Author: Pietari Kaartinen
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Texts vs. Games – Fan Archives and the Elder Scrolls Narrative Universe
How do fan-made archives of a game series’ texts relate to the official titles? Dennis Jansen’s article explains that deciding on canonicality in a fictional universe is no simple task.
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Getting a Grip on Reality – Agency in Horror Games
Sometimes you are in control, sometimes not. Casper S. Boonen and Daniel Mieritz delve into horror games with their Agency Parameter Model.
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A Change in the Conventions? Video Game Narratives and Non-Monogamy
Non-monogamy in various forms is becoming increasingly visible in the society and media of today, but what is non-monogamy representation like in video games?
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Fresh Blood in Survival Horror – Darkwood
Darkwood blends survival horror and roguelike elements seamlessly and still somehow avoids the major pitfalls of either genre.
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Breaking the Tropes – Masculinity in Firewatch
Melissa Kagen argues that Firewatch shines a light on the issues of toxic masculinity in gaming and lets the player perform a more nuanced form of masculinity.
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Too Steep a Hill to Die on – Celeste, Assist Mode, and Accessibility
Does using accessibility features somehow taint the original intended game experience, or does it make more sense to ensure that playing doesn’t feel like a chore?
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Fighting the Unknowable – Arkham Horror 3rd Edition
Arkham Horror is a great experience when it strikes the elusive balance between punishing difficulty and successful, rewarding progression.
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Nausea & Neurodiving – Artistic Statement vs. Player Enjoyment in ‘Observer’ and Beyond
Observer connects with the player on an uncomfortable meta-level. But does that really suit a video game?
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Lightsaber Cardio – Beat Saber Review
Beat Saber came out of nowhere and rocked my world with its unrelenting audiovisual barrage of rhythm-game-meets-jedi-knight action.
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The Ending of SOMA – And Why It’s Excellent
SOMA ends both predictably and unpredictably, underlining its theme of what it means to be human.
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Unstable Unicorns review
A “stable” favorite among casual card games for me, Unstable Unicorns knows what it’s doing and does it well.
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More Than Just a Game: Virtual Reality and Player Experience
What happens when virtual reality can trick you into believing that it is not just a simulation?
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Remember Me review
The cyberpunk world of Remember Me has heaps of potential, but is hopelessly constrained by its linearity.
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Pixels & Peculiarity – Yume Nikki Review
Surreal and unyieldingly cryptic even after 14 years, the dream world of Yume Nikki has not lost its touch.
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‘I’ and the Game: The Forms of the Player’s Subjectivity in a Digital Game
Player identification in digital games can take many forms.
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The Critical Dystopia of The Last of Us
The Last of Us offers a grim warning to the player as a critical dystopia.
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Cards Against Humanity
Cards Against Humanity plays its cards right when you laugh at the things you should not.
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Decibels & Destruction: The Soundtrack of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and Its Role in the Game
The soundtrack of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is much more than just palatable background noise.
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The Design of the Walker Game Experience
Alexander Muscat et al. explore the design themes that make up “walking simulators” or walker games.
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Days Gone By: Nostalgia in Game Design
Nostalgia can rise from the most mundane things and drive players to explore.