The Game Critique

The Morality of inFamous

Probably the most talked about part of inFamous is the moral choice mechanic. The idea is to split the choice between good and evil options, which can be interesting, but the criticism has been leveled at how it is handled. Reasoning in later choices makes less and less sense as you continue on. The options [...]

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The Propaganda of inFamous

(*minor spoilers*) While the story of inFamous is told through the standard methods of cutscenes, found messages and calls from allies and mission handlers, it adds aftermath commentary. In the form of propaganda the game provides story related and world building feedback on your actions. The messages only relate to the main story missions so the [...]

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The Milieu of inFamous

I would place the introduction of inFamous as one of the better opening levels in open world gaming. I say this because it sets the stage to not just for the game, but also more importantly for the milieu. Milieu is the French word for environment or setting, but it means more in literary theory [...]

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Where is the Last Third of Brutal Legend?

Brutal Legend's story is an epic, not just epic. An epic represented by the hero's journey. We progress through the game following this well-worn path in a new and creative environment based on the culture of heavy metal. So why does the game end 2/3 of the way through?

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The Killer 7 Argument – Braid

It took a while, but I've played another game worthy of the Killer 7 Argument. I just finished playing through Braid for the second time after my first complete save was lost to a corrupt hard drive. The second playthrough was a huge help in getting my head around what to make of the game and figure out what I specifically thought of it.

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How To Not Spend More Than You Have

Heroes of Might and Magic II is an old game when they were still getting a handle on new design. As great as it is, it isn’t a game that grew up within a critical atmosphere where such things are considered, even if only tangentially nowadays. Which is a long way of saying there is [...]

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The Farmer and the Stork in Heroes of Might and Magic II

The game came out back in 1996, long before the industries present fixation on moral choice. Heroes of Might and Magic II starts off with a choice. The implications between the two men are rather clear in deed and imagery. One man offers a clean conscience and a place in the kingdom and the other monetary reward and a place in the kingdom. This is the truest sense of a moral choice, because yes there is an offer of reward, but it doesn't happen within the mechanics of the game. The choice has no connection to ludic elements whatsoever.

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Truth, Propoganda, and the Power of People in Beyond Good and Evil

Throughout Beyond Good and Evil we are treated the cycling propaganda messages, news reports for either the Alpha Sections or the Iris Network. Each group purports the others to be the villains not working for the interest of the people of Hillys. Being that it must be one or the other the goal of the game is to search for the truth.

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The Storyline Behind Beyond Good and Evil

During the game's tenure as the Vintage Game Club's focus and playthrough, a lot of the discussion focused on the story and the player's confusion that came about from it. Indeed it is confusing if you aren't playing close attention and search out many of the details from conversations. Even then you have to make a number of inferences to get the whole picture.

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The Killer 7 Argument – Beyond Good and Evil

Beyond Good and Evil definitely falls under the Killer 7 argument. It has been called a Zelda clone and in fact has even been called a Zelda for grownups. I'm not sure either of those monikers due it justice. It has many of the elements of a Zelda game. Environmental puzzles, dungeons, upgradeable equipments, but there is so much more going on here.

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