Violence, The Last of Us Part II, and Who Holds the Weapon

Violence, The Last of Us Part II, and Who Holds the Weapon

I’m not a big fan of video game violence. It’s a tired, overused method of engagement, whether it’s abstract pixels shooting one another or lovingly rendered, 4K HD blood and guts. Games can and should do more, do better. (more…)

Try Again: Good Game and the Difficulty of Flawed Characters

While promoting Good Game, a YouTubeRed sitcom, co-executive producer Michele Morrow promised its prospective paying audience that the stories of its female characters would reflect her own experience being a woman in the gaming world. It’s a promise that, in the long run, turned up hollow, even when delivering female characters that dare to be as flawed as their male counterparts.

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The Developer’s Burden and Discussing Authentic Representation in Dating Sims

The Developer’s Burden and Discussing Authentic Representation in Dating Sims

The dating sim genre, in its origins, has always pandered to the male gaze. My first exposure to dating sims “for girls” was Konami’s Tokimeki Memorial: Girl’s Side, a spin-off of their Tokimeki Memorial franchise. In the franchise’s main series, the player was a male high school student that could woo his female classmates; Girl’s Side, on the other hand, gave me the power to be a female high school student surrounded by male classmates I could fall in love with. Although it seems to be more of an expected norm now, this genre of women-catered dating sims is fairly recent: the Angelique franchise, developed by the Ruby Part division of Koei and released in 1994, is credited to have been the first “otome,” or maiden, game.

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Rose-Colored Gaming: Nostalgia and Golden Sun

Rose-Colored Gaming: Nostalgia and Golden Sun

Welcome to Rose-Colored Gaming, a recurring series where I replay games from my childhood and discuss how feelings of nostalgia influence my current experience.

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Unpopular Opinion: Resident Evil 7 Failed Its Fans

Unpopular Opinion: Resident Evil 7 Failed Its Fans

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Capcom
Playstation 4, XBox One, PC
January 24, 2017

This article contains spoilers for Resident Evil 7 and other Resident Evil games.

When Capcom announced that Resident Evil 7: Biohazard was going to mimic the first Resident Evil game, fans rejoiced. After the mixed reception of Resident Evil 6, many were excited that the franchise was going back to its survival horror roots. A creepy house with puzzles? The possibility of awful puns? Yes, please! But as I was playing it, I was shocked at the positive reviews the game has gotten. Personally? I think Resident Evil 7 has failed its fans.

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