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Giovanni Colantonio

Giovanni Colantonio

Senior Gaming Editor

As Digital Trends' Senior Gaming Editor, Giovanni Colantonio oversees all things video games at Digital Trends. As a veteran of the industry who first began writing about games professionally as a teenager, Giovanni brings a wealth of knowledge and historical context to Digital Trends' gaming coverage. He brings that expertise to everything he writes, from interview features to reviews. His specialty is criticism and he's committed to raising the bar for video game reviews. Just read his ambitious UFO 50 review as proof!

Giovanni majored in Film and Photography at Ithaca College, and that skill set had intersected with his games writing through his career. He previously worked as a Segment Producer on Polygon's daily gaming show, Speedrun, and has contributed video content for sites like Prima Games and Hard Drive. He's always willing to experiment with new media, whether that be via podcasts or creating videos for Digital Trends' YouTube channel. He has previously written for Inverse, Fanbyte, The Inventory, and more. He began working with Digital Trends in 2019 as a Destiny 2 guides contributor before moving into his current role as Senior Editor.

His love of gaming dates back decades. Giovanni grew up in Massachusetts with his mother's hand-me-down Atari 2600. He was hooked from that point on, spending his childhood obsessively playing Sega Genesis or Super Smash Bros. Melee with his friends. He carried that passion into college, where he hosted and produced Ithaca College's own studio format video game news show. Since then, he has been committed to giving back to the video game industry that raised him by providing honest criticism, sharp analysis, and thorough coverage.

Giovanni is currently based in Brooklyn, New York where he works alongside his cat, Mirah. On weekends, you can find him birdwatching in local parks or watching professional wrestling, his second love behind gaming.

A floppy disk runs on PC windows in Mainframes.

This clever new platformer takes you inside of a PC desktop

Mainframes is a clever new 2D platformer that takes you on an odyssey through a PC desktop.
Tony Hawk jumps over a park in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is alive and it’s coming this summer

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 is finally coming this July and it's bringing new parks, new skaters, and an unlikely Doom crossover.
Zoe and Mio pose with dragons in Split Fiction.

Split Fiction review: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times

Split Fiction is a dazzling co-op adventure that's dragged down by weak writing, making for a divided It Takes Two follow-up.
Two heroes slash through enemies in Absolum.

Streets of Rage 4 studio’s next game is Absolum, a new roguelike beat-em-up

The team behind Streets of Rage 4 is returning with Absolum, a fantasy beat-em-up fused with clever roguelike progression.
A PDP Riffmaster hangs over a man's shoulder.

I have finally filled the Guitar Hero sized hole in my life

Rift of the Necrodancer plus a PDP Riffmaster is a match made in Guitar Hero heaven.
Demons play socces in Fear Fa 98.

FIFA meets Silent Hill in Steam Next Fest’s most unhinged demo

If you want to play some truly bizarre demos before Steam Next Fest ends, you need to try Fear Fa 98 now.
A character holds two swords in Gorn 2.

Gorn 2 brings more gladiatorial violence to VR this year

Gorn 2 is coming to VR headsets this year, and we got our first taste of its wacky violence and beef axes.
Eevee sits on a tree stump in Pokemon Concierge.

Everything announced at Pokémon Presents 2025

It's Pokémon Day, which means we've got a brand new Pokémon Presents presentation today filled with news.
A man walks down a hallway in Post Trauma.

Post Trauma gets a haunting new trailer, release date, and Steam Next Fest demo

The Silent Hill-inspired Post Trauma launches next month, and you can watch its creepy new trailer exclusively on Digital Trends.
A car drives by a field of sunflowers in Keep Driving.

If you only play one February game, make it this car management RPG

February was full of big games, but don't sleep on Keep Driving: an ingenious road trip RPG that's worth your time.
A masked figure in Avowed. The mask looks like it's made of gold, it has glowing red eyes, and there's a hood over its head.

Avowed might be the best work of ‘pandemic art’ to date

Underneath all its Pillars of Eternity lore, Avowed tells a deep story that has a lot to say about how the Covid-19 pandemic was used as a political tool.
The Ninja Turtles pose together in key art from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown.

You can try a radical new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game on Steam right now

If you're looking for some great game demos to try during Steam Next Fest, start with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown.
A cat jumps over the word meow in Skin Deep.

Skin Deep is absolutely absurd and I already love it

Skin Deep launches on April 30 and we took the Blendo's wacky sci-fi game for a first test drive.
A woman sits on a pink motorcycle in Sayonara Wild Hearts.

