Storytelling and ‘Never Alone’
Never Alone lacks the confidence to tell its story in the language of the game.
Experience Points
‘Bloodborne’ and Firewalking: Play As Social Ritual
Playing Bloodborne is like willingly partaking in a rite of passage, an individualized ritual imbued with social meaning.
Self-improvement Through ‘Bloodborne’
Next time you think about eating an entire tub of ice cream, try taking a stroll to Oedon Chapel.
Hunted by the Clock in ‘Risk of Rain’
Risk of Rain's most dangerous enemy is that ticking noise you hear in the back of your head.
‘Earthbound’ As Children’s Literature
Earthbound is a masterpiece meant for children, complete with all the daring, joyful, and deeply unsettling shards of truth this implies. Earthbound might be the best children’s game ever made.
New Perspectives on ‘Journey’ and ‘Earthbound’
In which I learn something new while traversing the desert and getting lost in Twoson.
Reviving ‘Magic the Gathering’ With Commander
Commander is a treat to play and watch, especially for someone whose been “out of the game”.
Taking Inventory in ‘Earthbound’
Any traveler can relate to Earthbound's emphasis on mundane items and limited space, especially those with sinus infections.
Anarchy in ‘Netrunner’
If each card in Netrunner is a political cartoon, then each deck is a political paradigm.
Death and Do-Overs in ‘Game of Thrones’
There shouldn’t be any "game over” screens in Westeros. That's too merciful.
Growing Up in ‘Life Is Strange’
I expect Max will learn what many of us face as we age, the reality that all of our decisions have consequences, many of them unintended, no matter how empowered we are when we make them.