Thursday, February 10 2011
Race in Rapture: Black Characters in ‘BioShock 2’ and ‘Minerva’s Den’
In BioShock 2 and Minerva’s Den, Grace Holloway and Charles Porter’s racial identities link them to specific historical and cultural subjects without turning them into stereotypes or purely symbolic characters.
Thursday, January 13 2011
Owning ‘BioShock 2’
BioShock’s success in creating intense feelings of attachment and ownership nearly blinded us to BioShock 2’s remarkable achievements.
Friday, December 24 2010
Gaming and Politics in 2010
In 2010, a few big games seemed willing to take a risk and comment, directly and metaphorically, on current political events. Sadly, only one actually had something to say.
Monday, June 21 2010
Father’s Day Is Over, But Daddy Issues Remain in ‘Bioshock 2’ and ‘Red Dead Redemption’
Baby Boomer films such as Star Wars taught us about the corruptible and corrupting influence of an authoritarian father; now games like Bioshock 2 and Red Dead Redemption explore Generation X's “daddy issues”.
Wednesday, May 26 2010
You Say Apocalypse, I Say Retro Chic
Much like telling an erotic story within a Victorian backdrop seems ever so sexy, human depravity juxtaposed against a seemingly golden age of good, moral values is darkly comic and that much more disturbing.
Friday, May 21 2010
The Worst Kind of Consequence: Losing Control in ‘BioShock 2’
Choice is meaningless unless we’re weak enough to be affected by it.
Wednesday, February 10 2010
Of Philosophy in ‘Bioshock 2’: Some Words from the Devs
“I wouldn't say that games are the ideal way to experience literature. I think literature has done that quite well. That being said, games offer the opportunity to ask interesting questions and allow the player to answer them in a way that transcends previous mediums.” -- Jordan Thomas, Creative Director, Bioshock 2
