Choose Your Own Adventure: Player-Influenced Narratives

With the exponential evolution of narration and story development in video games since the turn of the millennium, the gaming community has grown more sophisticated and demanding in terms of storytelling. Arguably, the most severe criticism hits games where there’s more than one possible way the game can play out – in other words, games that feature some sort of choice available to the player.

The Forgotten Game of the Year: Pillars of Eternity

As the end of the year draws nigh, the discussion about the best game of 2015 is becoming more relevant by the minute. The gaming community now has a pretty good feel on what the year has to offer, ranging from spectacles such as Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain to apparent disappointments like The Order: 1886. It’s curious, though, that the favor of the general audience appears to lean a bit towards games released late in the year – as if their memory can’t quite reach as far back as last spring.

Center of the Universe: The “Chosen One” Concept

I consider myself an enthusiast of role-playing games, particularly classic, dense, story-heavy western ones. I regard Baldur’s Gate one of the most defining games of the western RPG genre, and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind is one of my favorite games of all time. Being exposed to the genre quite strongly, I would say I have a pretty decent understanding of the composition of a typical game of this kind. But even with lesser experience, one can probably distinguish some of the common elements in role-playing games with ease.

SITE NEWS: A Long Overdue Check-In

I’ve been absent for over half a year now, and I sincerely regret it – I haven’t lost interest, if that’s what you’re thinking. I’ve simply been swamped in a lot of other stuff; school, work, and – oh, I had a daughter last November, so that’s been keeping me appropriately busy lately. Not only have I not had time for writing a whole lot, but I haven’t been playing as much as I used to, either. I suppose that’s a good thing, in a way… You know, having a family now and all. But no, I haven’t quit altogether, and I’m not intending to.