Game Review: Hearthstone

One of the things Blizzard Entertainment does very well is presentation. World of Warcraft‘s visual style has aged rather gracefully, StarCraft 2 has remained consistent in its high-quality art and sound assets (if not necessarily the stories it is telling), and the technical alpha for Heroes of the Storm looks and sounds impressive, from everything… Continue reading Game Review: Hearthstone

From the Vault: The Video Game Singularity

I’m on my way to Boston for PAX East this morning. While I make my way through several states on what are certain to be lovely roads, have a look at my thoughts on the lines between video game developers and video game players, and what might happen if they get blurred. I feel we… Continue reading From the Vault: The Video Game Singularity

Tabletalk: Let's Tell A Story

As someone who writes tales about people who don’t actually exist, the process of telling stories fascinates me. While working alone allows me to be the final arbiter of what does and does not happen, some of the best storytelling experiences I’ve had come not from a word processing document, but from other books and… Continue reading Tabletalk: Let's Tell A Story

From the Vault: Gratuitous Failure, 80s Style

You know it’s a rough day when a post doesn’t go up until the evening. Oof. Anyway, here’s a bit I wrote about failure. Probably appropriate! My actual review of Hotline Miami can be found here. I’ve been writing a lot about failure lately. This is partially because I believe that we do learn more… Continue reading From the Vault: Gratuitous Failure, 80s Style

Tabletalk: Your Table's Real Estate

Courtesy Theology of Games Space at your common table, be it in your dining room, den, or boudoir, is precious. It needs to be used wisely when it comes to entertaining. You need room for everyone to sit and be comfortable. Room for refreshments is always welcome. Games that occupy the table should make good… Continue reading Tabletalk: Your Table's Real Estate

Tabletalk: Winning in Twilight Imperium

We’ve come a long way, Your Excellency. You’ve become acquainted with the galaxy surrounding the ruined throne-world of Mecatol Rex, you’ve learned how to command your fleets and transfer forces between systems, you’re familiar with a variety of strategies, and you know how to issue commands to your Leaders, give referendums to your Representatives, and… Continue reading Tabletalk: Winning in Twilight Imperium