Muse - A guiding spirit; A source of inspiration; A poet.
A college student aiming to become a designer of video games, or a writer in the industry. This blog contains essays and reviews of video games, along with fan material, art work, collectibles, and the like.
Video Game Essays and Reviews
My reviews, critical essays, and discussion pieces written on various video games and video game topics.
Language and Sexism in Beyond Good and Evil
If a video game is going to have sexism in it, it needs to be properly addressed and condemned. The fact that BG&E doesn’t do that is just the first problem.
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete
Does a video game make a good movie? Maybe. But it’s definitely not an easy transition, and one that FFVII: ACC doesn’t quite make smoothly.
Demons and Desire: Devil May Cry 4
DMC4 is a very sexy game. But what’s not sexy is the way the game treats different groups of people, and how it harms certain members of its audience.
Dead Space is strange as far as game design decisions go; many of its elements contradict each other. Simply put, it’s fun and scary, but not as scary as it could be. Here’s why.
What do Link, Chell, and the Pokemon Trainer have in common? None of them is characterized in a traditional sense. This piece examines the silent hero and asks why video games might thrive from having heroes who have so little definition.
Role Reversal: Final Fantasy Dissidia Duodecim 012
Fighting games are not exactly the place to go for strong female characterization most days. Final Fantasy is also pretty iffy on that regard. But in this instance, Duodecim pulls a pretty cool role reversal with the characters Yuna and Jecht.
Back to Basics: A Silent Hill Downpour Review
Silent Hill Downpour is a really great game. It’s frightening, enthralling, and thrilling to play. It’s also a really racist game. Within I discuss the legacy of the series, and the aspects which Downpour improved… and those it didn’t.
Starting at the End: In Medias Res in Video Games
In Medias Res is a literary technique where the story ‘starts’ with the ending, and then jumps back in time and builds up to the end point. In this piece, I examine what happens when video games use this technique through discussing the games Final Fantasy X, and Dragon Age 2.
When Moms Play Mass Effect: How Age Affects How Gamers Play
A piece which explores the differences between the gameplay styles of people of different ages and from different generations; specifically, how my mother plays Mass Effect, and how my niece plays Transformers: War for Cybertron.
A Gamer’s Hopes for Silent Hill: Downpour
In which I long for days of old, for fixed camera angles and awkward control systems, and times when Pyramid Head didn’t stick his abnormally sharp nose into every new game to be released.
Female Characterization in Alan Wake: American Nightmare
In this Alan Wake DLC, there’s some good and bad. Some of the characters are characterized well; and some of them… let’s just say, “Remedy, what were you thinking?”
Out of the Mouths of Dwarves: A Dragon Age 2 Review
A piece which discusses why a game shouldn’t be demonized for valuing story over gameplay. This examines what makes DA2’s story so intriguing, and what the series should work on as it continues to evolve.
Soul Calibur V: Sexism and Stereotypes
Soul Calibur has never been very good at depicting female characters - but this new game takes the sexism cake. The character of Pyrrha is one of the most demeaning stereotypes to be found in the series.
Female Shepherd: Character Analysis
In which I discuss Female Shepherd’s characterization, how she defies gender stereotypes and sexism, and just how awesome she is as a character.
Anachronism: A Clock Tower 3 Review
Clock Tower 3 is a terrifying experience, and a frustrating one: filled with virtues and vices, this is a game survival horror fans should play. Just watch out for the rampant sexism in the last half of the game.
The Threshold Moment: Visual Cues in Video Games
A piece which explores the meaning of Thane Krio’s entrance in the game Mass Effect 2, and the use of literary techniques in gaming in general.
The Art of Fun: A LittleBigPlanet2 Review
Video games can get pretty dark and serious in nature. But LittleBigPlanet2 is as silly as it gets, and that is one of the strong points of this wondrous title. A great romp through the world of imagination, LBP2 is a game to treasure.
The Flaws of Rapture; a Bioshock review
An exploration of one of the most lauded video games of all time, by a writer whose hatred of Ayn Rand made playing this game extremely satisfying.
