Chris Cruz
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yochriscruz.bsky.social
Chris Cruz
@yochriscruz.bsky.social
🎮 Senior Gaming Editor @ Rolling Stone 📰

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/rs-gaming/
"With all of the wholesomeness of a Bronx drill Cocomelon" 🤌
"Ain't a jellyfish but I'm a catch."

If you were praying for Ice Spice’s downfall anytime soon, with "Big Guy," you’re going to be sorely disappointed.
I Can't Stop Listening to the Ice Spice SpongeBob Song 'Big Guy'
bit.ly
November 19, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Reposted by Chris Cruz
Though it can sometimes feel like a throwback, the new Switch 2 game harkens back to an era of fun.

Review ↓
'Kirby Air Riders' Is a Slice of Happy Nostalgia in a Largely Joyless Gaming Landscape
bit.ly
November 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Reposted by Chris Cruz
REVIEW: KIRBY AIR RIDERS is good, old fashioned fun – a game that could’ve dropped in 2003, for better and for worse

Ultimately it feels like a reset button for the current gaming industry. Reject Modernity, Embrace Kirby

Check out my review on @rollingstone.com.web.brid.gy
November 19, 2025 at 2:03 PM
For @rollingstone.com writer @ryangaur.bsky.social reviews Kirby Air Riders — a soothing balm for everyone who's pissed off and disillusioned with modern gaming.
www.rollingstone.com/culture/rs-g...
'Kirby Air Riders' Is a Slice of Happy Nostalgia in a Largely Joyless Gaming Landscape
Though it can sometimes feel like a throwback, the new Switch 2 game 'Kirby Air Riders' harkens back to an era of fun.
www.rollingstone.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Reposted by Chris Cruz
An all-you-can-eat buffet of content that's light on calories and inspiration makes for a confusing entry in the annual shooter series.

Review ↓
'Black Ops 7' Is the Largest and Messiest 'Call of Duty' Ever
bit.ly
November 18, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Reposted by Chris Cruz
Frontman Jaret Reddick discusses teaming up with bands Wheatus and Punk Rock Factory to reimagine the 2008 track.

Exclusive interview ↓
Bowling for Soup Reveals a New Version of the 'Sonic Unleashed' Theme Song
bit.ly
November 17, 2025 at 2:09 PM
#CallofDuty #BlackOps7 has been divisive, but it's not the only game in the franchise to turn heads. @cadeonder.bsky.social ranks every Black Ops game for @rollingstone.com -- including the new one.

www.rollingstone.com/culture/rs-g...
'Call of Duty: Black Ops' Games, Ranked From Worst to Best
From "World at War' to 'Black Ops 7,' the 'Call of Duty' sub-series is full of bangers
www.rollingstone.com
November 16, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Basically everything said by Ryan Gosling in ‘The Nice Guys’ (2016).
what’s your favorite line delivery
November 15, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Now's a great to time to cling to my copy of Metroid Dread and lay in bed.
November 14, 2025 at 3:15 PM
I don't like this guy.
November 14, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Metroid has always been my favorite Nintendo series, and I've been cautiously optimistic about Prime 4. Based on the preview, I'm still cautious. The small slice was a little too linear, too simple, and gave Samus an *escort mission.*

preview @rollingstone.com

www.rollingstone.com/culture/rs-g...
'Metroid Prime 4' Has Been in the Works for Almost a Decade. Can It Live Up to the Hype?
Nintendo's next 'Metroid Prime' game is long-awaited, but it doesn't feel revolutionary
www.rollingstone.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Reposted by Chris Cruz
Here’s my massive interview with Dispatch’s writer Pierre Shorrete - touching on superhero fatigue, the nature of choice in narrative games, how it started as live action, how it became a “far greater” succes than expected, and what’s next www.inverse.com/gaming/dispa...
November 13, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Season One of 'Dispatch' wraps up with a couple loose threads and multiple outcomes — sticking the landing on its playable TV show premise.

