Kat Bailey
Editor in Chief
Kat Bailey is a former freelance writer and contributor to publications including 1UP, IGN, GameSpot, GamesRadar, and EGM. Her fondest memories as a journalist are at GamePro, where she hosted RolePlayer's Realm and had legal access to the term "Protip." She is USgamer's resident mecha enthusiast, Pokemon Master, and Minnesota Vikings nut (skol).
@The_Katbot kat.bailey@usgamer.netLatest Articles
I Thought Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light Would be Too Archaic. I Was Wrong
A new translation and some key quality-of-life additions make this genre pioneer worth playing.
USG Game of the Month: Yakuza: Like a Dragon Shows Us Why Broken Gangsters Make Great RPG Characters
Never has the title "Homeless Guy" been so compelling.
I Thought Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light Would be Too Archaic. I Was Wrong
A new translation and some key quality-of-life additions make this genre pioneer worth playing.
USG Game of the Month: Yakuza: Like a Dragon Shows Us Why Broken Gangsters Make Great RPG Characters
Never has the title "Homeless Guy" been so compelling.
Axe of the Blood God: It's Time For Trivia of the Blood God
An RPG quiz show draws near! Command?
The Next-Gen Version of FIFA 21 Is EA's Idea of a "Strand Game"
A look at all the enhancements being made to FIFA 21 on Xbox Series X and PS5.
Axe of the Blood God: Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is This Fall's Sneaky Great RPG Sim
Checking in on Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, WoW: Shadowlands, and even more Fall 2020 releases.
A Quick and Dirty Ranking of The Game Awards GOTY Nominees for 2020
Hades is a great choice, Doom Eternal... less so.
EA Has Some Fascinating Ideas for Madden 21 on Next-Gen Consoles
The Microsoft Flight Simulator of sports games? How Madden 21 on PS5 and Xbox Series X uses Next Gen Stats to power its gameplay.
Axe of the Blood God: Final Fantasy 14, Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, and a Farewell
This week's episode is all about Square Enix.
The Xbox Series X vs. PlayStation 5: Our Complete Breakdown and Final Verdict
Two consoles, two visions for the future. We compare their specs, games, and prospects for the future.
Pokemon Go is Now Compatible With Pokemon Home, But the Restrictions Are Kind of Ridiculous
Pump the brakes on transferring that Shiny Groudon to Pokemon Sword and Shield.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Is the First Thing You Should Buy on Your New Xbox Series X
We break down the reasons why Xbox Game Pass is an essential pickup now that the Xbox Series X is here.
Axe of the Blood God: The Next-Gen Console Launch Extravaganza!
Our complete breakdown of this week's PS5 and Xbox Series X launch.
Xbox Series X Review: Microsoft's Powerful Next-Gen Console is Still Lacking Its Killer App
Microsoft's new console inspires plenty of optimism, but it still has a few hurdles to overcome.
Starting Screen | We Don't Blame You If You're Struggling to Care About Video Games This Week
It's certainly going to be a week.
Axe of the Blood God: How the PlayStation 4 Changed Gaming
From the "mainstreaming" of RPGs to Japan's revival, here all the ways that the PS4 helped change gaming.
USG Game of the Month: Amnesia: Rebirth
Frictional Games's deeply unsettling horror game stands out in an otherwise underwhelming month.
Xbox Series X Initial Impressions: A Dramatic Entrance for an Understated Console
Here's everything you'll find in the box when the Xbox Series X arrives in a couple weeks.
The Top 25 PlayStation 2 Games of All Time
Celebrating 20 years with 25 of the PS2's best games.
Axe of the Blood God: The Xbox One's Difficult Generation
Kat and Nadia assess the Xbox One's RPG legacy while sharing their thoughts on Pokemon's Crown Tundra DLC.
NHL 21 Review: This Year's Entry Struggles to Light the Lamp
EA's hockey sim includes a long-awaited update to a classic mode, but legacy issues drag it down to the ice.
Axe of the Blood God: A Closer Look at Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Plus, we let our imaginations run wild in this week's episode of the RPG podcast.
Axe of the Blood God: Larian's Swen Vincke on Baldur's Gate 3's Early Access Release
Larian Studios founder Swen Vincke is here to answer all of our questions about this long-awaited sequel.
FIFA 21 Review: One Final Shot
EA's soccer franchise tries to score one more goal before full-time is called on the current console generation.
Star Wars: Squadrons's Best Mode Badly Needs Ranked Play
Dogfight is a blast, but it also needs a lot of work.
Axe of the Blood God: The Xbox 360 Had a Bigger Impact on RPGs Than You Think
Exploring the rich RPG legacy of Microsoft's most successful console.
Star Wars: Squadrons Review: The X-Wing Strikes Back
A long lost genre makes a triumphant return.
USG Game of the Month: Hades is Supergiant's Secret Blizzard Game
September's best game was a roguelite, but not the one we expected.
