journal 29 review: a tedious, incomplete puzzle book
The biggest puzzle I’ve encountered with Journal 29 is why this book exists at all. This has little to do with the quality of puzzles, which cover the same range of any typical puzzle book, from obvious to unfathomable. It’s…
the last guardian’s trico and companions in video games
In single-player games, the hero is often accompanied by one or more companion characters. In some cases, the companion fulfills a story purpose, such as the robot Six that accompanies you in Heaven’s Vault, providing commentary on the world’s history and…
the subtle storytelling of the video game inside
Since it’s October again, it’s time for my traditional post about a spooky game. Last year, I wrote about the innovative use of death in the mechanics of Limbo, and this year I’m excited to tackle the storytelling of Inside.…
wingspan bonus cards reference list with applicable birds
Wingspan’s bonus cards showcase the thoughtful balance of the board game. In the original game, there are twenty-six bonus cards that award the player who has them bonus points for achieving different goals. As an exercise, I’ve created a list…
inventing new player types outside the bartle taxonomy’s four
In 1996, co-creator of the first Multi-User Dungeon game (MUD) Richard Bartle published his theory of four player types. With his theory outlining the motivations of and interactions between achievers, explorers, killers and socialisers1, Bartle set a standard for the…
beyond bartle’s taxonomy: discover your game’s player types
Bartle’s Taxonomy of Player Types, or Player Type Theory1, is inescapable when learning about game design. Since Richard Bartle put down in writing the four player types he found in Multi-User Dungeon games (MUDs) in 1996, the theory has become…
hearthstone mercenaries mode is only good for the grind
The most recent new mode to arrive in Hearthstone was Mercenaries, in October 2021. Another distinct departure from traditional Hearthstone, this also differed from Battlegrounds and Duels in interesting ways. One notable trait was the procedural generation of maps of…
league of legends challenges: a flawed achievement system
In May 2022, Riot Games released a new achievement system for League of Legends. “Challenges” launched with over 300 goals. Each of these challenges has multiple tiers that level up from Iron to Master. Frankly, League of Legends has needed an…
hearthstone duels is its best designed game mode, with the least support
Duels was the Hearthstone mode we all knew was coming. Its format was the most logical next step for a collectible card game whose number of cards and mechanics were growing at an unsustainable rate. Personally, I think Duels is…
