Unwinnable Monthly – October 2018

This is a reprint of the Letter from the Editor from Unwinnable Monthly #108. If you like what you see, grab the magazine for less than ten dollars, or subscribe and get all future magazines for half price.

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Happy October!

In our cover feature, Odile Strik looks at the presentation of lingustics as an engine for discovering history in the forthcoming xenoarchaeology adventure game Heaven’s Vault, from Inkle Studios. In our second feature, Kenneth Shepard looks at how shame, rather than rage, fuels the new God of War.

As ever, Gavin Craig leads off our regular columns, this time with a look at the false binary of tragedy and comedy. Megan Condis checks out the health care documentary The Bleeding Edge and finds it works pretty well as a straight horror film. Meanwhile, Astrid Budgor goes into a small fan frenzy over the new Necronomidol record ahead of giving us her usual monthly metal recs.

Deirdre Coyle’s videogame friend of choice this month is Mira from Donut County. Ben Sailer checks out how videogames are tackling the subject of voting district gerrymandering. Corey Milne continues his pursuit of quiet, meandering exploration with Absolver. Matt Marrone reveals a new outlet for his Twin Peaks obsession.

Yussef Cole suffers through the terrible film The Snowman and finds alarming parallels with the games of Quantic Dream. Meanwhile, I filed an after action report upon finishing reading F. Paul Wilson’s 20 novel Adversary/Repairman Jack series. Sara Clemens files her annual dispatch from the cathedral of hype that is New York Comic Con.

Rob Rich reveals the scariest novel he’s ever read. Jason McMaster reveals his high hopes for the future of RimWorld. Finally, we take a look at the beautiful decay of the art of Crap Panther.

See you in two weeks with the next issue of Exploits!

Stu Horvath
Kearny, New Jersey
October 12, 2018