‘Westworld’ Ponders the Lives of NPCs
Westworld seems less interested in examining traditional protagonists than interrogating the behaviors and abuses of a fictional world's props, its non-player characters.
Neuromance
Measuring Success: The Unsatisfying Notion of “Good Endings” and “Bad Endings”
Sometimes stories need to end badly in order to be really good.
‘Pokemon Go’ Buddies: Way Too Many Steps in the Right Direction
Pokemon Go's buddy system is a step in the right direction for the game, but when you do the math, it may be way, way too many steps for many players to take.
‘No Man’s Sky’ Argues for Design
While the central goal of No Man's Sky seems antithetical to the teleological argument for the existence of God, ironically it also seems to drive players towards the very thought that seems to motivate that argument.
Anticipation and Expectation in Game Marketing: The Art of ‘Anti-Hype’
Watch the trailer for No Man's Sky and then for Frostpunk. There is a clear difference in the kind of expectations each creates in its audience.
Celebrating Fear in the ‘Batman: Arkham’ Series
The idea of striking terror in the hearts of criminals becomes an idea clearly represented by gameplay in the Arkham series. After all, fear is Batman's best tool.
When Locomotion Becomes an Obstacle: ‘Arkham Knight’s Worst Design Decision, the Batmobile
Arkham Knight actually features sequences in which Batman has to get his car somewhere and not the other way around.
‘Pokemon Go’: It’s Not Easy Being Yellow
We consider the challenges of and the reasons for making the “wrong” color choice in Pokemon Go.
Field Observations from a Non-Pokemon Go Player
My wife witnessed a Pokeromance in the making, while I discussed the philosophical underpinnings of Pokehunting with a 14-year-old.