Ask yourself this question: are videogames a form of art? If you found your way to this article, I would guess that your answer is yes. Over the last few years, almost everything I’ve heard from hardcore gaming fans and members of the gaming press is in the affirmative, but I’m not convinced. Art is […]
More Powerful Than Ever As a lifelong Dragon Ball Z fan who has every episode ever made on his shelf, I’ve come to expect a familiar experience from the franchise. A new, more-powerful bad guy will appear, Goku’s friends will hold s/he off in futility as he trains and travels, and the villain will barely […]
The games industry crash of the early 1980s seemed to spell doom for dedicated gaming consoles in the United States, and confirm in peoples minds that video games were just a fad. However, as home computers continued to thrive in the United Kingdom, video games lived on as popular software for these new, pervasive machines. As magazines covering […]
The video games industry has seen a new, profound support of independent developers with Microsoft’s ID@XBOX program and Sony’s commitment to bringing indie games to the PS4. These new games are often viewed as a breath of fresh air, employing new gameplay ideas amongst a sea of growing AAA sequels and projects. However, the risk […]
Continue the Bloodletting In 2009, From Software reinvigorated the gaming landscape with Demons Souls by offering players an alternative from games laden with cut-scenes and hints. The enthusiastic reception proved that games founded on trial-and-error and punishing-but-fair mechanics of older generations still resonate with a large audience. Bloodborne may not carry the Souls name, but […]
There’s only one thing to do with a video game: play it. At their core, games are guided by play, and the two words will forever be associated. The invitation of play that video games extend to us is the fundamental difference the medium has with TV, film, and books. For this reason, and that for […]
2015 is the year of open world games. Dying Light gave players a zombie filled playground to explore, Bloodborne let hunters purge Yharnam of blood disease, The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt had Geralt searching for Ciri across a massive fantasy setting, and Batman: Arkham Knight will give players free reign inside Gotham. Not to mention Mad Max, Metal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain, and […]
A mind-numbing amount of people play video games, and the cultural significance of these products hold has become massive. As a form of media, they are creating a new sense of a public sphere by requiring user agency, which breaks away from the structures of pre-digital communication. They connect us to others around the world, […]
A mind-numbing amount of people play video games, and the cultural significance these products hold has become massive. As a form of media, they are creating a new sense of a public sphere by requiring user agency, which breaks from the structures of pre-digital communication. They connect us to others around the world, facilitate idea exchange, […]