Alex Santa Maria TechRaptor

Alex Santa Maria

Staff Writer

About Alex Santa Maria

Alex Santa Maria is TechRaptor's former Reviews Editor (2015-2020) and current occasional critic. Joining the site early in its life, Alex grew the review vertical into its own and laid a solid foundation for the growth that TechRaptor still sees today. After a brief sabbatical to explore his options, Alex has returned to the fold to give insight into arcade games, first-person shooters, and the next F-Zero game. Whenever that ends up coming out.

Graduating with a Creative Writing degree from the University of South Florida, Alex always keeps busy with multiple projects. That could include anything from building a unique Magic the Gathering deck to reworking a chapter for one of the always-in-development novels. Despite that, reviews continue to be his passion, and he has published his opinions wherever an editor will let him. 

Alex is our resident fan of pinball, Needlers, roguelikes, and anything with authentic '80s vibes and neon lighting. He owns an office chair once used by Billy Mays that has somehow survived multiple moves. Please don't ask him about Ready Player One; he thinks it's a mixed bag.

Articles by Alex Santa Maria


Total Articles: 594


Dr. Fetus shows his appreciation to all his loving fans in the Mean Meat Machine key art.
Review

Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine Review - Where's The Beef?

Dr. Fetus is back, but all but the most faithful Meat Boy fans should fear his Mean Meat Machine. Find out in our full Dr. Fetus' Mean Meat Machine Review.

June 26, 2023 | 10:00 EDT

Shodan taunts players in System Shock's key art
Review

System Shock Review

Nightdive's remake of System Shock delivers an excellently grand and modern retelling of one of the foundational FPS experiences.

June 2, 2023 | 09:13 EDT

Players in Tape to Tape take it to the ice.
Preview

Tape to Tape Preview - Earning Your Skates

Tape to Tape is a hockey roguelike that has solid fundamentals but still hasn't progressed out of the farm league.

May 16, 2023 | 11:00 EDT

EverSpace 2's cast of characters pose with its logo in space
Review

Everspace 2 Review

Everspace 2 brings great interstellar dogfighting and an offbeat story to a massive open galaxy full of opportunities and loot.

April 5, 2023 | 06:22 EDT

WWE 2K23 Cover Art
Review

WWE 2K23 Review

WWE 2K23 continues to improve on the formula of grappling games, providing a generous number of ways to pit your favorite superstars against one another.

March 20, 2023 | 10:00 EDT

Scars Above Key Art
Review

Scars Above Review

Scars Above is a mediocre third-person adventure that feels incomplete at its core, thanks to cliched storytelling and a heavy reliance on outside inspirations.

February 28, 2023 | 12:05 EST

Coven cover art FPS
Preview

Coven Is a Perfect Brew of Boomer Shooters and Horror

Coven's Steam Next Fest demo hits all the right notes for a modern boomer shooter, adding in a few new toys and a great horror atmosphere while retaining the genre's vital fast-paced action.

February 20, 2023 | 01:47 EST

Robots fight for the rim in RoboDunk
Preview

Stop-Motion Meets Arcade Basketball in RoboDunk

Part NBA Jam and part roguelike, RoboDunk is a nostalgic arcade basketball game all about hitting the rim and avoiding laser beams.

February 20, 2023 | 01:00 EST

A lone hero faces off against a gauntlet maze of guards in Meet Your Maker.
Preview

Meet Your Maker Preview - Move Over Mario Maker

Meet Your Maker from developer Behavior Interactive features an engaging map editor and an endless gauntlet of deathtraps, combining creative freedom with FPS intensity in a game with loads of potential.

February 6, 2023 | 09:00 EST

A lone wanderer departs toward a Lone Ruin.
Review

Lone Ruin Review

Lone Ruin from Cuddle Monster Games is a stylish neon-tinged roguelike that burns brightly while it lasts.

January 16, 2023 | 11:00 EST

Need For Speed Unbound Key Art
Review

Need For Speed Unbound Review

Need For Speed Unbound is another instance of EA's primary car franchise spinning its wheels. With confused visuals and ho-hum races, it's anything but essential.

December 5, 2022 | 04:08 EST

McPixel 3 Key Art
Review

McPixel 3 Review

McPixel 3 is a fine sequel to a decade-old comedy adventure, even if the mechanics are starting to show their age.

November 14, 2022 | 11:00 EST

Sleeper Agent on Dominaria for Magic: The Gathering
Feature

Must-Pick Sleeper Agents in MTG Brother's War Limited

The Brother's War is full of big robots and the game-changing Planeswalkers that Magic: the Gathering is known for, but what uncommon cards are worth picking in your first drafts? Check out our selections for the best Limited sleeper agents of the set!

November 11, 2022 | 04:19 EST

I See Red's key art features gunfire and action in its signature red tint.
Review

I See Red Review

I See Red is a twin-stick roguelike that doesn't let you aim with the right stick and fails at being a roguelike. At least it looks cool.

October 24, 2022 | 07:00 EDT

The Gotham Knights pose before the game's logo.
Review

Gotham Knights Review

Gotham Knights suffers in the long shadow of Arkham Asylum, delivering a serviceable but forgettable slice of superhero open-world action.

October 20, 2022 | 07:00 EDT

The First Descendant Helmet Shot
Preview

The First Descendant Has A Clear Destiny

The First Descendant brings looting and shooting to the F2P space with a unique style all its own.

October 13, 2022 | 08:00 EDT

Bentley Bear rides a horse in Atari Mania's key art.
Review

Atari Mania Review

Atari Mania should be a nostalgic triumph, but poor controls and unfortunate graphics ruin Bentley Bear's glorious return.

October 11, 2022 | 06:32 EDT

Two misfits jet towards one another wielding bats in the key art for Flippin Misfits
Review

Flippin Misfits Review

Flippin Misfits is a low-key multiplayer experiment that's worth the effort (and possible nausea). See why in our full review.

October 10, 2022 | 10:30 EDT

Main character watches a flaming planet in the key art for The Entropy Centre
Preview

The Entropy Centre Turns Back the Clock For First-Person Puzzlers

With The Entropy Centre, Stubby Games opens a portal back in time to the test chambers of the past. Check out our preview for more details on this cube-filled throwback puzzler.

September 23, 2022 | 11:30 EDT

Phantom Fury header
Preview

Phantom Fury Continues Bombshell's Unlikely Shooter Success

We got a chance to see Phantom Fury, and this sequel to Ion Fury is everything we could hope for. Read our preview to learn more

September 16, 2022 | 03:17 EDT

The Unknown and Paz pose in Metal: Hellsinger's key art.
Review

Metal: Hellsinger Review

Metal: Hellsinger is a best-in-class FPS that defines a new subgenre and hits all the right notes. Read our review to find out more.

September 12, 2022 | 05:43 EDT

Various images of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles surround the logo for The Cowabunga Collection.
Review

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection Review

TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection is a nostalgic treat for OG fans of Leo and the gang, but some of these 16-bit classics aren't all they're cooked up to be.

September 7, 2022 | 10:30 EDT

Spider-Man takes on Rhino in a scene from Marvel's Spider-Man
Preview

Spider-Man Is Marvelous on PC and Steam Deck

Marvel's Spider-Man still holds up on the occasion of its PC port, and it pushes Valve's Steam Deck to its absolute limits.

August 22, 2022 | 11:00 EDT

Yars: Recharged soldiers attack in key art
Review

Yars: Recharged Review

CHANGE

August 22, 2022 | 08:00 EDT