Starting Screen | Xbox Series X's Seamless Transition Shows Why Backward Compatibility Matters
Console owners will soon get a taste of what PC owners have enjoyed for a very long time now.
Axe of the Blood God: Why RPG Fans Should Check Out Hades
Analyzing Supergiant's excellent roguelite from a role-playing perspective.
The Baroque Beauty of Valkyrie Profile, Tri-Ace's Greatest RPG
Now 20 years old, Valkyrie Profile is one of the PlayStation's finest RPGs.
Axe of the Blood God Emergency Podcast: Analyzing the Bethesda Acquisition
Kat and Nadia react to Monday’s news.
Axe of the Blood God: Reacting to the Final Fantasy 16 Announcement
Harry Potter, Monster Hunter, and Final Fantasy 16 highlight a huge week for RPGs.
The Recent PlayStation 5 Showcase Showed How Much Sony is Relying On the Past
While Sony plays its greatest hits, Xbox is setting itself up for the future.
Starting Screen | Super Mario 64 Remains the Best of the 3D Mario Games
An ode to Nintendo's pioneering platformer on the eve of the release of Super Mario 3D All-Stars.
Axe of the Blood God: The Fall RPG 2020 Preview
We preview Cyberpunk 2077, Yakuza 7, and the rest of this fall's biggest RPGs.
Axe of the Blood God: What the PlayStation Portable Meant for RPGs
The Console RPG Quest explores Sony's big move into handheld gaming.
Madden NFL Should Have Gone to the Fortnite Model a Long Time Ago
The backlash against Madden NFL 21 is symptomatic of a larger problem.
Madden 21 is Planning Its September Title Update for the Start of the NFL Season
Lots of fixes to Madden 21's gameplay are inbound.
USG Game of the Month: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is a Vision of the Future
A true graphical achievement highlights the best games of August 2020.
Axe of the Blood God: Wasteland 3 Impressions, Moon's Switch Release, and More
Recapping a busy week for role-playing games.
Madden NFL 21 Review: A Few Stumbling Yards Forward
Solid improvements to the gameplay are marred by subpar single-player modes and a huge number of bugs.
A Brave Attempt to Rank 30 Years of Super Robot Wars Games
From the Game Boy to the Nintendo Switch, this is the best (and worst) Super Robot Wars has to offer.
Madden NFL 21's Seann Graddy is "Actually Quite Proud of This Generation" as Next-Gen Approaches
Executive Producer Seann Graddy talks about Madden NFL 21's brand-new mode, franchise mode woes, and the road to PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Starting Screen | It's Time for Ubisoft to Bring the Scott Pilgrim Game Back
On Scott Pilgrim's 10th anniversary, this excellent beat 'em up should be playable by everyone.
Axe of the Blood God: Remembering Square's Summer of Adventure 2000
Three big RPGs, one big summer event.
Axe of the Blood God: The Nintendo DS's Remarkable RPG Legacy
The World Ends With You, Dragon Quest 9, and other RPGs helped carry Japanese gaming through a difficult period.
Branching Narratives is Joined by Brenda Romero For Its Final Episode
We wrap our series of interviews with gaming's greatest with pioneering developer Brenda Romero.
FIFA 21's Battle With Lag, And What EA Has to Say About Other Longstanding Gameplay Problems
"FIFA 21 is the most responsive game we've ever made," EA says.
FIFA 21 on PS5 and Xbox Series X Will Continue Including Women's Teams
The defending world champion U.S. Women's National Team will be playable on next-gen consoles.
Axe of the Blood God: What Does the Future Hold for Next-Gen RPGs?
We talk about all the ways RPGs might change on Xbox Series X and PS5.
A New Beyond Good & Evil Netflix Movie is the Latest Bit of Cruel Hope for Long Suffering Fans
The prequel, meanwhile, is nowhere to be found.
Gundam Extreme Vs. Maxi Boost On Review: Just Communication
Bandai Namco's arcade port is an odd but wonderful anachronism.
StarCraft 2's Rollercoaster Decade, As Remembered By Its Developers
Reflections on StarCraft 2's early success, the impact of free-to-play, and what Blizzard might have done differently.
Starting Screen | StarCraft Deserves Better
On its 10th anniversary, the future of Blizzard's flagship RTS is uncertain. It shouldn't be.
Axe of the Blood God: Fable Returns, Suikoden Gets a Spiritual Successor, and Tons More RPG News
A busy week for RPG news.
Ghost of Tsushima Pretty Much Sums Up This Generation
Sucker Punch's open-world samurai game exemplifies a generation that's more about "what works" than genuine ambition.
Xbox Rebounds With a Strong Next-Gen Exclusives Showcase
Halo Infinite, Everwild, and Fable star as Xbox Series X shows us what it's got.
Branching Narratives: Kelley Gilmore on Leading the Studio That's Reviving BioShock
Plus, the one thing you don't know about Sid Meier.
Star Wars: Squadrons Brings Some Classic X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter Ships Into Official Canon
Do you want the BFF-1 bulk freighter? You've got the BFF-1 bulk freighter.
