Will Westwater

Video game writer for Parade.com and columnist for The Occidental Weekly. Los Angeles

Worked on 54 assignments, created 0, named on 59 bylines for Oxy Weekly (40), Parade (14).

By + 4 others for Oxy Weekly - 3 min read

Metal Gear: More than a summer fling

This summer I fell in love. There is a whole lot to love about the weird but thrilling “Metal Gear” games, and the Sept. 1 release of “Metal Gear Solid V (MGSV): The Phantom Pain” further cements my newfound appreciation for the series. Set after the events of "MGSV: Ground Zeroes," "The Phantom Pain" picks up after the series protagonist...

By + 5 others for Oxy Weekly - 3 min read

Games on the go: the best of the 3DS

These last few weeks have been crushing for the gamer side of me. I have been in rehearsals for hours and haven't had the chance to play many games in the comfort of my dorm. In times like these I have my portable consoles to...console me. That way, be it backstage or in the dressing room, I find gaming solace...

By + 6 others for Oxy Weekly - 4 min read

Predictions for the E3 conference

Both the Game Developers Conference and the Penny Arcade Expo wrapped up weeks ago, leaving gamers with little recent news. During the current break in the gaming sphere, I like to speculate about what is coming next. What better way than to give my predictions and hopes for the Entertainment Expo (E3)—the video game industry's biggest annual conference—held in Los...

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Like a vacation, DLC content enhances gaming experience

If my life was a video game—and sometimes I think it really is—different vacations would be the add-on packs to my main game. In this life-game hybrid of mine, the most recent add-on, or downloadable content (DLC), "Adventures in San Francisco," would cover all of my spring break shenanigans—hot tubbing, reading comics and playing a ton of "Fallout 3 Game...

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'Settlers of Catan' strengthens bonds then and now

My high school classmates' senior years did not go as planned. Call it dumb luck or terrible mistakes, but many of my closest friends received concussions that year. The head injuries, from either football or soccer, lasted weeks or months. In one case the headaches were bad enough that my friend John had to drop out of school for the...

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“Resident Evil 4” a timeless classic

Economics majors would agree that the true price of something is what you are willing to give up for it. Gamers know the value of their favorite games, and to me, “Resident Evil 4” is worth buying three separate times. I know this game came out around a decade ago, but the recent release of a remastered HD version of...

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Indie titles revive social gaming experience

There is nothing more satisfying than face-to-face smack talk. The rise of online gaming has made it easier than ever to play games with other people, but there will always be a space in gamers' hearts for the local multiplayer experiences we cherished as kids. Good news: local multiplayer is making a comeback. These cheap indie titles will scratch that...

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The social nature of gaming

This winter break, video games allowed me to spend time with friends from all over the world. Gaming is inherently social; through multi-player games and online platforms, I've shared my hobby with dozens of gamers, both in-person and online. The old perception of gaming as a solitary pursuit seems viciously inaccurate. Some of my most memorable weekends have involved gaming...

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Podcast finds humor in adulthood

Out of all the media I consume, the most consistently enjoyable production has to be "The Comedy Button" podcast. Unscripted, hilarious, and definitely not safe for work, the podcast has molded my overall outlook on comedy in daily life. The show consists of conversations between co-hosts Brian Altano, Scott Bromley, Anthony Gallegos, Max Scoville and Ryan Scott. The five are...

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'Halo: TMCC' dismays fans with bugs

I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed. "Halo: The Master Chief Collection (TMCC)" was one of the games I anticipated most this holiday season, and now it is one of the most problematic games of the year. The promise of "Halo: Combat Evolved" (remastered), "Halo 2" (remastered), "Halo 3," "Halo 4" and all the multiplayer maps on one disc for Xbox...