Robert Scarpinito

Seattle

Features Editor at TechRaptor

Features Editor @TechRaptor | Professional Fool @everythinginpod | Chaotic Good | he/his

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Articles

Assassin's Creed Shadows Actress Masumi on Naoe & the Challenges of Acting in Games

2 weeks ago | techraptor.net | Robert Scarpinito

Assassin's Creed Shadows often feels like two games in one. If you play as Yasuke, you'll mow down enemies like an indestructible tank. If you play as Naoe, you'll dance in the shadows, elegantly carving a path toward your goal. They're opposites in so many ways. Yasuke is a gentle giant with strong convictions, while Naoe's petite stature contains a wealth of rage and fury. Over time, she hones this storm of emotions into a sharp blade, focused squarely on restoring freedom to Japan.
The Real Wabi-Sabi in Assassin's Creed Shadows' Open World

1 month ago | techraptor.net | Robert Scarpinito

Feudal Japan—and the country's culture in general—has been idolized and romanticized for decades, including during the early days of Assassin's Creed. Ubisoft is finally answering the fans' longtime call with Assassin's Creed Shadows, which brings Japan's landscape to life in painstaking detail, for better and for worse. Across the nine regions in this game, I've traversed across roughly half of them, and there's an abundance of viewpoints to synchronize and take in the breathtaking scenery.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Review – Yarr-kuza | TechRaptor

2 months ago | techraptor.net | Robert Scarpinito

Like a Dragon—or Yakuza, as it's been known for decades in the West—is no stranger to walking off the deep end into wild waters. However, when Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii was leaked, it was so ridiculous that no one believed it at first. That's the kind of energy that perfectly captures Goro Majima's return as a playable protagonist. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii sees Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio put its spin on swashbuckling combat, and it thrives on its absurdity.
Assassin's Creed Shadows Hands-on Preview – Yasuke Changes the Game | TechRaptor

Jan 23, 2025 | techraptor.net | Robert Scarpinito

Previews you can trust: To ensure you're getting a fair, accurate, and informed review, our experienced team spends a significant amount of time on everything we preview. Read more about how we review games and products.
Robert Scarpinito's Top 8 Games of 2024

Jan 17, 2025 | techraptor.net | Robert Scarpinito

While there were a ton of great games in 2024, this was the year I found myself playing less than previous years. In my personal life, I've gotten far more invested in live music and found less time to play games. And long JRPGs don't exactly help with that. Nonetheless, I feel lucky to have been able to experience some of the best of the year, though the biggest glaring holes in my list are indie games.
2024 TechRaptor Awards - Best Visual Design

Jan 14, 2025 | techraptor.net | Andrew Otton |Robert Scarpinito |Austin Suther

Pixels sure looked good in 2024, didn't they? We've been a few years removed from all of AAA just having to focus on realism in graphics, and the results of that have been awesome. The art direction from those big and small has been stellar, with 2024 being no different. Here are the nominees for TechRaptor's 2024 Best Visual Design for outstanding, cohesive aesthetic.
2024 TechRaptor Awards - Best Soundtrack

Jan 14, 2025 | techraptor.net | Andrew Stretch |Austin Suther |Robert Scarpinito

The amount of music made for games is quite staggering. Even better, the sheer variety in genre, style, and intention of music can be hugely different in just one game. From standalone tracks that would live anywhere, to those that enhance their games to great effect, here's our best soundtracks of 2024. Here are the nominees for TechRaptor's 2024 Best Soundtrack Award for outstanding overall score.
2024 TechRaptor Awards - Best Multiplayer

Jan 13, 2025 | techraptor.net | Andrew Otton |Robert Scarpinito |Dan Rockwood

As inhuman as we gamers can be in a dark, poorly lit caves, we still want to spend some time with our fellow humans like anyone else. Thankfully, each year awesome games that allow us to compete and cooperate with one another get made, some of which we'll be playing for many years to come. Here's our best multiplayer games of 2024. Here are the nominees for TechRaptor's 2024 Best Multiplayer Award for exceptional multiplayer gameplay and design.
2024 TechRaptor Awards - Best Writing

Jan 13, 2025 | techraptor.net | Tyler Chancey |Andrew Stretch |Robert Scarpinito

Games are full of good ideas or interesting worlds, which for so many that is really all you need. If I'm just here to rack up an arcade score, I don't need to know the tragic backstory of my hero. Yet, there are plenty of games we do want to get lost in a good world or learn about a great character, and there's a lot of writing out there worth recognizing that goes above and beyond or gives us something we've never seen before.
Has "Day One on Game Pass" Lost Its Luster? | TechRaptor Podcast 134

Oct 22, 2024 | techraptor.net | Robert Scarpinito

On this week's TechRaptor Podcast, we dive into the Xbox Partner Showcase from October 17, which featured a lot of new gameplay footage and announcements. Subnautica 2 was revealed for early access next year, and it'll include co-operative play. And in even more co-op news, Remedy's next game in the Control universe will be a three-player co-op FPS. But overall, we're not sure if a lot of it really stuck with us.