Before the end of the year I uploaded a bunch of new games to my itch.io page. These games represent the early stages of my getting back into PuzzleScript and game development in general. They’re pretty poor games, in all honesty, but the ideas behind them are OK. I also see them as a stepping stone to much better games. After working on these mediocre releases I’ve already got better games ready to launch and in development.
But whatever, here are some notes on the design of each game.
With this post I want to take a look at weapons in video games that are mechanically unusual. They can’t just look weird, they need to to do something different than they would in other, similar games. The question is, what do these unusual behaviors add to the game play experience? Let’s take a look at a few different examples to see.
Continue reading “Trigger Happy – Weapon Gimmicks in Video Games”
Mobile gaming is the future of gaming. It’s by far the most prolific and intuitive gaming platform available. Despite its potential, mobile gaming is often misused by developers. But it doesn’t have to be. Below is a brief list of some of my most favorite mobile games. These are going to be less well known offerings that I feel highlight the strengths of the platform.
Continue reading “Fun on Your Phone – Hidden Gem Mobile Games”
AI partners in games have changed a lot over the years. Sometimes these end up as the dreaded “escort mission” where it’s your job to protect the partner. Other times they can be invaluable assets to your cause. Let’s look at a select few examples to explore different ways this mechanic is handled.
Continue reading “Buddy Systems – AI partners in Video Games”
I own quite a few Boss Fight Books, both physical and eBook. This one I got in an online bundle. Out of those various titles I was drawn to Soft and Cuddly because I had no idea what it was about. How could someone write an entire book (even a relatively short one) on such a small and obscure game? Mostly by writing about everything surrounding it’s creation and release.
Continue reading “Book Review: ‘Soft and Cuddly’ by Jarret Kobek (Boss Fight Books)”
“Tetris made Game Boy and Game Boy made Tetris.” – Henk Rogers.
Tetris on Game Boy is one of gaming’s greatest killer apps. The simple and addictive gameplay was enhanced by the portability of the Game Boy. While either alone would have been classics, together they were a phenomenon. While not as wildly successful, Lumines is to the PSP what Tetris was for the Game Boy.
I’ve finally finished Final Fantasy VI for the first time. I’ve been a fan of the Final Fantasy series for a long, long, time. Despite getting FF6 on the Final Fantasy Anthology back in 1999, and again on GBA 2007, I never made it more than halfway through the game. My feelings about the game ran hot and cold over the years. The magazines super hyped it up to me as a kid, but I kept bouncing off the actual game. It’s also seems to be the #1 fan favorite amongst the FF community, but I could never understand why. Now, in the year 2018, I’ve got FF6 once again. This time on the SNES Classic. I’ve finally beaten it! With many more years of experience, and a much closer analysis I think I finally understand what makes this game so special. I’ll be going all in on spoilers, so if you haven’t played this game yet, go play it. It’s a classic for a reason.
Continue reading “How Final Fantasy VI lets players create their own protagonist.”
In 1987, Guns n Roses burst onto the music scene with their debut album Appetite for Destruction. The album, and its lead single “Sweet Child o Mine”, quickly reached the top of the charts. Part of their success can be attributed to their notorious lifestyles, at one point earning them the title “most dangerous band in the world”. GnR had a large impact on pop culture, especially video games.
Sometimes, I remember that the PS4 has that cool share button, and I’ll post some fun screenshots to my twitter. Today I wanted to highlight and discuss some of my favorite screenshots I’ve taken.
School is finally out for me. With all this extra free time I was able to play more games, and for longer periods. Mostly this meant a return to competitive multiplayer online games from Blizzard. I also got around to playing some games on my back log that I’ve been eyeing for awhile.
Games played: Ocarina of Time, Overwatch, Heroes of the Storm, and Consortium
Cantrip 