Happy Holidays, folks! As we at Source Gaming get ready to close out another year of game criticism and journalism, we thought it’d be fun to show a bit of our creative side. Many of us take in-game screenshots for our articles or just for fun, and it’d be nice to find a place for them. Here are some of the pictures we took this year, along with a bit of flavor text on what they’re from or how we got them. Hey—maybe we can make this an annual tradition!
However, we should also be clear that there are a lot of images here. As it turns out, it’s more fun and easy than ever to take a screenshot and upload it, so this may take a bit of time to fully load.
Image: Source Gaming. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Wolfman Jew: God, there are so many from Tears that I collected. Literal hundreds, and extracting them from my Switch is taking forever. It’s an exceptionally fun game for getting good or interesting screenshots, because moving and seeing the beautiful world and using the new powers are so engaging. I tried so much to get images that were cool and dramatic, something that’s a bit of a recurring theme for Zelda here (I also tried getting a lot of images of the wooden monstrosities I used to help Addison’s delightfully stupid signs. Is that the best sidequest Nintendo’s ever made?). The game certainly gives you plenty of opportunity. While a lot of mine involve Link running or posing or standing in front of a rising morning sun, I like this specific one from the Wind Temple. Because in between your surveying and exploring and mountaineering, Link also gets to dive through Mission: Impossible lasers and sneak through pyramids and build mechs. Yep, this game rules.
Image: Source Gaming. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
But it’s not just posing that I focused on. For all of the company’s general lack of interest in “plot,” Nintendo’s wonderful at creating characters and settings and quirky dialogue. The Hateno village politicians, the well fetishist, the staff of the Lucky Clover Gazette; it’s just a world of universally fun, sometimes compelling characters who are just trying to get through this bizarre world. They’re all written with this lovely, charming dialogue courtesy of Nintendo of America, some of the funniest games writers out there. And excluding your own zany pratfals, there’s no comedy characters better than the Yiga Clan, Ganondorf’s oddball cult of Sheikah traitors. They’re still dangerous and they’re still intense, but they’ve gone to such unbelievable heights of farce. They disguise themselves as trees, they drive Medieval monster trucks, and their leader now blasts off after each boss fight Team Rocket style. But nothing beats the moments when the ninjas let their guard down and reveal their neuroses, like this one hideout guard (it was a horse race between this picture and the one where another Footsoldier proudly describes their gang as a “fearsome, largely identical unit”). It honestly gives you an incentive to fall for their goofy traps just to see what inanity they’ve got cooked up.
Image: Source Gaming. Pentiment.
When I was collecting screenshots for Pentiment, I faced an odd problem in that I wanted to show off normal gameplay but also didn’t want to publish too many images with the gray dots the game uses to indicate what you can look at. So I ended up taking a lot of pictures of dialogue, cutscenes, and the like. There’s one specific picture that looks incredible, but… it’s way too spoiler-y to be used, especially for a plot-heavy mystery I want more people to play. A separate image of Andreas’ Socratic mind palace seemed a bit too stoic, even if it showed off more of the game’s visual tricks. So instead I went with this bar fight. I love how everyone has a distinct reaction to the absurdity going on.
Image: Source Gaming. Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
This one was taken from one of the sessions I spent getting screenshots for the “Bowser’s Rage Stage” piece. My original intent was to use one of the Wonder Effect images that got used for the header of the other Wonder article, but I really love this image. It front loads both Mario’s excellent new animation and the hallucinogenic background, even if it doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense in context. Mario Wonder is another game that begs to be photographed, though I had to employ a separate person to take the shots—it’s practically impossible to take a picture while, for instance, also keeping Mario’s lovely run animation going.
Image: Source Gaming. Resident Evil 4 (2023).
I ended up not taking too many shots of either version of RE4, and I pretty quickly deleted everything I didn’t need. However, I kept this one. I had considered using it to show an example of a quick time event in the remake, but instead I just kept it as a fun souvenir. I love how Capcom had to animate and program in Del Lago’s disgusting molars.
