This interstellar sci-fi adventure demonstrates the infinite possibilities videogames offer. — Many years ago I was watching video coverage of a panel discussion from a game convention when someone perfectly encapsulated the infinite potential of videogames by boldly stating, “this is code. We can do anything.” Most games simply ignore this ethos and are instead content to endlessly clone existing mechanics…

In the abstract, this looping mystery is fascinating and occasionally beautiful, but in practice it’s aggravating and obtuse. — Twelve Minutes is like one of those brain teaser puzzles where a metal ring is strung along a length of rope that’s been looped through a piece of wood. The objective of the puzzle is to free the ring from the rope, which appears to be impossible but is really…

“A gorilla evades captivity to a free jazz soundtrack” may sound like a cacophonous experience, but this game hits all the right notes. — Ape Out is one of a very few games that speaks the language of videogames with perfect fluency. It’s the rare experience that harmonizes all of the disparate elements that make up a videogame and pushes them all toward the same goal. If you’re watching a video of the game…

This jazzy, abstract meditation on cosmology ponders big questions but doesn’t bother offering answers. — For artists that are concerned with the deep questions — where did we come from? why are we here? what lies beyond the bounds of perception? etc. — science can offer inspiration that’s tinged with the irresistible allure of academic accuracy. For a creative mind that’s always making connections, it’s…

This “camping story” is more about what the characters say (and don’t say.) — Wide Ocean Big Jacket opts for the less is more approach in all things, but especially when it comes to describing itself. On Steam, the game is simply described as A Camping Story starring: Uncle Brad, Aunt Cloanne, Mord (and Ben). But don’t be fooled. …

Knockout City says it’s about EPIC DODGEBALL BATTLES, but in practice it feels like a new spin on a seemingly unrelated genre. — Watch this review on YouTube. Knockout City, the new multiplayer game from Velan Studios and EA, makes its pitch pretty simple. On Steam you only need to glance at the game’s description to find the all-caps phrase EPIC DODGEBALL BATTLES, which effectively sums up the rest the description’s references to…

Nintendo’s approach to hardware doesn’t play by tech’s rules and videogames are better because of it. — For almost the last eighteen months it seemed like the most talked about story in the world of videogames was the rumored “Switch Pro.” Leaks and data mining and garden-variety speculation all congealed into a rough outline of what we could expect from the non-existent console: 4K resolution in docked…

Halo: CE claims to be about Earth’s fledgling interstellar empire and a guerilla war with an alien covenant, but it’s really about something much simpler and much grander. — Watch this essay on YouTube. These days, Halo is a game that needs no introduction. For gamers and non-gamers alike, the word Halo brings to mind Xbox consoles, aliens, Mountain Dew flavors, and the blocky, suspiciously DOOM-like look of the Master Chief.

An attempt at creating the most free-feeling open world game ever ends up falling well short of that goal, while still offering a few glimpses into the next generation of videogames. — Watch this review on YouTube. There is one thing that distinguishes videogames from every other type of art. One thing videogames can utilize that no other medium can — one thing that is simultaneously the gift and the curse of this medium.