Willa Rowe
@thewillarowe
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Trans. Tall. Tired | she/her | Writer @kotaku | Host @girlmode_pod | email: wrowe @kotaku .com
Manhattan, NY
Joined December 2019
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Pinned Tweet
Happy 10th anniversary to my Transistor t-shirt, and also the game. Thanks
@SupergiantGames
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For our end-of-year coverage at Inverse, I wrote about my single favorite moment in a game this year, from the incredible Signalis, and how it makes a scary lonely world feel more hopeful. Be warned: spoilers abound.
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IGN Entertainment acquires Eurogamer, GI, VG247, Rock Paper Shotgun and more. New owner makes redundancies across the Gamer Network portfolio
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"For me and other transgender people, 'Hogwarts Legacy' is more than just a game. It’s a depressing reminder that so many people are unwilling to take the most basic step to support us."
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It's not an exaggeration to say Signalis is one of the best games of the year. It is smart survival horror that does something unique with its storytelling to push it beyond just a PS1-inspired horror game.
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Hey everyone. Some career news:
Today is my last day at Inverse. Starting Monday, you can find my words
@Kotaku
as its newest staff writer.
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I wrote an appropriately long and meandering post on why Dragon's Dogma 2's travel encapsulates everything good about the game. I also talk about The Hobbit, Frieren, and Dungeon Meshi. Sometimes the mundanity of adventure is beautiful!
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Saying goodbye to
@CitizenSleeper
was an incredibly emotional experience in Episode Purge. I've spent so much time in this world with these characters working to build a better life for my Sleeper, and Purge is a perfect ending to it all.
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“I want to see people going ‘I finished Baldur’s Gate 3, what do I play next?’ And people say Citizen Sleeper 2. I want it to be absolutely irrefutable that Citizen Sleeper 2 is an RPG.” -
@JumpOvertheAge
Citizen Sleeper 2 Ups The Ante With A Bigger And More Dangerous World
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"Everyone has the right to form a union," says Nintendo of America president
@thetruebowser
in an interview with me. We also discussed acquisitions, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and a hypothetical future Nintendo console.
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Writing about good games is always the hardest and
@MisericordeVn
was no exception. There is no way my article could measure up to the masterful prose that the game has. Misericorde is the best-written game of the year and Hedwig's story is unforgettable.
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X-Men 97’s latest episode dares to ask speculative questions like “what if people just stood by and watched an entire marginalized people who have been persecuted for decades get massacred?”
Anyway… Free Palestine
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I wrote about my favorite game of the year so far which just released its first expansion. I don't know if I can express how amazing Citizen Sleeper is, but here are a bunch of words trying to do just that.
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Hey, this is my first Kotaku review. Something that feels kind of unreal for me to say. Look forward to more!
Unicorn Overlord is the best tactics/strategy game in recent memory. Blending the need to plan strategically and make on-the-fly decisions, it's full of battle variety and complex systems that make every combat encounter a thrilling challenge.
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Like I say in my review, I can’t stop thinking about this game, so I can’t stop posting about it either. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is such a good mystery puzzle game, it is now the bar that I will compare all others to. It's a total triumph.
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Ok I'll be self-indulgent for like one second and say that it's so wild to see my byline on the Kotaku homepage for the first time after being a fan forever.
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Unicorn Overlord is the best tactics/strategy game in recent memory. Blending the need to plan strategically and make on-the-fly decisions, it's full of battle variety and complex systems that make every combat encounter a thrilling challenge.
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Wrote about Spider-Man 2’s “impressive” graphics, the diminishing returns of photorealism in games, and the need for a higher focus on unique art styles in AAA gaming. One day a game will look as good as real life. Then what?
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Take it from someone who literally sleeps under a Double Indemnity poster every night, Nobody Wants to Die is pulpy noir brilliance. A short but stunning detective story in a gorgeous world with incredible depth.
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I want to say indies were snubbed at the Game Awards... but it's more complicated than that. Indies are there, even in the GOTY category with Stray, but we need to have a conversation about what "indie" means.
