Russell Adderson

Russ has been playing PC games since the top of the line graphics were in ASCII and has been obsessed with them just about as long. After a coordinated influence campaign to bamboozle his parents into getting a high speed internet connection to play EverQuest, his fate was well and truly sealed. When he's not writing about videogames, he's teaching karate, cooking an overly complicated dish, or attempting to raise his daughter with a well rounded classical education (Civilization, Doom, and Baldur's Gate, of course). He's probably mapping in Path of Exile right now.

Latest articles by Russell Adderson

EverQuest Legends screenshot
I was worried EverQuest Legends making me too OP would ruin the magic of the classic MMO, but crushing hordes of frogloks is incredibly satisfying

By Russell Adderson Published

3X power Friction is great, but triple-classing isn't so bad, either.

3X power
Witchbrook - Several students in magical hats and robes congregate in a grassy school courtyard
Witchbrook: Everything we know so far about the witchy life sim

By Russell Adderson Last updated

Spelled out Chucklefish's cozy magical college sim is coming this year.

Spelled out
EverQuest Legends
EverQuest Legends is classic EverQuest, but for people who don't have time for MMOs anymore

By Russell Adderson Published

Like It's 1999 The first new PC EverQuest game in a long time brings the nostalgia and a whole lot more player power.

36 Comments
Like It's 1999
Path of Exile's new Mirage league might be the best chance you'll ever get at obtaining the rarest item in the game

By Russell Adderson Published

Djinn up loot This map's so nice I'll run it twice

Djinn up loot
Path of Exile 2
Path of Exile 2's new druid class is the most fun you can have being a bear in a videogame right now

By Russell Adderson Published

Go Bears I can bearly contain myself.

Go Bears
Dawn of the Hunt Ascendancies
Path of Exile 2 is making a surprise Atlas overhaul next week to liberate its players from tower tyranny

By Russell Adderson Published

News Efficient mapping is getting more manageable.

News
Dawn of the Hunt Ascendancies
Path of Exile 2 director says GGG is learning from its mistakes while supporting 2 games at once: 'If you want to lock the date, you can't lock the features'

By Russell Adderson Published

NEWS Path of Exile is moving to a four-month update cycle.

11 Comments
NEWS
Path of Exile 2 Huntress build - Amazon
Path of Exile 2 Dawn of the Hunt endgame mechanics explained

By Russell Adderson Published

Hunter Master the atlas in PoE2's endgame.

Hunter
A screenshot from Last Epoch's Woven Templar Supporter Pack DLC.
Last Epoch's excellent new update proves we're in a golden age of ARPGs, and there's something here for everyone

By Russell Adderson Published

eatin' good No need to be mad. Let's farm monsters.

20 Comments
eatin' good
Path of Exile 2 early access class key art
Path of Exile 2's 0.2 update wasn't all bad: The endgame finally feels like it's headed in the right direction

By Russell Adderson Published

REMAPPED

REMAPPED
Path of Exile 2 Huntress build - Concept art
Best Huntress starter build in Path of Exile 2

By Russell Adderson Published

In the zon Crossbow zons unite.

In the zon
Key art for the Amazon ascendancy class in Path of Exile 2.
Path of Exile 2's disastrous new update reveals the core tension at the heart of its design: How do you make a game with meaningful combat when everyone just wants to blast monsters?

By Russell Adderson Published

off the path A tantalizing dream that remains frustratingly out of reach.

50 Comments
off the path
A sorceress straining to cast spells in the dead of night during the Path of Exile 2 early access trailer
Path of Exile 2's latest patch notes are so bewilderingly vast I got a sicko to help translate, and to summarise: It's nerf-a-geddon!

By Rich Stanton Published

News "Pour one out for Grim Feast."

8 Comments
News
EverQuest 2 art featuring two armored characters on an icy landscape.
EverQuest 2 to bring back the 'absolute heyday' of PvP with classic server

By Russell Adderson Published

news Nagafen's back, baby.

news
Path of Exile 2 showing the Warbringer ascendancy class bludgeoning his way through a pack of hyenas
Path of Exile 2 speedrunner dominates official race with the game's 'worst' class

By Russell Adderson Published

news Hey man, I thought Warrior was bad, too.

news
Path of Exile 2 Witch build - Infernalist
Best Witch build in Path of Exile 2

By Russell Adderson Last updated

Hex-based Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones.

Hex-based
Path of Exile 2 warrior build - Titan
Best Warrior build in Path of Exile 2

By Russell Adderson Last updated

Brute force Totem? I barely know 'em!

Brute force
Path of Exile 2 Ranger build - Deadeye
Best Ranger build in Path of Exile 2

By Russell Adderson Last updated

Zap Hunt some heads, get some bread.

Zap
Exoborne parachuting
In the middle of the LA fires, I played a new extraction shooter that challenged me to survive angry robots, other players, and planet-destroying climate change

By Russell Adderson Published

Storm's Comin' Exoborne makes weather a key ingredient in its shoot-outs, and upholds my mantra that every game is better with a grappling hook.

Storm's Comin'
Path of Exile 2 sorceress build - Stormweaver
Best Sorceress build in Path of Exile 2

By Russell Adderson Last updated

Elementary Also incidentally the best build in the game right now.

Elementary
Path of Exile 2 monk build - Invoker
Best Monk build in Path of Exile 2

By Russell Adderson Last updated

Ascetic aesthetic The only thing better than lightning is really cold lightning.

Ascetic aesthetic
Path of Exile 2 showing the Warbringer ascendancy class bludgeoning his way through a pack of hyenas
We may not have a roadmap or balance patch just yet, but at least Path of Exile 2's bugfix patch notes are funny

By Russell Adderson Published

news Strongboxes really are terrible.

news
Present-Plankton-734's impressive Path of Exile collection.
Path of Exile player casually posts mind-blowing collection of ultra-rare and out-of-print items, including a ring there's only 4 copies of in the world

By Russell Adderson Published

news Someone call Pawn Stars.

news
PoE 2 Atlas of Worlds - Portals
Path of Exile 2 Atlas of Worlds: How to sustain waystones and other tips

By Russell Adderson Published

Mapped out Get mapping like a professional.

Mapped out
A Path of Exile 2 sorceress casting flaming skulls in a hellish landscape
Path of Exile 2's genius theorycrafters have already put together some wild builds, so we've plucked out a few of our favorites that you need to try

By Russell Adderson Published

Hero 101 Something for every class, from a complex minion army build to the simple pleasures of just whipping out a grenade launcher.

Hero 101
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