Supergiant's Hades is now the first video game ever to have won a Hugo award (i.e. sci-fi/fantasy fiction) and has set a new standard in the Roguelike genre, which features relatively short "runs" through a randomly-generated dungeon (or some equivalent) with perma-death, i.e. you die, you go back to the beginning. Generally, these games are very hard. Your host Mark is … [Read more...] about PMP#117: Roguelikes Like Hades
Video Games
PMP#103: Queering Video Games w/ Naomi Clark
While LGBTQ+ representation in video games has been improving (as with other media), Naomi Clark (who designed games for LEGO, Gamelab, Fresh Planet, Rebel Monkey, et al) has something more disruptive in mind when arguing for game "queerification." The prototypical video game includes a more-or-less linear progression through a pre-defined story to a defined win condition, and … [Read more...] about PMP#103: Queering Video Games w/ Naomi Clark
PMP#94: Psychology of Video Game Engagement w/ Jamie Madigan
Why do people play video games, and what keeps them playing? Do we want to have to think through innovative puzzles or just lose ourselves in mindless reactivity? Mark, Erica, and Brian are joined by Dr. Jamie Madigan, an organizational psychologist who runs the Psychology of Video Games podcast, to discuss what sort of a thing this is to research, the evolution of games, … [Read more...] about PMP#94: Psychology of Video Game Engagement w/ Jamie Madigan
PMP#64: The Last of Us: The Best Movies We Ever Played
Mark, Brian, and Drew/Erica (Ericrew? Drerica?) all played The Last of Us and its recent sequel, and while yes, it was great, we did not agree that it was "fun," nor how much "playing" was actually involved. How can cinematic video games balance narrative and gameplay? This franchise by Neil Druckmann under Naughty Dog is ostensibly about a zombie apocalypse and an immune … [Read more...] about PMP#64: The Last of Us: The Best Movies We Ever Played
PMP#46: “Casual” Games with Diner Dash’s Nick Fortugno
Famed game designer Nick joins Mark, Erica, and Brian to consider fundamental questions about the activity of gaming (Nick calls games "arbitrary limits on meaningless goals") and what constitutes a casual game: Is it one that's easy (maybe not easy to win, but at least you don't die), one meant to be played in short bursts, or maybe one with a certain kind of art style, or … [Read more...] about PMP#46: “Casual” Games with Diner Dash’s Nick Fortugno
PMP#35: Video Game Storytelling w/ Donald Marshall
Do you play video games for the plot? Given that most people don't actually finish most games, it would be unexpected if storytelling were the most important element. Mark, Erica, and Brian are joined by former video game professional (current TV development exec) Donald E. Marshall to talk through types of plots (linear, "string-of-pearls," and branching), ways of weaving … [Read more...] about PMP#35: Video Game Storytelling w/ Donald Marshall
PMP#21: Role-Playing Video Games
What constitutes a video RPG? Is there any actual role-playing involved? Our editor Tyler Hislop rejoins Mark, Erica, and Brian to discuss those video games that are supposed to make you feel like you're contributing to the story, that your choices matter, in which you can maybe, you know, choose to wear a funny hat or just craft potions all day instead of advancing … [Read more...] about PMP#21: Role-Playing Video Games
PMP#6: Adults Playing Video Games
Erica, Brian and Mark are joined by Ian Maio (who worked for marketing for IGN and Turner in e-sports) for our first discussion about gaming. Do adults have any business playing video games? Should you feel guilty about your video game habits? Ian gives us the lay of the land about e-sports, comparing it to physical sports, and we discuss the changing social functions of … [Read more...] about PMP#6: Adults Playing Video Games