Author Archives: Patrick Lindsey

Games as Medium, not as Art: Performative Beauty in Videogames

Have you ever watched someone play a videogame? I don’t mean in the way that a partner or spouse of a hardened “gamer” watches him or her trawl around Liberty City ad nauseum until 9:00 mercifully rolls around and it’s

/ 13 Comments

Games as Medium, not as Art: Performative Beauty in Videogames

Have you ever watched someone play a videogame? I don’t mean in the way that a partner or spouse of a hardened “gamer” watches him or her trawl around Liberty City ad nauseum until 9:00 mercifully rolls around and it’s

/ 13 Comments

Orcs Must Die! 2 as Mousetrap

I have a distinct childhood memory of the board game Mousetrap. I had a set that I inherited, like many of my youthful amusements, from my older sister. It was well-worn and woefully incomplete; many of the titular “trap” components

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Orcs Must Die! 2 as Mousetrap

I have a distinct childhood memory of the board game Mousetrap. I had a set that I inherited, like many of my youthful amusements, from my older sister. It was well-worn and woefully incomplete; many of the titular “trap” components

/ Comments Off on Orcs Must Die! 2 as Mousetrap

After Pressing Start: On the Docks of Shadow Moses

The Metal Gear Solid series is widely known for two things: its excessively convoluted storylines and themes, and presenting those themes in incredibly obtuse ways. Its longwinded, feature film-length cutscenes and often overwrought dialogue are frequently lampooned for being far

/ Comments Off on After Pressing Start: On the Docks of Shadow Moses

After Pressing Start: On the Docks of Shadow Moses

The Metal Gear Solid series is widely known for two things: its excessively convoluted storylines and themes, and presenting those themes in incredibly obtuse ways. Its longwinded, feature film-length cutscenes and often overwrought dialogue are frequently lampooned for being far

/ Comments Off on After Pressing Start: On the Docks of Shadow Moses

Losing Your Stride in rComplex

rComplex is a game of running. It’s not about running, it simply is running. Along the way you will jump, and slide, and occasionally shoot, but all these things are extraneous. This is a game of pure drive, where loss

/ 2 Comments

Losing Your Stride in rComplex

rComplex is a game of running. It’s not about running, it simply is running. Along the way you will jump, and slide, and occasionally shoot, but all these things are extraneous. This is a game of pure drive, where loss

/ 2 Comments

The Grind: An MMORPG Tragedy

This is a story about a girl. No, not in the way you’re thinking. Not really, anyway. I’m not talking about the girl next door or the redhead behind the counter at the coffee shop.  The girl this story is

/ 2 Comments

The Grind: An MMORPG Tragedy

This is a story about a girl. No, not in the way you’re thinking. Not really, anyway. I’m not talking about the girl next door or the redhead behind the counter at the coffee shop.  The girl this story is

/ 2 Comments

The Value of Games: Why You Really Can't Put a Price on Art

Price (n) – The quantity of one thing that is exchanged or demanded in barter or sale for another; the cost at which something is obtained. Value (n) – A fair return or equivalent in goods, services, or money for

/ One Comment

The Value of Games: Why You Really Can't Put a Price on Art

Price (n) – The quantity of one thing that is exchanged or demanded in barter or sale for another; the cost at which something is obtained. Value (n) – A fair return or equivalent in goods, services, or money for

/ One Comment

Killing the Character

The moon is high over the Nibenay Basin in the province of Cyrodiil.  I am being chased from a cave by an angry Minotaur because I stole an enchanted claymore.  I am Raffen Valnyd, a Wood Elf archer with a

/ 2 Comments

Killing the Character

The moon is high over the Nibenay Basin in the province of Cyrodiil.  I am being chased from a cave by an angry Minotaur because I stole an enchanted claymore.  I am Raffen Valnyd, a Wood Elf archer with a

/ 2 Comments

Where Have All The Genres Gone?

Games have changed a lot over the past few years.  And I’m not just talking about that whole motion controls Kinect bullshit.  I’m still hoping that fad fizzles out fairly soon.  No, the change I’m talking about is certainly more

/ Comments Off on Where Have All The Genres Gone?

Where Have All The Genres Gone?

Games have changed a lot over the past few years.  And I’m not just talking about that whole motion controls Kinect bullshit.  I’m still hoping that fad fizzles out fairly soon.  No, the change I’m talking about is certainly more

/ Comments Off on Where Have All The Genres Gone?

The Developer's Moral Imperative, Or Why It's OK For Anders To Be Gay

A while back, I was pouring over the forums for the upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic.  I’m easy to pick out – I’m the one usually bitching about canonical representation of blaster bolt physics and petitioning for the inclusion

/ 3 Comments

The Developer's Moral Imperative, Or Why It's OK For Anders To Be Gay

A while back, I was pouring over the forums for the upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic.  I’m easy to pick out – I’m the one usually bitching about canonical representation of blaster bolt physics and petitioning for the inclusion

/ 3 Comments