Stacey Henley
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Articles by Stacey Henley
Mass Effect 3: The Best Way To Say Goodbye To Friends
You don’t always get to say goodbye on your own terms. Most people don’t. If you stay in a place long enough, you say it over and over again. To people you knew too well. To people you wish you knew better. To people you never knew where you stood with, and then you realise you were always on the same side. Mass Effect 3 is a game about this phenomenon. The world is ending. You can’t save it.
Mixtape Review - No Second Album Syndrome Here
Mixtape is a lot of things. It’s energetic, it’s nostalgic, it’s outrageously itself, it’s big in small ways and small in big ways. It’s punk rock. It’s a synth ballad. It’s a piano melody and an electric guitar thrash. But is it a video game? I’m not sure, but I think I like it. The follow-up to Beethoven & Dinosaur’s The Artful Escape, all of those definitions - including the query over whether it fully fits the bill as a video game - could be applied to both games.
Pokemon Pokopia's Ruins Ruined My Experience
The first hour or so of Pokemon Pokopia is something you just have to get through. Once you do, a potentially magical experience awaits. But this arduous first hour, when your town is arid and misshapen and the roads lie in ruins, is central to the game's unsung boldness. You are not, as you so often find yourself in these sorts of games, building from scratch, nor even fixing places that have fallen into disrepair. What lies ahead of you is a full-scale demolition job.
The Only Way To Play Tomodachi Life Is To Embrace Chaos
I’m living the dream playing Tomodachi Life right now, which is probably why they called it that. From making my favourite characters to designing clothes and houses for them to, of course, making them say all sorts of nonsense like [redacted for SEO explicit l filtering reasons] and [redacted for extremely niche references that are less funny when I explain them reasons], the game is a blast. It’s also, as I expected it to be, a brilliant fan fiction generator.
Pokemon Pokopia Is Too Afraid Of The Prettiest Pokemon
Pokemon Pokopia walks the delicate balance between demonstrating enough restraint so as to make catching (or befriending) 'em all a distinct possibility, while also giving the game a lot of depth so it feels as though a reasonable effort is required to complete it. Along with this, it does a great job of including the headlining Pokemon that simply have to be present in any spin-off like this, while also giving plenty of underrated 'mons the limelight.
The way some gamers talk about Pragmata's Diana is disgusting and must be stopped
Stacey Henley I don't really mind people finding video game characters attractive. If I did mind, it would be hypocritical . Do people get weird about it and take it too far sometimes? Absolutely, but then that's the same for popstars, actors, cartoon characters, and just real life people that we find attractive. It just happens.
Gaming Cannot Allow Pragmata's Diana Fan Club To Flourish
Published Apr 21, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT I don't really mind people finding video game characters attractive. If I did mind, it would be hypocritical. Do people get weird about it and take it too far sometimes? Absolutely, but then that's the same for popstars, actors, cartoon characters, and just real life people that we find attractive. It just happens.
The Way Some Gamers Talk About Pragmata's Diana Is Disgusting, And Must Be Stopped
"We, The Consumers, Need To Vote With Our Wallets" - The Moral Dilemma Of Supporting SNK In 2026 Last week, the world of retro gaming was shaken by the news that the Neo Geo – once considered to be the Rolls-Royce of video game consoles – was …
How To Move Water Around In Pokemon Pokopia
Pokemon Pokopia is a very relaxed game. There's not really an endgame for you to rush towards; yes, there are different regions to unlock, and once you complete the Team Initiation Challenge, you'll see the end credits. But then there's finding every Pokemon, building every habitat, finding all the Legendaries... it's all a bit endless. And, really, that's the point.
Where To Find Mew In Pokemon Pokopia
Pokemon Pokopia is mosty focussed on cuteness and relaxed vibes, so there's not really an endgame beyond making sure to collect absolutely everything the game has to offer. Since they're amongst the rarest to find, that means a lot of the Legendary Pokemon will come to you late. However, don't be surprised if the very last Pokemon you encounter is Mew. It's fitting for the series first, and still best known, Mythical Pokemon that you have to earn it the hard way.
