Marcus Vasquez
Senior Critic & Analyst
Marcus Vasquez spent four years as a game economy analyst before switching to criticism full-time. With 11 years covering indie and mid-tier titles, he brings a data-first lens to reviews — tracking playtime distributions, upgrade path efficiency, and value-per-hour benchmarks that most critics overlook. Based in Austin, Marcus specialises in roguelikes, strategy, and simulation games. His reviews are known for precise numerical claims, dry wit, and an unflinching willingness to say exactly when a game's numbers don't add up.
- 11 years games criticism
- Former game economy analyst
- Roguelike and strategy specialist
255 articles by Marcus Vasquez
Outbound Co-op Guide: 4-Player Roles & Van Builds 2026
Outbound co-op guide: how to split roles in 4-player van life, manage shared battery drain, and pick blueprints that complement each other's builds.
· 13 min read
Die in the Dungeon Dice Tier List 2026: Best Dice Ranked
Die in the Dungeon dice tier list for 2026: an editorial ranking of Grow, Mirror, Terrain, Area, Boost, and key dice properties with corrected mechanics.
· 11 min read
Windrose Combat Guide: Fighting Tips, Builds & Gear 2026
Windrose combat guide covering weapon choices, gear builds, consumable prep, and fighting tips for every biome in the September 2026 Early Access build.
· 12 min read
LegionBound Synergy Guide: Launch 30 Classes (2026)
LegionBound synergy guide: the launch 30-class synergy groups, how promotions work, and what Patch 1.1 officially adds to the 42-class roster.
· 12 min read
Windrose Bosses: All 3, Loot, Weak Spots & Attacks
Windrose bosses: guide to all 3 current Early Access bosses, with weak spots, named attacks, and loot tables. Updated for the current release.
· 16 min read
Kristala Endgame Guide: What to Do After the Story
Kristala endgame has no New Game Plus: you replay with a new clan and magic school. All 6 clans, 50 achievements, and the fastest route to 60-80 hours.
· 10 min read
Far Far West Boss Guide: All 4 Bosses and Strategies
Far far west boss guide: all four Cryptic bosses with attack patterns, weak points, best spells, and the infinite wave rule most players learn too late.
· 20 min read
Legionbound Tips: 42 Classes, Builds and Synergies
Legionbound tips for the indie autobattler: how Ascensions work, synergy clusters to stack, row positioning, and skill tree priorities to unlock.
· 7 min read
Kristala Best Weapons Guide 2026: All Three Weapon Types
Kristala best weapons guide 2026: greatsword, sword & shield, and claws compared. Forge upgrade path, Mezuzot costs, and which weapon fits your build.
· 10 min read
ARC Raiders Crafting Guide: Workbenches, Recipes, Materials
ARC raiders crafting guide: workbench recipes, the Ferro stack, how to level vendor relationships, and which materials to hoard for the next session.
· 11 min read
Alabaster Dawn Early Access: CrossCode Fans Need to Know
Alabaster Dawn Early Access is live: Radical Fish cuts CrossCode's puzzle-dungeon density, adds map tools, and is preparing the Trial of Cryo update.
· 8 min read
Die in the Dungeon Relic Tier List: Best Picks & Synergies
Die in the Dungeon relic tier list: all 142 relics ranked, the categories to prioritize per character, and the synergy patterns that win late floors.
· 14 min read