Tag Archives: Fallout

Opening the Door: Exploring “The Closet” in Games

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Sidney Fussell

The first queer character I remember encountering in a videogame was Baron in the 1998 N64 platformer Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon. Baron wore blue lipstick and eye-shadow, a single bright red earring and had an asymmetrical hairdo that falls in … Continue reading →

Posted in Critical Conversation | Tagged , , , , , , , Legend of the Mystical Ninja , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

First-Person Perspective and the Untroubled Gaze

Posted on December 22, 2012 by Kaitlin Tremblay

The other day I was playing Fallout 3, and in my zeal to kill as many guards as possible before escaping Vault 101, I switched to third person perspective. It was jarring, but I decided to give it a shot: … Continue reading →

Posted in Critical Conversation | Tagged Arkham City , , Claire Redfield , , Film and Masquerade , , Laura Mulvey , Mary Ann Doanne , Maya , , , Salvador , Thatmonster , , | 5 Comments

Where Art Belongs: The Interactivity and Politics of Video Games

Posted on December 1, 2012 by Kaitlin Tremblay

A while ago, I read Where Art Belongs by Chris Kraus, in which he explores the position of art in our current society. Kraus discussed specific instances of contemporary art, such as installation galleries, political zines, music; he didn’t classify … Continue reading →

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Xbox Live DRM Does Not Understand the Modern Family

Posted on October 4, 2012 by CPW

I’ve got two TVs in our living room. This isn’t for ramshackle picture in picture–I don’t even have cable–it’s because I am part of a modern family. My partner and I both play video games. We also like to play … Continue reading →

Posted in Features | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Bethesda and the Infinite Sadness: Playing Beyond The End

Posted on August 29, 2012 by CPW

Desert island video game. Just one, but any system. Don’t worry about electricity or internet connection. This is a hypothetical, imagine-you-have-everything-you-need-to-enjoy-playing-that-game-to-its-full-potential sort of situation. Maybe WoW or one of those Call of Duties? Super Mario All Stars would be a … Continue reading →

Posted in Critical Conversation | Tagged , Cam Walker , Dawnguard , Desert Island , Elder Scrolls , End , , Morrowind , New Vegas , Oblivion , Obsidian , | 2 Comments

Mechanics and Mystery in The Last Express: Or, A Love Letter to the Manuals I Never Read

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Nico Dicecco

I remember a glorious day in the formative years of my gaming life: my Dad called me over to the computer, and he laid out Leisure Suit Larry: Love for Sail on the desk. He said, “Son, I know you … Continue reading →

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Self-Determination Theory, Part 1

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Joseph Hilgard

Joe Hilgard Why do we play games? Recently, research has started to apply theories from motivation psychology to understand why people enjoy the games that they do. This is Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), and it is rapidly gaining … Continue reading →

Posted in Criticism | Tagged a bug's life 64 , Andrew Przybylski , autonomy , Dungeon Crawl , , fps map design , , game studies , , modern warfare 3 , ocarina of time , psychology , references to 1984 , self-determination theory , the elder scrolls , why do we play games , | 6 Comments