How To Talk To Lugia And Ho-Oh In Pokemon Pokopia
Lugia and Ho-Oh are some of the most iconic legendary Pokemon in the series' entire history, as the Legendary birds of the Johto region and the box art 'mons for Pokemon Gold & Silver. Pokemon Pokopia has to make some tough choices on which Legendaries make the cut, but it's no shock that Lugia and Ho-Oh are amongst the proud few chosen. In fact, the pair of them are relative ever presents in the game, often leaving Rainbow Feathers or Silver Feathers for the player to find.
Where To Find Raikou, Entei, and Suicune In Pokemon Pokopia
Every Legendary in the Pokemon canon has their own backstory for exactly what makes them creatures worthy of being canonized in folklore, but few spin better fables than the Legendary Dogs of Johto: Raikou, Entei, and Suicune. With their own internal mythos as well as fanon theories than expand on their heroics, they are a crucial part of Pokemon lore. So it's only right that they are amongst the handful of Legendary Pokemon available in Pokemon Pokopia.
Where To Find Articuno, Zapdos, And Moltres In Pokemon Pokopia
Everybody has a different favorite Legendary Pokemon. But the Legendary Birds of Kanto, namely Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno, always rank amongst the most beloved. It's no surprise, then, that Pokemon Pokopia is more than happy to accomodate them. To get them to come to your islands though, things work a little differently than you might expect. For most Pokemon, getting them to come to your islands is simply a matter of constructing their habitats and waiting.
Where To Find Mewtwo In Pokemon Pokopia
There are dozens of Legendary Pokemon in the Pokedex these days, but none are quite as iconic as Mewtwo. That means it should be no surprise that the 'mon is one of 300 who made the cut for Pokemon Pokopia. In fact, it almost has top billing, sitting at 299 in your plastic pocket encyclopedia. But, as you might expect for such an esteemed Pokemon as Mewtwo, finding it isn't easy. It's not necessarily that difficult in terms of skill or rarity, it just takes a lot of effort.
Where To Find Eevee And Its Eeveelutions In Pokemon Pokopia
Pokemon Pokopia is not a traditional Pokemon game, but it still shares a lot of the same traits as the rest of them. Namely, the ultimate aim of the game is to catch 'em all, or in this case, befriend 'em all. Though there is an underlying narrative and progress loop, the true objective is to find every Pokemon in existence - or at least all 300 present in the game.
All Poke Dolls And Their Dream Islands Resources In Pokemon Pokopia
Pokemon Pokopia is a game that's heavily reliant on you having the right resources available at the right time. In fact, much of the core gameplay loop is built around finding a specific element in significant quantities. If you want to get a lot of that element quickly, the best way is a Dream Island. Dream Islands can be visited once a day, and can be excavated completely in order to reap the rewards of a fully stocked inventory.
What To Do With Rainbow And Silver Feathers In Pokemon Pokopia
The main crux of Pokemon Pokopia is that you build a variety of different habitats, and then from those habitats a random variety of Pokemon that call those places home willl join your village. It means, in order to meet every Pokemon in the game, you'll need to build a lot of different hiding spots. But not all of the Pokemon can be obtained this way. Some arre found in the overworld, waiting to be discovered, and Gimmighoul is one such Pokemon.
Modern Games Are Too Afraid Of Characters Like Isabela From Dragon Age 2
As BioWare’s Dragon Age 2 turns 15 today, and TheGamer looks to celebrate its quinceanera, there was only one thing on my mind. We have a fascinatingly open interview with series legend David Gaider about how this game with so much going against it got so much right, and no end of crumbs to pick up on and explore from that conversation. But I’m not going to do that. I was never going to do that. I love Dragon Age 2.
How To Buy Items From Pokemon In Pokemon Pokopia
In order to complete Pokemon Pokopia, you will need an almost endless selection of items. To build every habitat, you will need lots of rare items, and sometimes multiples of them, in your inventory. But they aren't always easy to come by. Items in the Shop unlock in stages, and still won't give you a full catalog. Meanwhile, you can make stuff, but that requires specific recipes, as well as gathering the required resources.
