About Tactical Reload

Welcome to Tactical Reload–my new project dedicated to writing about all the video games you may have missed. 

I’m launching this site with five specific goals and promises:

  1. Most of my favorite gaming sites (some of which I’ve been visiting daily for years) have become unusable because of pop-ups, spam between every paragraph, and autoplaying videos. Tactical Reload will NEVER include ads that compromise the reading experience. 

  2. I will NEVER use AI in any of my coverage. 

  3. No clickbait. 

  4. Video essays are fantastic and have done an admirable job of filling in the gaps that mainstream coverage neglects, but there’s still value in written reviews. 

  5. If video games are an artistic medium, preservation is crucial. Too often in this field if a game doesn’t have a AAA marketing budget it’s quickly considered irrelevant. I aim to be one more voice advocating for the small, the eccentric, and that RPG that slipped through the cracks three console generations ago. 

Tactical Reload will strike a balance between working through my bottomless backlog and playing new titles as they’re released. I’m especially interested in interviewing the developers of more obscure games and spotlighting the people working in the industry that, until now, have gone unnoticed. 

Thanks for  giving us a shot! I’m happy to have you here. 

And remember, reject the notion that you don’t have time to play everything.

Review Policy

Tactical Reload grades on a 100 point scale. 

Obviously, the best way to gauge if a game is for you is to read a review in full and form your own conclusions. I’ve never been a big fan of simplifying an experience to a number,  but I also respect that some indie games live or die by the number they’ve been assigned; and if I enjoy something, I’m hoping the developers can benefit from it (because making video games is hard). Lastly, a standard review score is necessary if this site eventually makes it to Metacritic and it makes more sense to establish a review method from the beginning instead of adjusting the format later on. 

On my scale, a 50 represents a title that, while deeply flawed, I don’t regret the time I spent with it. Every point above a 90 is exponentially more difficult to earn, and a perfect 100 is a game that should be experienced by everyone (even if they don’t regularly play video games). Something rated below a 20 might not even be worth watching a Let’s Play. This isn’t an exact science and all scores are ultimately my opinion. Ambition and wild swings will always beat boring. 

Games don’t exist in a bubble but I will always do my best to engage with each on their own terms. What are they trying to be and how successful are their creative choices? Any comparisons to other titles are usually for clarity and are not meant to disparage.  

If any copies, codes, or other compensation were received in exchange for an honest review, that information will be clearly stated at the bottom of the text. If there’s no disclaimer, I either bought a copy with my own money or played the game while it was on a subscription service that I’m paying for.  

About Me

Stephen Williams is a writer, developer, and the retired King of the Janitors. He currently lives in a small desert town where the only thing to do for fun is catch rattlesnakes. His interests are extremely broad but he tends to gravitate towards the spooky and strange. He’s been in love with video games since the release of Donkey Kong Country.

To check out his books, games, and other projects, visit: www.nohappyendings.net

Mascot/Art by Gloomilo