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There. I did it.
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Assassin’s Creed Mirage is — in the truest sense of the word — an average game. A stand-in for every other middling AAA action franchise that has become the de facto standard of the industry, driven more by corporate mandate than creativity.
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In a packed week of amazing indie titles, you absolutely should not sleep on
@1000xResist
. It's a stunning narrative adventure filled with stylish art and sharp dialogue that I've deeply enjoyed. Don't miss it!
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My last big feature of the year is out. This is something I’ve been wanting to write for months and I finally got to! Enjoy.
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I am in no way surprised by the positive response to the wizard game from many outlets who have reviews up today. There is a lack of responsibility in reviews of the game to acknowledge the harm that comes with supporting it. A thread 1/7
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Ok but this insult in Silent Hill: The Short Message made me laugh out loud. Like damn you really told her, lmao.
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I had the pleasure of talking to the team
@vnstudioelan
about making wlw visual novels and the importance of representation and showing queer happiness.
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I've only been able to play the opening hours of Small Saga by
@Sketchy_Jeremy
since it's the busy season, but one thing I'm obsessed with is the game's delightfully charming guide that comes with the "deluxe" edition on itch.
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Another Code: Recollection is a fascinating case study into what remakes choose to remember and forget about the original game. Without more preservation, the memory of a game is alarmingly malleable when a remake can erase the original entirely.
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My
@CitizenSleeper
2 preview only confirmed what I was hoping, this will likely be an astonishing sequel. It adds so many mechanics but all of them feel meaningful. Most surprisingly, this new world feels
VERY dangerous but in the BEST way.
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Pentiment perfectly re-writes the murder mystery genre in gilded gothic font. This game is an artistic masterpiece that meaningfully investigates the way we use art and history to manufacture truths over the slow march of time.
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I really enjoyed my time with
@lifeaftermagic_
. It is wonderfully stylish, well-written, and queer as hell. It so smartly uses the magical girl genre as a jumping-off point for a story about, amongst other things, burnout. And it's free on Steam and Itch!
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In typical me fashion I used my first blog at Kotaku to talk about why you have to get in on Nier Reincarnation before it gets shut down. It's Nier 3, people!
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Now is as good a time as any to remind everybody I’m based in New York and would love to connect with and chat more with other journalists. Really feels like having some more community would be nice right about now.
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I wasn't the biggest fan of Octopath Traveler II when I reviewed it in February. But then I just kept playing it over the course of the year and suddenly realized... this is one of my favorite games of the year. What happened?
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Wearing a cute dress and buying a triple shot iced americano will fix you
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A month late but uhhhhh... Night Springs is good
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Hey, I published my first piece! It's about the monopolization of the games industry.
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I know I'm a broken record about Persona 3 Reload but damn I am still missing the FeMC's route so much and one of the big reasons is how overtly queer Saori's story is. Such a tragedy for Reload to erase it all. Anyways you can still read my piece on this
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Normalize going to press events dressed way nicer than is expected.
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Go to take my old job!!!
🚨JOB ALERT🚨 Inverse is hiring a part-time game journalist! you'd be writing up gaming stories fit to print, working with crafty geniuses. it's a remote-friendly position with health benefits and pays $30/hour. please inquire within~ and dm any questions
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Happy one year anniversary to Signalis. Go play Signalis. It fucks hard.
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Incredibly excited to say I got to contribute to this. So happy to be surrounded by lots of amazing writers and to be able to say I have my name in Into The Spine now.
Following the roundups of 2020, 2021, and 2022, past contributors and a few guests get together to break down 2023 with personal essays, poems, and criticism.
These are the stories of 2023 — told by 70 writers around the world.
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I've spent over a decade thinking about what it would feel like to play Deep Down. After exploring the caves of Dragon's Dogma 2, I think I know.
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I just think more people should play
@elsinoregame
, it is one of my favorite games of all time. It is also a great argument for games to aspire to be something other than cinematic - sometimes they can be theatrical!
