Malindy Hetfeld

This One Isn’t About Difficulty

By Malindy Hetfeld • April 15th, 2019

Is the discussion about game difficulty really about difficulty, or is it more about who we serve when we make player skill a game’s main selling point?

The Toxicity of Power in Devil May Cry 5

By Malindy Hetfeld • March 25th, 2019

In Devil May Cry 5, the message of both gameplay mechanics and narrative is the same – the predominately male player is the most important aspect of the world, shaping it to his will using the power he gains.

Green Book’s White Gaze

By Malindy Hetfeld • March 11th, 2019

In Green Book, Don Shirley is the very representation of a man who has to work twice as hard to receive the respect he is owed, only to have a white man be credited for unearthing a black man’s identity – through persistent bullying.

Not Your Enemy – Family Dynamics and the Disappointing Adult in JRPGs

By Malindy Hetfeld • February 25th, 2019

Teens are ever-present in Japanese roleplaying games, yet it’s easy to forget that – cute character design and the technical limitations meant that characters could be anywhere from 13 to 113, yet when a game reminds you of its characters’ age, this should put their behaviour and situation in context.

Making Mulaka – Adventures in Not Making a Game

By Malindy Hetfeld • January 28th, 2019

Making Mulaka, a book released through Select Start Press is a about a group of people and their journey to make a game.

Gris and the problem of symbolic hurt

By Malindy Hetfeld • January 14th, 2019

Gris is a beautiful art game that knows it’s beautiful, but it’s metaphors often lack an emotional punch.

The Weird World of Neon Genesis Evangelion Spinoffs

By Malindy Hetfeld • December 17th, 2018

Neon Genesis Evangelion stands out as a series that used spinoffs to open up some more opportunities to market something, anything to fans, while potentially hurting the source material in the process.

On Voice Acting and Diversity

By Malindy Hetfeld • November 26th, 2018

Voice acting should be the great equalizer for diverse representation in games. It isn’t.

We Need To Change the Relationship Between Developers and the Press

By Malindy Hetfeld • November 12th, 2018

Too often games media reward this attitude due to the large divide in opinion. We can’t and shouldn’t have the same opinions of the product.

A young woman and a young man lounge together. This is a still from Life is Strange 2.

Life is Strange 2 works to deconstruct the series‘ power fantasy

By Malindy Hetfeld • October 8th, 2018

If there is one gripe I had with Life is Strange, then it is that it did too little, too late to hold Max accountable for the harm she caused in using her powers.

Puzzler oQo Taught Me How to Relax by Stressing Me Out

By Malindy Hetfeld • September 24th, 2018

oQo however, derives most of its atmosphere from you taking the time you need to just take everything in. It’s by no means a fast game. The music is lilting, punctuated by a clear ping every time to trigger a circle.

a young Aretha Franklin, her face beautific, hair covered in a lace shawl.

Aretha Franklin and the Price of Excellence

By Malindy Hetfeld • September 10th, 2018

I was punished for telling my high school music teacher to take Aretha Franklin’s name out of his undeserving mouth.

A robot with his face split open, this is a still from the game Detroit.

Auteur Theory and Games

By Malindy Hetfeld • August 20th, 2018

There’s a certain romanticism to the idea that a single individual could not only develop a recognizable brand for themselves, but maintain it across their work.

Feature Excerpt

Skin Deep

By Malindy Hetfeld • July 25th, 2018

For a modern racial allegory, David Cage repeats a lot of history’s mistakes