relief efforts in the description, because goddamn.
Today's show: A recipe you can make with your dwindling perishables!
Donation links for hurricane relief efforts in the description, because goddamn.
Nice. Very Star Of Providence-inspired shmup Austronautilus re-launched yesterday with a big new story-focused update, over three years from its original release.
It's also in a discount bundle with Star Of Providence, so clearly D-13 dig it too.
store.steampowered.com/app/1724120/...
It's also in a discount bundle with Star Of Providence, so clearly D-13 dig it too.
store.steampowered.com/app/1724120/...
ASTRONAUTILUS on Steam
Your ship has crash-landed on a stray rogue planet, and you're out of fuel... It's up to you to delve beneath the frozen surface and find a way to get your ship back into space while fighting strange ...
store.steampowered.com
November 15, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Nice. Very Star Of Providence-inspired shmup Austronautilus re-launched yesterday with a big new story-focused update, over three years from its original release.
It's also in a discount bundle with Star Of Providence, so clearly D-13 dig it too.
store.steampowered.com/app/1724120/...
It's also in a discount bundle with Star Of Providence, so clearly D-13 dig it too.
store.steampowered.com/app/1724120/...
This game is excellent and it's currently free all week over on Epic.
A faster-paced 4X with snappy real-time battles, a weird fantasy setting (no orcs or elves, just strange many-limbed gods and faceless people from the shadow-realm).
Oh, and Hitoshi Sakimoto did the soundtrack. He of FF Tactics.
A faster-paced 4X with snappy real-time battles, a weird fantasy setting (no orcs or elves, just strange many-limbed gods and faceless people from the shadow-realm).
Oh, and Hitoshi Sakimoto did the soundtrack. He of FF Tactics.
November 14, 2025 at 11:48 PM
This game is excellent and it's currently free all week over on Epic.
A faster-paced 4X with snappy real-time battles, a weird fantasy setting (no orcs or elves, just strange many-limbed gods and faceless people from the shadow-realm).
Oh, and Hitoshi Sakimoto did the soundtrack. He of FF Tactics.
A faster-paced 4X with snappy real-time battles, a weird fantasy setting (no orcs or elves, just strange many-limbed gods and faceless people from the shadow-realm).
Oh, and Hitoshi Sakimoto did the soundtrack. He of FF Tactics.
Okay, I'd heard good things about wuxia RPG When Winds Meet, but I was not aware it had a goose mount which it describes as the land's 'greatest overlord'..
And as you upgrade it, it increases the number of geese you're balanced on.
And as you upgrade it, it increases the number of geese you're balanced on.
November 14, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Okay, I'd heard good things about wuxia RPG When Winds Meet, but I was not aware it had a goose mount which it describes as the land's 'greatest overlord'..
And as you upgrade it, it increases the number of geese you're balanced on.
And as you upgrade it, it increases the number of geese you're balanced on.
Hahaha, I saw the trailer for this before Lilith posted about it, and my first thought was 'This is the Bloodborne Kart engine, isn't it?'.
GLITCH PRODUCTIONS paid me to rebrand Bloodborne Kart A SECOND TIME into the mini game GLITCH KARTS!!!
im serious. its real. i made multiple cutscenes with their characters and everything. lol.
play the game here: glitchkarts.com/474c49544348...
check out the whole video here: youtu.be/pZsMHnTDytg
im serious. its real. i made multiple cutscenes with their characters and everything. lol.
play the game here: glitchkarts.com/474c49544348...
check out the whole video here: youtu.be/pZsMHnTDytg
November 14, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Hahaha, I saw the trailer for this before Lilith posted about it, and my first thought was 'This is the Bloodborne Kart engine, isn't it?'.
Eurgh. It's not even cutting corners. They just decided to not have artists involved at all and just used whatever they could squeeze out of an image generator.
There's a whole set of Generic Ghibli Style ones in there too.
This is Call Of Duty, the poster child for budget excess in AAA. So tacky.
There's a whole set of Generic Ghibli Style ones in there too.
This is Call Of Duty, the poster child for budget excess in AAA. So tacky.
Call of Duty isn't even hiding the fact that loads of its calling cards and other unlockables are AI generated this year.
For one of the biggest video game franchises in the world this is pretty disgusting...
