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 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

A cutscene from the new Fable reboot featuring the female protagonist with her awms in the air in a pub
Xbox is Not Going to 'Win' 2026, but It Sure is Fighting Like Hell

Xbox is at a pivotal moment in its history, and with upcoming first-party games and operational changes, it could be poised for a comeback.

An old painting of an old woman witch about to be drowned
Assassin's Creed Hexe: What Happened During the Wurzburg Witch Trials of 1625-1631

Assassin's Creed Hexe is said to take place during the Wurzburg Witch Trials, one of the darkest moments in 17th-century Europe.

Flippy, Peppy, Fox, and Falco from the Star Fox Remake
Star Fox’s Remake is Cool and All, But an Even Older Nintendo Series Deserved a Revival First

Nintendo's recently unveiled Star Fox remake might be fun or disappointing, but either way, another Nintendo series should have returned first.

An image of the Steam Machine overlaid with the Valve logo with someone holding a checklist
After 181 Days of Waiting, It’s Clear as Day That Valve’s Steam Machine Needs to Tick These 4 Boxes

Valve has the games industry on the edge of its seat as it prepares for the launch of the Steam Machine, which needs some key features to thrive.

Calvin Facing a Huge Monster in The Sinking City 2
The Sinking City 2 Has Promise, But Still Needs to Prove Itself

GameRant recently went hands-on with The Sinking City 2, getting a look at its puzzles, atmosphere, story, and newfound survival horror trappings.

Key Art for Grand Theft Auto 5 Online Sprunk Extreme Racer
All Fictional Brands in the Grand Theft Auto Universe Explained (& What They Satirize)

Now that we know Grand Theft Auto 6 probably won't have product placement, it's a good time to look back at the series' many original brands.

2D key art of John Cooper from Desperados 3
Best Games Set in the Wild West (That Aren't Part of the Red Dead Franchise)

Red Dead Redemption might be iconic, but it's far from the only gun-totin', darn-tootin' wild west gaming IP worth checking out.

Victor Mbappe on the pitch in EA Sports FC 26 with the PS Plus logo
Opinion: PS Plus Has Added Way Too Many Sports Games for My Dollar

PlayStation Plus is, broadly speaking, a pretty good deal, but the influx of sports games, most of which are from a previous season, dampers it.

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