Can videogame characters be thought of in literary terms? How can our avatars become more than containers for our whims, biases and fantasies? How can videogame characters demonstrate moral ambiguity, subtlety and growth? Lana Polansky uncovers the layers of character in Bayonetta, a game whose prot
Videogames can get us to experience otherwise foreign concepts without any real negative consequences. But what about death? How can videogame death be made meaningful if all one has to do us reload? Enter Karoshi, a Flash game in which the goal is to die. The morbid, curiously upbeat game about sui
The upcoming closer in BioWare’s Mass Effect series employs Hollywood composer Clint Mansell (Requiem For a Dream). In our latest sound column, David Raposa argues that something’s been lost as the series has broadened its reach.
We don’t normally associate collectible-card games with the NFL, but some recent new games and expansions draw out the metaphor. In our new column on boardgames and card games, Gus Mastrapa takes a look at the technique of deck building.
How does FFIV, and all of its subsequent remakes, find their roots in 17th-century art? Diana Poulsen explains how FFIV (and other franchises) fit squarely into the context of Baroque seriality, how globalization and capitalism slowly brought about this repetitious trend—and how Poulsen herself cele
What does a sport played by wizards and witches look like when adapted to regular human beings? Brian Taylor caught a glimpse at the University of Pittsburgh campus.
Mike Leavitt is the CEO—and only employee—of Intuition Kitchen Productions, where he designs his “Art Army” action figures: whimsical toys which intersect fine art and play. Leavitt speaks to us about how toys and interactive art can transcend fine art, the materialism of buying new toys, and why to
What does miso soup say about game collection? Quite a lot, as it turns out. Emily Flynn-Jones explores the tiny differences between Japanese and Western game releases, what that says about the culture identity, international politics and the little differences that make Western and Japanese games s
Announcing the fourth issue of our magazine, this time we’re tackling public play! What you can expect: the crowd-drawing appeal of DDR, playing in the streets of San Francisco, guides to games you can play yourself, and much more.
The Supreme Court’s ruling in Brown v. EMA, that videogames should receive the same First Amendment protection as other media, was well received by gamers and the games industry. But the details of the case point to less-encouraging historical precedents and implications for future considerations of
How can your Rock Band guitar teach you to appreciate arcade button design? Tom Armitage describes what it is about the humble arcade button that has inspired both musicians and the fighting game community alike, and how average gamers can deepen their relationship with their interfaces.
How could a game about robots, skeletons, trolls, murder and occasionally hockey not gain instant popularity? Ian Cohen explains why the NHL never managed to capitalize on the game that brought the ‘violence’ button to hockey sims—and why they should have.
