Mind Palaces Architectural Intent By Maddi Chilton • September 6th, 2023 For a book that is nominally about the hubristic imaginings of a genius architect, Rose/House seems to have no actual interest in architecture.
Self-Insert Mafia By Amanda Hudgins • September 5th, 2023 KinnPorsche is probably the best example of the mafia alternative universe aesthetic. Everyone is beautiful and darkly dressed and prone to drinking and smoking in dark rooms.
Bloodsport Gambler By Stu Horvath and John McGuire • September 4th, 2023 Surely there are easier ways to get out of debt?
Exploits Feature Freaks By Dr. Dobermind • September 1st, 2023 “You laughed at them, shuddered at them. And, yet, but for the accident of birth, you might be one as they are.”
Past Presence Object Lessons #1: Field By Emily Price • August 31st, 2023 Are fields a stage for action to take place on, or are they the action themselves?
Run It Back 1982 By Oluwatayo Adewole • August 30th, 2023 This month we step on over to 1982 to discuss two films which tell the stories of a Black relationship on each side of the Atlantic.
Noise Complaint Nu-Metal Might Be Good, Actually? By Ben Sailer • August 29th, 2023 Ben recalls a time he talked shit about a Korn cover band and is forced into several personal epiphanies.
The Arkham Investigator’s Wallet By Stu Horvath and John McGuire • August 28th, 2023 The coolest wallet you’ve ever seen.
Funeral Rites Inventing a World of Insectoid Wonders By Justin Reeve • August 25th, 2023 We delve into the mind of creator Eduardo Carabaño, exploring the history, philosophy, inspirations and design processes that carried Settlers of a Dead God from inception to publication.
Feature Story Spacemen & Dinosaurs By David Busboom • August 24th, 2023 Interplanetary explorers have been encountering dinosaurs or dinosaur-like creatures in fiction for more than a century.
Feature Excerpt Odes of the Boomershooter By Holly Boson • August 23rd, 2023 “If we’re entering an age of renewed zeal for nu-metal, I think Slayers X deserves to be mentioned within the first breaths of the conversation.”
Letter from the Editor Unwinnable Monthly – August 2023 By David Shimomura • August 21st, 2023 New favorite genre alert.
Swordthrust By Stu Horvath and John McGuire • August 21st, 2023 Climb into the Titan’s brain and fight his dreams!
Here's the Thing Enough With The “Alien” Comparisons By Rob Rich • August 16th, 2023 Most modern sci-fi horror movies that involve a monster (or monsters) wind up being compared to Alien, which Rob thinks is a load of bull.
Forms in Light Hidden Assumptions By Justin Reeve • August 15th, 2023 Cities: Skylines and Workers and Resources: Soviet Republic provide unique experiences in urban planning and resource management while representing completely different political economies.
Tony DiTerlizzi Interview (Remastered) By Stu Horvath and John McGuire • August 14th, 2023 No time to record this week, so its a rerun for you!
Noah's Beat Box How I Learned to Stop Hating and Love Vanderpump Rules By Noah Springer • August 11th, 2023 “The Beat Box” is rebranding to “Noah’s Beat Box.”
Casting Deep Meteo Why Does it Hurt By Levi Rubeck • August 10th, 2023 Singer, guitarist and illustrator as well as a devoted friend, uncle, brother and more, Rick Froberg’s contributions to music and art have rippled across the world.
Exploits Feature Playable Campaigns By Toby Jaffe • August 9th, 2023 I cannot imagine anything as alien in 2023 as conceptualizing politics as fun.
Area of Effect Space in Space By Jay Castello • August 9th, 2023 Mars First Logistics being about delivery, moving through the open world becomes something very deliberate, rather than feeling like an accident with, at best, an improvised solution.
Rookie of the Year Off Switch By Matt Marrone • August 8th, 2023 We were all going on a fast. A screen fast. No iPads, no Nintendo, very limited television, for the next three weeks.
Champions By Stu Horvath and John McGuire • August 7th, 2023 Grab your cape, but only throw on the Queen song if you absolutely must!
Interlinked Uprooting Time By Phoenix Simms • August 4th, 2023 Déraciné is an interesting rumination on what makes game narratives convincing, but it’s also a game that effectively communicates EcoGothic fears of being at the mercy of nature.
Noise Complaint 12 Records I’ve Made the Time to Listen to So Far in 2023 By Ben Sailer • August 3rd, 2023 Feeling that 2023 is flying by too quickly, Ben stops to reflect on the music that has provided his soundtrack for the year to date.
Here Be Monsters The Unsettling Mindfulness of Horror By Emma Kostopolus • August 2nd, 2023 To succeed in a survival horror experience, mindfulness is an incredibly helpful tool.
Exploits Feature The Batman Problem By Jeremy Greco • August 1st, 2023 In a game set in Gotham City, why would a player ever want to be anyone other than Batman?
The Monster Overhaul By Stu Horvath and John McGuire • July 31st, 2023 Not just another monster book!
This Mortal Coyle KJ from Life After Magic By Deirdre Coyle • July 28th, 2023 “There’s a bunch of different subcultures under the punk and goth umbrellas. Doesn’t always have to be about wearing black and being angry.”
Run It Back 1934 By Oluwatayo Adewole • July 27th, 2023 In this case it seems dear reader, that the enemy of our enemy is not quite a friend – or at least they’re one who we shouldn’t invite to stay in our home.
Eyeing Elsewhere On Play in Tears of the Kingdom By Phillip Russell • July 26th, 2023 In Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo has found a captivating approach to its play design by allowing players to approach challenges in a seemingly infinite number of ways.
Funeral Rites Making Friends with Swords in The Vorpal Almanac By Jay Castello • July 25th, 2023 Swords, writes Levi Combs in the book’s introduction, need “to feel lived in.” And that’s exactly the focus of the 22 blades of The Vorpal Almanac, beautifully illustrated by Sally Cantirino.
The Armory’s 30-Sided Dice Gaming Tables By Stu Horvath and John McGuire • July 23rd, 2023 Need to randomly assign the height and weight of an elf? There is, apparently, a table for that.
Feature Excerpt In Hi-Fi Rush, Style is Substance By Ryan Stevens • July 21st, 2023 The hit rhythm-action title’s design decisions all emanate from its central comic booky visual style and its core commitment to its music.
Feature Excerpt The 3DS Made Dungeon Crawlers Accessible & Its Legacy Is Palpable By Latonya Pennington • July 20th, 2023 Through the 3DS, dungeon crawlers would go from being a niche genre to something more accessible as the console matured.
Letter from the Editor Unwinnable Monthly – July 2023 By David Shimomura • July 17th, 2023 Let’s get crazy.
Here's the Thing Ted Lasso’s Third Season By Rob Rich • July 14th, 2023 While season three may not be focusing on Ted and his magic, it does still carry the original spirit of what came before it.
Forms in Light Influence and Persuasion By Justin Reeve • July 14th, 2023 In much the same way as architecture, power is reflected in the control exerted by level designers over the movement of players in videogames.
Always Autumn A Golden Halo That Could Be the Sun Part II: The Ones Who Stay and Fight By Autumn Wright • July 13th, 2023 What does it mean to be born of the dead?
Casting Deep Meteo Me, My Wife and Eye-rene By Levi Rubeck • July 12th, 2023 The best way to cut nostalgia? With a little bit of something new.