Tag Archives: Portal

An Ode to Stanley & Esther

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Miguel Penabella

Popular gaming culture today swells with generic shooters, unoriginal shtick, franchise building, and overproduced games from big developers that rarely deviate from anything already on the market. The release of more and more games with each passing year renders many … Continue reading →

Posted in Critical Conversation , Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Challenge is Conflict: How Difficulty Makes Game Narratives Work

Posted on November 6, 2012 by Mark Filipowich

Back when Twilight Princess was first released, my girlfriend—who has liberated Hyrule almost as many times as it’s needed it—had only one complaint: it was too easy. The puzzles were well enough designed but a misstep hardly left a scratch … Continue reading →

Posted in Critical Conversation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 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 →

Posted in Critical Conversation | Tagged , , , , , , , Manuals , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment