Nick Rodriguez-Contributor

Nick Rodriguez

Contributor

August, 2023
Bachelor's Degree in Creative Writing, University of Illinois
Action RPG, From Software, Mass Effect
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About Nick Rodriguez

Nick is a freelance writer from Chicago, IL, with a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His lifelong belief in the artistic power of video games led him to contribute to GameRant and ScreenRant, platforms where he has managed to share helpful news content, thoughtful opinion pieces, and more than a few hot takes.

While he believes all gaming genres and categories have worth, Nick's interests lie primarily in the realm of single-player experiences, with hand-crafted stories, tight and challenging gameplay, and emotive, unique visual and audio design. On the industry side of things, he is committed to supporting creators, identifying and criticizing exploitation, and combating negativity and toxicity.

Aside from gaming, he enjoys long-distance running, reading, contributing to his blog, working on his Honda CX650C, writing fiction, and having a beer or two.

Favorite Games

- Bloodborne
- Disco Elysium
- Death Stranding
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Mass Effect 2
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Dead Space
- Signalis
- Hades
- BioShock
- Super Mario Galaxy
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Industry Focus

A bit of everything, but with a particular affinity for indie games, industry news, gaming events, and new technology.

Favorite Console

Easy win for the PS2.

Latest

The Player-Character Summoning Magical Trees in Witchspire
One of This Summer's New Survival Games Is Like Valheim if It Took a Semester at Hogwarts

Witchspire is an upcoming early access survivalcraft game that's looking to inject the genre with a healthy dose of magic and whimsy.

An image of William looking toward the camera in Valor Mortis
Valor Mortis Is a Stunning Lovechild of Lies of P and BioShock

GameRant went hands-on with upcoming Soulslike Valor Mortis, and while it's always had promise, it's now clear that it's something truly special.

Laufey Looking at her left arm while talking to the Gelatinous Cube in God of War Laufey
God of War's Norse Games Are Officially a Trilogy

God of War Laufey might be a bold new direction for the God of War franchise, but it also might put a nice bow on the Norse saga.

A diagetic shot of Dacre Montgomery's character from Until Dawn  2
Until Dawn 2's Sequel Status is a Bit Confusing, But It Makes Sense

Until Dawn 2 might seem like it's taking an odd direction as a sequel, but there could very well be more to it than meets the eye.

A shot of Jean Grey Preparing to use her psychic powers in Marvel's Wolverine
Marvel’s Wolverine’s Official Jean Grey Reveal is Far More Than Meets the Eye

Jean Grey has officially been confirmed as part of Marvel's Wolverine, and it may indicate more, similar things to come in future games.

A cinematic from the Rayman Legends Retold Remake
Rayman Legends Retold is Proof Not All Remakes Need to Exist, But There's No Problem

Rayman Legends Retold is a prime example of an unnecessary remake, but also a reminder that unnecessary remakes have no major downsides.

An image of Marvel's Spider-Man 2's version of Venom in the rain at night
All Insomniac's Venom Rumors and Leaks Explained: Story, Setting, and More

Insomniac hasn't officially announced a Venom game, but there seems to be an exciting project in the works, if rumors and leaks are to be believed.

A screenshot from The Witcher 4's Unreal Engine 5 Tech Demo with an Overlay of Geralt from the Witcher 3 Songs of the Past Expansion Key Art
What The Witcher 3's Songs of the Past DLC Tells Us About The Witcher 4's Release Date

The Witcher 3's new DLC Songs of the Past is certain to make a splash when it launches next year, but what about The Witcher 4's release date?

The key art for The Witcher 3 Songs of the Past expansion but mirrored
The Witcher 3's Songs of the Past DLC is Officially Going in an Unexpected Direction

No matter what, The Witcher 3's upcoming expansion Songs of the Past will almost certainly take an unpredictable route with its story.

An illustration of Revachol from Disco Elysium
The Rise of Disco-Like Games Explained

Disco Elysium is a beloved and critically acclaimed video game, one that's spawned a number of similar narrative-driven RPGs.

A Promotional Image of the Alienware AW2726DM monitor in a gaming PC setup by Dell
Dell Alienware AW2726DM Monitor Review: Stunning OLED Visuals for a Steal

Dell's new Alienware 1440p OLED monitor is just $350, and it's quite possibly the best budget QHD-OLED display you can find today.

Batman Posing Heroically on top of a building with the moon behind him LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight Has Me Thinking About Another Game Every Time I Play It

I've been enjoying my time with LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, but I must admit that it's got me hankering for a different Batman experience.

Key Art for Concord
PlayStation's Live-Service Game Push Has Killed 15 Games and Studios

PlayStation seems to be reneging on its unwelcome offer to release a flood of live-services, and this hasn't been without consequence.

A Screenshot of a player-character in Elden Ring in Glintstone Sorcerer apparel making a gesture
The Most Iconic Builds of Every FromSoftware Soulslike Game

FromSoftware games live and die by their build variety, which has led to some iconic and unforgettable player-created loadouts.

The Duskbloods gameplay screenshot with overlaid images of Revenant, Wylder, and Executor from Elden Ring Nightreign
What Elden Ring Nightreign Players Should Expect From The Duskbloods

The Duskbloods will be FromSoftware's second co-op game in a row after Elden Ring Nightreign, but make no mistake: they are quite different.

A 17th century illustration of Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn with the Assassins Creed Hexe Logo
Assassin's Creed Hexe: Historical Figures to Expect Based on the Wurzburg Witch Trials

If Assassin's Creed Hexe takes place during the Wurzburg witch trials, as has been rumored, we can predict a few historical figure appearances.

The player using Detective Mode in Batman Arkham Asylum with an overlay of Ezio Auditore from Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
Why Detective Mode Was the Worst Thing to Happen to Stealth Games

Detective Mode is a prominent feature in stealth and investigation games, and I really wish that it hadn't become as popular as it has.

1
A Shot of all the Nightfarers from Elden Ring Nightreign including The Forsaken Hollows DLC
The Silence Around Elden Ring Nightreign DLC 2 is Deafening

Elden Ring Nightreign turned a lot of heads with The Forsaken Hollows expansion, but a follow-up is far from a forgone conclusion.

2
An image of James Bond from 007 GoldenEye Nintendo 64
GoldenEye 007 Is the Worst Thing to Ever Happen to James Bond Games

1997's Goldeneye 007 is undeniably a classic, but its success might have harmed James Bond's gaming endeavors in the long run.

1
An image of Naked Snake Hanging from the ceiling during the torture scene in MGS Delta
Why Every Spy Game Should Force You to Fail (And Why They Don't)

Video games based on spies usually encourage the player towards tactical perfection, but they can still succeed by forcing failure.

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