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
Axe of the Blood God: Remembering Square's Direct to Video Era
Special guest Ben Hanson joins the pod to remember the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7.
Axe of the Blood God: Remembering Square's Direct to Video Era
Special guest Ben Hanson joins the pod to remember the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7.
Axe of the Blood God: The Persona 5 Spoilercast
All we want to do is date boys.
The Studio Behind the Messenger Is Trying to Kickstart Its Dream RPG in the Midst of a Pandemic
We talk to Sabotage Studio about its vision for Sea of Stars, and the nightmare of unveiling its dream project in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
MLB The Show 20 Review: A Baseball Fan's Balm for a Painful Spring
Opening Day may have been delayed, but The Show must go on.
See How Trials of Mana's Early Scenes Compare Between the Original and the Remake
It's a much bigger upgrade than what Secret of Mana received.
Axe of the Blood God: Mako Reactor Attacks, Evading Dragons, and Other Amazing RPG Intros
We explore the opening moments of some of our favorite RPGs.
The Final Fantasy 7 Spinoffs You Never Knew About
The less famous stories, movies, and games that filled in the gaps of Final Fantasy 7's lore.
Starting Screen | Everyone Forgets That Final Fantasy 13 Had a Really Good Battle System
Lessons learned from Final Fantasy 13, Ori returns, and everything else that's happening this week in games.
Axe of the Blood God: Why Airships Rule
Our latest mailbag tackles RPG commandments, why airships are awesome, and more!
The Case for the PlayStation 2 Being the Greatest Console Ever
Why the highest-selling console of all time is also the best.
Countdown to Final Fantasy 7 Remake: A New Weekly Series Leading up to Release
We count down the final weeks to Final Fantasy 7 Remake's release with a new series of features, essays, and podcasts.
Axe of the Blood God: We Play Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Celebrate PlayStation 2's 20th Anniversary
We've got a packed episode this week as we take a look at some of the year's most anticipated RPGs.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Changes One of the Original's Most Iconic Scenes, and Not for the Better
What Cloud's first meeting with Aerith says about the differences between the remake and the original.
Watch Our 15 Minute Guided Tour of Final Fantasy 7 Remake's Opening Mission
Plus scattered thoughts on summons, Mako Reactor 5, and more.
Baldur's Gate 3's New Cinematic Trailer is Seriously Squicking Me Out
Horrific neural parasites. Why does it always have to be horrific neural parasites.
Baldur's Gate 3 Being Turn-Based Was "Never Really a Question"
We go in-depth on Baldur's Gate 3's battle system, its branching narrative, and more.
With Baldur's Gate 3 Coming to Stadia, Larian Reacts to the Platform's Struggles
"We of course follow the news, and we know what players are thinking and why they're thinking that."
Microsoft Just Pulled Out of GDC Due to Coronavirus Fears [Update: Epic is Out Too]
Xbox developer joins Sony, EA, and other major devs in canceling events as Covid-19 spreads.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is "Three Times the Scope and Scale" of Blind Forest
We talk to the devs at Moon about delays, growing up as a studio, and success on the Switch.
Axe of the Blood God: The Tropes We Love (and Hate) to See in RPGs
From sewer levels to ridiculous weapons, we talk about the tropes we both love and hate to see in RPGs.
Axe of the Blood God: The Dreamcast Console RPG Quest
The Console RPG Quest takes on one of the most beloved consoles ever. Plus, Fire Emblem: Three Houses DLC discussion!
Get an Early Glimpse of Next-Gen With 20 Minutes of Outriders Gameplay
We captured high-end PC footage from Outriders, which will also be out on PS5 and Xbox Series X later this year.
"Outriders Isn't Games as Service:" People Can Fly on What Makes Their Next-Gen Shooter "Old-School"
Where we're going, we don't need roadmaps.
Sonic the Hedgehog Movie Review: Almost a Sonic Boom
After all the hype and controversy, Sonic serves up a perfectly competent video game adaptation.
Axe of the Blood God: The State of JRPGs in 2020
From Persona 5 to Atelier Ryza, Kat and Nadia talk about how JRPGs are faring as a new decade begins.
A Frank Chat About Difficulty With Nioh 2's Producer
Quoth The Raven Tengu, Nevermore.
Axe of the Blood God: Looking Back on the Decade in RPGs
Kat and Nadia talk about all the ways that RPGs changed dramatically over the course of the 2010s.
