Francis DiPersio

Newark

Editor in Chief at Hey Poor Player

PR for Mega Cat Studios and Acclaim, Editor-in-Chief at https://t.co/gjUXt7zzye. Lover of things that blip & beep.

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Articles

Rita's Rewind Review (PC)

Dec 9, 2024 | heypoorplayer.com | Josh Speer |Andrew Thornton |Francis DiPersio |Connor Starkman

Since tales about quantum realms and alternate realities are all the rage these days, let me start this review by revealing my own hidden history. Way back in the day, I was a gigantic fan of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. I watched the show, collected the toys, and almost lost my mind when I saw the first live-action movie. Then, the whole teenage years hit hard, and for a while, I forgot about my multicolored heroes, though they remained hidden deep in my subconscious.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Review (Xbox Series X)

Dec 5, 2024 | heypoorplayer.com | Josh Speer |Andrew Thornton |Connor Starkman |Francis DiPersio

Ever since Raiders of the Lost Ark hit theaters in 1981, the name Indiana Jones has come to symbolize thrilling adventure. The franchise’s blend of action, puzzle-solving, and globe-trotting mystery not only defined the action-adventure genre in films but also set the stage for a wealth of excellent video games.
PAX West 2024: Feltopia Hands-On Preview

Sep 10, 2024 | heypoorplayer.com | Josh Speer |Francis DiPersio |Heather Johnson Yu |Andrew Thornton

I saved a most interesting game for last this year. It’s not one I had an appointment to demo at PAX West, but after checking out the booth in my rounds, I knew I had to play it. Not because I had any previous familiarity with the work of Andrea Love, but because I love a visually stunning adventure. And Feltopia is absolutely one of the most compelling adventures I’ve seen, and definitely one of the most unique Shmups ever.
PAX West 2024: Clock Tower: Rewind Hands-On Preview

Sep 10, 2024 | heypoorplayer.com | Josh Speer |Francis DiPersio |Heather Johnson Yu |Andrew Thornton

I got the chance to demo two really compelling games this year at Limited Run Games’ booth at PAX West. The first one is a horror game we’ve mentioned before on the HPP site, Clock Tower: Rewind. I played it for a couple of reasons. Firstly, because I’m drawn to horror games like a moth to flame. Secondly, because a good friend of mine has been incredibly hyped for the game, and so I felt that I had to check it out.
PAX West 2024: Touhou Hero of Ice Fairy Hands-On Preview

Sep 9, 2024 | heypoorplayer.com | Josh Speer |Francis DiPersio |Heather Johnson Yu |Andrew Thornton

One of the things I like to do at any convention is push myself beyond my boundaries a bit, taking on games I might not otherwise. Which is my subtle way of saying I don’t normally play very many Touhou games. But when I saw the colorful bullet hell insanity of Touhou Hero of Ice Fairy, I decided to take a chance on it with Phoenixx. And it turns out, that was a good decision overall. The hardest part of the demo was waiting in line, since there was only one station for the game.
PAX West 2024: The Strongest TOFU: Fragile Adventure Hands-On Preview

Sep 9, 2024 | heypoorplayer.com | Josh Speer |Francis DiPersio |Heather Johnson Yu |Andrew Thornton

I’ve played a lot of platformers over the years, but I’ve never before played one that has you play as tofu. Leave it to Phoenixx to have a game just about that at their PAX West booth this year. That game is called The Strongest TOFU: Fragile Adventure, and it’s honestly even crazier than Doronko Wanko. Despite that, it’s also a very solid puzzle platformer. While I can’t answer how a tofu suddenly is capable of movement, I can say that the controls in The Strongest TOFU are pretty simple.
PAX West 2024: Away From Home Hands-On Preview

Sep 7, 2024 | heypoorplayer.com | Josh Speer |Francis DiPersio |Heather Johnson Yu |Andrew Thornton

One of the places at PAX West that especially sparks joy for me is the Indie Megabooth. Sure, it’s often crowded and challenging to navigate, but that’s the place where the most original voices tend to speak. An as a fan of rhythm games, I decided to check out a game called Away From Home. It’s a rhythm-based RPG with some seriously stellar pixel art that reminds me somewhat of the likes of Earthbound.
PAX West 2024: GameMill Entertainment Hands-On Preview

Sep 5, 2024 | heypoorplayer.com | Josh Speer |Francis DiPersio |Heather Johnson Yu |Andrew Thornton

One thing that was very different about this year’s PAX West, at least for myself, was that I got to attend the Media Indie Exchange (MIX for short). The last time I attended it was actually at E3, so it’s been a while. I was mostly there to demo a couple of games from a publisher called GameMill Entertainment. I admit to not previously being all that familiar with them, but based off their stuff at the MIX, they’re a very solid outfit.
PAX West 2024: > One Way Hands-On Preview

Sep 5, 2024 | heypoorplayer.com | Josh Speer |Francis DiPersio |Heather Johnson Yu |Andrew Thornton

For me, one of the biggest draws at PAX West this year was the variety of compelling horror games on display. I usually don’t find all that many at the convention, and so I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. Which is what brought me over to the Indie Mega Booth section to demo > One Way (pronounced More Than One Way). Developed by Disordered Media, it’s a horror game that’s fixated on the internet, digital trends, puzzle solving and classic examples of the genre.
PAX West 2024: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind Hands-On Preview

Sep 4, 2024 | heypoorplayer.com | Josh Speer |Francis DiPersio |Heather Johnson Yu |Andrew Thornton

These days, people treat nostalgia like a dirty word. Which I sort of understand, given how the movie and TV industries love to milk reboots and remakes to syphon money out of our wallets. But sometimes, nostalgia can be a pure and good thing. A flash of insight that isn’t just based on old memories, but is a mark of good taste. Take, for example, how a very young Josh absolutely adored the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. I wasn’t yet a teenager when it came around, and instantly connected with it.