Gonçalo Santos's Avatar

Gonçalo Santos

@mushwrites

Freelance writer on all things videogames. https://buttonmusher.substack.com/ Reach out at goncalofrlsantos22[at]gmail[dot]com.

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07.04.2025
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Latest posts by Gonçalo Santos @mushwrites

Thank you, Brandon!

14.03.2026 15:21 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

I had an absolute blast with Denshattack. It is a skateboarding game, except your skateboard is a highly customisable Japanese train that is allergic to spending more than a few seconds on a rail.

14.03.2026 15:20 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

If there is a publication out there interested in coverage of the growing Portuguese videogame industry, reach out to me here via DM or email me at goncalofrlsantos22(at)gmail(dot)com.

Despite the steady decline in the industry as a whole, Portugal is growing and we're already doing great stuff.

13.03.2026 14:19 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0

And many more to come... If you haven't been following the Portuguese videogame scene, you're missing out.

13.03.2026 14:19 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Preview
Beneath on Steam Beneath is a Lovecraft-inspired survival FPS. Scarce ammo, merciless enemies and a sense of the unknown combine in a 10+ hour, story-driven single player campaign, built for both veteran gamers and th...

@camel101.com are still updating their creepy lovecraftian survival FPS store.steampowered.com/app/1593230/... with tons of content.

13.03.2026 14:19 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Preview
Townseek on Steam Take to the skies on a whimsical voyage across Explora and uncover the lost legacy of Sir Reginald Sharkingston! Trade, fish, mine, and farm, meet a unique cast of characters and explore vibrant towns...

@whalesandgames.com is developing the whimsical Townseek (store.steampowered.com/app/1659360/...), letting you explore the gorgeous world of Explora in a cozy experience.

13.03.2026 14:19 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
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Hell Maiden on Steam Traverse the depths of Hell and beat its toughest demons on your way to Heaven in this horde survival deck-building game inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy.

@astralshiftpro.com is updating the demo of the upcoming Hell Maiden (store.steampowered.com/app/3372060/...), their unique narrative-focused take on the Survivors-like genre, featuring their iconic art-style.

13.03.2026 14:19 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Preview
Shelf Heroes on Steam Blast rogue toys with wacky weapons in this fast-paced Roguelite FPS! Mix & match toy parts to assemble your Shelf Hero, discover powerful perk combos, and explore a giant House. Play solo or with...

funpunchgames.com is working on the gorgeous Shelf Heroes (store.steampowered.com/app/3151140/...), a co-op FPS Roguelite in which you and everyone around you are toys. The game was recently featured in @futuregamesshow.bsky.social Spring Showcase.

13.03.2026 14:19 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

If there is a publication out there interested in coverage of the growing Portuguese videogame industry, reach out to me here via DM or email me at goncalofrlsantos22(at)gmail(dot)com.

Despite the steady decline in the industry as a whole, Portugal is growing and we're already doing great stuff.

13.03.2026 14:19 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
Project Shadowglass | Gameplay Reveal Trailer (FGS 2026)
Project Shadowglass | Gameplay Reveal Trailer (FGS 2026) YouTube video by Starhelm Studios

youtu.be/EOg8SZmYQr0 This looks phenomenal.

13.03.2026 11:18 👍 0 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0

Person who did the ‘noticing’ here (and spent a good portion of yesterday attempting to track down an Xbox rep at GDC).

Would have been nice to have that work acknowledged!

12.03.2026 16:25 👍 190 🔁 35 💬 2 📌 0

Hi @windowscentral.com! Why didn’t you cite the news outlet that first discovered this?

We didn’t report on this because gamers posted on Reddit. @kerrblimey.bsky.social was prepping a story and found the posts were all scrubbed.

Would love it if you updated your story.

12.03.2026 17:47 👍 16 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0

Here is my first piece for startmenu, a review of a bizarre yet fascinating videogame which has put Poor Locke squarely on my map.

If it is a good read, you can (and should) thank @kellymerka.bsky.social for that, they are a godsend in editing form.

12.03.2026 14:49 👍 5 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0

People who only speak one language struggle to understand how others can be more complex, or at least complex in different ways.

As a fluent Portuguese and English speaker, English certainly is the simpler language in writing, but likely more complex orally, as an example.

11.03.2026 10:41 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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St Patrick's Day Steam Sale Brings Irish Games to a Global Audience — Imirt Imirt - The Irish Game Makers Association is proud to present the Games from Ireland Steam Event , a week-long digital showcase celebrating games made in Ireland or shaped by Irish creative talent an...

