Author Archives: Tom Auxier

Fez's shifting genres

There’s a quote from Roger Ebert’s review of Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans which goes: “It’s not what a movie is about, it’s how it is about it.” It sums up perfectly how I feel about the alarmingly

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Fez's shifting genres

There’s a quote from Roger Ebert’s review of Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans which goes: “It’s not what a movie is about, it’s how it is about it.” It sums up perfectly how I feel about the alarmingly

/ 5 Comments

Role playing games without borders

A funny thing happened in Japan: the year’s biggest and brightest Japanese RPG turned into a Western RPG. The moment this crystallized for me came towards the beginning of Monolith’s Xenoblade Chroncles. The main character and his love interest Fiora

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Role playing games without borders

A funny thing happened in Japan: the year’s biggest and brightest Japanese RPG turned into a Western RPG. The moment this crystallized for me came towards the beginning of Monolith’s Xenoblade Chroncles. The main character and his love interest Fiora

/ 8 Comments

The death and rebirth of Bushido Blade

Given the choice of every fighting game ever made, I’d pick Bushido Blade. The game and its sequel were Squaresoft titles for the original Playstation, and featured poorly voice acted, blocky “samurai” squaring off on areas that probably featured about

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The death and rebirth of Bushido Blade

Given the choice of every fighting game ever made, I’d pick Bushido Blade. The game and its sequel were Squaresoft titles for the original Playstation, and featured poorly voice acted, blocky “samurai” squaring off on areas that probably featured about

/ 2 Comments

Why classic games break the facade of creativity

As a self-proclaimed creative type, it wasn’t long before I realized most myths about creativity were bullshit. Give an ultracreative to the point of parody like Peter Molyneux a completely blank folder, an unending budget, a next-next gen console, and

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Why classic games break the facade of creativity

As a self-proclaimed creative type, it wasn’t long before I realized most myths about creativity were bullshit. Give an ultracreative to the point of parody like Peter Molyneux a completely blank folder, an unending budget, a next-next gen console, and

/ 12 Comments

In defense of boring

As games move towards noise and thunder, I’m inclined to retreat back into the eye of the storm. I’m retreating to boring games. The action movie palette, often robbed by games, gives us bright lights, flashing pictures, and melodramatic scenes,

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In defense of boring

As games move towards noise and thunder, I’m inclined to retreat back into the eye of the storm. I’m retreating to boring games. The action movie palette, often robbed by games, gives us bright lights, flashing pictures, and melodramatic scenes,

/ 4 Comments

Hope for tomorrow in Ys: The Oath in Felghana

“Historically, we see a lot of really hopeful, almost twee fantasy in times of economic hardship. And boy, are we ever in a time of economic hardship “ -Rae Carson Seven years ago, when the game was first made, unleashing

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Hope for tomorrow in Ys: The Oath in Felghana

“Historically, we see a lot of really hopeful, almost twee fantasy in times of economic hardship. And boy, are we ever in a time of economic hardship “ -Rae Carson Seven years ago, when the game was first made, unleashing

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Review: Rise of the Video Game Zinesters

This is the sort of review to begin with a description of myself, the reader: I am a 24-32 year old white, heterosexual male who comes from a very liberal background (I live in the Portland, Oregon of the East,

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Review: Rise of the Video Game Zinesters

This is the sort of review to begin with a description of myself, the reader: I am a 24-32 year old white, heterosexual male who comes from a very liberal background (I live in the Portland, Oregon of the East,

/ 12 Comments

Do we need Metacritic?

No. No we don’t. It’s more complicated that that, of course. Before today, Metacritic was a good concept gone insane, a website for vengeful gamers to post zero out of ten reviews on games they haven’t played as much as

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Do we need Metacritic?

No. No we don’t. It’s more complicated that that, of course. Before today, Metacritic was a good concept gone insane, a website for vengeful gamers to post zero out of ten reviews on games they haven’t played as much as

/ 18 Comments

We're smarter than you think

Over the years exploration has been rewarded with collectibles. Mario taking a separate path got him to a magical switch. Items you scoured levels to collect rewarded you with items that provided minor gameplay benefits. Exploration made you stronger or

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We're smarter than you think

Over the years exploration has been rewarded with collectibles. Mario taking a separate path got him to a magical switch. Items you scoured levels to collect rewarded you with items that provided minor gameplay benefits. Exploration made you stronger or

/ One Comment

Opening the IGF's doors

In an alternate world, I have the power to fix the IGF. Why this alternate universe exists instead of a fun one where we can all fly I cannot tell you. I don’t, of course, and I don’t even think

/ One Comment

Opening the IGF's doors

In an alternate world, I have the power to fix the IGF. Why this alternate universe exists instead of a fun one where we can all fly I cannot tell you. I don’t, of course, and I don’t even think

/ One Comment