Tuesday, October 25 2011
“The Shadow to the Substance”: Romanticism in ‘Dragon Age’
No matter how grave or self-destructive the world of Dragon Age becomes, the poet figure is the ideal guide and prophet to Thedas.
Other Princesses, Other Castles: The Problem with Playing Romantically in Video Games
The insensibly repetitious nature of romance present in both video game plots and in their mechanics leads to all too familiar storytelling.
Friday, September 23 2011
Scary Transmedia Synergy Within the ‘Gears of War’ Universe
Perhaps in this age of serialized television, franchise-driven films, and transmedia everything, the very idea of a stand-alone product is antiquated.
Friday, September 2 2011
Thematic Confusion in the Branching Narratives of Video Games
Maybe David Cage of Quantic Dreams had the right idea when he suggested people play through Heavy Rain one time only. After all, you can’t recognize the inconsistency of branching plots if you only see one of them.
Tuesday, August 23 2011
Dragon Age II: Legacy
For a story pitched as casting a shadow on the Hawke family line, the actual revelation doesn't really tarnish anyone's reputation.
Friday, July 29 2011
The Most Loving Suicide Mission Ever
The climactic suicide mission in Mass Effect 2 is a love letter to the game’s characters, even as it kills them off.
Monday, July 18 2011
Choice, Apathy, and Evil in ‘Dragon Age II’
Dragon Age II, unlike Origins, forces you into the position of a tyrant.
Friday, July 15 2011
Collaborative Conflict in ‘Mass Effect’
Gaming is a process of collaborative storytelling, and as I tried to write conflict into the story of Mass Effect, I ran into conflict with my writing partner, Bioware.
Tuesday, July 5 2011
“That Even Death May Die”: Going Back to the Black Isle with ‘Planescape: Torment’, Part 1
The idea of nothingness as a final reward neatly drives home for the player the grimness of Planescape: Torment's reality.
Wednesday, June 22 2011
Watching As Gameplay: ‘L.A. Noire’ Merely a Visual Novel?
Watching becomes a rather central and active occupation in most games and very often requires more time than “doing something”.
