"Where is all the good writing about games?"
On your own in an unfamiliar place, where nothing is real, and powerful structures overshadow everything? Games critics this week venture out alone. Technical limitations Narrative-focused games are encouraging increasingly nuanced analyses of inaction, peace, and pacing. Gamasutra: M. Joshua Cauller’s Blog –…
The division of time is almost entirely arbitrary, the calendar a human construction to give structure to what is otherwise just time passing. However, standing on the threshold of a new coming month feels like a new chance to make good on…
This week saw some social media drama in the games criticism sphere, as Georgia Tech Professor Ian Bogost invoked the pantomime conflict that is Ludology vs. Narratology. Beyond that discussion, it’s been a busy week for quality writing, with a lot of…
Shining a light on media can help reveal the dark truths lurking beneath the surface. This week in videogame blogging, critics discuss power fantasies, prisons, and psychoses. Persona 5 We start with some writing on the problems with the latest game in…
This week’s writing allowed me to reflect on the way that gaming and life affect one another as well as how we look at games through time and space. I hope you enjoy what we’ve curated for you this week! From the…
Think back to games of the late 1990s; what did they teach you about games that you now take for granted? This week, critics reflected on how genres from the past affect the work they do today. Abandoned theme parks The release…
Direct Download This month I interview YouTuber Kevin John, also known as Cagey. YouTube essayist Cagey is a jolly old soul from Scotland. From writing at fan sites, he struck out on his own with his own YouTube channel. He has a…
Wondering how to get started on games criticism? This week’s writing happened to feature some great overview articles that give readers an introduction to specific topics, as well as deeper dives on particular games. Erode symbols It’s a great time for writing…
Every week, games criticism seems to get better and better at pro-actively addressing the political and historical circumstances we occupy. This week is a stellar example, with pieces covering prisons, futurism, and feminist readings of horror. Muñoz, Camus, Watts I’m starting this…
This week’s critical writing changed my understanding of how games connect to the physical world and to urban life. Let’s go on a little wander through the winding paths of online discourse. Visuals and sound Slightly stepping away from our overwhelming reliance…