DualShockers

Vlad Mazanko-Features Writer

Vlad Mazanko

Features Writer

  • 49
    articles
  • 48
    Features
  • 1
    Reviews

About Vlad Mazanko

Ukraine-based gaming enthusiast. One who enjoys not-so-great games like Anthem, Mafia 3, Mass Effect Andromeda, Marvel's Avengers, The Callisto Protocol, Outriders, etc.

Industry Focus

Writing about games since 2013, with years of experience in gaming news and a wide range of factual knowledge about the industry. Occasionally do lists and guides as well, but my newest passion is opinion pieces about my favorite games here at DualShockers.

Favorite Games and Genres

Primarily focus on single-player, non-live-service titles, including action-adventure, open-world, RPGs, shooters, survival horror, turn-based strategy and tactics, arcade racing.
Some of my favorites of recent years include Alan Wake 2, Resident Evil 4, Marvel Snap, Forza Horizon 4, Cyberpunk 2077, Ghost of Tsushima, The Last of Us 2, Red Dead Redemption 2, Gwent, God of War, Hellblade, Grim Dawn, and The Witcher 3.

First Game Console and Preferred Platforms

I didn't own a console until the PS4 in 2013, proudly being a PC gamer until that glorious day. However, over the years, I expanded my device range, and now I own a PS5, an Xbox Series S, and a Nintendo Switch, covering all the actual modern platforms.

Latest Articles

Elden Ring Main Artwork With A Broken Knight On Their Knees 1
Elden Ring Was Way Too Long, So Its DLC Should Be Just Right

The Elden Ring DLC needs to fix issues like artificial difficulty and reused optional bosses.

orizon Forbidden West's Aloy, Marvel's Spider-Man 2's Peter Parker In Black Suit, and God of War Ragnarok's Kratos Mash-Up 1
The God Of War, Horizon, And Marvel’s Spider-Man Sequels All Have The Same Problem

Good games getting overshadowed by their groundbreaking first entries.

Ghost of Tsushima, Rise of Ronin, and Assassin's Creed Red Samurai Games Mash-Up 1
2024’s Samurai Games Have A Tough Task Matching Ghost Of Tsushima

Rise of the Ronin and Assassin’s Creed Red seem promising, but can they really top Ghost Of Tsushima?

Elden Ring Tarnished Fighting A Colossal Golem 1
No Game Makes Me Feel As Small As Elden Ring Did

Sorry, Final Fantasy 16, I know you tried.

Baldur's Gate 3 Xbox Series Gale And Shadowheart Mash-Up 1
The Xbox Version Of Baldur’s Gate 3 Tarnishes 2023’s GOTY

Xbox players are better off not touching it for a while.

Sony's Remasters: Ellie vs Kratos 1
Sony Adding Roguelike Modes Should Serve As A Blueprint For Future Remasters

We need more reasons to revisit older games than just a minor facelift.

Alan Wake 2 Saga Andersons VS The Evil Within 2 Sebastian Castellanos 1
Liked Alan Wake 2? Try The Evil Within 2

It's perfect for scratching that similar itch.

Cyberpunk 2077 Female V With A Katana In Night City 1
All These Cyberpunk 2077 Patches Are Starting To Get A Bit Silly

Sorry, CDPR, but I won't be replaying Cyberpunk 2077 after the 2.1 update.

BioWare Anthem open world environment and characters 1
I Still Hope That BioWare Will One Day Return To Anthem's Unique World

Anthem was a great concept poorly executed, and it deserves a second chance.

Remnant 2 The Awakened King Key Art  1
Remnant 2's Unique Structure Is A Great Fit For Even More DLC

With worlds as rich and mysterious as those in Remnant 2, I can't wait to see the next piece of the puzzle.

Sony games Final Fantasy 16, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, The Last of Us 2 1
Resident Evil 4 Remake Leon S. Kennedy With A Handgun 1
Hellblade 2 Melina Juergens As Senua And Alan Wake 2 Ilkka Villi As Alan Mash-Up 1
I Hope Hellblade 2 Can Match Alan Wake 2's Mastery Of FMV

Remedy's just raised the bar in blending in-engine graphics with FMV, so now it's up to Ninja Theory to embrace it.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and Alan Wake 2 gameplay 1
I Seriously Hope This Trend Of Shorter Triple-A Games Continues

Shorter games simply means I can beat more of them.

Alan Wake 2 Alan In Combat With A Flashlight And A Revolver 1
Let's Just Slow Down And Stop Complaining About Alan Wake 2’s Slow Pace

If you think about checking your phone while playing Alan Wake 2, perhaps you’re playing the wrong game.

XCOM 2 gameplay 1
XCOM 2 Immersed Me In Decision-Making Like No Other Strategy Game

Failures and mistakes are nothing but stepping stones to your victory.

The Dark Pictures Anthology Lead Character Cast including Will Poulter, Shawn Ashmore, And Jessue Buckley 1
Not Having A New Dark Pictures Game This Halloween Feels Wrong

The anthology series has been my Halloween tradition since 2019, and the absence of Directive 8020 this year feels strange.

Final Fantasy 16 Clive Rosefield Battling A Giant Armor Knight 1
Final Fantasy 16 Needs More Than Just Good Fighting

Even the most robust combat can't compensate for the lack of other essential elements.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Venom, Kraven, Lizard, Norman Osborn characters villians 1
Why Can't Other Marvel Games Offer As Many Villains As Spider-Man 2?

Insomniac did a really great job of packing so many varied iconic villains in Spider-Man games, and I wish other studios would follow.

Lords of the Fallen (2014) Mash-Up Harkin With Enemy Bosses 1
The First Lords Of The Fallen Actually Made Me Care Enough To Win

Surprisingly, the original game remains one of the few soulslikes I ever managed to beat.

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