For one of the biggest video game franchises in the world this is pretty disgusting...
November 14, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Eurgh. It's not even cutting corners. They just decided to not have artists involved at all and just used whatever they could squeeze out of an image generator.
There's a whole set of Generic Ghibli Style ones in there too.
This is Call Of Duty, the poster child for budget excess in AAA. So tacky.
There's a whole set of Generic Ghibli Style ones in there too.
This is Call Of Duty, the poster child for budget excess in AAA. So tacky.
Huge respect to the Jamaican cooking channel Feed & Teach, which is still running on limited power from a gas-powered generator after the hurricane.
Today's show: A recipe you can make with your dwindling perishables!
Donation links for hurricane relief efforts in the description, because goddamn.
Today's show: A recipe you can make with your dwindling perishables!
Donation links for hurricane relief efforts in the description, because goddamn.
One-Pot Jamaican Seasoned Rice | Quick, Flavorful, and Practical
YouTube video by Feed & Teach
www.youtube.com
November 14, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Huge respect to the Jamaican cooking channel Feed & Teach, which is still running on limited power from a gas-powered generator after the hurricane.
Today's show: A recipe you can make with your dwindling perishables!
Donation links for hurricane relief efforts in the description, because goddamn.
Today's show: A recipe you can make with your dwindling perishables!
Donation links for hurricane relief efforts in the description, because goddamn.
Hell, this isn't just a 'them damn zoomers always on their tiktoks thing' either.
I think in almost every Giant Bomb Quick Look video I've seen, the most veteran games journalists around just mash or talk through tutorials only to get confused and stuck ten minutes later when it's time to do stuff.
I think in almost every Giant Bomb Quick Look video I've seen, the most veteran games journalists around just mash or talk through tutorials only to get confused and stuck ten minutes later when it's time to do stuff.
You wanna know why we're having nag line discourse in 2025? Because developers know we're fighting an attention economy war we'll lose no matter what. Players don't read, have TikTok open next to them, god forbid we are scared you miss something and then blame us for not giving you all the info.
November 14, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Hell, this isn't just a 'them damn zoomers always on their tiktoks thing' either.
I think in almost every Giant Bomb Quick Look video I've seen, the most veteran games journalists around just mash or talk through tutorials only to get confused and stuck ten minutes later when it's time to do stuff.
I think in almost every Giant Bomb Quick Look video I've seen, the most veteran games journalists around just mash or talk through tutorials only to get confused and stuck ten minutes later when it's time to do stuff.
I feel a lot of the backlash against photorealistic graphics in games is wrongheaded, because it's exactly the technology that allows things to look real and tangible that allows new aesthetics to exist
Like games that look like they're stop-motion animated from clay, but actually realtime polygons
Like games that look like they're stop-motion animated from clay, but actually realtime polygons
Black Pellet on Steam
An epic western tale about a man and his dog travelling through a postapocalyptic world in a claymation style. Open world third person shooter.
store.steampowered.com
November 14, 2025 at 5:09 PM
I feel a lot of the backlash against photorealistic graphics in games is wrongheaded, because it's exactly the technology that allows things to look real and tangible that allows new aesthetics to exist
Like games that look like they're stop-motion animated from clay, but actually realtime polygons
Like games that look like they're stop-motion animated from clay, but actually realtime polygons
I feel that the British and Japanese are connected through our shared love of terrible puns.
November 14, 2025 at 4:53 PM
I feel that the British and Japanese are connected through our shared love of terrible puns.
Reposted by Dominic Tarason
Death of the Author: An Alan Wake Series Retrospective
YouTube video by Noah Caldwell-Gervais
youtu.be
November 14, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Y'know, 'time-travelling children avert the apocalypse through the power of football' might actually get me playing Inazuma Eleven at some point.
this is the intro cutscene in a game where you make children play soccer
November 14, 2025 at 4:03 AM
Y'know, 'time-travelling children avert the apocalypse through the power of football' might actually get me playing Inazuma Eleven at some point.
At this point I'm genuinely wishing that there were more bad games coming out that were easy to ignore. Highly anticipated stinkers that I could take off my wishlist without too much regret.
But nope, it's like 3-5 cool new games every single day.
But nope, it's like 3-5 cool new games every single day.
