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Lana Del Rey's Video Games and, Well, Video Games
It isn't really a song about video games, of course. However, it is interesting for what it implies about games by taking gaming for granted as a normalized cultural practice. [8.Feb.12]
Does Silence Speak in the Loudest Voice?: Misconceptions about Silent Protagonists in Video Games
By Kevin Dickinson
Granted, Link does “hiyah,” “eyah,” and “ahh” his way through all of his post-64-bit adventures, but no amount of elfish interjections can change his status as a silent protagonist. Is a failure to communicate much, a failure to communicate? [8.Feb.12]
'Driver: San Francisco' and 'Drive'
Two men dictated by driving: one driven by an intense focus on the calm precision necessary to master the physical science of it all, the other driven by the raw emotional power that a two ton extension of the self provides. [7.Feb.12]
The Moving Pixels Podcast Explores the World of 'Skyrim'
The Moving Pixels podcast crew get together to discuss the varied approaches that they took to exploring the vast world of Skyrim. [6.Feb.12]
Not-So-Central Casting: Kevin Smith and the Birth of the Reality Podcast
By Emilio Bellu
Filmmaker Kevin Smith may be in a celluloid slump, but his new podcast network is on point. [6.Feb.12]
News
Reviews
SoulCalibur remains the most accessible fighting game series out there, but it certainly won’t make anyone a pro. [06.Feb.12]
Quarrel is Scrabble meets Risk. It fixes some of the problems of Risk, while adding a few new irritations of its own. [03.Feb.12]
The Sims 3: Pets is the best available option for playing the addictive series on the go. [01.Feb.12]
Sonic CD is the most faithful kind of re-release, if not the most flattering. [30.Jan.12]
Skyward Sword marks the point where the Zelda formula finally reaches its expiry date. [27.Jan.12]
It's nice to be able to listen to the soundtrack without the distraction of all that pesky, you know, gameplay. [23.Jan.12]
It isn’t just being pretty that makes Skyrim feel like a Jack London story, but instead its philosophy of striving for a photorealistic depiction of a reality. [20.Jan.12]
Add Go Vacation to the ranks of social games that bring face-to-face interactions into a virtual world. Its premise is simple: the game takes you to a virtual resort where you can participate in a variety of mini-games thinly disguised as sports and recreational activities. [16.Jan.12]
There is a surprising amount of beauty to be found in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7. [13.Jan.12]
Rumble Blast's position as a mindless, cute, but somewhat enjoyable title would be completely understandable if the game were marketed as a modestly priced, downloadable title. [11.Jan.12]
It is another color matching puzzle game, but it’s a color matching puzzle game that changes the formula while being so player-friendly that you’ll never run out of hexagons to click. [09.Jan.12]
Although the weakest entry in the franchise, The Last Specter still transports players to a charming, self-consistent, and beautiful world that exists as an ode to riddles. [06.Jan.12]
From The Blogs
Columns
Moving Pixels
Batman is a bit player in his own story, and I think a lot of that stems from his desire to save everyone. [26.Jan.12]
Moving Pixels
These games taught me: the danger of following the rules; the pleasing presence of unexpected personalities; the pleasures of a well paced and meditative process; the joys of a frantic and chaotic twitch-fest and; the satisfaction derived from a game that brings out my inner masochist. [04.Jan.12]
Features
By Kevin Dickinson
Granted, Link does “hiyah,” “eyah,” and “ahh” his way through all of his post-64-bit adventures, but no amount of elfish interjections can change his status as a silent protagonist. Is a failure to communicate much, a failure to communicate? [08.Feb.12]
By Emilio Bellu
Filmmaker Kevin Smith may be in a celluloid slump, but his new podcast network is on point. [06.Feb.12]
By PopMatters Staff
This year was a year when something called Lesbian Spider-Queens of Mars could be celebrated alongside the latest Gears of War game. This was a year in which one of the most reviled games, Dragon Age II, was also one of the most revered. [30.Jan.12]
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