Alex Rowe
@xander51.bsky.social
I write about gaming, tech, music, and their industries. I have a background in video production, and I used to review games for a computer magazine. Find my work at xander51.medium.com
My game of the year content begins! I've pivoted from doing a list to doing individual highlight articles, and I've bucked all other trends to start with my number one game. xander51.medium.com/avowed-is-be...
Avowed Is Better Than Every Elder Scrolls Game
It’s still my favorite new release of 2025
xander51.medium.com
December 26, 2025 at 7:30 PM
My game of the year content begins! I've pivoted from doing a list to doing individual highlight articles, and I've bucked all other trends to start with my number one game. xander51.medium.com/avowed-is-be...
It's once again time for my yearly Christmas-week tradition of "ramble about my computer." I'm in a much better place this year, and quite thankful for it. I've got some game of the year lists coming up in the next week or two! xander51.medium.com/i-love-my-ly...
I Love My Lying GPU
In a now-infamous moment of intense marketing hype, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang kicked off 2025 by proclaiming on a big stage that their new…
xander51.medium.com
December 22, 2025 at 7:40 PM
It's once again time for my yearly Christmas-week tradition of "ramble about my computer." I'm in a much better place this year, and quite thankful for it. I've got some game of the year lists coming up in the next week or two! xander51.medium.com/i-love-my-ly...
The new Avatar DLC is...fine? xander51.medium.com/the-avatar-f...
The Avatar: From the Ashes DLC Is an Awkward Mini Sequel Thing
Remember game expansions?
xander51.medium.com
December 19, 2025 at 8:16 PM
The new Avatar DLC is...fine? xander51.medium.com/the-avatar-f...
Sony improved an interesting older design into the best gaming headset I've used in a few years. xander51.medium.com/the-best-pre...
The Best Premium Gaming Headset of 2025
This smart revision actually improved everything
xander51.medium.com
December 18, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Sony improved an interesting older design into the best gaming headset I've used in a few years. xander51.medium.com/the-best-pre...
My favorite keyboard of the year came from an unlikely place. xander51.medium.com/a-cool-keybo...
A Cool Keyboard For Normal People
For a little over a month, I’ve been using a Keychron V1 Ultra mechanical keyboard for all of my typing work and PC entertainment. I’ve had…
xander51.medium.com
December 17, 2025 at 6:52 PM
My favorite keyboard of the year came from an unlikely place. xander51.medium.com/a-cool-keybo...
The other day I took an updated look at the state of the two currently active Diablo games. If you want to get these articles as soon as they go live, please consider following me on @medium.com! xander51.medium.com/is-the-free-...
Is the Free Diablo Better Than the Paid Diablo?
It depends on what you seek most
xander51.medium.com
December 17, 2025 at 3:38 PM
The other day I took an updated look at the state of the two currently active Diablo games. If you want to get these articles as soon as they go live, please consider following me on @medium.com! xander51.medium.com/is-the-free-...
I think Diablo IV is finally in a place where I enjoy the way it feels to control it. That's a big deal! I have a piece about it going live on Medium later this afternoon.
December 15, 2025 at 7:59 PM
I think Diablo IV is finally in a place where I enjoy the way it feels to control it. That's a big deal! I have a piece about it going live on Medium later this afternoon.
The new Control sequel should have been my favorite thing announced last night at The Game Awards. Instead, it made all of these words come out of me. medium.com/@xander51/oh...
Oh No, I’m Upset About Control 2
I can’t believe that Remedy Entertainment is making yet another weird high concept video game sequel, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
medium.com
December 12, 2025 at 11:23 PM
The new Control sequel should have been my favorite thing announced last night at The Game Awards. Instead, it made all of these words come out of me. medium.com/@xander51/oh...
I wrote up my thoughts on Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora's new third-person camera mode. I'm excited for the DLC next week! xander51.medium.com/avatar-front...
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Is Aging in Reverse
It might be the best movie game ever made
xander51.medium.com
December 12, 2025 at 6:56 PM
I wrote up my thoughts on Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora's new third-person camera mode. I'm excited for the DLC next week! xander51.medium.com/avatar-front...
I started the day happy to learn that Skyrim launched on Switch 2. But then I played it. xander51.medium.com/skyrim-on-sw...
Skyrim On Switch 2: Another Bethesda Miss?
Frustrations abound in the 67th release of this classic RPG
xander51.medium.com
December 9, 2025 at 7:28 PM
I started the day happy to learn that Skyrim launched on Switch 2. But then I played it. xander51.medium.com/skyrim-on-sw...
I've got a new story up about my secret favorite mechanic in open world games. It's something that so few of them actually get right. xander51.medium.com/the-innate-a...
The Innate Appeal of Running Away
Sometimes, the coolest thing that an open world game can do is allow me to go “nah, I’m good” and bail on some content I’m just not…
xander51.medium.com
December 8, 2025 at 6:12 PM
I've got a new story up about my secret favorite mechanic in open world games. It's something that so few of them actually get right. xander51.medium.com/the-innate-a...
Skyrim is still out there influencing every modern open world game. Let's talk about it! xander51.medium.com/my-favorite-...
My Favorite Games That Learned From Skyrim
And a couple of duds
xander51.medium.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Skyrim is still out there influencing every modern open world game. Let's talk about it! xander51.medium.com/my-favorite-...