How To Buy Items From Pokemon In Pokemon Pokopia
More than 20 states sue over new global tariffs Trump imposed after his stinging Supreme Court loss WASHINGTON (AP) — Some two dozen states challenged President Donald Trump’s new global tariffs on Thursday, filing a lawsuit over import taxes he imposed after a stinging loss at the Supreme Court. The Democratic attorneys general and governors in the lawsuit argue that Trump is overstepping his …
How To Raise PP And Supercharge Ditto's Moves In Pokemon Pokopia
You don't learn moves in the traditional way in Pokemon Pokopia, because there's no combat or learnset, and not really any levelling up. You can become a better 'trainer' and each environment's levels can improve, but you as a Ditto don't actually level up in the normal Pokemon sense. With no TMs or HMs either, that means you can only learn moves by mimicking other Pokemon. These Pokemon are unlocked along the critical path, so don't worry too much about seeking them out.
What Should You Do First In Pokemon Pokopia
Pokemon Pokopia is a big game, but it can also be a very simple game. You gather stuff, you build stuff. Sometimes you find Pokemon. Quite a lot of the time, actually. But it's so simple, sometimes you can lose some of the more interesting parts of it. Here are some nice and easy tips you can keep in mind right from the start, so you're always building towards the best possible experience. One that's smooth and without interruption, letting you gather stuff and build stuff to your heart's content.
How To Carry More Items In Pokemon Pokopia
As with any game with multiple resources that require crafting, Pokemon Pokopia gives you an inventory that quickly becomes too small. However, there are multiple ways to expand it, as well as various other methods of keeping your items safe. One of the hallmarks of Pokemon Pokopia is not just that you find resources and then use those resources to make items.
What Do Specialities Do In Pokemon Pokopia?
Typically, Pokemon in Pokemon games learn moves, and then use these moves to deal damage or gain tactical advantages in battle. Since Pokemon Pokopia has no combat, moves aren't really a thing here. Instead, you have Specialties. These are specific moves each Pokemon knows, and they all have a special skill. Specialties are required for all sorts of things. Sometimes, a specific quest will require a certain Specialty. Some habitats cannot be built with a Pokemon of a certain Specialty present.
Pokemon Pokopia: How Long Does It Take To Beat?
Pokemon Pokopia is not exactly a game you beat and then it's over. There is a story, but that probably isn't why you're here. How long the game takes depends entirely on what you plan to do in it, really. But that's not a very satisfactory answer, so let's dive into what the game has in store. Here, we'll be giving rough playtimes for various different playstyles and offering a bunch of potential jumping off points, without spoiling things.
How To Complete Every Stage Of The Team Initiation Challenge In Pokemon Pokopia
Most of the quests in Pokemon Pokopia are relatively short. You'll have to build a habitat, or make an item. They can be completed during the course of your general gameplay. Even the longer ones like rebuilding the Poke Center will only last your time in a single region. But the Team Initiation Challenge is much, much longer. Though discovered in the game's opening Withered Wasteland, the Team Initation Challenge will span the entire game.
How To Get More Lumber Fast In Pokemon Pokopia
Pokemon Pokopia is ultimately a game all about gathering resources, so it should be no surprise that one of those resources is wood. It's sort of a foundational material for both real-life building, and most games of this ilk. However, Pokemon Pokopia does not do this as other games do, and right off the bat there are multiple different types of wood for you to collect. The first few major building quests required to progress however all use Lumber, so that's definitely the most important one.
Where To Find Brick In Pokemon Pokopia
Despite being a core building material in the rela world, you'll have to make significant progress in Pokemon Pokopia before you unlock Brick. Some of the materials you use before, like Lumber, make sense to come before Brick. It is clearly a more simplistic building material, and thus are sooner in the pecking order. Unlocking Brick after the likes of Copper Ingots and Glass makes a little less sense, but let's not argue over that.
Pokemon Pokopia: Every Pokemon And Where To Find Them
In many ways, Pokemon Pokopia is not your typical Pokemon game. There are no battles, the focus of the game is on rebuilding towns that have fallen into disrepair, and you actually play as a Pokemon - albeit a Ditto that transforms themselves into a human because a humanoid character is required for the game's various functions. But one key way it's the same as most other Pokemon games is that Pokemon Pokopia tells you that you gotta catch 'em all.
