Is it possible to get nostalgic for a time period that you didn’t experience yourself? The easy answer would be no. That’s also the answer that makes the most logical sense, at first sight. But the truth is more complicated, as I found out. There’s a sense of second hand memories that can pass over to you from the previous generation. Media plays a big role in this phenomenon. A…
When the first Watch_Dogs games was revealed, it spurred a lot of editorials and opinion pieces regarding its subject matter. In hindsight it’s remarkable that the thematics of Ubisoft’s creation hadn’t been used in videogames before in such prominent manner. It’s a textbook method, to utilise the fears and insecurities present in society. Popular media has been doing this for ages. The Cold War inspired writers for tales about nuclear…
Last week DICE announced the new Battlefield game, and it already managed to stir up quite a flurry of opinion pieces and sharply worded tweets. Even before the game was officially announced, the leaked materials caused a debate. Even though the trailer is in-engine, it doesn’t show actual gameplay, but that doesn’t stop some people from already making sweeping generalisations about the style and tone of the game. Slightly more negative opinions…
It’s unusually quiet in the Italian diner. The lights are dimmed and only flickering candles in tacky glass bottles illuminate the place. The buzz from the street outside is sparsely heard. It’s February and cold. Nobody wants to be out. The waiter comes and fills a glass with red wine for me. “Garlic bread, sir?” The patron of the joint stands at the bar and his piercing eyes scan the…
A friend’s comment about Unravel made me think about something. We hardly ever realise which country our games are from. Unravel is Swedish, and we know that because the game is using the Scandinavian country as backdrop for the adventures of its adorable little protagonist.But normally, in 99 percent of the cases, the country of origin is not reflected in the product. My friend discussed with another friend the achievements…
“As children we question the world around us, we learn, we accept and gradually we lose our capacity to wonder. But some do not. The explorers, the seekers of truth. It is these pioneers who define the future of mankind.” There are many reasons why I enjoyed Rise of The Tomb Raider so much. One of them is the deep level of familiarity and relatability I came to feel for…
George Lucas is not a fan of the new Star Wars movie. In a bit of an embarrasing interview with USA Today he compares handing his franchise over to Disney as breaking up with a spouse and at some point even as selling his children to white slavers. Shortly after the article was published he hasted to rectify that awkward metaphor, but obviously as a courtesy call. His deeper feelings…
I suffer from anxiety. Not to a clinical degree, but it’s something that hinders me in daily life. Or used to hinder me. I take medication for it and it helps. I also learn how to deal with it better, which includes avoiding triggers and teaching my body to stay calm during a bad spell. I also have simple home remedies. Comfort treatment to zone me out of the…
It’s that time of the year again where critics stumble over each other to find a new perspective for their review of the newest Call of Duty title. As much as the developers must struggle to find ways to tweak and rejuvenate the familiar formula, I suppose it’s not much easier to think of ways to write about it in a way readers are teased once again to read it….