"Where is all the good writing about games?"
…The Endless Light and Hunger of Cities in Games – Waypoint Chris Priestman discusses modes of expression less concerned with realism and more with capturing certain impressions and atmospheres associated with urbanization.
“Niantec created an invisible force field interpenetrating the world which drove changes in that world which might otherwise seem inexplicable. But don’t take my word for it: the…
…they think should be helpful are too vague, or put in places where the player does not notice them. They cannot comprehend the player’s perspective.”
…| Kotaku A short diary of Gita Jackson about trying desperately to build a cult, but forever dying, and how that’s a good thing.
And now on to heavier stuff…
…Comparison We Had To Make | Kotaku Heather Alexandra is out here asking the hard questions about undercover reploid supervillains.
“You’re currently wrapped up in a blanket in your den reading this on your phone. You haven’t moved in two hours. You were supposed to go buy groceries but your mobile games are full up on energy…
…The Duck Knight Rises.
“We must remake Galarian civilization from the ground up, with the aim of appeasing and socializing these horrific beings by sitting on park benches all day, throwing stale bread at them, and hoping to stave off the destruction of all we hold dear for one more day.”
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Welcome back, readers.
This week there’s an emphasis on communities, and especially indie development communities and their relationship to larger-scale studio structures. I didn’t expect to be curating critical discourse on Half-Life: Alyx months before its release, but Trevor Hultner and Emily Rose have pulled together all of these disparate items in a really insightful way this week.
Also, I opened my door this morning to two inches of freezing rain, so I might finally get my first badge in Pokemon Sword this afternoon.
This Week in Videogame Blogging is a roundup highlighting the most important
…
…paralyzed by the immense weight of anxiety or sadness, that’s what playing The Quiet Sleep can sometimes feel like, especially with its mounting challenges in the later chapters.”
Bless Uppercut’s listicle game this week.
“Whether or not people in the Pokémon universe eat…
…What affective intensities are generated in the play with cultural notions about WWI, and what emerges in the tensions between game form and historical content?”
As a complement to the previous selection, this pairing of articles look at how our games, communities of practice, and media ecosystems intersect with contemporary challenges of inclusion and existence.
…games that ever see the light of day in the press do more to harm indies than any rising tide of games being made. Hopefully, by the end of this project, we’ll be able to show a path forward.”
Five pieces in the closing segment this week–alternately provocative, hilarious, awe-inspiring, and moving–because I said so.
…comes away from Ooblets feeling that maybe it’s a little too cute, and too shallow.
“Cuteness, like anything else when it comes to creating a product, is a tool, and can be used benevolently, or for darker purposes. In the case of Cafe Mix, it’s definitely a smokescreen for more dastardly practices.” …
Jump Into the Grind