Image: Source Gaming. Control: Ultimate Edition.
This is related to an article I’m intending to publish early next year (or an article I’ll maybe release a year or so after that), though it doesn’t have anything to do with the actual content. While I used the one in Super Mario Odyssey a lot when that first came out, playing RE4make really got me invested in using the in-game photo modes of games. It’s a great way to capture certain kinds of perspectives and, crucially for things like our header images, remove games’ UI when that’s useful. And Control is so good for it. The game is a masterpiece of iconic visual design, and getting to play with that in a photo editor is a delight. I ended up staging Jesse’s run a few times to get it just how I wanted.
Image: Source Gaming. Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition.
And here’s one I took from a game I have no plan to write about: Kentucky Route Zero, Episode 3 I think. It’s a game with an incredible style and sense of place, and that lent itself to great screenshots. KR0 is a game that really looks like nothing else; it’s aggressively cinematic, but in a way that’s totally at odds with how that word is used, misused, and understood in video game discourse. And on the note of doing things differently, this image gives an example of how good the game is at exploring an element of David Lynch that the very Lynch-happy industry ignores. It’s that experience of being in a community in all its distinct, quiet eccentricities. There were a few other good snapshots I got, but I ultimately deleted them. And in general, there are so many screenshots of which I’m proud from this year. I’ll find some use out of ’em, or maybe they’ll just be treasured memories of a very good year of game releases.
Image: Source Gaming. Pentiment.
Oh, right, except for this one. I think sticking it here speaks for itself.
Liquid: I could fill an entire article about how insane the customization in Armored Core VI is. But instead of doing that, I’m going to share a few of my own personal cosplay builds I’m particularly fond of using, alongside my own OC design.
Vile, from Mega Man X.
Image: Source Gaming. Armored Core VI.
The Shouki no Kami, from Genshin Impact.
Image: Source Gaming. Armored Core VI.
Sylux, from Metroid Prime: Hunters (act surprised).
Image: Source Gaming. Armored Core VI.
My own personal design, named Eclipse, and inspired by (of all things) the Stellar Shift Xbox Controller. Mostly composed of late-game pieces from the Rubicon Research Institute, because their stuff slaps.
Image: Source Gaming. Armored Core VI.
Image: Source Gaming. NieR Replicant Ver 1.22474487139…
PhantomZ2: After having previously purchased the game when it dropped, I’m finally beginning my 2024 backlog journey with NieR Replicant Ver 1.22474487139…. As of writing this, I’ve currently made it to a time-skip that took place within the story but I’m choosing to finish up any quests I may have missed first. I do think some things about the game are a little strange, like some of the facial reactions or the timing of certain story beats. However, I do think the music holds so much weight in delivering some of the biggest emotional moments or player decisions.
Image: Source Gaming. Lethal Company.
I heard a lot of people talking about this game and although I’m incredibly easily scared, I had a friend gift it to me and I played it with my boys from high school. The atmosphere and sense of fear are always present, but it’s perfectly offset by so many comedic instances and shenanigans with its built-in proximity chat feature. In comparison to the fighting games I spend all my time playing, I’d probably say this is my multiplayer game of the year. I chose this screenshot because it’s the funniest one I could catch amidst all of the franticness.
Image: Source Gaming. Fire Emblem Engage.
Hamada: I used to be indifferent toward Fire Emblem, but Engage’s pleasant art style and acclaimed gameplay convinced me to give it a shot. What I found wasn’t the political drama years of Three Houses discourse prepared me for, but rather the goofiest characters and most straightforward plot imaginable. Nowhere is that more clear than with this textbox, yet I loved every second of this divine comedy. But that’s selling the cast somewhat short, because they are genuinely likable and plenty of fun. Shoutout to Alear, the perfect poster child for all this absurdity, and one of my favorite protagonists in recent years.
Image: Source Gaming. Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe.
