Recently released games that make intelligent use of past design choices or that I find fascinating
In the 80s, while dice-and-paper D&D based RPGs were slowly being introduced to a bigger audience, teenagers who didn’t have friends to play with found companionship in gamebooks. Among the first examples of these RPG influenced Choose Your Own Adventure experience, was the classic Fighting Fantasy series was The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, originally written…
H.P. Lovecraft is one of the most beloved horror authors of the last century, which won’t come as a surprise since he has inspired countless movie directors, writers and, naturally, videogame designers. While reviewing Daughter of Serpents, I’ve mentioned my sensation that many times, titles that are “somewhat” inspired by Lovecraft seem to actually fare…
It is kind of reassuring how gaming is slowly going back in time in regards to technology, because sure one could argue that games need fancy graphics, multiplayer components and breakneck action to be considered of interest for the general public at large. But, if the objective is just tugging at one’s heartstrings, then visual…
I’ve mentioned visual novels a few times on my blog: a genre interesting first and foremost because it caters more to readers than generic “gamers”. Or, at least, to how that mysterious figure is usually described by the press and the industry itself. Eliza would really seem to be no exception in this broad category.…
Amanita Design should definitely be a familiar name for adventure games fans: the Czech studio has been around since the early 00s, even though they only recently managed to break through and reach a bigger audience, also through smaller titles like Pilgrims. Machinarium, probably their biggest hit so far, has been a clear inspiration for…
I’ve always had a soft spot for claymation, the animation technique that uses stop motion and clay, especially since it seems to easily be synonymous with “weirdness”. In cinema, one of the masters of claymation is Jan Svankmajer, in gaming most people would refer to The Neverhood series of titles (provided that few people know…
There are have been many examples of games where the player’s input is not essential, especially in the last few years where interactivity has become less and less important. Walking simulators easily come to mind, along with visual novels, even though, in both genres, one is supposed to be reading, clicking along and… well, walking.…
Growing up in a Catholic nation, one of the first images one sees in your life is a man crucified, agonizing and slowly dying alone on a cross. Before one even has the chance to learn anything about Christ or perhaps even about death, the facts are already on the wall: His story is going…
The first time I laid my eyes on an obscure Commodore 64 game called Rags to Riches, something in me clicked. One time, many many years ago, I remember asking my mom for some change to give to a homeless man that we had just passed on the street. He was so happy and thanked…
This week I went way back with nostalgia, maybe a little too far back that I almost couldn’t come back out! Well, it’s been the usual sort of collage of different genres (VERY different) and experiences so, hang on tight and remember to avoid feeding the monster. TIS-100 I’m almost hesitant to call this one…