Wednesday, September 7 2011
In Some Games, It’s the Pattern, Not the Plot, That Makes Them Beautiful
Tetris doesn't say a whole lot about anything, right?
Wednesday, May 18 2011
Defining Our Relationship to the Software: Jonas Kyratzes’s ‘Alphaland’
In order to play, the player needs the game, and in order to exist as a game, the game needs to be played.
Friday, February 4 2011
Killing Kids Is Scary
Any world built upon the bodies of children must be a hellish, nightmarish, or dystopian world. Sometimes it's one in which the player takes on the role of monster.
Wednesday, June 23 2010
All This Useless Interactivity
While we seemingly get lots of choices in a game about how we get from place to place, how to kill enemies (and with what weapon), and even how we make moral decisions, when the game prompts us we usually get down to doing what it tells us to do.
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.
Wednesday, March 31 2010
An Intimate Moment With the Computer
I cared about GlaDOS only because she was the one directing me. Oh, and then I really cared about her because she wanted to kill me.
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
Monday, October 20 2008
TWiG 2008-10-20: The Return of Pretty Much Everything
New releases for the week of 2008-10-20...
Tuesday, August 19 2008
To Ken Levine
L.B. has an odd lapse into remorse and gives a shout-out to some of Ken Levine's best games. Spoilers abound.