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Kind of wild that The Making of Karateka is nowhere to be seen at the Game Awards
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Rainy ren faire: saw a world record broken, got a Pokémon card for being cute, gave a raven 3 dollars, gay panicked when the hot lady knight waved at me.
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With Xbox's latest studio closures showing just how cooked AAA is right now, indie developers are showing gamers just how many innovative and interesting titles are out there catering to every taste imaginable. Look through this trend, I guarantee you'll find something for you
New Twitter Trend Highlights Incredible Indie Games And Their Inspirations
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“I don’t care for that boy”
- My partner talking about Shinji Ikari
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I’ve gotten a lot of hate for my Hogwarts Legacy article (unsurprisingly) and honestly the worst comments to me are the ones saying shit like “I totally support you and all trans people. I’m an ally 🌈. But I’m gonna ignore everything you said and play the fuck out of that game!”
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Today is the five-year anniversary of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, so I wrote way too many words about my best girl. Edelgard von Hresvelg, you will always be famous.
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With Lollipop Chainsaw making a return I kept thinking about the way the game portrays Juliet and how she is more relevant as a protagonist today than her creators gave her credit for in 2012.
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I've talked ad nauseum about why people shouldn't support the game. About how easy it is to just move on. Do people not think I had to do that when I learned R*wling wanted to wipe the planet of people like me? 2/7
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I was honored to be asked to write something for the
@thestartmenu
Winter Spectacular. As I wrap up my first year as a professional games journalist I wanted to look back at what I have learned and what I want to change about the industry and what my work means.
Game reviews, huh? Every year that passes we talk about them more and more.
Are they still useful? Does anyone read them? What is an 8/10?
But maybe it is time we reframe the conversation.
@thewillarowe
thinks so.
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Shoutout to the guy playing Majora’s Mask on his 3DS while we wait for this movie to start
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We are celebrating Persona all week long
@inversedotcom
and I wrote about my favorite character in the series, Saori from Persona 3, and how her story is so beautifully written and surprisingly queer.
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It also cannot be overlooked that there is a lack of actual trans voices that are part of this review conversation. It's easy to talk around and ignore the issue when it doesn't affect you. 5/7
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What's this? Me writing about an X-Men comic on Kotaku? It's more likely than you think!
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Not much has changed in Coffee Talk Episode 2 from the original. That's sometimes good and mostly bad. Brewing is as chill as ever. But the narrative feels even more surface-level that doesn't go past empty platitudes on real-world issues.
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Despite being one of the most iconic trans video game characters, Poison still isn't canonically trans. Capcom just likes to make fun of her and feed into incredibly problematic stereotypes. It has to stop, she needs to be canonically trans.
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Wow, I’ve been writing at Inverse for six months as of today!
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Having a normal first day back at work in 2024.
NEW:
@thewillarowe
asks the anonymous developers of upcoming Mickey Mouse horror game 'Infestation 88' if they are neo-Nazis. They replied, "No, we are not." More here:
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Whenever I write reviews, I always think about a piece of advice my favorite professor gave me, which was that you should set aside your first day of writing to stare at a blank doc and think you are a talentless hack with nothing insightful to say. On day two you write.
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Times & Galaxy rules and I had a great time playing it when I wasn't having an existential crisis about my career because of its journalism jokes
This Journalism Sim Is A Hilarious Satire With Shades Of Mass Effect
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How did I JUST find out that the Washington Post quoted an article of mine earlier this month?!?! That’s cool as fuck.
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Comments like IGN's are gross misunderstanding of the ethical duties of criticism and refuse to engage with a real aspect of this game. Reviews are not a buyer's guide and extension of PR. They exist to critically engage with a work, beyond being "good" or "bad". 4/7
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My fiancée baked strawberry shortcake tonight and it’s so good
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The demo for Slay the Princess feels like a playable creepypasta in the best possible way. It holds answers to its mysteries just out of your reach, making me excited to uncover more when the full game releases.
