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.
Sometimes you are in control, sometimes not. Casper S. Boonen and Daniel Mieritz delve into horror games with their Agency Parameter Model.
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?
Darkwood blends survival horror and roguelike elements seamlessly and still somehow avoids the major pitfalls of either genre.
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.
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?
Arkham Horror is a great experience when it strikes the elusive balance between punishing difficulty and successful, rewarding progression.
Observer connects with the player on an uncomfortable meta-level. But does that really suit a video game?
Beat Saber came out of nowhere and rocked my world with its unrelenting audiovisual barrage of rhythm-game-meets-jedi-knight action.
SOMA ends both predictably and unpredictably, underlining its theme of what it means to be human.
A “stable” favorite among casual card games for me, Unstable Unicorns knows what it’s doing and does it well.
What happens when virtual reality can trick you into believing that it is not just a simulation?
The cyberpunk world of Remember Me has heaps of potential, but is hopelessly constrained by its linearity.
Surreal and unyieldingly cryptic even after 14 years, the dream world of Yume Nikki has not lost its touch.
Player identification in digital games can take many forms.
The Last of Us offers a grim warning to the player as a critical dystopia.
Cards Against Humanity plays its cards right when you laugh at the things you should not.
The soundtrack of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is much more than just palatable background noise.
Alexander Muscat et al. explore the design themes that make up “walking simulators” or walker games.
Nostalgia can rise from the most mundane things and drive players to explore.