September 2, 2011 Eric Swain Game Essays, Recent Posts

Indie Game Spotlight: p0nd

Indie Game Spotlight is a weekly feature where I highlight an independent game that deserves attention. Given the difficulty these developers have in being heard, every little bit helps. Some will be free, some will cost money, but all are deserving of some attention. P0nd is a one-button, flash game by PeanutGallery that came out I want to say over a year and half ago. It is a strange game and before I go any further, I want you to go try it. It won’t take more than a few minutes of your time, definitely not more than 5. | more

August 26, 2011 Eric Swain Game Essays, Recent Posts

Indie Game Spotlight: The Stanley Parable

Indie Game Spotlight is a weekly feature where I highlight an independent game that deserves attention. Given the difficulty these developers have in being heard, every little bit helps. Some will be free, some will cost money, but all are deserving of some attention. The Stanley Parable is a Source Code mod made by Davey Wreden. It took two years of work to make and is a superb think piece. That’s what it is, a think piece in interactive form. It’s not a game in the traditional sense. | more

January 14, 2011 Eric Swain Game Essays, Recent Posts

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West’s Thematic Failure

*Spoilers for Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, Heavenly Sword, Bioshock and Braid* Ninja Theory is a studio I really want to like. I really do. They hold a philosophy towards creating games, AAA games at that, I would love to see more of. They create a work and let it stand for itself. There is no extra tie in, no comic book spin offs, and more notable, no sequels. Before modern Hollywood took over (thanks in part to Star Wars and Jaws) nothing needed a sequel. A work stood or failed on it's own merits and not as a part of a whole. | more

June 19, 2010 Eric Swain Game Essays, Recent Posts

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 in the early choices are both justified, while later ones seem to prove that you have a problem with rational thought (if you choose the evil route that is). | more

June 18, 2010 Eric Swain Game Essays, Recent Posts

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 words don't change, but the effect they have on you as the player as you relate to your in-game character is different. | more

June 14, 2010 Eric Swain Game Essays, Recent Posts

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 and in stories where it is about creating an evocative setting as much or more so than characters, it is treated as a major character. It becomes as important if not more important than those whom the story follows. | more

February 10, 2010 Eric Swain Game Essays, Recent Posts

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? | more

December 3, 2009 Eric Swain Game Essays, Recent Posts

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. | more

November 26, 2009 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

November 19, 2009 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