Pokemon Pokopia Isn't Animal Crossing, Or Viva Pinata, Or Really Anything
Pokemon Pokopia is Pokemon meets... what, exactly? It's kind of Animal Crossing, kind of Dragon Quest Builders, kind of Minecraft, and kind of Viva Pinata. But it's not really any of them. It's not the best bits of them combined, but it's also not a disastrous blob of their worst elements either. It's not original, but it's not copying anything. It's just sort of there. That's my basic feeling towards Pokemon Pokopia. It exists. Parts of it are fun, parts of it are frustrating.
The Pitt And Industry Are The At The Peak Of Television Because They’re Not Afraid Of Covid
The covid-19 pandemic was one of the most monumental events of our lives. We were trapped inside for a year with little to no human contact, and that's if we were the lucky ones. We lost jobs, lost loved ones (often without the chance to say goodbye), and lost fragments of our sanity.
What Fever Rackets Should You Use In Mario Tennis Fever?
Stacey Henley To mix sporting metaphors yet still use the correct term, the ace up Mario Tennis Fever's sleeve are the titular Fever Rackets. These are a range of powered-up rackets that offer a special type of shot once fully charged. While you can play with Personal Rackets - where a fully charged shot is just a bit more powerful and can be aimed in slow-mo - mostly you'll be using Fever Rackets/ The vast majority of these use classic Super Mario power-ups, but with a bit of a a tennis twist.
Mario Tennis Fever: Best Fever Rackets, Ranked
To mix sporting metaphors yet still use the correct term, the ace up Mario Tennis Fever's sleeve are the titular Fever Rackets. These are a range of powered-up rackets that offer a special type of shot once fully charged. While you can play with Personal Rackets - where a fully charged shot is just a bit more powerful and can be aimed in slow-mo - mostly you'll be using Fever Rackets/ The vast majority of these use classic Super Mario power-ups, but with a bit of a a tennis twist.
The Untitled John Wick Game Has Huge Potential, But Might Be Facing Huge Problems
Some movies translate more easily to video games than others. Indiana Jones? Obviously, prime video game real estate. Puss in Boots? Make a game already. Mean Girls? This happened, but I’m not sure how. John Wick? That’s a movie made for the ‘yes, definitely’ pile. John Wick has had a video game previously in the form of 2019’s John Wick Hex, but this understated hex-grid strategy outing from Bithell Games was never trying to be a true summation of the movie in game form.
Mario Tennis Fever: Every Adventure Mode Quiz Answer
Mario Tennis Fever has a few different modes if you're looking to just pick it up and play some tennis, but if you want to 'beat' the game, you'll need to try out Adventure Mode. This mode is split roughly in half, with the latter part spent actually going on an adventure, and the first part just training for it. It's as part of this training that you'll be asked to complete a series of multiple choice tennis questions.
Mario Tennis Fever review
Stacey Henley Super Mario games have always been about going on adventures. It might be to haunted castles or to volcanic lairs, but in Mario Tennis Fever's case, it's to various rooms of a tennis academy. The inappropriately named Adventure Mode takes roughly six hours, half of which are spent in a tutorial that seems to assume you have never heard of tennis and indeed may need deprogramming from your suspicions that the sport is all a conspiracy of a new world order.
Mario Tennis Fever
Super Mario games have always been about going on adventures. It might be to haunted castles or to volcanic lairs, but in Mario Tennis Fever’s case, it’s to various rooms of a tennis academy. The inappropriately named Adventure Mode takes roughly six hours, half of which are spent in a tutorial that seems to assume you have never heard of tennis and indeed may need deprogramming from your suspicions that the sport is all a conspiracy of a new world order.
What Does It Mean To Be An Early GOTY Frontrunner, And Is Cairn One?
After what felt like three thousand years of longing, we are finally out of January and into February. Before you know it, 2026 will be almost over, and we'll be back talking about The Game Awards. It's a particularly interesting conundrum this year, as games continue to be wary of the 'blast zone' around GTA 6, which itself launches extremely close to the GOTY deadline.
Is Cairn Really Our First GOTY Nominee Of 2026?
Mount Kami has never been conquered, and The Game Bakers’ new game makes sure you’re well aware of that. You will feel every meter of the vertical …
Why Is The Games Industry So Eager To Defend Highguard?