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Bayonetta Origins is still one of my favorite games of 2023. One moment in the game's finale encapsulates everything special about this bizarre prequel. I wrote about it and why it makes Bayonetta Origins the beating heart of the franchise.
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To sound like a broken record: if you are looking for a retro-inspired survival horror game that masters the core pillars of what made genre classics on the PS1 great while also moving beyond the shadow of its inspirations to become a modern masterpiece...
play Signalis
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Almost every game journalist that I looked up to and modeled my writing after has gotten out of the industry. I'm feeling lost without those guide points and also questioning if I will ever have the ability or talent to be that for others. I desperately want to.
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I'm back on my bullshit (shouting about Nier)
The Nier: Automata Anime Is Back And Still The Most Impressive Game Adaptation Around
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A fucking tragedy and absolute bullshit. But Jen is a badass.
Some personal news! I've resigned from Kotaku and Jim Spanfeller is an herb
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Again, I cannot stress enough what a masterful game
@LastStarfarer
and
@antihelios_
made. If you haven't played Signalis for some reason, I am begging you to try it.
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Really cool to see two pieces of mine in this year’s roundup. Check out all the great writers and articles I’m alongside.
It's time to welcome 2024 by looking back at the best games criticism of 2023:
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25 Years Later, Final Fantasy VIII Is Still The Series' Best Love Story
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The T-shirt
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I love my Dragon’s Dogma 2 experience because my party is always all women… except for my main pawn who is, again, Beast from the X-Men.
Just Hank and the girls going on wacky adventures
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Bayonetta Origins is the biggest surprise of the year so far for me. It is genuinely a joy to play thanks to a stunning art style and a fairy tale narrative that can be simplistic at times but manages to still be heartfelt.
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In the words of
@jpreyes__
, every game has a sicko critic who doesn't like it. When it comes to 'Immortality', one of the most well-received games of the year... I am that sicko.
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Its me, Willa, owner of this account. I’m praising myself, something I, Willa, normally hate but not now! I just hit 1M views at Inverse after 5 months & repeatedly being in Critical Distance. I adore my job & if you wanted to nominate me, that would be bitchin & deserved - Willa
Excited to share
@TheGameAwards
FUTURE CLASS program will return for its third year.
We will select 50 individuals who represent the bright, bold and inclusive future of gaming.
Do you know someone to consider?
Submit a nomination by Oct 21:
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I am fundamentally against this. Capcom is robbing us of MILF Jill Valentine and I will not be silenced until they pay for their crime.
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Credit where credit is due, I have deep gratitude and respect for places like
@GamesHubDotCom
for their wonderful peace on the idea of reviewing the game on "its own merits". 6/7
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I love a queer as fuck game, and BOSSGAME: The Final Boss is My Heart sure is that. The delightfully charming mobile game has great combat, of course, but the highlight is the dialogue between characters.
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There is no way to express how much I am going to miss Corey editing my articles. He is responsible for making me sound so much smarter and coherent, and I will miss being able to take credit for the amazing one-liners and kickers he would always add to my articles. Hire him.
Some Personal News: Today was my last day with Inverse, a company I've dedicated 7 years of my life to. It's been a wild ride that's led to many lifelong friendships and memorable experiences both professional and personal.
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This validation from my editors should convince me that I am good at my job for at least another week.
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Every time I bleach my hair I heavily consider just not redyeing it
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Reviewed Harold Halibut. The game’s claymation art style is a big swing that pays off in just how stunning it is. The characters within that world, however, don’t impress due to a narrative that plays it safe, messy writing, and monotonous gameplay.
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None of these thoughts are new. I feel like I'm screaming into an uncaring void. I am disappointed as a trans woman, but I am also immensely disappointed as a critic. But again, this wasn't surprising. 7/7
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I am really enjoying Baldur's Gate 3 but whenever a AAA game gets lauded for setting a new bar for the medium when it comes to romance, sex, nuanced storytelling, etc. I can't help but think everybody needs to play more games on itch.
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The rare opportunity to leave the apartment for work gives me an excuse to dress up.
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