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

Key Art for Celestial Return Featuring Howard and Rose
New Story-Driven RPG is Disco Elysium Meets Cyberpunk 2077 with a Dash of Lovecraftian Horror

If you have any interest in tabletop-inspired CRPGs like Disco Elysium, you owe it to yourself to check out the upcoming Celestial Return.

Leaping Across a Massive Gap in Motorslice
New Post-Apocalyptic Game on Steam Is Essentially Mirror's Edge But In Third Person

If you like skill-based parkour games like Mirror's Edge, you definitely shouldn't sleep on Motorslice, a sci-fi parkour game releasing soon on Steam.

Key Art for Onimusha Way of the Sword
How Onimusha Games Like Way of the Sword Differ From Soulslike Games

Onimusha: Way of the Sword is set to revive Capcom's beloved action-horror franchise, arriving years after soulslikes have dominated the industry.

A first-person shot of gameplay from Kingdom Come Deliverance in Pirkstejn Castle
Kingdom Come Deliverance: The Real History of Pirkstein Castle Explained

Pirkstein Castle is one of the most important and regularly visited locations in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, and it's based on a real place.

A shot from inside the shark's mouth in Shark Dentist
New Roguelike Horror Game on Steam Puts You in the Role of a Shark Dentist

Just when you thought the well of indie roguelike inspiration has run dry, Shark Dentist arrived with a ridiculous but promising new concept.

The Steam Logo with a Red Thumbs Down and Blue Thumbs Up to Indicate Steam Reviews
Steam's Review Ratings Explained: From Mostly Negative to Overwhelmingly Positive

Steam's user review system is one of its greatest strengths, but it can also be slightly confusing, especially for newcomers to the platform.

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A blurred screenshot of Frostpunk 2 gameplay with the 11 Bit Studios logo laid over it
Every 11 Bit Studios Game in Development (April 2026)

11 Bit Studios seems to be ramping up production considerably, planning to release several new and exciting projects over the next few years.

The Dark Queen of Mortholme a close-up of the Dark Queen of Mortholme
2025 Reverse Soulslike Steam Game Turns Elden Ring on Its Head

If you're a fan of tough soulslike games like Elden Ring, you might want to check out the creative and surprising The Dark Queen of Mortholme.

Jennifer Svendberg-Yen Laid Over an Image of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
The Unlikely Reddit Thread That Found the Lead Writer for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

There are a lot of talented writers in gaming, but most of them don't have the astonishing story of Clair Obscur's Jennifer Svendberg-Yen.

ps5-fire-game-rant
The Worst Decisions of the PS5 Era
PS5

The PlayStation 5 has done quite nicely for itself, but it hasn't been without its controversies, which have kept the console from being truly great.

A straight on shot of Diana hacking something in Pragmata
Does Pragmata Earn Its Hideo Kojima-Style Weirdness?

Capcom's latest release Pragmata is pretty darn strange at times, but does it pull it off like Hideo Kojima's games or fall short?

A Waterfall and a river in Death Stranding
The Most Beautiful Natural Worlds in Gaming (And What Inspired Them)

Video games have featured a number of striking fictional worlds, but some of the most gorgeous are based on our very own Mother Earth.

A Frozen Bleeding man from the Frostpunk 2 Trailer
How Survival Games Teach Players Resource Management Better Than Real Life

There are video games with explicit messages about the environment, but those in the survival genre build these messages through their mechanics.

Gustave Looking back at Lune in the destroyed battlefield in Clair Obscur Expedition 33
Clair Obscur Has a Future, But the Expeditions May Not Be in It

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is almost certainly getting a sequel, but fans might be left with mixed feelings due to a probable omission.

The Heretic Prophet Key Art with Cassandra Drake and Ellie Williams from Uncharted 4 and The Last of Us Part 2
Uncharted 5, The Last of Us 3, and All Naughty Dog Game Rumors Explained (April 2026)

It's been almost six years since Naughty Dog has released a new game, but that hasn't stopped the rumor mill from churning out information.

Worst Decisions of the Xbox Series X|S Era Xbox Series X with Flames
The Worst Decisions of the Xbox Series X/S Era

The Xbox Series X|S has struggled greatly in recent years, which can be at least partially attributed to key decisions made by Microsoft leadership.

Escaping a flying police cruiser in Replaced
Replaced Review

Replaced, the debut from indie developer Sad Cat Studios, is every bit as stunning as its trailers have made it out to be, and it's pretty fun, too.

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A field of flowers in tokyo in Forza Horizon 6
Forza Horizon 6's Map Size: How It Compares to FH4 and FH5

Forza Horizon 6 is taking players to Japan, a setting that promises to be the series' most stunning, expansive, and compelling yet.

A Player flying a car into a flying machine in s&box
What to Expect from s&box, the Spiritual Successor to Garry's Mod

If you've so much as dabbled in PC gaming, you may have heard of the classic Garry's Mod platform, which is now getting a sequel of sorts.

A View of an Advanced City Planet in Star Wars Eclipse
The Silence Around Star Wars Eclipse Has Left Fans Scratching Their Heads

Star Wars Eclipse sounded like a promising science-fiction adventure story when it was first revealed, but now its future is anything but certain.