Highguard was there and now, already, it seems it has gone. Just two days after it launched, it is out of Steam's top 200 games. Despite a solid launch at 97,000 peak players, it feels like it was never really here. I wrote, in the wake of this launch, that the early success was a surprise, but that the real battle was yet to come. Now, that battle is over, and Highguard has lost. I'm not sure it could have gone any other way.
Why Is The Games Industry So Eager To Defend Highguard?
Why Is The Games Industry So Eager To Defend Highguard? Highguard was there and now, already, it seems it has gone. Just two days after it launched, it is out of Steam's top 200 games. Despite a solid …
Why Rise Of The Tomb Raider Is The Roadmap For Future Tomb Raider Success
Games have a funny way of reminding you how old you are. I still think of the Survivor Trilogy of Tomb Raider games as being the 'new games', even though that arc began in 2013, with the previous game launching in 2008. They are therefore legitimately the only true new games to release in many Tomb Raider fans' gaming lifetimes.
Happy Birthday To The Most Important Game In Modern Tomb Raider History
9 hours ago MELBOURNE, Australia — Novak Djokovic's quest for a record Grand Slam title continued in dramatic circumstances after fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti quit their Australian Open quarterfinal match with an injury after taking a two-set lead at Melbourne Park on Wednesday. Musetti's retirement when leading …
Don’t Stop, Girlypop Review - (Y)as (2K)ween XD
Don’t Stop, Girlypop is what would happen if you let one of the Dollz give Ultrakill a makeover, and if you don’t know what Dollz are, you probably aren’t the target market for Don’t Stop, Girlypop. (They were pixelated dress up profile pictures in the ‘00s, and everyone had them. Except you. Loser).
Highguard Survived A Concord-Sized Embarrassment. Now The Real Battle Starts.
There may be someone in your life who, whenever the chance arises, will mention that they thought Concord was okay, actually. This person isn't lying - as someone who lightly dabbled in Concord, there was a workable game there. It was far from the worst game I have ever played. It worked, for one thing.
This Year’s Best Medieval Game Might Be An All-Action Lesbian Knight Love Story
Throughout history, there have always been tales of female knights. Joan of Arc led French battles in the Hundred Years' War. Isabel of Conches rode armoured and armed alongside knights in the 11th Century despite her status as a noblewoman. Legendary Norse shield maiden Lagertha whose tale interwines with myth. Chappell Roan at the 2024 VMAs. And so on. Now, we have another to add to the pile, in 1348 Ex Voto.
What Movies Might Be At The Oscars 2026-27?
The Oscar nominees are in, which means it’s time for TheGamer’s annual tradition - immediately looking ahead to next year and who we could be talking about 12 months from now instead. In many ways, the race for the Oscars is more interesting than the Oscars themselves; as the last show of the season, the night can feel like a procession for some of the near-guaranteed winners by that point. But the joy is in the chase, not the catch, so who could be hitting the campaign trail next year?
If You Can't Do Life Is Strange Without Chloe Price, You Can't Do Life Is Strange At All
This coincides with some non-magical events that really make this the most important time in Max's life. She falls in love for the first time (technically a choice between Warren and Chloe, though Chloe is so crucial to the narrative it is regarded as canon), and she discovers her teacher is capturing, molesting, and photographing her fellow students.
TheGamer Aces - The Best Games Of 2025 Awards
Welcome one at all to TheGamer Aces, our annual awards for the best and brightest in gaming from the last year. These awards are all about the small parts that make gaming great, meaning they're not split by genre, nor budget, but we instead take a closer look at the tiny elements that combine like atoms to make all those games worthy of GOTY.
2026 May Have Already Found Its Answer To Heated Rivalry, And We All Need To Rally Behind it
Canadian television network Crave has found itself in the spotlight recently thanks to the arrival of its smash hit TV show Heated Rivalry. The drama, which explores a secretive relationship between two closeted gay hockey stars, has been aided in its global dominance by being picked up by HBO in the US and Sky in the UK, but Crave was where it all began. Now, Crave has another gay sports show hitting our screens in 2026: Slo Pitch.
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