After Four Hours, Star Wars: Squadrons is a Faster, Deeper X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter
We go hands-on with Star Wars: Squadrons and find a revival that's unpolished but promising.
Starting Screen | It's a Critical Week for the Future of Halo
Halo Infinite is finally being revealed this week. Will it be good enough to return to gaming's top echelons?
Axe of the Blood God: Our Verdict on Paper Mario: The Origami King
GameXplain's Andre Seger joins the show to help render judgment on the latest game in the Paper Mario series.
Axe of the Blood God: A Closer Look at CrossCode Now That It's on Console
Kat, Nadia, and Hirun talk CrossCode, Paper Mario: The Origami King review impressions, and more.
The Madden 21 Beta's Most Controversial Changes Actually Give Me Hope
EA seems to be following a different path with Madden 21, and that's a good thing.
Axe of the Blood God: How the Original Xbox Helped Usher in Gaming's Modern Era
The Console RPG Quest looks back on the console that brought PC RPGs to the living room.
Madden 21's Devs Have Heard Fan Outcry and Are "Bolstering Plans to Support Franchise"
"We see your fix Madden Franchise tweets and we understand your frustration," executive producer Seann Graddy says.
Marvel's Iron Man VR Shows How Far VR Has Come… And How Far It Still Has to Go
An unexpectedly sophisticated VR game.
Axe of the Blood God: 5 Games Like Diablo 2 That You Should Play
Celebrating Diablo 2's 20th anniversary, why Pokemon Diamond and Pearl don't need a remake, and more.
The Last of Us Part 2's Ending Doesn't Ruin the Original. It Completes It
Analyzing The Last of Us Part 2's controversial ending, and how it brings the original game full circle.
The Last of Us Part 2 Pulls Off Its Biggest Twist, But Only Just Barely
It's time to talk about Abby.
Axe of the Blood God: Remembering the WonderSwan
The latest entry in the Console RPG Quest circles back to a cult handheld. Plus, recapping a busy week in RPG news.
Star Wars: Squadrons Looks Like the X-Wing Sim I've Been Wanting for 25 Years
Please don't screw this up, EA.
Is The Last of Us Part 2 Too Violent for Its Own Good?
Naughty Dog's sequel has been called grim and gruesome by many. Is it all too much?
Hardspace: Shipbreaker's Dark Satire About Labor Among the Stars Makes It Worth Playing
Hardspace: Shipbreaker combines social commentary with some deeply original gameplay.
Starting Screen | The Last of Us Part 2's Overly Limiting Embargo Only Hurts Critical Discourse
An argument on Twitter throws the difficulty of having a real conversation about The Last of Us Part 2 into sharp relief.
The Last of Us Part 2's Unlikely Connection to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
Naughty Dog's blockbuster isn't the first game to use a snowball fight to great effect.
The Last of Us Part 2 Review: An Emotional Reckoning And a Worthy Sequel
Naughty Dog crafts an amazing sequel, but does it surpass the original?
The Demon's Souls PS5 Remake Looks Stunning in These First Screenshots
Here's another taste of what to expect from Bluepoint after today's reveal.
Axe of the Blood God: How RPGs Have Handled Social Commentary Through the Years
From Shinra to "Augs Lives Matter," the highs and lows of social commentary in RPGs.
The Outer Worlds is a Pretty Bad Switch Port
A clever RPG with a lot of heart that is nevertheless difficult to recommend on Switch.
Axe of the Blood God: Our Final Verdict on Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
Senior Editor Caty McCarthy joins the show to discuss her review and deliver her final verdict on the big remaster.
The Last of Us Part 2 is the Dark Counterpart to Animal Crossing
Two very different games, both of which feel perfectly suited for 2020.
Why I'm Still Playing Gradius 35 Years After Its Original Release
On its 35th anniversary, the Vic Viper lives on.
Axe of the Blood God: The Rich RPG Legacy of the Game Boy Advance
From Golden Sun to Fire Emblem, the GBA was a brilliant handheld console for RPG fans.
Perfect Dark Turns 20 This Week. Now is the Time for a Revival
Rare's ambitious shooter was ahead of its time, and it's a perfect fit for 2020.
Starting Screen | Why Grand Theft Auto 5 is Still Capable of Crashing the Epic Games Store in 2020
Rockstar's return to Los Santos is one of the most popular games ever, and it's not going away anytime soon.
Axe of the Blood God: We Talk Paper Mario, Ghost of Tsushima, and Xenoblade Chronicles
Our RPG podcast recaps some of the big news events of the past week, and shares initial Xenoblade Chronicles impressions.
Axe of the Blood God: The Failed RPGs That Deserve Another Chance
From Alpha Protocol to Resonance of Fate, these were the RPGs that never got a proper opportunity to shine.
Inside Xbox Reaction: The Xbox Series X's First Big Games Showcase Held Few Surprises
The first Xbox Series X games showcase was a bit of a dud.
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