Behind the humor of Toby Fox’s Undertale
The sly, Lynchian humor of this year’s subversive RPG hit.
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The Reality Hunger of Davey Wreden
How The Beginner’s Guide expands the lexicon of games.
A note about our reviews policy
In defense of scores.
From Candy Crush to Virtual Reality
Why Tommy Palm thinks casual games will thrive in VR.
How One Astronomer Uses Art to Understand Science
Creativity can help us understand the art of astronomy.
The evolution of the LAN party
Where PCs and players are put to the test
Why the trailers tell me Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate will be bloody awful
Some games you don’t need to play to hate.
Pain is Temporary; Quitting Lasts Forever
The American dream and The Swindle. Winners and losers in Donald Trump’s America. Videogames reinforce the American Dream: that hard work eventually equals success
Undertale’s not as peaceful as it pretends
At once charming and incoherent.
WORLDS COLLIDE: On Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 and Style in skateboarding
The legacy of Tony Hawk videogames, in skateboarding and open worlds.
It’s Still a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World; Or, Who is Nathan Drake?
The Nathan Drake Collection is a tribute to videogaming’s idealized everyman.
Let’s talk about the ending of The Beginner’s Guide
Should Davey Wreden have released The Beginner’s Guide?
Super Mario Maker, and the problem of reviewing a community
Nintendo’s community is subverting and reinventing the platformer.
Shut up, Always Sometimes Monsters
The videogame equivalent of a teenager’s first moustache.
LEGO Dimensions and the promise of toys, toys, toys
Think of LEGO Dimensions as a playroom.
How Middle Eastern game makers can counteract Western misconceptions
Understanding Islamic culture through locally made games.
Digital Parents Just Don’t Understand
Since the time of Arthurian legend the cultural narrative of the Teen Chosen to Save the World has been about as close to a universal theme as it gets
Behind the new technology that makes gaming more accessible
Video games have not traditionally played well with visual impairments, but that could be ending.
Sleep your way through the layered worlds of Dream
An amusing—if flawed—game about grief and self-exploration.
Disclosure and the problem of internet-sourced ’90s nostalgia
The faceless faces behind ‘90s nostalgia.
Touched by a headshot
Destiny isn’t perfect, but its headshots might be.
The Abject Emptiness of ‘Everything’
Why the words “open world” are meaningless.
Learning to cope with pain with Metal Gear Solid
Hideo Kojima’s games can be brutal. For some, that’s the point.
On the Other Hand
Twenty-five years after Jim Henson’s death, a glimpse of the man who kept his most iconic puppet singing: Steve Whitmire.
PC modder culture reaches new heights
Gone are the dull gray boxes of old. Today, players mod their PCs with all sorts of forms, themes, and tech.