Decidedly British Ramblings

Quick Thoughts: Skippable Content in Videogames (Audio)

https://decidedlybritishramblings.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/quick-thoughts_skippable-content.m4a

I’ve been thinking about all the time I don’t have to play through certain games anymore, and why developers feel the need to put content behind seemingly impassable barriers. Is the answer to make things more skippable?

Let me know your thoughts!

5 Horror Games That Weren’t As Scary As We Were Promised

I care about only one thing on Halloween: are the games I’m playing scary enough? If my pants aren’t turning brown and my shirt isn’t soaked in a cocktail of sweat and adrenaline, a supposedly ‘scary’ game isn’t doing its damned job properly.

Being the helpful chap I am, I’ve put together this list of 5 horror games that promise more chills up the spine than they can deliver.

(more…)

Mushroom 11 Review – I’m a fun guy (Sorry)

Untame Games have hit a nerve with this 2D fungal adventure. I’m genuinely stunned.

They’ve had the courage to ditch the relatable, human-shaped protagonist for something much more ambiguous: a large, sentient fungus that creeps over the landscape and absorbs any organic matter it can find. (more…)

I can't wait to play #Destiny when it's finished in nine years

When Destiny‘s finished, it’ll be AMAZING. Seriously. The epic scale of the sci-fi fantasy backdrop; the jaw-dropping alien encounters; the gun models that make my gentleman’s area tingle with anticipation; and the cutscenes…Oh, the cutscenes! So, yeah, that’s something to look forward to. From what I hear, the Beta seems to be going really well. (more…)

Defining The Stealth Genre In Videogames (Video)

Ah, yes. That question stealth game fans have asked themselves and each other since the mid-2000’s.

This video takes a look at how videogame genres have been formulated using narrative- or gameplay-based criteria, and asks whether it’s possible for the stealth genre to use both to define itself.

Keep the following in mind: academic…

A History of Stealth In Videogames [Part 1]

Guess what I’ve been up to? Well, yes, besides that.

I decided to make a small(ish) video series looking at stealth games, from past to present. Neat, huh? Because it makes sense to begin at the beginning, this video takes a glance back into the 80’s  – the decade when stealth games were conceived by this magnificent industry (and…

I met Dan Marshall a few months ago when he showed me The Swindle. He looked surprisingly normal for a chap who’s made a game about condom-hatted marines infiltrating anuses and pubic regions to fight off sexually transmitted infections. Marshall also worked with Ben Ward to bring us the foul-mouthed point-and-click adventures Ben There, Dan That and Time Gentlemen, Please. (more…)

"Are you done?" - Completion in Videogames

“It’s happened again. Someone’s pulled the rug from under you. An empire at your feet and you lost it all. Careful…there’s always a price to pay. What you decide will ripple across the years.” [BE WARNED: SPOILERS FOLLOW FOR THE FIRST DISHONORED.] (more…)

New blog: So EGX Rezzed 2015 was rather splendid #Rezzed2015

Ah…Fresh air. Daylight. These are the things I miss after I spend a couple of days mulling around a trade show floor with my fellow gamers. Not at Rezzed this year, though. (more…)

You might wonder how a game about being a ship captain in an ocean where sunlight never shines could be considered a sneaky endeavour. Sunless Sea would surprise you. Granted, it’s not exactly built for stealth gameplay, but there are a few shadowy gameplay features my fellow thieves, assassins and spies might want to know about. So stick around and prick up those ears. Failbetter have done a…

Mutants. Scavengers. Giant mechs. An arena full of signal towers, turrets and explosive containers. It’s a sight Mancunians are all too familiar with.

(more…)

There are things we can appreciate about protagonist Sophia Take’s tour of London’s private art galleries. The way she glides across the polished wooden floors, slipping through the sight cones of hulk-like security guards and stuffing paintings into her designer handbag, for instance. It’s a welcome change from the sneaky-sneaky hunched posture players have become accustomed to using in stealth…

In case you missed my Best Game 2014 vid…

Um. Here it is! Enjoy and a Happy New Year to you all.