Some long overdue updates on work I've published about the ol' internet lately.
Two weeks ago, I wrote a review of Gears of War: Judgment for Paste magazine. I also wrote an editorial about Sofia for Gameranx. Tom Bissell, one of the game's two lead writers, responded in a comment on the post. We live in a magical world of accessibility now, where game creators can talk directly with critics and vice versa. Too bad I couldn't use that accessibility to tell Bissell how much I loved his game, because I did not.
Read MoreI didn't always like the Phoenix. But I did always love it.
Like any long-term relationship, there weren't good days and bad days. There were good years and bad years.
Read MoreBack in seventh grade, I thought at first that Tomb Raider was just a porn that all my guy friends liked. Oh, I knew that it was a game -- I just thought it was a porn game. My male friends talked in front of me without shame about their masturbation habits, their pornography preferences, and their wish for a Lara Croft "nude" mode. Middle schoolers, am I right? The guys did get their hands on the Nude Raider patch; I didn't understand until a couple years later that this patch wasn't included with the game, that it had been created independently.
Read MoreIf you've ever seen me speak on a panel about games writing, you've heard me joke around about sleep deprivation. "All the game reviews you read have been written by someone who hasn't slept for a week," I say to anyone who raises their hand to say they envy the life of a video game critic. "You think reviewing games is easy? You try it."
I say this in a joking tone so that I don't scare people, but it's not really a joke. I think reviewing video games is fun. I do not think it is easy. And I do think you should try it.
Read MoreI reviewed the Tomb Raider reboot for Paste Magazine this week. The game comes out tomorrow. Hopefully I helped at least a few lost souls decide whether or not they should pick that up.
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