You know, maybe Kirby’s Return to Dream Land didn’t need a remake, but HAL hit it out of the park regardless. It looks great, the new Copy Abilities play great, and the larger emphasis on Magolor than ever is especially great. The scheming magician gave us a theme park, epilogue, and an enhanced take on what was already the best fight in a series full of phenomenal ones. The latter’s what you have to get through to complete the new-and-improved True Arena, and with it all over, I’m left realizing how great a celebration Deluxe was of the greatest (post-Sakurai) character in the franchise. Here’s hoping we can expect more surprises from both him and the developers that keep giving us such pure platforming bliss!
Image: Source Gaming. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Not gonna lie, I wasn’t sure if I was ready for Tears of the Kingdom. Breath of the Wild isn’t all that old, yet it still feels like a formative game for me. Its successor’s trailers didn’t hook me like I’d expected them to, and most of the game’s problems didn’t seem to be on their way out, but Zelda’s never let me down. I know the Great Sky Island was merely serviceable to some people, but when I explored that otherworldly landscape on the night of release and took in the sunset, I knew we were so back. A few months removed from that playthrough, and I’ll admit that I can’t help but lump my memories of Breath and Tears together. Even so, those spliced memories are some of the best any game has ever given me. Yeah, I’ll never underestimate Zelda again.
Image: Source Gaming. Street Fighter 6.
Growing up, I was always a Mortal Kombat kid, but this was the year I decided to take a risk and pick up a game from the other premier fighter instead. Hours of playtime later, and I’m so glad I made that choice, because Street Fighter 6 is incredible. Sure, I seldom play as anyone other than Cammy, but she’s all I need. She quickly became my all-time favorite fighting game character, so I thought I’d show how far I’ve reached with her in ranked matches. And since the upcoming characters, namely Akuma, are sure to be plenty of fun, I’m looking forward to keeping up with this game for a while to come.
Image: Source Gaming. Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
I realize I’ve given Xenoblade Chronicles plenty of praise already, but 2023 was a big year for me and this trilogy. Future Redeemed blew me away and cemented Xenoblade 3 as my favorite game of all time, but the combination of Xenoblade 2 and Torna was the real highlight of my year. There are countless reasons, but since we’re talking screenshots, I’ll spotlight the adventures’ backdrop. This ocean of clouds, endlessly roamed by nation-bearing behemoths, is undoubtedly my favorite setting in all of fiction. It’s not even close, and Architect help you if it starts raining. There’s a sadness to this world that’s unlike the more overt and character-focused one of its sequel, something I just can’t get enough of. It’s what makes Rex’s undying spirit, Pyra and Mythra’s renewed hope, and even the Nopon’s levity all the more impactful. Whether or not the folks at Monolith Soft ever make something as bold as Xenoblade 2 again, I hope they’ll continue to share these unforgettable places and characters with us.
NantenJex: Finally, an excuse to post all these screenshots I’ve been taking over 2023. I have three flavors of screenshots I like to take so let’s start with the pretty / cool shots.
Image: Source Gaming. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
This was the first screenshot I took in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. My first dive off a sky island to the starting area below. I was immediately blown away by the visuals on display here and the sure sense of scope going on with the world I was about to embark on. You can see just how far the land stretches off into the distance and it gave me a tease of all these little sky islands I could explore once I found my bearing. It’s a great image that really encapsulates this game.
Image: Source Gaming. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Here’s another great Tears of the Kingdom screenshot I took (it would be even better without the Yunobo photo-bomb but oh well). Probably the most interesting location in the depths, I was kinda floored at the absolute size of this lad. Climbing him felt like I was playing Shadow of the Colossus and with all the depths mist around him, it creates a really intimidating atmosphere.
Image: Source Gaming. Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon
This is the only screenshot I am going to share from Bayonetta Origins but trust me when I say that this game is gorgeous. I really love the visual style of this game and the stain-glass, practically cosmic, vibe of the Tír Na Nóg is a sight to behold.
Ok, now onto my next flavor of screenshots: just really cool things I found while playing.
Image: Source Gaming. Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World.
