Author: Westen

  • Despelote Review: A Failure To Capture The Magic Of Sports

    Despelote Review: A Failure To Capture The Magic Of Sports

    Despelote is a game chronicling what it was like to be in Ecuador when they qualified for the World Cup in 2001. It was the first time they had managed to qualify for the biggest soccer tournament that the world has to offer after 40+ years of attempting to do so. The game is autobiographical…

  • Two Years of Big Nerd Gaming

    Two Years of Big Nerd Gaming

    Two years ago today, I wrote my first blog post for Big Nerd Gaming. In that post, I talked about why I was starting this blog. While I didn’t want to go into massive detail at the time, there’s always been a bit of a hole in my heart when I’m not writing or “producing…

  • Episode 4: Our Top 5 Most Overlooked Games of 2025

    Episode 4: Our Top 5 Most Overlooked Games of 2025

    Westen and Chike from Bassicfun discuss their top 5 most overlooked video games from 2025. 6:30 – Discussions of the games we are currently playing. Kingdom of Night, Ball x Pit, Outer Worlds 2, and Silent Hill f are discussed. 25:00 – Our top 5 most overlooked games this year, plus some honorable mentions. You…

  • My Top 8 Games I Abandoned In 2025

    My Top 8 Games I Abandoned In 2025

    Welcome to what looks like it will be a yearly feature for me now. Last year, I wrote about my top seven games that I abandoned. This year it’s eight. And when I compare these lists, I’d consider the games I abandoned in 2025 to be significantly better on the whole than the 2024 games.…

  • Keeper Review: If I Can Change, And You Can Change…

    Keeper Review: If I Can Change, And You Can Change…

    There was a time in my life when I was very quick to abandon games. If a game had a few hour stretch where it wasn’t clicking for me, I’d be quick to throw it away. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve been able to acquire a bit more patience and discipline. Becoming a “game hopper”…

  • Fake 2025 Game Awards Betting Odds + My Full Predictions

    Fake 2025 Game Awards Betting Odds + My Full Predictions

    Welcome to year three of my Game Awards winner predictions and fake betting odds. This idea was born out of a simple and foolish desire. My desire to actually bet on The Game Awards. The betting site “Polymarket” now has odds for “Game of the Year,” but I really wish that I could bet on…

  • My 6 Biggest Surprises From The 2025 Game Awards Nominations

    My 6 Biggest Surprises From The 2025 Game Awards Nominations

    We have finally arrived at my favorite time of the year for video games. As much as I love playing games throughout the year, internally debating which are my favorites makes me almost equally happy. It’s a way for me to relive a lot of great memories that I had playing them, and I love…

  • Dispatch Review: The Best TV Show I Watched In 2025*

    Dispatch Review: The Best TV Show I Watched In 2025*

    *I don’t watch TV. As you get older and continue to gain responsibilities in life, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut. Especially as a parent, it’s common to end up in a routine where every single day is the exact same thing, and you go through life working, parenting, eating, and sleeping. Getting…

  • The Seance of Blake Manor Review: Death Detective

    The Seance of Blake Manor Review: Death Detective

    Like most people, I have many concerns about the seemingly rapid advances of AI into our society. One use of AI that has disturbed me the most is when I see people use it to try and essentially bring back the dead. People now have the ability to easily insert a deceased friend or family…

  • My Official 2025 Game Awards Nominee Predictions

    My Official 2025 Game Awards Nominee Predictions

    If you want to hear me talk about these predictions, check out The Big Nerd Gaming Podcast. As my friend AndresPlays says, we have reached the time of year when I grow the most powerful. All year, I’m cataloguing the games I play, and tracking many games for how good they are in very specific…