Welcome back, viewers:
I am a big Destiny 2 fan, and the game’s latest expansion, The Final Shape, is coming out on Tuesday. I know who I am, and I know what I’m like, so I knew I needed to get this roundup done before the expansion launched otherwise there’d be a snowball’s chance in hell of it ever seeing the light of day. Don’t worry, though: this roundup is mostly normal! I absolutely did refrain from including the 10-hour-long Destiny lore recap video MyNameIsByf put out on Friday!
This Month in Videogame Vlogging highlights the most compelling critical videos about videogames from the preceding month. As always, it is supported by our readers (and viewers) over on Patreon! Consider signing up for one of our paid tiers to get access to monthly article roundups and other fun stuff.
It’s Not Just About a Game
Sometimes you just need to use a game to look at the whole industry. It’s a good practice.
- Crow Country, Mortality And The Gaming Industry | Sputnik34 (14:37)
Dom Locastro celebrates survival horror and sends off AAA gaming. - The Games Industry Is Completely Broken, and This Is Why | Writing on Games (12:51)
Hamish Black reflects on what it means for everyone when celebrated studios with certified hits like Tango Gameworks get shut down. - Donkey Kong’s Lost 3D Platformer & The Decay of Activision Blizzard | DidYouKnowGaming (59:02)
Video game historian Liam Robertson dives deep into the rumored and subsequently canceled Vicarious Visions-led Donkey Kong title, watching as the story unfolds into broader systemic issues at Activision Blizzard.
Diamonds in the Rough
The essayists in this section appreciate the beauty in the understated.
- I ?? DMC2 | ThorHighHeels (22:06)
Thor HighHeels talks about why Devil May Cry 2 is their favorite game in the series. - VOID STRANGER, THE MONOCHROME MASTERPIECE | juliette necro (45:08)
Juliette Necro breaks down all the reasons why Void Stranger is a classic. (But you should really just play it before you watch the video.) - Pajama Sam: The Story No One Is Talking About | Bluehelix Games (6:06)
Rika gives us the scoop on this rarely-talked-about Humongous Entertainment game. - Swan Tower – Freezer | Freezer (25:00)
Freezer climbs a version of Clock Tower originally released for the WonderSwan and examines its quirks.
Genre, Conventions
More fuel for the inescapable fire that is discussion of game genre classification and mechanics.
- What genre is DOOM? | Ahoy (13:23)
Stuart Brown examines DOOM and what it means to make a genre from scratch, emerging with a narrative that might sound familiar to anyone who enjoys a certain dark, soulful category of games. - The UNKNOWN Gaming Genre You Already Love | SocraTetris (20:55)
Alexander Holmes discusses why Soulslikes are rhythm games, but also, why Absolver is both a Soulslike and a game that extends so far beyond that it maybe becomes the standard-bearer of a new genre. - How do you adapt a video game… without abandoning the mechanics? | Jenna Stoeber (8:12)
Jenna examines the creative license Kilter Films took with Fallout‘s gameplay mechanics in order to not totally get rid of them.
Premium Views
Yes, each of these videos is long, but the content speaks for itself.
- Orientalism: Desert Level Music vs. Actual Middle-Eastern Music | Farya Faraji (1:36:04)
A barnstormer of a video where musician and composer Farya Faraji takes a fine-tooth ethnomusicological comb to lazy Western interpretations of specifically Middle-Eastern music. - how many Super Mario games are there NOW? | jan Misali (2:09:45)
Mitch gives a complete taxonomical sorting of the Super Mario franchise one more shot. I’m… gonna be honest, I don’t really know if they’re successful at it, but the effort sure was fun to watch. - The Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Hotel | Jenny Nicholson (4:05:38)
The chances you haven’t heard of this by now are getting slimmer by the day. A complete, four-hour-long experiential breakdown of the Galactic Starcruiser resort, from the marketing to the accommodations to the actual experience of playing the game at the resort’s heart. A fascinating critical look at the entire Disney-influencer-industrial complex. Adrian Hon’s Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser review from last year makes for an interesting companion piece.
Critical Chaser
This month’s chaser is the perfect background vibe for a chill Sunday.
- lofi oxcart rides to relax/study to | Samantha Greer (43:45)
Samantha Greer takes us along on her many oxcart rides in Dragon’s Dogma II. Fast travel? Who needs it?