Chaos Theory & Critiques: Nic Reuben's Next Level-Up Beyond RPS
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Rock Paper Shotgun bids farewell to Nic Reuben, their resident word wizard known for turning gaming critiques into art and spotting chaos others missed. He's venturing into freelance, promising more reality-bending insights for the gaming world.
Alright, mates, gather 'round the digital campfire, because Rock Paper Shotgun just dropped some news that's got the gaming world buzzing like a glitching NPC. As Deputy Editor James Archer recently revealed, their brilliant wordsmith and 'chief librarian,' Nic Reuben, is heading off to resume his 'glittering freelance career.' And honestly, mate, it feels a bit like a rare item just vanished from my inventory, doesn't it?
James Archer reckons snagging Nic was 'proper pinch-me stuff' for RPS, especially after some 'painful team losses.' And fair dinkum, you can see why. Nic apparently had this knack for 'talent osmosis,' making everyone around him better without even realising it. I mean, imagine that, just passively buffing your colleagues with your sheer brilliance. A proper digital wizard, that one, casting silent area-of-effect spells on the whole team.
He wasn't just churning out reviews, mind. Nic had this uncanny ability to look at games and pull out connections most of us wouldn't even dream of. Remember his deep dive into Elden Ring's pot boy? Or unearthing the medieval soundscape of Manor Lords? Or, even better, spotting the *class issues* bubbling under the surface of various games? That's not just playing a game; that's like reading the digital tea leaves, divining profound truths from the pixels. And his Supporters-exclusive 'Object-ive Review' series? Genius, pure and unadulterated.
And when it came to wit, Nic didn't pull punches, did he? He'd sharpen that quill and point it fearlessly at 'embarrassing pro-AI op-eds' (good on him, honestly) or, hilariously, those 'deals posts' his bosses apparently made James do. But he was also fiercely passionate, championing cool indie games and shining a light on marginalised devs. That balance, mate, that's what makes a truly great scribe. And his 'Booked For The Week' feature, diving into industry bigwigs' reading habits? A stroke of pure, unadulterated RPS genius, apparently even Warren Spector got a kick out of it. Probably still talking about it, bless 'im.
His colleagues, like Ollie, clearly loved his 'fearsome and fearless wit,' even just glancing at headlines. Ollie even pulled a random intro from one of Nic's 'Battle Prose' posts, and 'bloody hell,' it's a masterpiece of chaotic, hilarious dialogue. Mark, bless his cotton socks, didn't get to work with Nic for long but remembers him being 'proudly and gloriously RPSy' and even typed 'oh no' in a 'reassuring way' when Mark lost an article. See? Empathy *and* wit!
Jeremy playfully suggested Nic was 'several Skaven in a trenchcoat' – which, let's be honest, is peak gaming journalism bio material. And Julian, who's just joined RPS, is already finding Nic's name 'everywhere I turn,' marveling at lines like 'Suddenly, I'm frying whole families of lizards at once with chain lightning and grinning like Palpatine in a pet shop.' Now *that's* a line that makes you want to knock off early and admire it, isn't it? Seriously, a line like that could make me question my own life choices, let alone how it could come so easily.
Edwin, trying not to 'overdo' the gushing (and probably failing, mate, because Nic clearly deserves it), remembers Nic's reviews of Grunn and Felvidek, and especially his take on Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth's 'grotesque Satnav of a pimple of a productivity app' Chadley. He even managed to make a 40-word Total Warhammer update top their articles, 'gobbing in the face of SEO.' That's not just writing, that's pure digital alchemy.
So, Nic Reuben is off to do whatever incredible thing he does next. While it's always a bummer to see such unique talent shift gears, you've gotta be optimistically chaotic about it, right? What wild, reality-bending takes will he unleash upon the world as a freelancer? What unexpected corners of gaming will he illuminate next? I, for one, can't wait to find out. Good on ya, Nic – keep those digital tea leaves brewing. (Original article by James Archer, Rock Paper Shotgun.)
Tags: Gaming Journalism, Game Critics, RPS, Gaming Industry, Writer Departure
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun