Nova Smith
Nova Smith is a freelance writer based out of Alberta, Canada. Nova's grab bag of non-gaming interests and passions includes Japanese mecha anime, miniature painting, as well as history, literature, and classical music. Nova also moonlights as a bureaucrat and amateur historian.
Latest articles by Nova Smith
![Star Wars TIE Fighters Ranked](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9AnxbQHP9P9wW9zwDathMB-320-80.jpg)
TIE Fighters, ranked
By Noah Smith published
Ionized An ode to our favorite tinfoil spacecraft and its many cool, bizarre, and outright hideous permutations.
![Slayers X art](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/k4rupvpPtGtz2P2eFz4sqa-320-80.jpg)
It was another great year for boomer shooters, but can we call them something else now?
By Noah Smith published
New Wave The best shooters of the year evoked the '90s and '00s, but were full of clever design and fresh ideas.
![Visored cyberpunk mafiosos fire handguns on a graffiti-coated street in Beyond Sunset.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JwvKGV72YdoRbmAkz8dwCM-320-80.jpg)
Retro FPS Beyond Sunset is a precision-crafted cyberpunk potpourri of all the great megawads that came before it
By Noah Smith published
neon fights One more great boomer shooter sneaks in before the end of 2023.
![A na'vi flies their ikran low enough to skim the surface of a shallow creek in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DXcvmTVBYY6YFgPNujkDhT-320-80.jpg)
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora review
By Noah Smith published
The Frontier is Closed A Pandora's box of technical issues.
![Realms of Ruin tips - Stormcast Eternal with a flag](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/49JQTKFNUX6jmcf7Fw4H2e-320-80.jpg)
10 tips to help you conquer the Mortal Realms in Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin
By Noah Smith published
Ghur-eat What you need to know about armies, upgrades, and taking territory.
![Realms of Ruin RTS](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nEgswQh39UG8GUodfHU79-320-80.jpg)
Warhammer: Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin review: A clumsy RTS devoid of Warhammer's characteristic grim darkness
By Noah Smith published
Marred An RTS that doesn't pass the morale test.
![Robocop: Rogue City](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zP8pU6kYM2Cdip4dV9R9w6-320-80.jpg)
Robocop: Rogue City review: A wonderfully physical, brutally uneven cyberpunk police shooter
By Noah Smith published
Killer cop I'd buy that for 20 dollars!
![Cyberpunk person fighting alongside drones](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ruUEGwWK2BLB9k5hB4XGv9-320-80.jpg)
The best Cyberpunk 2077 mods
By Noah Smith last updated
Updated It's a whole new world for Cyberpunk 2077 mods after update 2.0 and Phantom Liberty.
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/f88SQxcaADF6nC8P8ncAFj-320-80.jpg)
Wizard with a Gun review: A lean roguelite that never feels like it's wasting your time
By Noah Smith published
REVIEW Not quite a bullseye, but darn close.
![Cyberpunk 2077 Air Dash Flying V build](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/D8y5R58zkgEb8yHHyR6xP5-320-80.jpg)
You can break Cyberpunk 2077's movement and become a flying V with this busted build
By Noah Smith published
News Why settle for netrunning when you can go airrunning with the right pairing of cyberware and perks?
![Cyberpunk's V lying on the ground](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DYB8viBzEbDn4m4xFbxrBg-320-80.jpg)
Health items and grenades are so much better in Cyberpunk 2077's 2.0 update
By Noah Smith published
News If you're coming back to Cyberpunk, this change will take some getting used to.
![can you respec Cyberpunk 2077 attributes](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eSxTQK7taJF9qpSkSGYnRH-320-80.jpg)
How to respec in Cyberpunk 2077
By Noah Smith last updated
guide In the 2.0 update, respecing your character in Cyberpunk 2077 is now easier.
![Cyberpunk 2077 skill tree](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mh8zkeiCN42bUtrAUUfnKa-320-80.jpg)
Cyberpunk 2077 skills: all the overhauled skill trees in the 2.0 update
By Noah Smith last updated
Killer skills What perks can you kit V out with in Night City? And how do they tie into the Cyberpunk 2077 attributes system?
![Armored Core 6 - AC close-up](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xbYdUjq9mw3FLPrcNSH8MV-320-80.jpg)
After years of 'good enough' PC ports, Armored Core 6 is the first game in FromSoftware's history truly born for mouse and keyboard
By Noah Smith published
Keyboard warriors The speed and precision of KB+M thrives in mechanized warfare.
![Armored Core 6 PCA Enforcement guide](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8uUaiK5tkbTJvZTs5NSXGH-320-80.jpg)
Armored Core 6 PCA Enforcement Squad guide: How to beat the 'Steal the Survey Data' mission
By Noah Smith published
Cop Watch The "Steal the survey data" mission in Armored Core 6 ends with a surprising encounter. Here's the best build and strategy to survive.
![Arrmored Core 6](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DrwckApCXPfvmgHmEdB4hM-320-80.jpg)
Armored Core 6: How to beat the Sea Spider boss
By Noah Smith published
Leg up The best AC build, weapons and strategies for beating Armored Core 6's Sea Spider boss.
![Armored Core 6 mech](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uHexty9xLXhXtFp2yh8GG-320-80.jpg)
Souls players and mecha newbies: Here's what you need to know about Armored Core
By Noah Smith published
Primer A quick recap of series lore, difficulty, and how Armored Core 6 compares to Dark Souls.
![Turok 3 box art](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xXrtJHsB8FPwLf7QwEnkvk-320-80.jpg)
Nightdive just performed another remaster magic trick: making N64-exclusive Turok 3 feel like a true PC FPS
By Noah Smith published
Good Shootin' Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion cleans up nice for a 23-year-old console shooter.
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7D68Hs6mjHw6ZXVM2xatuF-320-80.jpg)
Battle Shapers has my favorite melee attack of 2023 so far
By Noah Smith published
Hands-on The upcoming roguelite FPS is worth keeping an eye on.
![Arcadian Atlas strategy RPG](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NB3eUkA2nzPtMFQu8WeQgZ-320-80.png)
Jazzy storybook tactics RPG Arcadian Atlas welds Hamlet to Final Fantasy Tactics
By Noah Smith published
O, What a Rogue Making a strategy RPG in 2023 be madness, yet there is method in't.
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/My27q4kFbQXBvvUxtBZjfb-320-80.jpg)
The protagonist of this ultra-bleak horror game fights with sadness and gets upgrades by having an avoidant personality
By Noah Smith published
😔 Unholy is as sullen as it is janky.
![Sweet Tooth mugs for the camera in the Twisted Metal show.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZqkPsZo84bsDhx95effLpW-320-80.jpg)
The Twisted Metal TV show trailer has not raised my expectations for the Twisted Metal TV show
By Noah Smith published
news But maybe it'll prove me wrong. All ten episodes will be released on July 27.
![Ultima Online key art.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JafYEcKmTTLJdVgvx2EbW3-320-80.jpg)
Ultima Online is grilling, chilling, and still thriving all these years later
By Noah Smith published
News The MMO hosted a lovely in-game barbecue earlier this month.