Episode 43: Layers of Fear - Nothing more scary than rotary phones and luscious man lips

Episode 43: Layers of Fear - Nothing more scary than rotary phones and luscious man lips

In this episode, we discuss the 2016 horror game Layers of Fear, which Epic gave away from October 24 to October 31, 2019. We focus on thinking about intertextuality in games (with the many Dorian Gray references in this game), the use of art and aesthetics in games, the effects of streaming culture on game development, and themes of gender and alcoholism, especially as they are rooted in Victorian morality. Our overall assessment is that we weren't super hyped on this game (because it felt shallow and repetitive), but that it is worth a play for a short artistic experience, especially if you like jump scares. Or feel sad for Lord Byron.

Episode 42: Observer - Caffeine straight into my blood!

In this episode, we discuss the game Epic gave away from October 17 to October 24, 2019, the 2017 psychological horror game Observer. This allows us to chat about worldbuilding, the aesthetics of dystopia, the genre of Eurojank, and technology addiction and surveillance in the modern world

Episode 41: Alan Wake's American Nightmare - Alan has wares, if you have coin

In this episode, we discuss 2012's Alan Wake: American Nightmare, which Epic gave away for free from October 17 to October 24, 2019. We begin by considering why specific games get adapted and why Alan Wake might not have an adaptation yet. This leads to conversations about the meta elements of the game, the way certain games intend for players to analyze specific elements, the corporate influence over games (again), and the over-sexified women in Alan Wake's Dark Place.

Episode 40: Surviving Mars - People only want a teensy bit of the real

In this episode, we discuss the game Epic gave away from October 10 to October 17, 2019, the city building simulation game, Surviving Mars (2018). This allows us to consider the function of realism and authenticity in media, the way tutorials can derail a game experience, and the escapist fantasy of a game about technology and utopia. We also return to the important fact that Ray secretly has a (Martian) dictator in him

Episode 39: Minit - Does it please the suburban coupon woman?

In this episode, we discuss the 2018 quirky action adventure Zelda-like, Minit, which Epic gave away for free from October 3 to October 10, 2019 (bonus - I didn't notice until right now that October 3, 2019 is also when my second daughter was born!). This allows us to talk about gimmicks in games, in many different ways about representations of animals, about game pacing, the continued significance of mines, factories, and submarines in indie games, and what "charm" means when it comes to popular culture. We also had some technical difficulties, apologies, so there is a brief period that may be a bit rough.