Like White Yoshi in Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World. This white Yoshi is a fairly undocumented glitch in Super Mario Advance 2. When I first found it, I could only find one thread from over a decade ago of people talking about it and that was it. No one knew how to make it happen and it’s not listed on many of the popular wiki and sources. What’s cool about this, is that it isn’t a temporary glitch. This Yoshi is always white now so as long as I don’t lose him, I will always have a unique color of Yoshi in a game that’s meant to only have four options.
Image: Source Gaming. Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a really great game with some cool levels, and this screenshot is just a cool celebration of me after I reached the end of it. The fact that Mario does this unique pose in just this moment of the game, as a secret little reward for clearing this part of the game, is just a really neat thing in my opinion. It has a charm that you never saw from 2D Mario until Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
Image: Source Gaming. Fire Emblem Engage.
Fire Emblem Engage is, for the most part, a game you shouldn’t try to take seriously and the devs knew this. The amount of silly things you can do in the Somnium is great, but this camera feature takes the cake. Posting your characters and dressing them up like this isn’t something I would usually do in a game like this but when I saw that sunglasses were an option for headgear, I knew what had to be done.
By the way, this image covers two flavors of screenshots. Cool (because just look at them) and funny. I like doing silly things in games so I hope you all get a laugh from these next set of screenshots just like I did.
Image: Source Gaming. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
“No Purah, you don’t understand. I’m trying to motivate everyone!”
Image: Source Gaming. Fire Emblem Engage.
The Fire Emblem Engage DLC is worth it just for Soren. What a sassy queen.
Image: Source Gaming. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
The face is my most handsome feature.
Image: Source Gaming. Fire Emblem Engage.
You know what, he’s got a point.
Image: Source Gaming. Mario Party 3… I think.
It was a close game, this one. Anyone could’ve taken it.
Alright, Happy New Year everybody!
Image: Source Gaming. Balan Wonderworld.
Cart Boy: Back in September, Wolfman and I dissected Balan Wonderworld, Square Enix’s notorious 2021 platformer. Today, let’s discuss its side activity: raising Tims, the puffy, breedable birds that follow you. Okay, so the game’s hub, the Isle of Tims, is their home. Obtaining Balan’s ultimate power-up requires freeing an Ultima Tim, which requires breeding a King Tim. I won’t cover every step of the process—check this guide if you seek the deets—but let me stress how tiring it got. Sometimes, your medal-wearing Tim might not be available; only so much of my flock appears at once. And breeding a King Tim depends on luck! Whenever my go-to pets spawned a normal Tim, I’d exit out of and restart Balan; I lost count of how many tries it took. Anyway, here’s my Ultima Tim after it helped me reach the Balan costume. To this day, it still sits by the pond, asleep.
Image: Source Gaming. Outlast.
I finally went through Outlast: Whistleblower earlier this year, too. Afterwards, I revisited parts of the original game, including the Male Ward. This isolated den is the home of Dr. Richard Trager and will be the subject of my next “Level with Me” article (which is partially a rewrite of my old Trager piece). Here’s a snapshot I cut from it, one of me hiding underneath a bed. Honestly, I couldn’t recommend Outlast, but this chapter brilliantly showcases the series’ potential.
AShadowLink: I typically take a lot of funny images while I’m playing games, but the problem is that there weren’t too many games this year that I actually played. I’ve been so busy playing Honkai Impact 3rd every day of my life that I don’t have time for other games.
Here’s one of my screenshots for Tears of the Kingdom where I solved a shrine in a very unorthodox way. I’m a friggin’ genius. This is how I solved a large portion of the game’s puzzles: just brute forcing it with a bridge.
Image: Source Gaming. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Image: Source Gaming. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.
The only other game I have a significant enough screenshot for this year is Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name (what a mouthful!). Here’s me as Secret Agent Joryu about to beat the daylights out of some clown dude that pissed me off. This game has built-in photo filters like this cat one that apply to every face in the game when you get your phone out. It’s quite humorous.
And that’s it from us at the SG Crew! From all of us to all of you, thank you so much for reading, watching, and playing with us. We’ll see you in 2024.
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