Dominic Tarason
The product of a wasted youth, wasted prime and getting into wasted middle age, Dominic Tarason is a freelance writer, occasional indie PR guy and professional techno-hermit seen in many strange corners of the internet and seldom in reality. Based deep in the Welsh hinterlands where no food delivery dares to go, videogames provide a gritty, realistic escape from the idyllic views and fresh country air. If you're looking for something new and potentially very weird to play, feel free to poke him on Twitter. He's almost sociable, most of the time.
Latest articles by Dominic Tarason
![Beat Slayer art](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XBCpdG6ckuVXLtURyAejWa-320-80.jpg)
20 hidden gems from 2024 to grab before the end of the Steam Summer Sale
By Dominic Tarason published
Hot ticket So many incredible under-the-radar indies have come out this year, from roguelikes to experimental horror to "UI strategy hell," we had trouble keeping the list to just 20.
![A tactical battle](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QpHapFwfifvdo4tuuEqPEJ-320-80.jpg)
Metal Slug Tactics roguishly reinvents turn-based run-and-gun
By Dominic Tarason published
OH! BIG! The series pivots to turn-based tactics impressively well.
![Gasmask guy with tented fingers standing in front of space combat background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EF7B843sBKuhRjU7rffWWa-320-80.jpg)
Boasting economist lobstermen, gas mask aliens with 120 sexes, and the best space dogfights 2003 has to offer, Underspace is a sci-fi RPG well worth your time
By Dominic Tarason published
Spaced Out Underspace promises big, weird space adventures and Freelancer nostalgia.
![Fallout: New Vegas key art of the ranger](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xikKvG8Bt62jtxUfyLAkUD-320-80.jpg)
How to have the best Fallout New Vegas experience today
By Dominic Tarason published
Updated! Our definitive step-by-step guide to setting up and playing this classic RPG.
![Yellow Taxi Goes Vroom](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZK59xqtoh9FYYec3k5Bm3A-320-80.jpg)
Yellow Taxi Goes Vroom delivers imaginative 3D platforming without a jump button
By Dominic Tarason published
Zoomer A delightfully zany N64 throwback with plenty of new ideas—and it makes fun of Elon Musk.
![Key art for Path of Exile 2, featuring a Marauder class character standing atop a pile of skulls.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U3oLUdkabmyfvFBpBAe9sF-320-80.jpg)
Path of Exile 2 is sticking to its 'ethical free-to-play' model instead of chasing Diablo 4's success
By Dominic Tarason published
news Grinding Gear Games isn't too interested in Diablo 4's MMO-lite ideas, either.
![path of exile 2 ranger](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/copDJzyieN8EXk4fAJycEP-320-80.jpg)
Path of Exile 2's developers ended up reworking the entire game's combat around a new control scheme because of a single class
By Dominic Tarason published
News Click-to-move is still an option, but WASD is now the default way to play.
![path of exile 2 ranger](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uwjH8QSgQUws7NQ7Q8485P-320-80.jpg)
Path of Exile 2 is a bold, blood-soaked sequel unchained from the first game's old school design
By Dominic Tarason published
Second Blood The action RPG sequel has been a long time coming, and it's a bolder departure than we expected.
![penny's big breakaway](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PPfMH2iAkWB6eGTnrznHJU-320-80.jpg)
Penny's Big Breakaway review
By Dominic Tarason published
CLASS ACT Penny’s Big Breakaway is a flashy platformer debut that shines brightest for the encore.
![Go Mecha Ball character art](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AB7BvHHQuwCLsQ3B6jGg4o-320-80.jpg)
I can't believe how well this new roguelite combines twin-stick shooting, pinball, and Sonic the Hedgehog-style spindashing
By Dominic Tarason published
Ballin' Go Mecha Ball is a hyperkinetic slice of twin-stick shooter joy.