I posted a sort-of-review of the new Corsair Void Max V2 that I've been playing with for a number of weeks. It's the most delightful gaming headset surprise I've given myself this year. xander51.medium.com/a-tale-of-tw...
A Tale of Two Corsair Voids
Is the premium option actually the best?
xander51.medium.com
December 4, 2025 at 6:39 PM
I posted a sort-of-review of the new Corsair Void Max V2 that I've been playing with for a number of weeks. It's the most delightful gaming headset surprise I've given myself this year. xander51.medium.com/a-tale-of-tw...
Wait, you mean you *don't* categorize all of your gaming thoughts into outdated categories you learned from print journalism? xander51.medium.com/im-still-try...
I’m Still Trying To Unlearn Years Of Tech Writing Habits
The downside of working for a computer magazine
xander51.medium.com
December 2, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Wait, you mean you *don't* categorize all of your gaming thoughts into outdated categories you learned from print journalism? xander51.medium.com/im-still-try...
Here's almost 2200 words about the year's Dynasty Warriors games. I love this franchise and I'm happy it's still so prolific. xander51.medium.com/im-out-here-...
I’m Out Here Ranking Dynasty Warriors Games Again
At the end of the year, the game industry gathers together to celebrate itself through a variety of awards ceremonies, top ten lists, and…
xander51.medium.com
December 1, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Here's almost 2200 words about the year's Dynasty Warriors games. I love this franchise and I'm happy it's still so prolific. xander51.medium.com/im-out-here-...
I had a whole different article planned for today, but this latest Microsoft mistake was too important not to write about. xander51.medium.com/microsoft-br...
Microsoft Broke Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Only Nvidia has a fix out so far
xander51.medium.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:56 PM
I had a whole different article planned for today, but this latest Microsoft mistake was too important not to write about. xander51.medium.com/microsoft-br...
To round out the week, I've got some thoughts on Nintendo's weird Q4 games lineup. xander51.medium.com/nintendos-ho...
Nintendo’s Holiday Game Lineup Is Wacky, Right?
The Switch 2 is about to have its first big holiday shopping season. It has already had one of the most successful console launches of…
xander51.medium.com
November 21, 2025 at 7:03 PM
To round out the week, I've got some thoughts on Nintendo's weird Q4 games lineup. xander51.medium.com/nintendos-ho...
My favorite budget headset got a sequel after four years. Sadly, some parts of it went wrong. xander51.medium.com/logitech-bas...
Logitech Basically Ruined Their Best Budget Headset
A full four years ago now, Logitech released my favorite affordable wireless gaming headset in the G435. It combined solid wireless gaming…
xander51.medium.com
November 19, 2025 at 6:52 PM
My favorite budget headset got a sequel after four years. Sadly, some parts of it went wrong. xander51.medium.com/logitech-bas...
I published this story this morning, but the original title didn't accurately reflect my frustration. I almost never change my titles, so this is a big deal! xander51.medium.com/hyperxs-flag...
You Must Avoid This Gaming Headset
Don’t let bad software ruin your fun!
xander51.medium.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:10 AM
I published this story this morning, but the original title didn't accurately reflect my frustration. I almost never change my titles, so this is a big deal! xander51.medium.com/hyperxs-flag...
I’m trying out a Corsair Sabre V2 and I love it so far. However it is also light enough that I managed to knock it straight onto my floor with nothing but the weight of a plugged-in USB cable.
November 17, 2025 at 9:18 PM
I’m trying out a Corsair Sabre V2 and I love it so far. However it is also light enough that I managed to knock it straight onto my floor with nothing but the weight of a plugged-in USB cable.
The new VR version of Vampire Survivors is totally fine...but my review turned into a rant about how much I loathe the current Quest operating system. xander51.medium.com/i-took-one-l...
I Took One Last Wade Through the VR Muck for Vampire Survivors
Just like thousands of other people, I fell hard into and hard out of love with VR gaming in a short span of time.
xander51.medium.com
November 17, 2025 at 7:11 PM
The new VR version of Vampire Survivors is totally fine...but my review turned into a rant about how much I loathe the current Quest operating system. xander51.medium.com/i-took-one-l...
I weirdly feel like I need to play some MindsEye soon. It seems like it might just vanish one day.
November 17, 2025 at 2:41 AM
I weirdly feel like I need to play some MindsEye soon. It seems like it might just vanish one day.
The new Fallout 4 release is a huge bummer. xander51.medium.com/fallout-4-an...
Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition Is Simply Horrid
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the release of their hit game Fallout 4, Bethesda and Microsoft both stretched out their hands to ask…
xander51.medium.com
November 12, 2025 at 5:54 PM
The new Fallout 4 release is a huge bummer. xander51.medium.com/fallout-4-an...
It takes many hours for Age of Imprisonment to get to its inciting moment, and by then I think players might be bored. xander51.medium.com/hyrule-warri...
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Takes Too Long To Get Good
A slow lore-filled experience
xander51.medium.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:40 PM
It takes many hours for Age of Imprisonment to get to its inciting moment, and by then I think players might be bored. xander51.medium.com/hyrule-warri...
I was planning to write about the Fallout 4 update today, but it is so thoroughly nothing that instead I'm finishing up a Hyrule Warriors piece.
November 11, 2025 at 5:17 PM
I was planning to write about the Fallout 4 update today, but it is so thoroughly nothing that instead I'm finishing up a Hyrule Warriors piece.