Off the Shelf Media

Off the Shelf Media is an online community and platform dedicated to discussing, reviewing, and enjoying all things considered to be entertaining. Founded in 2024, the platform began by publishing reviews of books, movies, videogames, and podcasts. 

Our goal: to entertain those who enjoy entertainment.

Our team

Emily Provost (@kylaprovolone) – Co-Founder & Content Lead

In 2009, I started middle school. In case you were living under a rock at the time, Twilight-mania was in full force. Though I wasn’t much of a reader at this point, I was in dire need of some new friends as I started on a treacherous journey through middle school. Picking up a paperback, movie-cover copy of New Moon at the Scholastic Book Fair amidst a crowd of giggling girls seemed like an easy enough way to meet people in the moment. Little did I know, I would go on to read that series more times than I could count. From then on, I went to every midnight premier, purchased every new edition, and spent way too much money on merchandise at Hot Topic. I wish I could say my love for reading was sparked by Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, but I can’t. To this day, a worn-down copy of Stephanie Meyer’s best-selling sequel sits on my shelf, featuring a very young and very buff Taylor Lautner. And there it will stay. 

As the years went by, I thought I’d grow out of videogames for good and that I would get over my “Twilight phase.” For better or for worse, neither of those things happened. Instead, nostalgia planted itself firmly in my heart. The little girl who picked out a matching Spider-Man backpack and lunchbox is now the fully grown adult with a gallery wall of Spider-Man artwork. Among other collectibles. 

As a kid, I fell in love with all things entertainment. As an adult, the same remains true. Whether serious critics would agree or not, the merit of a piece of media derives from its ability to entertain, not its ability to win awards. At least, that’s what I like to think. 

a young age. Not enough credit is given to the early age of videogames like Zelda and Pokémon that actually spurred intellectual growth because it required reading comprehension to advance. Most of the reviewers here have been playing games our entire lives and we hope that our experience and love for them will offer insight into the good and noteworthy aspects as well as the missteps that are becoming more common in the industry. We hope you’re able to enjoy them as much as we enjoy playing while also offering input to maybe help you make your next purchase.

Sonic Adventure 2: Battle is just one example on the long list of some of my most cherished memories. Watching my brother play Resident Evil 4 when I was much too young to play something rated the alluring M for Mature, or spending long nights improving our base for the impending zombie horde in 7 Days to Die. One of my best friends had a lake house for a short period, and the memories that I held onto from those weekends aren’t really tubing, or hiking, rather staying up late and playing the Xbox version of Goldeneye for hours, dueling each other on the Golden Gate Bridge. I haven’t even mentioned Super Smash Brothers yet, and the amount of time and friendship that has come out of those intense 4v4 battles. The older I get the more clear it becomes that videogames will always be a part of my life. Not only as an art form but as a way to relax, feel in control, and not only discover beautiful stories but be a part of them.

Bar none, my favorite videogames are single-player narrative-driven experiences. Red Redemption 1&2, Ghost of Tsushima, The Arkham Series, Resident Evil, Skyrim, pretty much any game that you can completely immerse yourself in. I also feel a great sense of achievement in platinuming games through the PlayStation trophy system and dumping as many hours as I can into a game, sucking out all of the bone marrow I can. (pause)

Enter me. A classically trained student of journalism, I see reporting as a way to keep the public informed, you know, the way it was originally intended. Many AAA games that come out today are overhyped before release and underbaked, even unfinished, upon release. I have fallen victim to a few of these, and see the work of my reviews as a way to help keep people from falling victim to slick marketing campaigns and flashy trailers.

My goal is to show readers through my unique voice and perspective as a journalist and film professional to tell you what’s worth buying and what is best left on the digital shelves. I mostly play single-player action/adventure RPGs and survival horror. Some of my favorite series include Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Metal Gear, Souls games and the occasional sports game (especially NCAA 25).
Some of my favorite individual games include Bloodborne, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Elden Ring, Red Dead Redemption 2, Metal Gear Solid 5, Cyberpunk 2077 and Stellar Blade. My reviews might be spaced out across time because I, unlike so many video game journalists today, prefer to at least get through the main part of a game before I write a review. I think the fault in a lot of reviews today is that the reviewer only plays a few hours of the game and misses key gameplay elements that make or break the experience.

I will not be objective in these reviews. These are reviews, critiques. The style of journalism that I am engaged in might require the involvement of some personal views and beliefs, as they are what help me form the opinion on the game. I do promise to be thorough and researched in my claims and to bring you relevant hyperlinks that contextualize the things I talk about in my reviews. 

I hope you, dear reader, enjoy my perspective on the games I review. Bottom line, I am doing this because I like doing it and I want my fellow man to make an informed decision when purchasing a new game. I am not here to push an agenda or make a paycheck.