Self Titled #2
Nothing Left ‘zine
“If you haven't heard Empire State Games yet, you are truly missing out. I had heard a lot of good things about this band before I had actually heard their music, and now that I've let the record spin, I can truly say that they have lived up to every expectation I had. Fast upbeat power indie rock with tinges of The Get Up Kids, The Promise Ring, Saves the Day, and every other band in that genre. The thing that sets Empire State Games apart is the roughness of their sound. It's not polished one bit, but all of the intensity is still there. The 2 songs on this 7" are catchy as hell, driven by incredible guitar melodies and infectious vocal hooks. Empire State Games are definitely going to make a name for themselves. This is one record to get. One of the best for me this time around.”

Heart Attack 'zine
"ESG do very well with the same sort of anthem rock sound that Blank has. The lyrics are poetic and grappling. The Vocals are strong and drawn out, and the instrumentation is very upbeat. The whole package is nicely done. My only complaint is that there are only songs for a combined total of four minutes and twenty-three seconds, and that's really not enough."

Initial Records catalog
"Two brand new melodic and frisky punk rock ditties from these Detroit rockers. It’s peanut butter and jelly with the crusts cut off and Campbell’s alphabet soup in a Dukes Of Hazzard Thermos. Everything a growing kid needs and then some."

Outback 'zine
"A great recording makes this already incredible 7" even more so. From the strike of note one I was blown away by the non-formula style of ESG's melodic and incredibly powerful emo styled music that contains elements of punk, hardcore, and the original qualities ESG bring into their musical creation. This is simple great!" (CAC)

Etch 'zine
"Okay, their debut Ep on Old Skool rocked the house, but this two-songer is a gem. Both tracks pack a punch in the Texas Is The Reason-meets-Sicko vein. The only downfall of this record is that the listener is only offered two songs when we're craving a two-CD box set." Demangis

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