November 13, 2025 at 11:03 PM
At this point I'm genuinely wishing that there were more bad games coming out that were easy to ignore. Highly anticipated stinkers that I could take off my wishlist without too much regret.
But nope, it's like 3-5 cool new games every single day.
But nope, it's like 3-5 cool new games every single day.
Oh. The whole Atelier Ryza Deluxe Trilogy dropped today too, huh? Just going to leave that RPG firehose running on full blast. You know it's wreaking havoc on the local water table, right?
November 13, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Oh. The whole Atelier Ryza Deluxe Trilogy dropped today too, huh? Just going to leave that RPG firehose running on full blast. You know it's wreaking havoc on the local water table, right?
Pick n' mix bundle where you can get Incision (absolutely GRIMY industrial metal Quake-like), Supplice (the closest thing we've had to a new Marathon) and Robobeat (very slick rhythm FPS) together for £15/$15.
Build your own Exile Bundle | Fanatical
www.fanatical.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Pick n' mix bundle where you can get Incision (absolutely GRIMY industrial metal Quake-like), Supplice (the closest thing we've had to a new Marathon) and Robobeat (very slick rhythm FPS) together for £15/$15.
Great video that really highlights an issue with games writing: Gender is usually just a cosmetic toggle that doesn't actually change anything. Although screaming morons online still somehow get angry about it.
But Persona 3 Portable went all-in on having femininity change the whole tone of it.
But Persona 3 Portable went all-in on having femininity change the whole tone of it.
November 13, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Great video that really highlights an issue with games writing: Gender is usually just a cosmetic toggle that doesn't actually change anything. Although screaming morons online still somehow get angry about it.
But Persona 3 Portable went all-in on having femininity change the whole tone of it.
But Persona 3 Portable went all-in on having femininity change the whole tone of it.
Oh. I guess Moss Tactics is out today as well.
I'm just going to lie down and let the deluge of games just heap up on top of me until I can no longer see the light of day. It shouldn't take long.
I'm just going to lie down and let the deluge of games just heap up on top of me until I can no longer see the light of day. It shouldn't take long.
ENTER THE ARENA.
Glassbreakers is here. Play it now on Steam, Meta, and Apple Arcade.
PLAY NOW!
🔗 Meta: vr.meta.me/s/1P5XjZEyRQ...
🔗 Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/887330/G...
Glassbreakers is here. Play it now on Steam, Meta, and Apple Arcade.
PLAY NOW!
🔗 Meta: vr.meta.me/s/1P5XjZEyRQ...
🔗 Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/887330/G...
November 13, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Oh. I guess Moss Tactics is out today as well.
I'm just going to lie down and let the deluge of games just heap up on top of me until I can no longer see the light of day. It shouldn't take long.
I'm just going to lie down and let the deluge of games just heap up on top of me until I can no longer see the light of day. It shouldn't take long.
Whew, I've now seen most of the new stuff in Look Outside v2.0 and GOD DAMN, they did not need to go that hard. There's so much stuff in that update that it could have been sold as a separate game by itself.
Also I'm pretty sure one of the new secret party members is foreshadowing his next game.
Also I'm pretty sure one of the new secret party members is foreshadowing his next game.
November 13, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Whew, I've now seen most of the new stuff in Look Outside v2.0 and GOD DAMN, they did not need to go that hard. There's so much stuff in that update that it could have been sold as a separate game by itself.
Also I'm pretty sure one of the new secret party members is foreshadowing his next game.
Also I'm pretty sure one of the new secret party members is foreshadowing his next game.
Reposted by Dominic Tarason
Fresh writing for the morning! I want to talk to you all about vampires, player expectations, and looking art in the eyes.
aftermath.site/vampire-masq...
aftermath.site/vampire-masq...
The Art Of Playing The Damn Video Game
Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 has a lot to offer if you play the game that's in front of you, instead of the one in your head
aftermath.site
November 13, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Fresh writing for the morning! I want to talk to you all about vampires, player expectations, and looking art in the eyes.
aftermath.site/vampire-masq...
aftermath.site/vampire-masq...
A genuinely good game. They cheap out a bit by not including the (surprisingly expansive) DLC, but free's free.
