Tag Archives: column

Feb
03
2009

Mirror’s Edge

Mirror’s Edge is a game that was heralded by a marketing campaign that wanted gamers to think of Mirror’s Edge as a game that was innovative and, more than that, different. It had a heroine that was markedly different from another well-known leading lady. The scenery is comprised of a bright, pronounced color palette that [...]

By Trent Polack | Posted in Gaming | Also tagged , , , , , , | View Comments
Nov
22
2008

Games as Art (as Games)

Esquire’s Future of Video Game Design is considered required reading in these parts from today onward. And, given this revelation, Jason Rohrer’s Passage is also now considered required playing.
The Esquire piece brings about one of the game industry’s favorite set piece discussions (along with digital rights management and booth babes): games as art. It’s a [...]

By Trent Polack | Posted in General | Also tagged , , , , , , | View Comments
Sep
29
2008

Mechanics 0: Thinking About Games

There are, as of my last counting, approximately a gazillion journalistic locales which offer game reviews on the internet or in print. There are not, to my knowledge, any columns which analyze a game mechanic within the context in which it appears along with detailing what is actually fun about the mechanic, and how it [...]

By Trent Polack | Posted in Mechanics | Also tagged , , , , , , , | View Comments
Jun
23
2008

Grid

I know Grid isn’t the greatest arcade racing game ever but, goddamn, I love it so much. It has the perfect blend of a career mode where I can make money, buy cars, hire teammates and then merges that with a with a more arcade-like set of racing mechanics. The game has a great sense [...]

By Trent Polack | Posted in General | Also tagged , , | View Comments
Jun
20
2008

Metal Gear Gameplay

Over the course of the last week I was able to play the final chapter in a franchise which I first played as a rental on my NES way back when I was a munchkin; Metal Gear was a thoroughly confusing game for the four-year-old me. I very much doubt that I made it much [...]

By Trent Polack | Posted in General | Also tagged , , , | View Comments
Jun
19
2008

A Digitally-Distributed World

As more and more developers and publishers realize the benefits of distributing their products online, more types of digital distribution applications have been created to benefit the cause. At this point in time gamers have their choice of applications like Impulse (a rebranded and revamped Stardock Central), Steam, Gametap, and EA Downloader (which is now [...]

By Trent Polack | Posted in Programming | Also tagged , , , | View Comments
May
18
2008

Grand Theft Auto 4

878,598 dollars earned (of which $376,945 was spent), 860 killed by one of my 161 cars stolen or ventilated by a number of my 16,367 bullets fired, 94 missions completed, and 28 hours and 34 minutes later I have completed Grand Theft Auto 4, a game sitting at a solid 98% overall score on Metacritic [...]

By Trent Polack | Posted in Gaming | Also tagged , , | View Comments