Telltale’s The Walking Dead – Making Meaning

Sometimes we feel like crying when a character dies. Other times, it’s no big deal. Our emotional connection to characters — or lack thereof — is just one indicator of a great storyteller. True to their name, Telltale games does a great job of telling the tale of Lee Everett in The Walking Dead.

I just finished playing Episode 3 of Telltale’s point-and-click adventure-horror game, and I must say: This game is intense. It’s not intense because I was chased by zombies or because I was shot at by bandits. Unlike in many modern games, the focus is less on me and more on everyone else. The Walking is Dead is intense because I feel like my every action actually matters. Will someone be upset by my words? Will someone die because of my hesitation? Both are entirely possible, and both matter.

Introducing: Mann vs. Machine

Valve never ceases to amaze me. About an hour ago, the company announced an addition to their almost 5 year-old game, Team Fortress 2 (TF2). They will be releasing a new game mode called Mann vs. Machine. As a major TF2 fan, I am very excited to see everything that Valve has in store for us. Let’s take a look at what we know so far.

Daring to be Different as a Developer

We, as gamers, tend to be blind. Modern games display certain patterns that we tend to ignore. Many developers are constantly using more and more similar game styles in order to make the “best game”. They see the success of one franchise and try to improve their own by borrowing ideas. They might copy a combat mechanic here or there, or use similar interface options. And that’s okay. Why not use what’s been proven to work?

However, there is a point where borrowing becomes bandwagoning. Some developers conform to a certain style just because they see other developers doing it. That’s not okay. If everyone does the things that “work”, progress slows down. We need developers who take risks and dare to be different. Regardless of whether their gamble is successful, a lesson will be learned and we can all move on accordingly.

Awesomenauts: First Thoughts

League of Legends is hard. I remember the first time I played the  multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game. I was absolutely terrible. No matter what character I picked, I would constantly get snuck up on and/or ganked by my opponents. As a gamer who prides himself on his sneaky and aggressive tactics, it hurt my ego. I vowed to play League of Legends until I was awesome at it; I gave up shortly thereafter. MOBAs are not for everyone. They involve a very unique gameplay style that many gamers will probably be boggled by. That’s what makes Awesomenauts such a fascinating game; it’s a MOBA that everyone can get into.

Quicker Update

As it turns out, I won’t be going anywhere just yet. Return to business as usual.

Quick Update

Hey, guys (all three of you)! I know I just started this blog, but I may not be using it regularly for much longer. I applied to become a writer on another blog a while ago and just recently heard back from them. I’ll probably end up shifting a lot of my attention to said other blog. However, I most likely will be focusing mostly on news there, so I may continue to post more in-depth articles here — we’ll see.

I’ll tell you all about the details when I know them!

Delving into Dishonored: Daring Escapes (Part 3)

Chain Possesion

Finally, the assassin shows of his last trick. Before the guards can catch more than a glimpse of him, the crafty criminal reaches out his hand and possesses one of his pursuers. A strange, unintelligible whisper is heard as the camera zooms to the guard’s face.