‘Inside’ the Lie of Ambiguity
Inside is too literal to be expressionistic, but too vague to be a narrative. It's so ambiguous that it fails to be anything.
moving pixels
What Defines an “Old School” JRPG?
There’s a common assumption that a story starring kids is also for kids, and that a kid’s story is inherently less complex, less nuanced, and simply lesser in quality.
‘The Swords’ Is a Short Game With a Simple Title That Hides a Wealth of Beauty
Our drawing moves in circles and spirals, around us and our enemy, then swings from side to side quickly, as if dancing a jig.
‘Hardcore Henry’ Tells Gamers Sorry, There Is No Princess
Hardcore Henry questions gamers' instinctual need to fulfill a particular role within the context of a presumed masculine identity.
The Dark Side of Pacifism in ‘Undertale’
What does mercy mean to someone who hates herself? How can pacifism combat depression? How does euthanasia fit into Undertale's moral code?
Should Hideo Kojima Just Go Make a Movie, Already?
In Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Kojima uses the language of cinema in ways that are only possible in a virtual game.
‘Dying Light’, ‘Evolve’ and ‘Battlefield’ Deserve a Replay
These three 2015 early releases are maligned and misunderstood -- and worthy of reconsideration.
Meaning is Fleeting in ‘The Moon Sliver’
The Moon Sliver is a jigsaw puzzle constructed from jigsaw puzzles.