Everything announced at Annapurna Interactive Showcase 2025

Annapurna Interactive just held a new showcase, revealing spring release dates for To a T, Skin Deep, and more.
A hunter dodges a monster in Monster Hunter Wilds.

Monster Hunter Wilds review: thrilling action RPG is shockingly chill

Monster Hunter Wilds keeps Capcom's winning streak going with a deep action RPG that's surprisingly laid back.
A hole appears in a backyard in A Game About Digging a Hole.

This $5 Steam game about digging a hole has consumed my life

A Game About Digging a Hole is exactly what it sounds like, and it's shockingly hypnotic.
A man shoots a demon in Shotgun Cop Man.

My Friend Pedro follow-up Shotgun Cop Man is Celeste with guns

Shotgun Cop Man is the latest game from the creator of My Friend Pedro, and it's about going to hell to arrest Satan.
A Scuf Valor pro sits on a table.

Scuf Valor Pro review: premium Xbox controller is a fine runner-up

The Scuf Valor Pro packs a lot of features in for $100, but its a runner up in a crowded field of premium Xbox controllers.
AI-generated NPCs sit at a bar.

Why would I ever want to play a video game created by AI?

Generative AI is creeping into video game development, but there will never be a true substitute for human decision making.
Swann holds a camcorder in Lost Records: Bloom and Rage.

Lost Records: Bloom and Rage gives digital camcorders the love they deserve

There's a lot to praise in Lost Records: Bloom and Rage, but its standout feature is its authentic 90s camcorder.
Key art for Monster Train 2 shows angels and demons fighting.

Monster Train 2 breathes new life into one of 2020’s best games

Monster Train 2 follows up on 2020's hit deckbuilder with new clans, cards, and strategies.
Majima slashes an enemy in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii review: all schtick, no substance

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii has fun with its absurd premise, but its uncharacteristically weak story is a let down.
A warrior kills many demons at once in Warriors: Abyss.

Warriors: Abyss review: this Hades-inspired Musou is stuck in purgatory

Warriors: Abyss has deceptively deep action hooks, but they go to waste in a shallow Hades riff that doesn't take much skill to master.
Rama listens to music in Afterlove EP.

When a video game becomes a eulogy for its own creator

Afterlove EP honors the memory of creator Mohammad Fahmi, who died in 2022, with a sincere story about the mess that a loss leaves behind.
Alta operates a tea machine in Wanderstop.

Wanderstop is brewing up a clever twist on the cozy genre

Wanderstop looks to spice up the cozy game genre with a more puzzling spin on the shop management sim.
Snake holding a gun and knife.

Everything announced at PlayStation State of Play February 2025

Sony is lifting the lid on its 2025 plans with a State of Play today. Follow along with us for live updates.
A man stares down a hallway in Post Trauma.

These 4 exciting indie games need to be on your radar this year

Publisher Raw Fury is rolling out an exciting slate of indies this year and we went hands on with a few that should be on your radar.
Hazel talks to a catfish in South of Midnight.

South of Midnight knows exactly what it wants to be and is better for it

We went hands on with South of Midnight, getting a much better sense of how the stop-motion inspired game feels.
Lydia Tar composes a Monster Hunter orchestra in Tar.

Monster Hunter producer explains that infamous Tár cameo

How did Monster Hunter end up in a Best Picture nominated drama? We asked Monster Hunter Wilds producer Ryozo Tsujimoto for an explination.
Two characters hunt a monster in Monster Hunter Wilds.

Monster Hunter Wilds fixes World’s biggest pain points

We played five hours of Monster Hunter Wilds and came away with a better understanding of how it differs from Monster Hunter World.
Carmelo Hayes beats up a wrestler in WWE 2K25.

WWE 2K25’s bloody new match type is its ‘Final Destination, no items’ mode

Based on what we've played, WWE 2K25's bloody underground matches could be the series' best casual option.
A boy waits at an airport in While Waiting.

This excellent game about waiting is the anti-WarioWare

While Waiting turns life's most frustrating moments into an ingenious puzzle game that's more emotional than you'd expect.
Fighters face off in Capcom Fighting Collection 2 art.

I found my new favorite fighting game thanks to Capcom Fighting Collection 2

Capcom Fighting Collection 2 features plenty of classics, but it's most exciting games are its Dreamcast hidden gems.
Roman Reigns stands inside a ring in WWE 2K25.

WWE 2K25 brings unexpectedly big changes to the wrestling sim

WWE 2K25 may look the same as its predecessor, but the annual wrestling simulator packs in some deceptively impactful changes.