Why Gundam Extreme Vs. Maxi Boost On Probably Isn't Coming to Switch
Decade-old arcade architecture makes a port unlikely.
Warcraft 3 Was the Best Strategy Game Blizzard Ever Made
One of Blizzard's lesser-known classics finally gets its due. Plus, all of the big releases, The Sims 20th anniversary, and more.
Axe of the Blood God: Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, Temtem, and the January Mailbag!
Which short RPGs do we recommend? What happened to Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot? Find out in this week's episode of our RPG podcast.
76 Million Households Watched Netflix's The Witcher for At Least Two Minutes
More than 76 million households have watched the new show starring Henry Cavill. Or at least some of it.
Axe of the Blood God: The Return of Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE, Byleth in Smash Bros., and More!
Plus, new Fire Emblem: Three Houses DLC!
Axe of the Blood God Console RPG Quest: Nintendo 64
We look back on a major turning point in Nintendo's history.
Actually, Resident Evil 4 Was Plenty Scary
On its 15th anniversary, we remember some of Resident Evil 4's scariest moments.
Remember When... Xbox 360 Tried to Conquer Japan?
Microsoft's attempts to win over Japanese gamers, and why it ultimately failed.
Starting Screen | 2020 Will Be One of the Most Consequential Years in Gaming History
This will be the year that all of the major promises of the past decade finally come true.
Axe of the Blood God Previews the RPGs of 2020
Cyberpunk, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and a brand new generation of consoles highlights 2020 in RPGs.
The Axe of the Blood God End of 2019 Extravaganza!
We're back to talk about all the best games of 2019 in the final episode of the year!
Once the King of PC Gaming, MechWarrior is Now the Big Stompy Ghost of a Bygone Era
A legacy series returns, and there’s little else like it in gaming today.
Armored Monsters and Flying Swords: Here's Your First Look at Babylon's Fall's Gameplay
We get our first glimpse of the gameplay from the new collaboration between PlatinumGames and Square Enix.
MLB The Show, Long an Important PlayStation Exclusive, Appears Headed for Switch and Xbox One
One of Sony's best exclusives is going multi-platform, and it's a win for baseball fans everywhere.
Shovel Knight Showdown Review: A Sneaky Contender for 2019's Best Party Game
An excellent arena battler that transcends Shovel Knight's boundaries in unexpected ways.
Shovel Knight: King of Cards Review: This Crown Belongs to Another
King of Cards is the most ambitious Shovel Knight game to date, but it's not quite the best.
FIFA 20 Removes Retired Dutch Player Marco van Basten After He Uses Nazi Greeting on Television
"We have an expectation that our commitment to equality and diversity is upheld across our game," EA says.
Axe of the Blood God: Why Dungeons & Dragons is Enjoying a Mini-Renaissance
Dicebreaker's Sara Elsam joins the pod to talk about the state of D&D in 2019.
Checking in on FIFA 20 for Black Friday: Does It Hold Up?
We enjoyed FIFA 20 during review, but is it worth picking up on Black Friday? We check in on EA's soccer sim.
Starting Screen | Five Games I Missed That I'm Planning to Play Now That the Holidays Are Here
A look at the games I want to play before 2019 is officially finished.
From Jedi: Fallen Order to Bushido Blade: The 35 Year Quest for the Perfect Video Game Lightsaber
Tracing the history of the iconic weapon from the Atari 2600 to the present, and all the ways that it's influenced gaming.
In Defense of Cal Kestis, Jedi: Fallen Order's Dorkiest Padawan
There's more to Fallen Order's red-headed Jedi than meets the eye.
Axe of the Blood God Reviews Pokemon Sword and Shield and Romancing SaGa 3
Kat, Nadia, and special guest Kallie Plagge go in-depth on Gen 8.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Review: A New Hope
Respawn bursts on the scene with one of the best Star Wars games in ages, but there's a dark side.
Obsidian Founder Feargus Urquhart, Whose Credits Include Fallout, Wants to be a Game Director Again
After years on the business side, founder Feargus Urquhart is ready to make games again.
Grounded Impressions: Why Obsidian Fans Shouldn't Write Off This Quirky Passion Project Just Yet
An odd choice by Obsidian, but there's more than meets the eye here.
Rune 2 Publisher: Bethesda's Closure of Human Heading Studios is "Shocking News"
Publishing partner Ragnarok LLC says it learned of studio's closure at the same time as everyone else.
Will Hideo Kojima Ever Stop Making Metal Gear Solid?
