Moving Pixels Podcast: The Evolution of Hack and Slash

Dungeons & Dragons might be its low tech form, but video games have not strayed far from the formula of getting some friends together, killing some monsters, and collecting loot. From Gauntlet to Diablo to Torchlight, the hack and slash game is an experience both social and individualistic, steeped ironically in both greed and co-operation.

This week the Moving Pixels podcast looks at the evolution of the dungeon crawl from its social aspects and etiquette to its mechanics and playstyle.

This podcast is also available via iTunes.

More discussion of dungeon crawls:

Elf Shot the Food: The Inevitability of Discord in Co-Op Gauntlet by G. Christopher Williams

Double-Edged Sword: Making Mistakes in Diablo II by Andy Johnson

Diablo 2: Still Grinding After All These Years by L.B. Jeffries

Review: Torchlight by Mike Schiller

Champions of Norrath: Realms of Everquest: Gold Rush by G. Christopher Williams

Our podcast contributors:

G. Christopher Williams is the Multimedia Editor at PopMatters.com. You can find his weekly updates featured on Wednesdays at PopMatters and also at the Neuromance blog.

Nick Dinicola is also a regular contributor to the Moving Pixels blog.

Thomas Cross contributes frequently to the Multimedia section at PopMatters.com, and he also pens the Diamond in the Rough column for GameSetWatch.