In this series we’ll be looking at some principles of game design, particularly as they relate to analysis and criticism. Check out the first part, about genre in gaming, here. While calls for objectivity in games reviewing have been with the media for quite some time, Gamergate seems to have […]
Miscellany
1089 posts
I know that it’s a bit early for sweeping comments 2014 seems to be the year of a lack of female character creation options. Or, more specifically, the removal of female character creation options for the sake of the game’s “quality.” This not so pleasant instance in this year’s list […]
Of course the last couple weeks I’ve been completely distracted by #GamerGate. It has consumed most of my free time, which was spent looking at articles and reading about new horrible things happening to women in the gaming community. Doing the research for my dissertation damn near killed me, not […]
It’s no secret that I have a real interest in games for educational purposes. And this interest extends to games that might be both fun and educational to my own 6 year old. So when I got the chance to review The Counting Kingdom by Little Worlds Interactive for iOS […]
Episode 90: Girls and Their Toys: On Toys Done Right (“Save As” to download or head over to iTunes to subscribe) As we get closer to Christmas we hope to turn to happier things…like toys. In this episode we wanted to talk about toys and the ones that we think get it […]
The Alaska carefully crafted in Upper One Games’ first creation Never Alone is as beautiful as it is haunting; as enchanting as it is perilous. In some of the most treacherous lands in the continent a young girl named Nuna, accompanied only by an arctic fox known simply as Fox, […]
I chuckle as I write this because I almost think that it will be more troll bait that will bring us more comments about feminazis and all of the awful things that should happen to them (yes, we don’t share those with you folks), but I have to write it. […]
One of the earliest farming simulation games, the Harvest Moon series tasks you with running and growing a farm and all the various tasks that entails. In addition to growing crops and raising animals, you also can collect wild plants, fish, dig for valuable items and minerals, and the like. […]
Sometimes you just have to go old school with your gaming and I’m not talking Pac Man, I’m talking analog. Lately as I have been teaching more games courses I find myself drawn to playing more analog games. Not that I didn’t already, but the pull is strong of these […]
Episode 89: Spirits of Spring: A Case for Diversity in Games (“Save As” to download or head over to iTunes to subscribe) In this episode we talk about the Spirits of Spring, the new game that looks at bullying from Minority Media. Stay tuned after the closing for a ending spoiling […]
In this series we’ll be looking at some principles of game design, particularly as they relate to analysis and criticism. Genre is a useful concept for consumers and producers of media- identifying and classifying various texts as being part of a certain genre creates a set expectations. Of course, genre […]
This post is about sex in video games. Not sexISM, but sex. Of course these two things can often not be separated. But in light of me having a shit week and #GamerGate blowing up on national new sources across the country, I thought I would change things up a […]
Let me start by saying that I have been waiting for this game for months. When I saw that Level 5 Studios was making this game I was really hoping for a handheld Ni No Kuni type of game. But be forewarned, that is not what Fantasy Life is. Fantasy […]
The Final Girl: it’s a trope that’s sure to resonate with any horror fan, regardless of their level of interest or devotion to the genre. Referential to the trend of horror media leaving a solitary female character as its “last person standing,” The Final Girl is generally defined as being […]
Recently I had a discussion with a friend about Gamer Gate in light of the most recent doxxing event (Felicia Day, posting about her concerns, became a target). His response? By taking what he deemed to be an offensive action (posting about her feelings on her blog) she essentially invited […]
Civilization, Civilization, Civilization. When I was in middle school I would wait until everyone was sleeping and then sneak into the office and play Civ II all night, going to school the next day with blurry eyes and disoriented speech patterns from a lack of sleep. I would fake sick […]