Sunday dawns, a moment to appreciate those nine houseplants you expertly re-potted yesterday. It’s a fleeting sense of accomplishment, quickly overshadowed by the realization that you willingly spent hard-earned cash on bags of… well, dirt. Yes, you bought dirt. And the mess is back.
Also resurfacing this week, in a metaphorical sense, is “Computer Entertainer,” a direct-mail gaming newsletter that landed on American doorsteps from 1982 to 1990. The Video Game History Foundation, a preservation organization, has acquired the rights to this publication. They’ve meticulously scanned and uploaded every issue, making them freely available for reading and download. With catchy headlines like “STEREO VIDEO GAMES – CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!”, this archive offers a fascinating and often humorous glimpse into an era before game journalism became a more standardized affair. Beyond the initial chuckles, however, lies genuine historical significance. The VGHF highlights that “Computer Entertainer” was among the earliest gaming publications in the United States, providing an exceptionally rare contemporary perspective on 1980s games, including early reviews. Moreover, it was groundbreaking for being managed by a team of women. Explore the complete archive here.
Rick Lane, a familiar name to RPS readers, poses a crucial question: Just how tall is Garrett from “Thief”? The answer, revealed here, is accompanied by insightful analysis and a helpful visual guide from Romain Barrilliot, one of the original game designers.
The ambiguity surrounding Garrett’s height in “Thief” stems primarily from the towering stature of his adversaries. Barrilliot notes, “Amusingly, some other NPCs, like the Hammerites, actually dwarf him.” He jokingly suggests, “Perhaps everyone in The City consumed copious amounts of soup during their formative years.”
For Unwinnable, Wallace Truesdale reflects on how recent soccer-themed games, namely Rematch and Despelote, have reignited his passion for the sport in divergent ways.
Despite the player’s ability to cause playful disruptions to bystanders, “Despelote” successfully conveys a sense of being a small part of a much larger movement sweeping across a nation. It emphasizes that regardless of one’s personal enthusiasm for soccer, as exemplified by Julián’s obvious devotion, the sport transcends any single individual. This provides a sense of comfort, knowing that one can find shared passion wherever they go – a feeling that arises when encountering a familiar language, as Truesdale experienced when meeting others who dedicated their childhood to the game.
The standout piece addressing the ongoing discussions surrounding Steam, Itch.io, adult games, and payment processors was, of course, Edwin’s analysis. Close behind was Grace Benfell’s article for Gamespot, which keenly focuses on perhaps the most frustrating aspect of “think-of-the-children” campaigns: their frequent failure to actually protect anyone.
Finding upsetting material is easier than ever, as is extrapolating that unease to a fundamental societal problem. When the personal becomes political, everything becomes public. In her essay, “west elm caleb and the feminist panopticon,” Rayne Fisher-Quann examines the urge to hold individuals uniquely responsible for broader societal issues. She argues, “the crucifixion of these individuals is ultimately a system of smoke and mirrors that obfuscates true systemic change while providing us with enough satisfaction to stop aiming higher.” While the work of Collective Shout takes place in a distinct context, it is driven by a similar impulse.
This next recommendation is a bit older, from 2022, but a recent author shout-out prompted repeated exclamations of “How have I never heard of that before!” throughout the writing of this very post. The Date ‘Em Ups blog presents a thoughtful yet accessible piece examining the complexities of defining dating sims, including a surprising mention of the genre contributions of Hideo Kojima and his colleagues at Konami.
What’s truly impressive is not just how well Kojima Productions integrated an adventure game into the “Tokimeki Memorial” universe, but also the seamless transition of “Tokimeki Memorial” into an adventure game structure. Many core elements of the original game are retained, not only in terms of lore and background but also in mechanics. Specifically, the in-room phone, initially used for arranging dates and receiving information from Yoshio, remains charmingly functional. While actual dating is absent in favor of focusing on one girl per game, you can still call them up for additional conversations before bed. The content of these calls evolves as the game and optional subplots progress. This seemingly small detail fosters a closeness with these characters that’s often lacking in the open-ended original game.
Today’s featured artist is JOON, whose lighthearted electronic music recently enhanced the soundtrack of Wheel World. Check out their work here.
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