Tech-Gaming Technology, Gaming, and Culture

The twenty-first century ushered in a tonal shift for Japanese role-playing games. Previously, protagonists were habitually plucky and perpetually cheerful. They accepted their world-saving role without much opposition. But the tumultuous geopolitics of the new ...

Context is an oft overlooked constituent in gaming. While 2009’s The Saboteur replicated the familiar driving and destruction mechanics of the sandbox-action title, it was the colorful recreation of Nazi-occupied Paris which transformed the game ...

Following a meager number of new game releases across the first few weeks of 2017, the flood gates are now beginning to open, with a number of tempting titles hitting store shelves and digital marketplaces ...

Base building in real-time strategy titles is often a thankless affair. With the release of Siegecraft Commander for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, developer Blowfish Studios attempts to inject the unappreciated chore with ...

For years, musou games were mocked by critics and consumers alike. Both groups viewed franchises like Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors as repetitive, tedious treks, where players button-mashed their way to victory. At certainly at ...

Quite often, Western dystopia is rendered in a very distinct manner. Outdoor settings are often sun-beached and desiccated, dotted with the rotting remnants of a once-industrious society. Whether the context is Borderlands, Homefront, or the ...

In theory, the idea of intermingling the run-and-gun and puzzler genres might seem unnatural. After all, success in shooters typically depends on quick reflexes while puzzle-based titles tend to operate at a more methodical pace, ...

The freeze on new year’s releases is finally starting to thaw, with 2017 already bringing several notable titles. Alchemy aficionados will probably appreciate Atelier Shallie Plus: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea materializing on the Vita, ...

Veteran gamers might recall the industry’s puritanical era. It was a bewildering time when Nintendo tweaked RGB levels, converting Mortal Kombat’s bloodshed into a sweat-splashing romp complete with family-friendly finishing moves. Even the seemingly innocuous ...

Game launches are complicated affairs- we’re repeatedly reminded of that statement every time a triple-A, big budget title stumbles at release and PR issues it’s subsequent apology. For smaller studios without the payroll to hire ...