My current game rotation consists of the following: Metroid Prime LIMBO Guacamelee (thought it’s been several weeks) Pokemon LeafGreen Looking over my list, it occurred to me that the varied games on this list have one thing in common: they are mostly directionless. LIMBO actually sticks out the most in this regard as it contains absolutely no…
Category: Food For Thought
Relationships in Games: The Loner, The Rebel
Sometimes the best relationships we have in games don’t involve other characters. Sometimes the road traveled alone is the best path, the most fulfilling path, the most sensible path. For every game that offers plenty of opportunities for teamwork and romance, there are dozens of others where these choices don’t exist. Your character — the…
Relationships in Games: The Teammates
I recently picked up South Park: The Stick of Truth (SoT), and I’ve been having an absolute blast with it. It’s a fun, funny, and fantastic game complete with decent mechanics and enjoyable gameplay. SoT is a turn-based combat game, and it’s been awhile since I’ve played one of them. Thinking back…the last one had…
If I were to play Super Metroid for the first time today, would I like it?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I really like Super Metroid. It’s one of my most favorite games of all time and one that I can’t separate from my video game life. The game celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, and I can still see myself, all those years ago, glued to my…
Dear Pokémon, Is It Too Late?
You’ve seen TwitchPlaysPokémon, yes? It’s become such a thing (phenomenon? mess?) on the Internet that’s it’s hard to escape; but, if you’ve no idea what I’m talking about, then click the link and check it out. Pokémon Crystal is currently streaming, but prior to just a few days ago, it was streaming an emulated version…
Community Post: A Big Red Shadow
We all know and love Mario, he is arguably the most popular video game character of all time and appeals to adults and children alike. But while Mario enjoys our adulation, his lanky green brother takes a side role. Why is it that Luigi has always been ‘Mario’s brother’ or ‘player 2’? Why is he…
A Plumber No More
(Image by Flickr User: Centella) It’s been long established that Mario and Luigi are plumbers, or at least they’re supposed to be. After all the Mario games I’ve played over the years, I believe I know why we’ve never seen nor heard of Mario and Luigi’s tenure as plumbers. Are you ready for this? It’s…
Community Post: Mario, the Great Peacemaker
Ah Mario, who doesn’t love you? It’s the one franchise that most gamers and even non-gamers can agree on. Its bright and cartoony graphics, simple controls, lack of any real plot and imaginative and fun characters make most Mario games unintimidating and very accessible for more casual gamers. At the same time, the depth of…
The Drive to Revisit the Past at the Expense of the Future
But when I read about Fable Anniversary now, as strong as the drive it to play it, the drive to give it a pass is just as strong. I have very similar feelings about playing The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD for the Wii U. I bought (and traded in) the original Wind Waker…
What Exactly is a “Video Game” Anymore?
Image by Flickr user: Christopher Schnese It would be an understatement to say that video games have changed in the 42 years since Pong! first began making the medium popular. Indeed, since then games have progressed from moving lines and dots to full 3-dimensional worlds built to feel alive. Along with the visuals, the objectives…
VIRTUAL BASTION 