Characters that Count

  Note: This article contains story spoilers for Shadow of the Colossus. There are many memorable characters in games, but what makes a truly great character, and how are they a more integral part of storytelling than a simple avatar?

Feedback Loop: Why video games should drag us kicking and screaming

Two weeks ago I went to a panel with Warren Spector at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne. The conversation between Spector and Paul Callaghan, director of Melbourne’s Freeplay festival, was a fascinating look into the creative

Confronting violence in Nier

I’ve killed a lot of people in video games. There weren’t many games that chastised me for killing until Nier, though. Shadow of the Colossus certainly tried, but it’s difficult to feel guilty when you can unlock power ups via

Retelling Nier Replicant into Nier Refrain

  (Warning: complete Nier spoiler, head to toe.)   NieR isn’t particularly well liked by the critics. This commercial failure also didn’t manage to save the studio from dissolving, and the game is likely to be forgotten. For good reasons