Friction Burns Dishonored’s Chaos System Was Never Punishing You By Ruth Cassidy • November 12th, 2021 Dishonored’s Chaos system introduces a world where you can take exactly what you want, and have fun with it, but the cost is laid bare.
Mario Maker 2EZ By Amanda Hudgins • July 29th, 2019 Probably because game design is dead, but also because it’s kind of fun in a “piss off your parents and slide down the hardwood floors in your hallways with furniture polish on your socks” kind of way.
Let Me Make Mistakes: A Plea to Developers By Matthew Byrd • March 9th, 2017 If the medium is going to mature, we need developers willing to make players feel dumb, allowing them the chance to figure things out via trial and error.
Loving/Hating the Toad’s Turnpike Remake By Jose Cardoso • February 3rd, 2017 Battle Mode may be the saving grace of some of Mario Kart 8’s lesser-loved tracks.
Mystery Land: Ruined By Luck? By Jose Cardoso • January 13th, 2017 Jose Cardoso breaks down the design of the contentious Mario Party 2 board: Mystery Land.
Games Should Make Us Smarter, Not Stronger By Matt Sayer • August 16th, 2016 Link never asked who put a slingshot in a massive treasure chest. Guardians never asked why guns pop out of aliens. We should not just accept it, too!
Furi is Difficulty Done Right By Matt Sayer • August 8th, 2016 It’s surprisingly difficult to make your game difficult.
DOOM’s Credits: A Cut Above the Rest By Matt Sayer • July 11th, 2016 DOOM knows hot to keep you glued to your seat, even after the game’s over.
PRACTICE: Game Design in Detail By Riley MacLeod • November 19th, 2015 Designers and critics have more in common than you might think.
Architecture of the Infinite By William Chyr • September 24th, 2015 “As it turns out, what I really wanted to be was a videogame architect. …the architecture in this game is exactly the kind I’ve always wanted to make.”