A full recap of the finale and retrospective @rollingstone.com

*Spoilers for Eps 7 & 8*

@adhocstudio.com
www.rollingstone.com/culture/rs-g...
'Dispatch' Episodes 7 and 8: Onboarding's Over. It's Time to Save the Day
Season One of 'Dispatch' culminates with a slew of choices that tie up the playable TV show
www.rollingstone.com
November 13, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Reposted by Chris Cruz
New York Times killed Weinstein and Epstein stories but just asked Ms Rachel if she was funded by Hamas.
November 12, 2025 at 8:50 PM
I find it funny that the Steam Machine marketing angle is, "It's 6x times more powerful than this 3-year-old handheld device."

I'd fucking hope so.
November 12, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Steam Machine looks like one of the little modular IKEA cubbies. Kewt.
November 12, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Reposted by Chris Cruz
Finally, Gabecube
Steam Frame, Steam Controller, Steam Machine announcement is expected soon, here's a first look!
November 12, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Brie Larson is an extremely obvious pick — she's Nintendo's celebrity show pony, but Benny Safdie? They're trying to tip the scales away from The Discourse with that one.
November 12, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Reposted by Chris Cruz
The rhythmic block-clearing series gets a 'Tetris Effect'-style overhaul that's heavy on the synesthesia, if light on actual content.

Review ↓
'Lumines Arise' Is a Trippy Puzzle Game Beamed Into Your Eyeballs
bit.ly
November 11, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by Chris Cruz
006-7
Just call the series The Double 0s and make it about all the 00# folks.
November 11, 2025 at 4:33 PM
To be a James Bond author and genuinely be this stupid is wild. People have understood how different interpretations of the same character works for generations. Bond is no different than a comic book character — pick your flavor and entry point, and go. It's that simple.
James Bond’s death in No Time to Die is causing a nightmare for the next film. Writers are stuck because Bond “was blown to pieces.”

Anthony Horowitz, author of three 007 novels, says:

“You can't have him wake up in shower and saying it was all a dream."

radaronline.com/p/james-bond...
November 11, 2025 at 3:57 PM
While I wasn't *quite* as smitten by Lumines Arise as everyone else, I was enthralled for a stint. Especially in VR, it was like a wild two-day bender of stress relief, but I don't see myself coming back to it as often as I do other puzzlers.
@rollingstone.com
www.rollingstone.com/culture/rs-g...
'Lumines Arise' Is a Trippy Puzzle Game Beamed Into Your Eyeballs
'Lumines' gets the 'Tetris Effect' treatment with an immersive synesthesia makeup
www.rollingstone.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Reposted by Chris Cruz
Was writing about F.E.A.R. for @rollingstone.com enough? Nay. Was talking about it with @murph04.bsky.social and @stolisomancer.bsky.social on the Daydremcast enough? Nope. For last month's Skydive, the Skybox crew sat down to talk about one of the best horror shooters ever made. F.E.A.R. forever.
It's time for the F.E.A.R. episode of Skydive, our deep-dive podcast available for Patreon backers.

Check out the Pre-Flight Check article companion here: skyboxcritics.com/2025/11/10/s...

And listen to the episode if you support the site on the Skydive tier: www.patreon.com/posts/143264...
Skydive Pre-Flight Check: F.E.A.R.
In a better timeline, we’d be praising F.E.A.R. for being the pivotal first-person shooter that changed the genre, becoming the template that others would try to build on or supplant for mult…
skyboxcritics.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Reposted by Chris Cruz
So it turns out... the US air travel system was incredibly, deeply dependent on federal funding to just run day-to-day all this time, to the benefit of private airline shareholders, when everyone thinks that state-run trains are leeching off the government. Weird!
November 9, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Reposted by Chris Cruz
The turning point of Season One sees the Z-Team bonding over big secrets and bloody bar brawls as the endgame takes shape. (This post contains spoilers).

Recap ↓
'Dispatch' Episodes 5 and 6: Don't Get Drunk With Your Supervillain Co-workers
bit.ly
November 8, 2025 at 12:00 AM