Soundscapes – The brilliant dystopia of Metro 2033

Building a believable world is something most games fail at. The few that succeed stand out clearly against all others, and the one that stands out the most is Metro 2033. At first glance it’s a first person shooter like

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Soundscapes – The brilliant dystopia of Metro 2033

Building a believable world is something most games fail at. The few that succeed stand out clearly against all others, and the one that stands out the most is Metro 2033. At first glance it’s a first person shooter like

/ Comments Off on Soundscapes – The brilliant dystopia of Metro 2033

Size Does Matter: What "Indie" Really Means in Videogames

In June of 1992 the Journal of Human Evolution published an article by R.I.M Dunbar entitled, “Neocortex size as a constraint on group size in primates.” Jargon-filled but widely cited, the scholarship established what is now known as Dunbar’s Number:

/ 2 Comments

Size Does Matter: What "Indie" Really Means in Videogames

In June of 1992 the Journal of Human Evolution published an article by R.I.M Dunbar entitled, “Neocortex size as a constraint on group size in primates.” Jargon-filled but widely cited, the scholarship established what is now known as Dunbar’s Number:

/ 2 Comments

The Campfire: How Star Control II Introduced Me To Lovecraftian Horror.

Star Control II is my Lord of the Rings. At a time of life where many of my friends would return to Tolkien’s works with an abiding fondness and nostalgia, I favoured repeated explorations of the rich world-building and characterisation

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The Campfire: How Star Control II Introduced Me To Lovecraftian Horror.

Star Control II is my Lord of the Rings. At a time of life where many of my friends would return to Tolkien’s works with an abiding fondness and nostalgia, I favoured repeated explorations of the rich world-building and characterisation

/ One Comment

Feedback Loop: When Rape is Just a Game

I have always been especially sympathetic to parody, satire, and general irreverence. I’m skeptical of authority and find tradition and convention extremely dubious. And when topics are off-limits or taboo, the benefits to silencing discourse rarely makeup for what’s lost

/ 13 Comments

Feedback Loop: When Rape is Just a Game

I have always been especially sympathetic to parody, satire, and general irreverence. I’m skeptical of authority and find tradition and convention extremely dubious. And when topics are off-limits or taboo, the benefits to silencing discourse rarely makeup for what’s lost

/ 13 Comments

Waiting to Respawn: Know Your Diablo

(Waiting to Respawn is Nightmare Mode’s weekly column in which we crawl out from our secluded fortresses to discuss multiplayer and the social aspects of gaming.) At 12:01 a.m. this morning, Blizzard tightened their grip over our virtual lives (for

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Waiting to Respawn: Know Your Diablo

(Waiting to Respawn is Nightmare Mode’s weekly column in which we crawl out from our secluded fortresses to discuss multiplayer and the social aspects of gaming.) At 12:01 a.m. this morning, Blizzard tightened their grip over our virtual lives (for

/ Comments Off on Waiting to Respawn: Know Your Diablo

Dark Scavenger is the carrion crow of video games

The best indie games do one thing well. They have one mechanic, and they build everything around this central idea. Braid’s mechanical core—time traveling platforming—informed every element of its presentation, and it didn’t try to do anything else; it never

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Dark Scavenger is the carrion crow of video games

The best indie games do one thing well. They have one mechanic, and they build everything around this central idea. Braid’s mechanical core—time traveling platforming—informed every element of its presentation, and it didn’t try to do anything else; it never

/ Comments Off on Dark Scavenger is the carrion crow of video games

The Awesomenauts

Back in late 2011 I found myself spending a weekend in London to preview some of the biggest titles hitting our shelves; Skyrim, Dark Souls, Mass Effect 3 – but amongst these mainstream gems I stumbled upon a small time

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The Awesomenauts

Back in late 2011 I found myself spending a weekend in London to preview some of the biggest titles hitting our shelves; Skyrim, Dark Souls, Mass Effect 3 – but amongst these mainstream gems I stumbled upon a small time

/ 2 Comments

Art Game Thunderdome: The Great Gatsby

It was a cool name with no meaning: Art Game Thunderdome. I had thought the fact that my short-lived video series dealt with hypothetical art games in a rough and tumble manner might justify the title…but ultimately the name was

/ 7 Comments

Art Game Thunderdome: The Great Gatsby

It was a cool name with no meaning: Art Game Thunderdome. I had thought the fact that my short-lived video series dealt with hypothetical art games in a rough and tumble manner might justify the title…but ultimately the name was

/ 7 Comments

What Does It Mean For Video Games to be Smart?

In recent weeks the argument was put forth that most games are dumb. Writing for the Atlantic, gamer and author Taylor Clark provided an in-depth profile on indie video game creator Jonathan Blow. In so many words, both Clark and

/ 5 Comments

What Does It Mean For Video Games to be Smart?

In recent weeks the argument was put forth that most games are dumb. Writing for the Atlantic, gamer and author Taylor Clark provided an in-depth profile on indie video game creator Jonathan Blow. In so many words, both Clark and

/ 5 Comments

After Pressing Start: Silent Hill

I’ve always been fascinated with horror games, but haven’t played many real ones. I haven’t because they don’t exist. At the least, they no longer exist in the mainstream spotlight as they once did. The tense atmosphere of the Dead

/ One Comment

After Pressing Start: Silent Hill

I’ve always been fascinated with horror games, but haven’t played many real ones. I haven’t because they don’t exist. At the least, they no longer exist in the mainstream spotlight as they once did. The tense atmosphere of the Dead

/ One Comment