A closer look at Death Stranding reveals a game that isn't as different as it first seems.
Axe of the Blood God: The Death Stranding Spoilercast is Here
Kat, Hirun, and Eric get together to talk about everything that happens in Kojima's confounding new blockbuster.
Death Stranding Roundtable: We're Still Trying to Figure Out What the Heck We Just Played
Eric, Kat, and Hirun answer some follow-up questions about Death Stranding on the occasion of its launch.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Postmortem: The Making of the Expansion and the Future of the Series
We talk to Capcom about the challenge of making new monsters, future events, and that wonderful Palico grandmother.
Starting Screen | Blizzard Had a Terrible Weekend, But At Least Warcraft 3: Reforged is Good
Maybe Blizzard's best days really are behind it.
Axe of the Blood God Console RPG Quest: The Sega Saturn
Digital Foundry's John Linneman joins Kat and Nadia to talk about one of the most interesting consoles in history.
Death Stranding Review: The Boldest, And Most Perplexing, Game of 2019
Hideo Kojima’s first independent effort is an unexpected bridge to the PS2.
The Outer Worlds Devs Have One Thing They Would Change About Fallout 3's Most Famous Quest
It's the difference between building a sandbox and building an RPG.
Axe of the Blood God Interviews The Outer Worlds Developers Leonard Boyarsky and Nitai Poddar
And we review the game too!
Shenmue 3 Can't Help Betraying the Spirit of the Original Game
Where once the series sat at the bleeding edge of game design, Shenmue 3 is more content to look backward.
What to Read, Play, and Watch Before Playing The Outer Worlds
Leonard Boyarsky and Tim Cain share the syllabus for their new RPG.
Axe of the Blood God Reviews Three Big RPGs for October
Kat and Nadia are joined by Mike and Caty to talk about Trails of Cold Steel 3, Disco Elysium, Little Town Hero, and more.
Why Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Doesn't Have Fast Travel
Fallen Order dispenses with a modern convenience in the name of exploration.
8 Minutes of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Gameplay Highlights: The Force is Finally With EA
We highlight some new and interesting examples of Fallen Order in action, from AT-ST combat to the Ninth Sister.
Starting Screen | Blizzard's Troubled 2019 Finds the Once Invincible Studio at a Crossroads
This past year has found Blizzard embroiled in one controversy after another. What does it say about its future?
Mailbag of the Blood God: What to Play if You're New to RPGs
The Axe of the Blood God mailbag returns with conversation about what to play if you're new to RPGs, Final Fantasy 13, and more.
Blizzard is in an Even Bigger Mess Than the NBA on China, and It Has No One to Blame But Itself
Blizzard's handling of the Hearthstone controversy is an international mess of its own making.
John Wick Hex Review: Excommunicado
An amazing action series yields a one-dimensional tactics game.
The Secret RPGs of the Atari Jaguar, 3DO, and Neo Geo
Axe of the Blood God dives into one of the stranger periods of gaming history.
Starting Screen | Destiny Has Defined This Generation, For Better or Worse
Please enjoy your regular helping of content.
Medal of Honor is Back, and It's Conjuring the Ghosts of Wii Sports
Respawn's revival of the classic World War II shooter brings the series to VR.
The Axe of the Blood God Fall 2019 RPG Preview
From Pokemon to the Outer Worlds, Kat and Nadia talk about the big RPGs coming out this holiday season.
FIFA 20 Review: This Year's Version Takes to the Streets, But It's Strongest on the Pitch
A brand new mode and some much-improved gameplay highlight an ambitious update for FIFA.
At Last, FIFA 20's Career Mode is Interesting Again - Review Impressions
Some much-needed improvements have a major impact on FIFA 20's much-maligned career mode.
The 16-bit Console Wars Return on Axe of the Blood God
The Blood God drops listeners in a time warp back to 1994.
A PSA for the USG Community: Why We're Wiping Our Comments Archive
A note from the editor on why we're scrubbing the comments.
New Celeste DLC Includes an Affecting Revelation About Madeline That Casts Her Story in a New Light
Madeline's battle with depression and anxiety take on a new meaning in Farewell DLC.
Why the Dreamcast Still Matters
Why the Sega Dreamcast still resonates with game enthusiasts on its 20th anniversary.
Nintendo Direct Recap: A Deluge of Ports From September 2019 Onward
From Overwatch to Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, here's a recap of all the announcements.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Review
One of the generation's best action games gets a terrific expansion.
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