Welcome to Polarity Shift, where an editor chooses a game they love and tries their damndest to give it a negative review. Only by seeing how the other half lives can we truly reach a sort of opinionated paradise.
Category: Gaming Feature
Error! Not Found’s 4th Annual Game of the Year Awards
We’ve all said it at one point or another, but it bears repeating: 2014 was pretty much ass. Purely focusing on the games-side of things, there were far more disappointing and broken games that released this year than any of us would have expected. Still, even in this most ass-y of years, there were still games that came out that were worth rewarding. But before we get to those games, let’s start off with a category that’s pretty representative of 2014 as a whole.
Doom First Look – QuakeCon 2014
It’s been a long time coming, but we finally have new information on the new Doom game from id Software, now formally titled Doom. I attended QuakeCon in Dallas, Texas and saw the first public footage of the game, tailor-made for fans of the series. They didn’t allow any kind of photography or video, but at least allow me to paint you a word picture.
Matthew’s Top 10 Games of 2013
2013 was defined by a number of great games, my favorites oftentimes consisting of ones with a unique vision. But before we get to those…
Good Game Club & The Deconstruction of Sports
“If I were going to pitch this to a publisher, I’d probably say it’s like Halo meets Angry Birds.”
Titanfall Hands-On – PAX Prime 2013
Every good thing you’ve heard about Titanfall is true.
Why The Wolf Among Us Is My PAX Prime 2013 Game Of Show
“This game series adapts to the choices you make. The story is tailored by how you play.”
Postmortem: The Emotional Impact of The Last of Us
Now that The Last of Us has been out for a little more than a month, I’ve had numerous opportunities (as I sat around doing nothing) to reflect on what did and didn’t work. I kept swinging around in semi-circles with my chair as I thought back to the major thematic beats and emotionally gut-wrenching dialogue.
I stand by my review of The Last of Us; it is a flawed game. But I constantly find myself thinking about different, highly impactful moments. I run over my review time and again, never questioning my opinion, but wondering if there was a better way to articulate it. I continue to remember the fantastic narrative beats and the rich characters that permeate all throughout The Last of Us, and little by little my rose-colored glasses tint just a shade darker. I gave The Last of Us a positive review, even if some don’t think that’s the case. I really like the game, and it will probably make it into my top ten at the end of the year (but let’s certainly not think about that now), so I’m attempting to explore why I still think The Last of Us is one of the best games this year.
To Infinity and Beyond: What I Would Like in Bioshock Infinite’s DLC
To begin, I would like to say that this post will contain a fair amount of spoilers so read at your own risk.
Bioshock is not just a game. It is a masterpiece in storytelling, as you have likely heard from many other critics and review sites, such as our own. This is not to be debated; it is a fact set in stone no matter what reality tear you are in. As I write this my mouth is still agape from the ending events and how complex and astounding they are. With the concluding events now behind me and the intrigue of forthcoming DLC on the horizon, I became curious as to what Irrational Games could possibly do. While I would like to obviously see new vigor’s and weapons, I am far more curious with the story and where it could place players within the floating skylines of Columbia, and with whom they would come to interact with. Following are a few hopeful wishes for the DLC and how it will further come to shape Booker, Columbia, and all of its inhabitants.
Why Can’t My Friends Be As Cool As Those Characters In Persona 4?
I very rarely feel connected to characters in video games, or if I am, generally it’s only at the surface level. I can count on my hand the number of times a game’s narrative has drawn me in – specifically to its characters – and made me experience genuine emotions for them. Persona 4 is probably the title to best describe a game like this. It pulls me into a world not so different from my own. It gives me characters I can relate to, laugh at, protect, and even love.
[Spoilers for Persona 4, read at your own risk. They’re not super big, but if you’re a member of the Personathon then it might be beneficial not to read this. Mainly just the next two paragraphs are super spoiler-y. The rest isn’t too explicit.]
Error! Not Found 