Games

In 2020, Minecraft transcended the gaming sphere and became a medium through which to read banned journalism. A project started by Reporters Without Borders, the library holds work by censored journalists all across the world, with some of their most dangerous writings embedded and available to read right there in the game.

In a world that grows more and more fond of censorship and bookburning, how are video games (minecraft in particular as a recent example), and other media being used to subvert the attempted erasure of political commentary? What opportunities do video games open up which circumvent censorship in ways that didn’t exist before? What does this subversion look like in a digital landscape? Feel free to take some of these questions and run with them!

Many games are built upon several different moment-to-moment events, be it levels, cutscenes, or individual actions the player takes. But sometimes a game becomes defined by a single event, or a single moment that then becomes known as "the moment." Some examples of "moments" would be the nuke scene in Call of Duty 4 (or the ‘No Russian’ mission in Modern Warfare 2), the Scarecrow sections in the Batman: Arkham series, the "Would You Kindly?" twist in BioShock, and Lee’s death in Telltale’s The Walking Dead. They’re moments that shock, surprise, or stun players and become one of the game’s highlights.

This article would discuss questions such as: how certain games (either the ones mentioned above or others) create these "moments" and what impact they have on players. Does a game automatically become "better" if it has one of these "moments?" Does a game necessarily need a "moment" to be memorable? Does the "moment" succeed in creating the intended impact on the player, and what even is the intended impact? The article could also discuss if these moments become something of a "selling point" for the game, or just how much power they hold for getting new players into the game or get veteran players back.

Turn based rpgs were at one point the height of video games. Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy are some of the most well known, as their success lead to huge franchises that continue today, but there were also many more inspired by them or experimenting on their format.
Turn based rpgs still exist today – just look at the sweeping success of Undertale, or at strategic turn based rpgs like XCOM or Darkest Dungeon. But turn based rpgs are no longer at the forefront of gaming, instead primarily being a genre used by nostalgic games or indie projects.
Even Final Fantasy, a game that was once synonymous with the turn based rpg, no longer uses that play style. The popular Fallout series did similar.
This article would discuss the turn based rpg, why it was so popular in its heyday, and why many major studios moved away from it.

"The Last of Us" has become an acclaimed game due to its story, memorable characters, and post-apocalyptic world. With the release of two sucessful games, many fans are anticipating a potential third part. However, with this, comes the question: is a part 3 of The Last of Us really necessary?

By exploring the potential direction of the game series, it is important to consider the implications of continuing the story. Has the narrative reached a natural conclusion or is there still more to be told? A part 3 could provide an opportunity to expand upon the world and characters established in the previous games, while also resolving any lingering questions or story arcs.

At the same time, there are valid concerns about the potential risks of a third part. How might a part 3 change the established lore or character dynamics? Could it detract from the impact of the previous games or damage the series forever?

In this article, we could explore the pros and cons of a part 3 of The Last of Us, considering both the potential benefits and drawbacks of continuing the story. Discuss the ways in which a third part could expand the world and characters of the previous games, as well as the potential risks that must be avoided to preserve the integrity of the series.

Meticulously crafted by From Software, the Dark Souls games are infamous for their frustrating difficulty. But the real masterpiece of the Dark Souls franchise is its environmental storytelling, which forces the player to explore and deduce the narrative for themselves. Every way they turn, players are faced with bewildering dialogue, obscure item descriptions, and mystifyingly grotesque enemies. Discuss how the sense of mystery and confusion is integral to the Dark Souls series and how its unconventional narrative structure offers a distinct experience and has contributed to its cult status.

Mobile games have a tendency to aim for the flashiest possible branding in a seemingly desperate attempt to attract players in an over-saturated market, to the degree that the gaming sections of app stores tend to be an almost intimidating array of bright colors and rip-off characters, and names that look like they were chosen from a random mix of a few words. Terms like "Space," "Strategy," "Fight," "RPG," "King," and/or their synonyms are interspersed with colons, leading many of these games to be indistinguishable from one another for someone who hasn’t played them.

What are the branding styles these different developers seem to prefer, and are they effective? More specifically, what are the patterns within mobile game naming conventions, and is originality a worthwhile sacrifice for search engine optimization?

Though not limited to the discussion of naming conventions, this article would mainly discuss other forms of branding and marketing in relation to naming.

Through the ever growing search for new source material in television and film, many have turned to mining from the stories lying dormant in video games. With a previously established plot, characters and fanbase, video-games have come to provide a steady map for writers and directors to follow in trying to make a show or film with increased odds of success. In a way, such adaptations are almost adjacent to bringing one’s favorite book series to life on the screen, just from a different angle. In recent years, however, this trend seems to have gained steam. Afterall, it seems as though each day a new streaming service pops up out of nowhere–along with a new and sudden need for stories to fill them. Netflix’s "Arcane: League of Legends" based on League of Legends by Riot Games. Three separate movies (2001, 2003, and 2018) inspired by Core Design’s Tomb Raider. HBO’s acclaimed hit "The Last of Us," sprouted from Sony Interactive Entertainment’s game by the same name. These are just a few examples from the past couple years, and it is unlikely they will be the last.

As with any adaptation, though, one has to ask whether the original source material is being accurately represented. How true can one stay to the story of a video game when the story is determined with each person playing it? Do video games lend themselves better or movies or tv series? Are certain gaming formats easier to adapt than others? What makes a game especially well suited for translation to the screen? This article could be taken in a number of different directions, such as focussing on the validity of one adaptation, or trends that seem to exist across many. Overall, though, I just felt there have been many comparisons between book and film adaptations, and that video games might be the next contender to enter this ring of debate and analysis.

Bloodborne, the 2014 game from FromSoftware is a game ripe for exploration. One element worth delving into is the nature of femininity within the world.

The ways in which the player is force to confront the cruelty in which women and female coded NPCs are treated with regards to the game’s world. Elements such as the "blessings" of the old ones force the player to view the horror of a world where women are specifically targeted for cruelty.

The nature of the blood within the universe is also worth exploring with regards to origins of the blood and the people born of it.