[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] In case the title of this article hasn’t made the contents obvious: there are spoilers about the ending of Mass Effect. If you haven’t played any of the games in the Mass Effect series, go do that. They are three very different but very good games to be enjoyed. If you … Continue reading Why the Ending of Mass Effect Should Not Change
[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] From an outsider’s perspective, simulated war games seem dangerously unapproachable. The deluge of stats and conditions that must be mastered make it feel like the games can only ever have a niche appeal. But from an outsider’s perspective that is finally taking a look at a simulated wargame (in this case, … Continue reading Review: King Arthur II: The Roleplaying Wargame
[Originally posted on PopMatters] Outside of Nintendo, creating a platformer is a bit of a lost art. One would think that a genre so simple in design and so storied in history would be more readily explored by developers, but the yearly output of platformers has slowed to a trickle. In any case, a platforming … Continue reading Review: Scarygirl
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