David Silbert

insider.com — I went from 254 to 184 pounds after struggling to lose weight for years. I think these snacks, meals, and other groceries from Costco helped me do it.

Money — Wage inequality is still an ongoing issue in the U.S. that employers are working to solve. Read these tips on how to close the gender pay gap in your company.

Money — We discuss how to spot employee burnout including employee exhaustion, stress and irritability, calling out of work more often, productivity decreases, and more.

Money — Low workplace morale can cause poor productivity, among other issues. Learn how to make healthy morale a reality for your team.

Money — We discuss ways in which you can express gratitude towards employees including handwritten notes, acknowledging wins and listening to feedback.

darkstation.com — Let's get the obvious out of the way: 2020 was terrible. From COVID-19, social isolation, and wealth gaps to raging wildfires, battles with cancer, and racial injustice, there was very little to feel good about this year. Except games. At a time when folks were distanced physically, video games kept us together.

darkstation.com — Parkour games, much like their freerunning protagonists, are on precarious ground. On one hand, series like Mirror's Edge and Titanfall have put a creative spin on first-person action, offering a unique sense of freedom and speed. On the other hand, that creativity hasn't always translated to sales.

WorthPlaying — To this day, the original Beyond Good & Evil still feels ahead of its time. The adventures of Jade and Pey'j were thrilling, placing players in a world filled with bizarre denizens and imaginative imagery that would feel right at home in sci-fi flicks like "Blade Runner" and "The Fifth Element." It was short, and it ended on one heck of a cliffhanger, but BG&E remains a must-play for fans of action-adventure games. With Beyond Good & Evil 2, Michel Ancel looks to capitalize on today's technology to craft a world that would have seemed impossible back in 2003. Knowing the series' penchant for bucking trends, however, I'll bet that BG&E2 will do far more than just "be larger" when it launches in the near future.

WorthPlaying — Reviews have already rolled out for Kingdom Hearts III, but that doesn't make my excitement for the game any less palpable. With Kingdom Hearts II nearing 14 years of age, to say that the release of Kingdom Hearts III has been long coming would be a complete understatement. Despite the prevalence of solid spin-off games over the years, it feels good to know that we'll be able to see the long-awaited conclusion to Sora, Donald, and Goofy's story unfold on our home consoles. We're nearly there!

WorthPlaying — There are few, if any, series that can match Devil May Cry's mix of high-octane action and cheesy humor. After all, there's something special about Dante lighting up a bunch of demons while a slice of pizza hangs from his mouth. While the series has seen plenty of changes over the years — introducing Nero as a playable character in DMC4 and rebooting the series with Ninja Theory's DmC, to name just two — Devil May Cry has survived the test of time thanks to its unrivaled gameplay and surprising charm. With any luck, Devil May Cry 5 will continue that trend when it releases in March.

WorthPlaying — Last year saw the release of plenty of phenomenal Metroidvania titles, from Hollow Knight and Yoku's Island Express to Dead Cells and Guacamelee! 2. Despite the plethora of Metroidvanias available, however, few can compare to 2015's Ori and the Blind Forest. Beautiful and serene, yet challenging and often brutally difficult, Ori and the Blind Forest was a particular bright spot in Microsoft's slim lineup of first-party Xbox One titles. With Ori and the Will of the Wisps set to launch later this year, hopefully Microsoft and developer Moon Studios can make lightning strike again for this whimsical, endearing series.

WorthPlaying — It's unclear whether Halo Infinite will be ready in time for 2019, but it's clear as day that fans are ready for it. As Microsoft's flagship franchise, Halo has been a source of epic campaigns, deceptively cunning AI, and phenomenal multiplayer for years. While Halo 5 left many disappointed with its misleading campaign and its multiplayer microtransactions, Halo Infinite could prove a return to form for 343 Industries. While details are still extremely scarce for the newest Halo, hopefully Microsoft will raise the curtain at this year's E3 and wow fans all over again. It's Halo, after all.

WorthPlaying — Next to Halo, Gears of War is Microsoft's biggest franchise. With its visceral and satisfying gunplay, Gears of War made a name for itself over the course of the Xbox 360's lifespan. While the Xbox One's Gears of War 4 ended up being more of the same, you have to wonder if the Coalition is planning a big shake-up with its sequel, Gears 5. Putting aside its shortened name, Gears 5 also stars Kait Diaz, making her the first real female protagonist in the series (Anya and Sam were playable in Gears of War 3 co-op, as was Kait in Gears of War 4 co-op, but that's about it). In a series so firmly rooted in masculinity, it's nice to see Gears 5 take some risks. Couple this with the action and set pieces the series is known for, and we should be in for a wild, glorious ride.

WorthPlaying — Aside from a brief gameplay demonstration at E3 2018, there's not a lot we know about Ghost of Tsushima, other than that it's an open-world samurai game developed by Sucker Punch. The Infamous developer is certainly experienced crafting interesting open worlds, but it remains to be seen how well Tsushima's gameplay will translate to an open-world environment. With Sony deciding to bow out of an official E3 2019 presentation, there's also a possibility that Tsushima is still several years off. Regardless of when it does release, however, Ghost of Tsushima should be a novel experience unlike any we've seen before.

The Punished Backlog — 2018 has come and gone, and boy, what a year it was, for better but also most certainly for worse. Like the years before it, what you made of 2018 depends largely on the perspective through which you choose to view it.

WorthPlaying — It's stunning to see how far independent games have come over the past decade. What started with occasional hits like and Castle Crashers on Steam and Xbox Live Arcade has since evolved into a burgeoning industry where even the smallest and most obscure of games can leave a lasting impact.

DarkStation — In spite of its uneven difficulty, Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition is an easy recommendation for fans of JRPGs. Its world is large, combat is varied, and solid pacing makes it an easy game to digest - especially from the comfort of the Switch's handheld mode.

DarkStation — It's a shame that the single-player and online components of Nidhogg 2 are so underwhelming, because the local multiplayer itself is quite fun. As a party game, the game has a lot to offer, especially when passing the controllers around and playing the game in small doses.

DarkStation — While people love to say it every single year, 2018 really has been an incredible year for games.

DarkStation — It's the end of the year, so it's time to look back and discuss some of our favorite games of 2018. This is the first in a multipart discussion about the best games of the year. In this episode Jonathan talks to Ed Bobincheck, David Silbert, John K, and Gregory Wright.

The Punished Backlog — The holiday season has begun, bringing with it a new awards season for video games. While countless sites (ours included) will undoubtedly be offering up their opinions on the best games of the past year, there is perhaps no end-of-year ceremony that is bigger, better, or more influential than The Game Awards.

The Punished Backlog — (Editor's note: Apologies in advance for the "plosives" feedback in the microphone this week. Sound quality got an upgrade, at the cost of regular-sounding Ps! I'll add a pop filter to the setup moving forward.)

WorthPlaying — Good superhero games are hard to find. While studios like Insomniac, NetherRealm and Rocksteady, have made impressive forays into the worlds of DC and Marvel with franchises like Spider-Man, Injustice, and Batman: Arkham, respectively, these games only serve to highlight the sparse landscape when it comes to worthwhile comic-book games (remember Superman 64?).

The Punished Backlog — Another episode of Weekend at Dave's, coming at you hot and in time for the end of the weekend. You know, so the title makes sense. This weekend's episode touches upon a loaded news week for games. First, Tobyfox revealed a new successor (predecessor?) to Undertale, called Deltarune-a particularly clever anagram.