Oblivion’s central environment is abounding in beauty and wonder, characterized by considerable diversity, which communicates a sharp sense of largeness, largeness which is, ultimately, rather illusory – by today’s standards, Cyrodiil could be seen as impossibly small, though Oblivion compensates for this smallness by the crafting of a very compelling, almost inviting and tranquil, atmosphere.Continue reading “The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – A Retrospective”
Tag Archives: Video Game Analysis
Dishonored – Final Review
Dishonored is characterized by robust world-building, its lore rich and well-developed. At the core of this setting is the city of Dunwall, the crowing jewel and the heart of a far flung, once prosperous, empire; prosperity has partially departed, owing to the introduction and domination of an invasive plague, bringing with it devastation, tarnishing somewhatContinue reading “Dishonored – Final Review”
Valiant Hearts: The Great War – Final Review
Aesthetically, Valiant Hearts: The Great War is wholly remarkable and memorable, boasting rich, highly detailed environments and rather charming character design, a design which absolutely clings towards the light hearted. But just as there are light-hearted attributes, some more mature environmental designs are also in place; deep, labyrinthian, trenches are explored one moment, the playerContinue reading “Valiant Hearts: The Great War – Final Review”
On DLC and Expansion Packs
It is quite staggering to consider the meteoric rise of DLC and expansion packs within the video game industry in recent memory, their influence long mounting and continuing to mount. Much of this ascension is of course tied to the Internet, while similarly important are console dashboard systems, like those popularized by the Xbox 360;Continue reading “On DLC and Expansion Packs”
Borderlands 3: Bounty of Blood – Final Review
As is characteristic of much of Gearbox’s recent work, the environments in Bounty of Blood are overflowing with creativity, the central planet of Gehenna atmospheric, imaginative, and immersive. Western stylings are boldly embraced, browns and oranges holding a position of prominence in the color palette, while much of the landscape is sunbaked and bright inContinue reading “Borderlands 3: Bounty of Blood – Final Review”
Open World Analysis – The Sinking City
The Sinking City’s central location, the derelict Massachusetts town of Oakmont, is like a place lost to time; geographically isolated and absent from any maps, it has developed into a microcosm of sorts, largely unaffected and uninfluenced by the wider world, this isolation also resulting in the formation of a wholly unique society; Oakmont’s citizensContinue reading “Open World Analysis – The Sinking City”
What Remains of Edith Finch – Final Review
What Remains of Edith Finch’s central narrative is paradoxically profound and straightforward, straightforwardness stemming from the narrative’s construction, profundity stemming from the nature of the themes discussed: poignant matters such as one’s relation to the past, one’s obligations to family and to the self – these complex themes are abundant, the one great linking constancyContinue reading “What Remains of Edith Finch – Final Review”
The Sinking City – Final Review
In almost all aspects of its design, The Sinking City strives for innovation, and mostly meets with success; some iterative design principles inevitably find themselves within the title, but the very existence of such wide-reaching ambition is indeed commendable. Atmospherically, the title is singularly remarkable – not necessarily beautiful, but abounding in moodiness, the centralContinue reading “The Sinking City – Final Review”
On Video Game Prices
Save for the early years of my existence, when the Playstation 2 and the Xbox were the dominant home consoles, video games have consistently released at the same price point – sixty dollars, that price being established and accepted with the release of the Xbox 360 back in 2005. Given the poor present state ofContinue reading “On Video Game Prices”
Child of Light – Final Review
With its painterly attributes and bold usage of vibrant color, Child of Light is a singularly beautiful title; whimsicality dominates; creativity abounds. In addition to being visually arresting, the game world is brimming with considerable environmental diversity, each distinct location having its own identity, evoking different sensations, different emotions. Deep, cavernous oceans are explored oneContinue reading “Child of Light – Final Review”
Games With Grey 