by Zainabb Hull | Aug 31, 2022 | Roundtables
Welcome to August, Sidequest readers! We’re winding down the summer by thinking about school and being a student, because some of us (Melissa) would go to school forever if that was a practical life choice. We’ve talked about edutainment before here in this roundtable series, so this month, we’ll be talking more specifically about school, studying, and so on. Sharpen your pencils and open your notebooks, if those are things students still do and not artifacts of an analog age!
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Zainabb Hull is an editor at Sidequest, a freelance writer and videographer, and sort-of artist. They’re also a trans, queer, and disabled brown femme. They tweet into the void at @ZainabbHull.
by Naseem Jamnia | Mar 7, 2022 | Essays, Video Games
I should begin by saying this is not an ode to silent protagonists. If anything, I’d like to argue that for a strong narrative-driven game, a silent protagonist is actually a detriment. How does one hook a story on a main character who has no or limited personality? In this essay, I will… argue that Joker, the silent protagonist in Persona 5/Royal, had no right to be silent.
Spoilers abound for Persona 5 Royal. (more…)
Sidequest’s former managing editor Naseem Jamnia used to do sciencey things, but they now slam their keyboard and call it art. Their debut novella, THE BRUISING OF QILWA, introduced their queernorm, Persian-inspired secondary world; their middle grade horror debut SLEEPAWAY comes out in 2025.
by Melissa Brinks | Aug 29, 2019 | Roundtables, Tabletop Games, Video Games
As August draws to a close, we must contend with the fact that our summer up here in the northern hemisphere is also drawing a close. This is good news for the chai-sipping, apple pie-loving pumpkin fiends among us, but it’s always a bit sad to know that beach season is heading out with the warm weather.
So, naturally, what better topic for a roundtable than a beach episode? Let’s have Sidequest contributor Joesph Langdon tell you all about it: (more…)
Melissa Brinks is Sidequest’s editor in chief, co-creator of the Fake Geek Girls podcast, author of The Compendium of Magical Beasts, and an aspiring beekeeper. She once won an argument on the internet, and tweets at @MelissaBrinks.
by Rachel Flory | Dec 3, 2017 | Uncategorized
Video games are meant to be a challenge (usually)—that’s what makes them fun (usually). But sometimes, we come across sections of the game which push us too far. You know what I’m talking about—when you die so many times, the “Game Over” noise triggers a Pavlovian response in you for the rest of your life. Or when you can’t skip the cutscene before the battle, so you know all the dialogue to that scene by heart. (I’m looking at you, Kingdom Hearts.)
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by Melissa Brinks | Oct 30, 2017 | Opinion, Video Games
HUDs are a tricky thing—we tend not to notice them unless they’re bad, because, for the most part, they’re meant to provide us with necessary information and little more. But when games really go the distance, a good heads-up display can be as immersive and interesting as any other element of game design.
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Melissa Brinks is Sidequest’s editor in chief, co-creator of the Fake Geek Girls podcast, author of The Compendium of Magical Beasts, and an aspiring beekeeper. She once won an argument on the internet, and tweets at @MelissaBrinks.
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