One of the earliest farming simulation games, the Harvest Moon series tasks you with running and growing a farm and all the various tasks that entails. In addition to growing crops and raising animals, you also can collect wild plants, fish, dig for valuable items and minerals, and the like. […]
Sarah Nixon
99 posts
The Final Girl: it’s a trope that’s sure to resonate with any horror fan, regardless of their level of interest or devotion to the genre. Referential to the trend of horror media leaving a solitary female character as its “last person standing,” The Final Girl is generally defined as being […]
When you think about what comprises a game review, what comes to mind? Certainly traditional review elements like a critique of the game’s mechanics, its fluidity, its narrative if that’s something that’s important to you, its graphics and sound, and even its “fun factor” are all things that would be […]
It may be a little odd to think of Super Smash Bros. as a stand-alone, legitimate handheld title. Although I had bought into the hype long ago and had already mentally committed myself to buying it, I had my doubts about the new Super Smash Bros. for 3DS. Super Smash […]
Recently I had a conversation with someone who mentioned that game developers were afraid to incorporate more diversity – specifically, in this instance, female characters – in video games. He went on to explain that, in their eyes, the costs often outweigh the benefits for them. No matter what they […]
Earlier today as I was watching my favorite nostalgic fan stream, I was hit with one of those nagging, persistent questions that weigh on your mind until you discover the answer. A show I didn’t recognize had come on; it was a live-action comedy show called Taina that had aired on […]
I have a love-hate relationship with Harvest Moon DS Cute. For those who are (perhaps blissfully) unaware, Harvest Moon is a series of farming simulation games that incorporate elements and tasks of real, and even ordinary, life. In addition to planting and tending crops, collecting wild plants, fishing, digging, and […]
It was only just a few days ago that I watched NFL athlete and Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice attack his wife in a brutal case of physical domestic violence. I’d heard about the incident in passing but it wasn’t until someone told me about it in detail that […]
In my experience as a consumer of Japanese animation, I have found that most anime can be grouped into two overarching categories. The first are those that actively embrace fanservice or, in other words, scenes or even full sequences that pander to the male gaze in a distinctly sexual way. […]
Have you ever thought of what animatronics do after closing time? How do they preoccupy the midnight hours between the rounds of screaming children? Do they need some release after being poked, prodded, and pulled by greasy fingers? Do the smiles of those kitschy mascots stay innocently cheesy even in […]
*Trigger Warning: brief discussions of suicide follow as well as discussions of depression below.* The news of actor and comedian Robin Williams’ death by suicide came to my attention from all sides this week. My family was talking about it in person as it buzzed across the daily news. Across […]
Sometime around the start of the holiday season in 2008 was when I first saw it. Mirror’s Edge had never been on my radar before, but as soon as I saw its advertisement during the commercial breaks of whatever show I had on at the time I became enchanted. Parkour […]
The various federations and organizations devoted to professional gaming and electronic sports, known appropriately as “e-sports,” strive for legitimacy and professionalism. Although e-sports continue to grow across the world and have seen a recent surge in popularity in the past few years with the online accessibility of big name events […]
The face of game protagonists is looking rather generic. If you were to poll gamers as to what the average playable character looks like, chances are there would be a general consensus among the answers. It’d almost certainly be a white man. He’d likely be in his late twenties or […]
War, especially historical war, in video games is generally presented in a similar way across titles. The player assumes the role of a heroic soldier who shoots and strategizes his way through enemy lines, making a name for himself and decimating enemy troops to achieve victory. Combat dominates the game’s […]
In an effort to promote Namco’s recent edition in the Soul Calibur franchise- Soul Calibur: Lose Swords, a free to play downloadable game available for PS3 – and perhaps in an attempt to boost the fighting franchise’s relevancy, Namco will be offering their players the chance to attain some “season […]