![Ark vs Palworld](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/526gQJc3zFrk3kcUN2gxAk-320-80.jpg)
Palworld vs. Ark: Survival Evolved shows just how much survival games have changed in 9 years, even when they seem so similar
By Dominic Tarason published
Stompy Showdown NotPokémon versus Dinosaurs: How does Palworld stack up against the survival game the landmark survival game?
![Like a Dragon: Dondoko Island](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SNx7gAT7aBriWXoTtDnTjP-320-80.jpg)
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth Dondoko Island guide: How to earn $500,000 and break the economy
By Dominic Tarason published
Last Resort How to break Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s Dondoko Island for fun and (mostly) profit.
![Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth review](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sDszKhotb3FShSGVpiAFxK-320-80.jpg)
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth review – An indulgent double helping of Yakuza
By Dominic Tarason published
Hawaiian punch A dizzyingly huge all-you-can-eat Yakuza buffet.
![Deathbulge art of a skeleton with a fish plaque](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/u3tsQpWAwDSqfFvjJRURYQ-320-80.jpg)
20 hidden gems from 2023 to grab before the end of the Steam Winter Sale
By Dominic Tarason published
Top picks Underrated, under played games from 2023 that are at least 20% off in Steam's biggest sale of the year.
![card battler game](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SzKBoCJQxxQDYKigpQCY2Z-320-80.jpg)
Cross Blitz delivers charming Hearthstone-lite fun for the single-player crowd
By Dominic Tarason published
deck-swabber The Hearthstone-inspired card battler built for solo play is now in early access.
![Void Stranger art](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Eqr5QLeLzmhpSHxZn94ywk-320-80.jpg)
I've played more than 100 indie games this year—these are my top 3 hidden gems
By Dominic Tarason published
Treasure trove The cream of a bumper crop: 2023's greatest indie underdogs.
![wizard holding up staff](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/r3Zg2priwF3Gcmbp9zVqiM-320-80.jpg)
There's still hope for the future of this 42-year-old RPG series, despite its brush with NFTs
By Dominic Tarason published
Eternal The iconic Wizardry games may still return in a more faithful form.
![Lethal Company](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cE3FAeEkapfY3NQGCTk9LS-320-80.jpg)
Lethal Company's co-op horror comedy is like an immediately more chaotic and deadly Phasmophobia
By Dominic Tarason published
oh no oh no Lethal Company delivers slapstick on demand.
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/d7Y69qcK44cip2Sf9AUrxd-320-80.jpg)
The Talos Principle 2 review: A satisfying and beautiful puzzle game
By Dominic Tarason published
Big Ideas The Talos Principle 2 brings fresh human context to its beautiful world of puzzles.
![Ring of Red game cover art](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sCsMH2USBw2iaJJZpBcR2H-320-80.jpg)
14 console games that should've been on PC instead
By Dominic Tarason published
Deplatformed When is a PC game not a PC game? When it’s one of these misplaced gems.
![Railgrade train strategy](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uPGXXG3FY9WNNmXmncWWNR-320-80.jpg)
Railgrade looks like a sandbox train builder, but it's actually the rare sim with missions that keep me on track
By Dominic Tarason published
Training Sim Railgrade's mission-based train sim may leave sandbox fans feeling railroaded, but I'm onboard.
![Spirited Thief, a pixel art stealth game](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XGgLKaSEbCq5UZLzPkWTWS-320-80.png)
Excellent stealth game Spirited Thief was so sneaky it came out on Steam and nobody noticed
By Dominic Tarason published
Ghosted Spirited Thief makes you feel like a heist-planning master criminal.
![El Paso, Elsewhere moody cutscene](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6TnvD4pA95uuiMnoVFUtBB-320-80.jpg)
El Paso, Elsewhere's mashup of Max Payne and breakup ballad shouldn't work, and yet it's one of the boldest, freshest games of the year
By Dominic Tarason published
High Stakes El Paso, Elsewhere elevates retro gunplay with bleeding-edge writing and music.