Author Archives: Tom Auxier
The Weight of Definition: Balloon Diaspora
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pX0LlPLtTw&w=480&h=390] Balloon Diaspora is a funny little game that’s weighed heavily on me since I’ve played it. It is ethereal and wonderful like a leaf blowing in through an open window in fall, but at its core it asks
The Weight of Definition: Balloon Diaspora
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pX0LlPLtTw&w=480&h=390] Balloon Diaspora is a funny little game that’s weighed heavily on me since I’ve played it. It is ethereal and wonderful like a leaf blowing in through an open window in fall, but at its core it asks
Mass Effect 3 Aiming for Mass Appeal
Central to my criticism of Dragon Age 2 was that it was a game made by people who didn’t seem like they wanted to be making big Western RPGs. Rather, it felt like they would have been more comfortable making
Mass Effect 3 Aiming for Mass Appeal
Central to my criticism of Dragon Age 2 was that it was a game made by people who didn’t seem like they wanted to be making big Western RPGs. Rather, it felt like they would have been more comfortable making
Nico and the Magic Phone
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drp9o4E7G7U&w=640&h=390] Let me tell you a story. If you’ve played Grand Theft Auto IV before, it’s probably a story with a lot of parts you remember. Unwashed immigrant, off the boat, kills a lot of people for redemption only
Nico and the Magic Phone
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drp9o4E7G7U&w=640&h=390] Let me tell you a story. If you’ve played Grand Theft Auto IV before, it’s probably a story with a lot of parts you remember. Unwashed immigrant, off the boat, kills a lot of people for redemption only
Xenoblade Confirmed?
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSFCHrHuUxE&w=640&h=390] It’s been one of the great shames of the Wii that so many Japanese titles have languished as overseas only games while America gets Barbie Horse Adventures and Wii Play 2 instead. Titles like Mistwalker’s The Last Story
Xenoblade Confirmed?
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSFCHrHuUxE&w=640&h=390] It’s been one of the great shames of the Wii that so many Japanese titles have languished as overseas only games while America gets Barbie Horse Adventures and Wii Play 2 instead. Titles like Mistwalker’s The Last Story
News in Brief: Communist Day Edition
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNhXYmJ0G8c&w=640&h=390] Welcome, welcome. If you’re here, you’re probably lamenting the fact that I am working on May Day. Either that or you’re probably thinking of that song by that guy. Whatever. It’s time for all the news that wasn’t
News in Brief: Communist Day Edition
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNhXYmJ0G8c&w=640&h=390] Welcome, welcome. If you’re here, you’re probably lamenting the fact that I am working on May Day. Either that or you’re probably thinking of that song by that guy. Whatever. It’s time for all the news that wasn’t
Review: Cargo
Describing Cargo, the newest game from games as art Russian luminaries Ice Pick Lodge (developers of the impenetrable Pathologic and the penetrable but intense The Void), is both simple and devilishly hard. Let’s get the simple out of the way.
Review: Cargo
Describing Cargo, the newest game from games as art Russian luminaries Ice Pick Lodge (developers of the impenetrable Pathologic and the penetrable but intense The Void), is both simple and devilishly hard. Let’s get the simple out of the way.
Valve swearing off single player?
Well this is the saddest thing I’ve heard all day. Apparently Gabe Newell, in Geoff Keighley’s Final Days of Portal 2 app, says that “Portal 2 will probably be Valve’s last game with an isolated single-player experience.” Which would be
Valve swearing off single player?
Well this is the saddest thing I’ve heard all day. Apparently Gabe Newell, in Geoff Keighley’s Final Days of Portal 2 app, says that “Portal 2 will probably be Valve’s last game with an isolated single-player experience.” Which would be
No Time Left for You
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPdbq_s6mMI&w=640&h=390] I had a moment in my life recently where I realized I was different. Younger me would have gone absolutely apeshit over Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes. Not only is it a game in one of my
No Time Left for You
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPdbq_s6mMI&w=640&h=390] I had a moment in my life recently where I realized I was different. Younger me would have gone absolutely apeshit over Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes. Not only is it a game in one of my
Portal 2 and Imagination
For those of you keeping score, Valve have not released a narrative based game since October 10th, 2007. That’s four years. Four years of co-op multiplayer shooters and hats and no Half Life. This has been a great disservice to
Portal 2 and Imagination
For those of you keeping score, Valve have not released a narrative based game since October 10th, 2007. That’s four years. Four years of co-op multiplayer shooters and hats and no Half Life. This has been a great disservice to
Truths and Consequences
Developers love talking about making their games full of moral choices with consequences, but that’s a crock of shit: no one makes games with consequences. I’d even say moral choice is an illusion, like a linear world designed to feel
Truths and Consequences
Developers love talking about making their games full of moral choices with consequences, but that’s a crock of shit: no one makes games with consequences. I’d even say moral choice is an illusion, like a linear world designed to feel