Not every sequel is a good sequel - sometimes they seem to forget they’re part of a series. A discussion of why some sequels are bad, and what the good ones do right.
Within, I discuss the flaws, the strengths, and the problems that exist in this amazing unforgettable sexy - stay impartial dammit! - this extremely fun and extremely flawed title. A really brilliant game that has issues that need to be addressed in future ME titles.
A Tale of Twilight; a LoZ: Twilight Princess Review
My first review for a Legend of Zelda game, this essay examines the good, bad, and ugly of Twilight Princess, and the inherent problems of the Zelda series in general.
Mickey Mouse Morals; an Epic Mickey Review
As the title so helpfully says, this essay is a review of the Wii exclusive Epic Mickey: an exploration into its strengths and flaws, and the ingenious game play and level design that exists in this title.
An essay in which the characterizations of Final Fantasy villains are examined, and the demonizing of sexuality explored.
Girls in Gaming: Heather Mason, Silent Hill 3
Video games hardly ever have women as main characters, and when they do, the characterization of those women is usually very problematic. Not so in this case: Heather Mason is one of the best characterized female characters in gaming.
Silent Hill, the Gender Binary, and Gender Essentialism
Movies based on games are usually terrible; way too many changes are made when the game goes to the big screen. In the case of the Silent Hill movie, one change that was made is, well… really harmful. Bad Christopher Gans. Bad.
In the Depths of Darkness: An Alan Wake Review
Games are art, there’s no question. But perhaps some games are more artistic than others… Alan Wake is one of those. In the following, I examine the haunting beauty of this breathtaking title.
The Elements of a Great Survival Horror Video Game
Games like Silent Hill and Resident Evil aren’t like other games - like others of the survival horror genre, these games exist by different rules and work with different techniques to scare the ever-loving crap out of players. Detailed in this essay are some of those techniques.
One and the Same: Final Fantasy X and Dragon Age: Origins
At first glance, it might not seem so likely, but these two popular video game titles have a heck of a lot in common. In fact, they’re almost the same story told two different ways. Here’s why.
A Useless Princess: Kairi, Namine, and the Females of Kingdom Hearts
The portrayal of female characters in Kingdom Hearts is male-centered and very weak, especially the female lead Kairi. An overview of her weaknesses, and what the KH team did wrong.
Final Fantasy XII: The Problem with the ‘Leading Man’
Everyone loves him - but what they don’t realize is just how problematic Balthier is, and how he harms the portrayal of Fran. An essay that addresses the minorities of Final Fantasy XII.
Silent Hill 2: Women, Abuse, and Pyramid Head
A look into the roles of women in Silent Hill 2, the abuses they suffer, and what Pyramid Head truly represents.
The Women of Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII is a famous and well loved game, but it has a lot of issues, especially in its portrayal of women.
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From here down, my essays are older; these were the first pieces I ever wrote, and it shows. But it’s good to be able to look back at where I’ve been and see how I’ve improved, so I keep these around.
Pokemon has remained the same for so long; but now, it seems the old formula is being changed in Pokemon Black and White. Is it a good thing? Does Pokemon need to grow up?
On the Edge: A Mirror’s Edge Review
Mirror’s Edge is a rushing, thrilling game, with a lot of beautiful motifs. I explore the meaning of flight in this unique title.
Resident Evil 5: Zombies and Friends
A lot of gamers have complained about the need to play RE5 with a friend - in my opinion, that factor is this game’s greatest strength.
Back to Dreamland: A Reflection on Kirby and Childhood
After years had passed since I first played, I stumble upon Kirby’s Dreamland again - and remember how gaming first came into my life.
My Only Wish: A Folklore Video Game Review
Folklore, a 2006 PS3 exclusive, is an amazing gaming experience. But it never got the attention it deserved - and that, and a great deal more, and discussed here.
Using what I’ve learned in my Religious Ethics class, I examine the morals of the twisted town itself.
Silent Hill: A Video Game Review
My first video game review ever written, examining the first Silent Hill game, its triumphs and failures, and how it led to the success of the rest of the series.
NIGHTNIGHT by DEDDY
