We obsess over bodies. We judge them, modify them, examine them, and use them and we spend extraordinary amounts of energy trying to control them…whether they belong to us or to others. It’s not all about visuals, either. Social, professional, and political policies constantly circle around bodies and control; from […]
Monthly Archives: May 2014
27 posts
This summer I am teaching a games writing class that is looking at writing in and around the video game industry and it’s really been a blast dealing with bright and engaged students. In this class, we are doing lots of reading and lots of writing on top of playing […]
The recent USCB shootings at the hands of self-professed misogynist and woman hater Elliot Rodgers has inspired women across the world to come forward with their own stories of sexism, gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and general instances of male entitlement. United under the hashtag “#YesAllWomen,” thousands of women shared enlightening […]
This week, all of my entertainment (television, video games, and novel reading) had a somewhat unintentional Twin Peaks theme. I didn’t watch Twin Peaks when it came out, even though I somewhat inexplicably watched Fire Walk With Me at least twenty times. I assume I never actually watched the series […]
“Why not just review a feminist game?” I was discussing several new games with a friend and trying to decide which one I would write a review for last week, when he asked me that question. At first I thought he was kidding, but he asked again— “No, seriously. It’s […]
“Listen very carefully, and you might just survive.” Whimsy and intensity are skillfully intertwined in Big Robot’s new survival game, Sir, You Are Being Hunted. From the moment the opening cinematic takes over the screen, a mellow, warm voice with a British accent politely informs you that something has gone […]
SuperGiant Games’ Transistor has long been on my “Waiting For With Bated Breath” list and this week my wait ended…with more waiting for a download. The wireless connection at my house this week has been moving like cold molasses through an IV tube 9and that’s being nice) so it definitely […]
Episode 78: The Daily Grind: Purposes of Grinding in Video Games (“Save As” to download or head over to iTunes to subscribe) In this episode we talk about grinding in video games. Why we do it, what we learn from it, and if we like it.
Last week, designer Tina Gong and her rather innocuous-sounding Happy Playtime app created controversy as it was officially rejected by Apple’s app review committee. Despite any attempts to appeal otherwise, Apple has insisted that Gong’s app will not be available for public access on their iOS store due to its […]
A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine posted something on Facebook that I found insulting, and, at the time I read the post, I wanted to comment, but I didn’t. The person in question is an actual friend, not just a Facebook “friend.” As such, I don’t want […]
Looking for something quirky, serious, and a little weird? If so, check out our video review of Continue?9876543210, available now on Windows, Mac, and Linux from Steam.
When the New York Times ran the piece on the comeback of board games last week I had several different people send my the link via email. The first thing I thought was “Wow, people might actually know what I do” the second thing was “Wow, why is this just […]
Final Fantasy VII was my first RPG. At twelve, the most complex storyline I’d followed while gaming was Mario (and dag nabit if that princess wasn’t always in another castle), so I fell in love watching my soon-to-be older step-brother as he taught me how to navigate the rich narrative […]
With the third installment of the second season of Telltale Games’ take on the powerhouse Walking Dead franchise, the game seems to have finally hit its whole stride. This isn’t to say I didn’t love the first season, or the previous episodes in the follow-up, but the latest in the […]
He flirts excessively and inappropriately with women, has an obsessive need to ogle all the attractive ladies around him, and may or may not partner his verbal sexual harassment with physical groping or “loose hands.” Sounds like a gross character right? Not always, because deep down this character might have […]
This week, I decided to play Chronology, an indie adventure game, for my Power Hour review. Chronology is a platformer, and it initially caught my eye because the graphics looked really well done, and, of course, because I love platformers. When Chronology begins, the main character, the Old Inventor is […]