To celebrate the fifth anniversary of Ubisoft Connect, Ubisoft is giving away the PC version of its open-world mythological adventure game Immortals Fenyx Rising for free for the next few weeks.
www.videogameschronicle.com/news/ubisoft...
www.videogameschronicle.com/news/ubisoft...
Ubisoft’s Immortals Fenyx Rising is free to claim on PC for the next few weeks | VGC
The game is currently free on the Ubisoft Store as it approaches its fifth anniversary…
www.videogameschronicle.com
November 13, 2025 at 3:02 PM
A genuinely good game. They cheap out a bit by not including the (surprisingly expansive) DLC, but free's free.
This month just WILL NOT STOP.
Sanabi came out two years ago and was a massive hit, and this DLC is just coming out of nowhere.
If you haven't played it, it's a fantastic grappling-hook/physics-heavy platformer that's structured and paced like a great thriller movie.
Sanabi came out two years ago and was a massive hit, and this DLC is just coming out of nowhere.
If you haven't played it, it's a fantastic grappling-hook/physics-heavy platformer that's structured and paced like a great thriller movie.
November 13, 2025 at 2:03 PM
This month just WILL NOT STOP.
Sanabi came out two years ago and was a massive hit, and this DLC is just coming out of nowhere.
If you haven't played it, it's a fantastic grappling-hook/physics-heavy platformer that's structured and paced like a great thriller movie.
Sanabi came out two years ago and was a massive hit, and this DLC is just coming out of nowhere.
If you haven't played it, it's a fantastic grappling-hook/physics-heavy platformer that's structured and paced like a great thriller movie.
Huh, they just dropped a REALLY big update for Shadow Labyrinth - the grimdark Pac-Man metroidvania.
Ton of new options and features, including very customizable difficulty.
Seems that even on the harder/original difficulty they've added a lot more checkpoints and opportunities to restore health.
Ton of new options and features, including very customizable difficulty.
Seems that even on the harder/original difficulty they've added a lot more checkpoints and opportunities to restore health.
Shadow Labyrinth - Notice Regarding Release of Official Update File "Ver.1.1.0" - Steam News
We have begun distributing update file "Ver.1.1.0" to adjust gameplay and fix certain issues. This version includes a major update across the entire game, featuring the addition of "Explorer Mode," ba...
store.steampowered.com
November 13, 2025 at 7:13 AM
Huh, they just dropped a REALLY big update for Shadow Labyrinth - the grimdark Pac-Man metroidvania.
Ton of new options and features, including very customizable difficulty.
Seems that even on the harder/original difficulty they've added a lot more checkpoints and opportunities to restore health.
Ton of new options and features, including very customizable difficulty.
Seems that even on the harder/original difficulty they've added a lot more checkpoints and opportunities to restore health.
Steam patch notes for Tactical Nexus continue to be a truly magical thing.
store.steampowered.com/news/app/114...
store.steampowered.com/news/app/114...
November 13, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Steam patch notes for Tactical Nexus continue to be a truly magical thing.
store.steampowered.com/news/app/114...
store.steampowered.com/news/app/114...
Reposted by Dominic Tarason
Play katatema's games NOW
If you have 2 dollars to spare and want to experience something extremely cool and unique then get on this RIGHT NOW. store.steampowered.com/app/2424240/...
Save 50% on Pudding: Lyre Knight on Steam
"Let's defeat the demon lord together!" A thrilling action-adventure of destruction!
store.steampowered.com
November 13, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Play katatema's games NOW
An underrated VR game, this one! It feels like it has a lot of spiritual similarities to Mega Man Legends. Tonally, mechanically, etc.
Have you had a chance to check out RUINSMAGUS?
What was your favorite part?
RUINSMAGUS is available on PC, Meta Horizon, Pico, PS VR2 and so much more! If you haven't tried it out yet, join our Discord and we'll give some codes away.
discord.com/invite/BG4sD...
What was your favorite part?
RUINSMAGUS is available on PC, Meta Horizon, Pico, PS VR2 and so much more! If you haven't tried it out yet, join our Discord and we'll give some codes away.
discord.com/invite/BG4sD...
November 13, 2025 at 6:37 AM
An underrated VR game, this one! It feels like it has a lot of spiritual similarities to Mega Man Legends. Tonally, mechanically, etc.