The Style Is In The Details
HIGH Finally glimpsing the lost city of Shambhala.
LOW Quickly dying ten times during a chase sequence before getting a hint as to what I should be doing.
WTF "Don't you love how the water makes your jeans all squidgy?"
Author: Alex Raymond
Beyond Gender Choice: Mass Effect’s varied inclusiveness
Overall, Mass Effect took huge steps forward for inclusiveness in games. Its racial diversity is unlike any I have seen in a game: nearly all of the major and minor human NPCs are people of color, and none of them are stereotypes. In another impressive step, not only is there an important character—the Normandy's pilot, Joker—who happens to be disabled, but a conversation with him reveals the many different layers of ableism he has experienced throughout his life. Unfortunately, the game stumbles when it comes to gender inclusiveness.
Is BioShock Feminist? A response in defense of Bridgette Tenenbaum
So via Critical Distance I found this feminist critique of BioShock, written by Richard Terrell (who, you may have noticed, is a man). But it is really not sitting right with me. His thesis is that BioShock depicts women as weak and men as strong. So I thought the rest of the article would try to show how BioShock upholds patriarchal values.
Women aren’t vending machines: How video games perpetuate the commodity model of sex
Or: Why I am dreading Alpha Protocol.
…some video games allow the player character to have sex with NPCs; even more allow the player to have romantic relationships with NPCs. What the vast majority of these games inevitably do is present relationship mechanics that distill the commodity model down to its essence—you talk to the NPC enough, and give them enough presents, and then they have sex with/marry you. This design approach is extremely simplistic and perpetuates the commodity model of sex—the player wants sex, they go through certain motions, and they are "rewarded" with what they wanted (like a vending machine).
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