August Roundtable: Back to School

August Roundtable: Back to School

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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On Silent Protagonists: The Case of Persona 5’s Joker

On Silent Protagonists: The Case of Persona 5’s Joker

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…)

August Roundtable: Hangin’ Out With Friends

August Roundtable: Hangin’ Out With Friends

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…)

Mashed Buttons: A Roundtable of Our Most Frustrating Gaming Moments

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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HUDs Up: Taking a Dive into Our Favorite HUDs and UIs

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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