Year: 2009

Eric Swain Game Issues, Recent Posts

TGC’s Game of the Year ’09

So what is my game of the year? Well unlike the last two years when I asked myself that question, there was a clear winner. In 2007 it was Portal and in '08 it was Metal Gear Solid 4. There were plenty of other good games out those years, but those two to me were just obvious. This year has no such easy stand out, hence the lateness of this post. Just to be clear, I have not played everything that came out, not even all the better than decent AAA titles, so this really is a personal pick. | more

Eric Swain Game Issues, Recent Posts

State of the Blog ’09

A year and a fortnight ago I started this site from the idea that I wanted to critique games, as one would do to a book or movie, looking at what they mean. It is hard to believe that it has been a full year. In that time, I've learned about the larger spheres of critical communities: the brainysphere, the iris network, the border house and their overlaps. I like to think I've made some friends in that time and haven't totally ticked anyone off with my constant need to argue and debate. | more

Eric Swain Recent Posts, Thoughts

Nostradamus Check Up ’09

Last year I said I called it to a number of predictions I had made. Then in February I made several predictions about the coming year. Let's see how I did. 1- On Resident Evil 5 I said that it would be an end to the series being about horror mostly because of co-op as an effect of its focus on action. I also said that it wouldn't be as well regarded as Resident Evil 4. I nailed this one. Other than the discussion on race that the game spawned and some discussion on co-op this game was largely forgotten a month later. | more

Eric Swain Critical Responses, Recent Posts

In Which I Respond to the Three False Contraints

When I first read Danc's post over at Lost Garden, Three False Constraints, I called it the stupidest thing I read from the critical community. I decided rather than write an immediate response I would wait a few days to calm down and think it over non-emotionally. I'm glad I did, not because I came to any agreement with him, but because I read this piece by Charles J Pratt over at Game Design Advance. It got me thinking more about the meat of the form of the medium. So I spent some more time thinking and went back to reread his post. Here's my response. | more

Eric Swain External Sources, Recent Posts

Indie Game Spotlight – Today I Die

Over at the CreativeFluff design blog I spotlighted Today I Die, an indie game that came out around April of this year from designer/developer Daniel Benmergui. Go play it before reading anything below. It's a short game and worth it. Today I Die is a game that firmly wears the arty badge and wears it proudly.  It's a simple puzzle game that has an interesting take on the point and click adventure game genre. Using floating words to alter the poem, you change the world and your avatar's state of being. | more

Eric Swain Game Essays, Recent Posts

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 not a whole lot the game has to say. Still I do have one last thing thought the game brought to mind. One that I think is extra important given the upcoming Black Friday. (Though I may be too late to get anyone to read this. | more

Eric Swain External Sources, Recent Posts

Indie Game Spotlight – Small Worlds

The game was made for Casual Gameplay's design contest #6 with the parameters to incorporate this content's theme: Explore. Were I to judge in the contest I would look to how well it incorporated the theme, as a critic I am looking at what that means within the game. I recommend playing it here before continue reading. Small Worlds is a simple game. It has three buttons: left, right and jump. And that's all the game needs. You are in an environment that you cannot see until you begin to move around and explore. | more

Eric Swain Game Essays, Recent Posts

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. | more