Tarkov: Breaking the RulesEscape from Tarkov works better than it should by conventional game design standards and turns potential issues into strengths. How?Oct 28, 20211Oct 28, 20211
Games as Conceptual ArtThere are whole worlds of creative energy and inspiration out there, no less and often more fascinating than the “big ones”.Jun 5, 2021Jun 5, 2021
How Crimson Company maximizes gameplay depthCrimson Company deviates from traditional “card battling” games to maximize the depth of its moment-to-moment gameplay. Here’s how!Dec 9, 2020Dec 9, 2020
Spelunky 2: Fuel to the fireSpelunky 2 works not just despite, but also because of the central gameplay conflict it revolves around.Oct 28, 2020Oct 28, 2020
“Video games are too long”: Symptoms of a more fundamental problemWhat is it specifically about AAA games that makes many players — not just executives, developers or critics — consider them “too long”?Jun 29, 20201Jun 29, 20201
“Insta-Tournaments”: Multiplayer Solitaire?Celebrated among players, but largely unnoticed by game developers, Zach Gage invented a very special game mode for Pocket-Run Pool.Jan 18, 2020Jan 18, 2020
Planning and Pre-Game DecisionsPlanning is at the heart of gameplay. Some games emphasize this in a separate “planning phase”, which comes with its own set of problems…Oct 14, 2019Oct 14, 2019
Sky and the Price of FriendshipSky is supposed to be Journey’s spiritual successor. However, its business model puts a questionable spin on its friendship-driven design.Jul 26, 2019Jul 26, 2019
When Games Idolize BusyworkModern video games often feature elements of busywork, and yet they are successful. What exactly is the appeal of “workified” games?Jul 9, 2019Jul 9, 2019
Games as Experiential NarrativeThe term “video games” contains at least two fundamentally different art forms. We need to do a better job at differentiating them!Jun 3, 2019Jun 3, 2019
