batman’s helping hand: indirect control in arkham asylum
It’s been eleven years since Batman: Arkham Asylum was released. Yet, with my recent playthrough during lockdown, the definitive Batman video game still remains peerless in my mind. It’s actually more impressive, all these years later, that a 2009 game…
gotham knights’ 4 playable bat-family characters: hopes and fears
One of my latest lockdown activities has been playing the eleven-year-old video game that put Batman games on the map, Arkham Asylum. That nostalgia, combined with my love of Batman, games and comics, had me on the edge of my…
antichamber review: flipping the script on learning in video games
Over the past few days, I’ve spent many hours wandering the corridors and exploring the rooms of Antichamber, the 2013 puzzle platformer game by Alexander Bruce. It’s a mind-bending experience packed with tons of intriguing puzzles, and aside from some…
storytelling of disney’s pirates of the caribbean ride… and the redhead (part 2)
In every Disney ride, there is a strong thread of storytelling running through the entire experience. After all, Disney is a company built on story, stemming from its roots in the film and animation industries. Its theme parks are best…
the history and design of disney’s pirates of the caribbean ride (part 1)
Pirates of the Caribbean has long been one of the most beloved rides at the Disney theme parks. It was the last ride personally overseen by Walt Disney, though it did not open in Disneyland until 1967, three months after…
“snow white’s scary adventures” ride changes its storytelling forever
“Snow White’s Scary Adventures” is one of those rides that I remember going on as a small child on my very first trip to Disneyland. It’s by all measures a classic. In fact, “Snow White’s Scary Adventures” is one of…
dissecting and designing dark escape rooms
There’s a specific group of friends I enjoy going to escape rooms with. I’ve got my puzzle enthusiasts, those who love Sudokus or a challenging level of Baba Is You. There are one or two who fancy themselves detectives and…
on wizards unite and games as fantasy fulfillment
When I started playing Harry Potter: Wizards Unite in June, I knew I would have a lot to say about it. I wasn’t wrong. My list of critiques for this game grew as I played it constantly for the next…
designing lightning quick game loops for replayability in video games
There’s a quote in showbiz, sometimes ascribed to P.T. Barnum, sometimes to Walt Disney: “Always leave them wanting more.” Whoever said this was probably not thinking about games, but about entertainment experiences as a whole. The Barnum and Bailey Circus…
