[Originally posted on PopMatters] In the weeks after the release of Mass Effect 3, the drama around its unsatisfying ending went to some interesting places. After some discussion over whether or not the ending ought to change1, the conversation muted into whether or not it should be “allowed” to change. And ultimately, the question became, … Continue reading The Undead Author: Artistic Ownership of Games
[Originally posted on PopMatters] Much of the discourse from proponents of the “video games are art” position is centered on the medium’s interactivity as its distinguishing advantage. Audience participation, as it were, is the reason why games exist. No other mode of storytelling so often depends on the actions, reactions, and experiences of its audience … Continue reading To Play or Pause
[Originally posted on PopMatters] Every so often a game will come out that prompts game journalists to take a second glance at their terminology. When Mass Effect 2 trimmed most of the original’s already spartan RPG elements, many wondered, “What is an RPG?” When Starcraft II was developed with more competitive consideration than story, the … Continue reading The Problem of Genre in Video Games
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