Hey, any games press want to cover our big upcoming steam event with Irish games?!?

www.imirt.ie/news/2026/3/...

Reach out via dm or eoghan@imirt.ie

09.03.2026 16:39 👍 161 🔁 102 💬 1 📌 2
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Aethermancer is on sale for 20% off during #TurnBasedThursdayFest!! Grab it now before our big free content update drops in the 19th

09.03.2026 18:49 👍 16 🔁 6 💬 0 📌 0
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Resident Evil Requiem's secret hero is the "damsel in distress" that redefines the trope – and continues the franchise's mutated definition of girlhood Opinion | Emily is even more important than she appears

happy international women’s day 💋 let’s celebrate with resident evil requiem, where ”girlhood” is a biohazard 🥰🌸

www.gamesradar.com/games/reside...

08.03.2026 17:36 👍 17 🔁 5 💬 2 📌 3

Happy international women’s day! Why not read my latest column about Being a Woman and Station to Station here:

08.03.2026 16:54 👍 30 🔁 7 💬 2 📌 1

Hi Ashley! Could you send me a DM? Would love to discuss some things with you about Little Goody Two Shoes, Pocket Mirror, and other Astralshift things!

06.03.2026 19:58 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Kelly is the best editor I've worked with. Not only do they fix my painfully rough drafts, they do it in a way that helps me learn what I'm doing wrong. Fantastic addition to any team.

04.03.2026 23:11 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

A $5 Patreon Sub can go a long way.

03.03.2026 16:51 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Would you be interested in a pitch about Astralshift? You've previously published articles about them. I'll be talking to the studio this week.

03.03.2026 12:46 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Alice Madness Returns creator American McGee is making a spiritual successor, and he's not worried about EA: "There's a kind of obvious overlap, but not one that gets us in trouble with the lawyers" Interview | American McGee has another pretty grim story to tell

american mcgee worked on doom and quake, but even more importantly to me, he created ALICE ⚔️

EA controlled the IP and strangled it ⚔️ mcgee went into retirement ⚔️ but that's all in the past. he confirms to me a spiritual sequel to ALICE: MADNESS RETURNS is coming

www.gamesradar.com/games/advent...

02.03.2026 18:43 👍 29 🔁 13 💬 0 📌 5
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Impressions | Demon Tides - The Horizon Calls Me — startmenu Demon Tides makes a great first impression with stylish design and satisfying platforming.

Demon Tides makes a great first impression with stylish design and satisfying platforming.

from @brandoncraw.bsky.social.

27.02.2026 13:59 👍 9 🔁 6 💬 0 📌 1

I hope Cyanide Studios manages to survive following the news of Nacon's insolvency. AA is the heart of the industry and the French studio is doing excellent work.

26.02.2026 10:08 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Styx: Blades Of Greed Review - Pure Stealth Is Back With most of its legends retired or MIA, the goblin steps in as the hero that Pure Stealth needs, bringing us back to a simpler time, in more ways than one.

My latest for @thephrasemaker.bsky.social is a review of Cyanide's Styx: Blades of Greed. I bring a perspective of someone who didn't play the first two titles in the trilogy but loved this one, despite its flaws.

thephrasemaker.com/2026/02/26/s...

26.02.2026 10:08 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Why Climb A (Video Game) Mountain?
Why Climb A (Video Game) Mountain? YouTube video by Jay Castello

i've been having a very normal time thinking about mountains lately youtu.be/U9Z2M7IGP5k

21.02.2026 20:41 👍 43 🔁 13 💬 1 📌 5
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Secret Places of Pain - Unwinnable “My identity was so tied up in my work, and the work itself lacked confidence. It was confusing to be loved.”

My combo interview-review of Station to Station featuring @meredithgran.com is now up for non-subscribers:

25.02.2026 18:16 👍 71 🔁 30 💬 0 📌 3

this piece is the first one in my loose series I’m hoping to do this year about women, writing, and games. I’d love to speak to more women game writers/developers about their work and experiences!

24.02.2026 20:53 👍 98 🔁 33 💬 1 📌 0
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u know how recipes by suburban ladies always have like 8 paragraphs on forgiveness before they tell u the ingredients for mac salad 🪺 i wanted 2 channel that for my new blog about why i love dessert and lebkuchen from @astralshiftpro.com's little goody two shoes 🍪

plant-or-beast.net/posts/2026-0...

24.02.2026 18:02 👍 15 🔁 7 💬 2 📌 1