Journal of Games Criticism

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  • LIBERATING PLAY: AN INTERVIEW WITH ANNA ANTHROPY AND MIGUEL SICART

    by Anne Gilbert First published July 2016 Download full article PDF here. Anne Gilbert (Moderator): What are we liberating play from? What does that mean? Miguel Sicart: One of the things that I want to liberate play from is games. In my opinion, the notion of gaming, and in particular the video game, is probably… Continue reading

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  • A PROCEDURALIST VIEW ON DIVERSITY IN GAMES

    by Gillian Smith First published July 2016 Download full article PDF here. Abstract The way in which information is represented to the machine, as well as how procedures use it, reveals biases during game development that influence the way in which players experience a game. Additionally, in order to critique the role of gender, race,… Continue reading

  • LUDIC SPOLIA IN SID MEIER’S CIVILIZATION: BEYOND EARTH

    by Erin McNeil First published July 2016 Download full article PDF here. Abstract The use and repurposing of ludic spolia from Sid Meie­­­r’s Civilization V within Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth conforms to the same patterns as architectural spolia: ludic spolia is both practical and symbolic, both about coopting the power of the past and… Continue reading

  • THE REPLICATION OF IDEOLOGY: AN INTERVIEW WITH ADRIENNE SHAW AND MARCUS BOON

    by Melissa Aronczyk First published July 2016 Download full article PDF here. Moderator (Melissa Aronczyk): One of the themes that we discussed that is going to be central to our conversation today is the replication of ideology. Let me start the conversation off with a question for Adrienne. One of the things that you mentioned… Continue reading

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  • IMPERIALISM IN THE WORLDS AND MECHANICS OF FIRST-PERSON SHOOTERS

    by Ansh Patel First published July 2016 Download full article PDF here. Abstract First-person shooters (FPSs) evoke a power fantasy that empowers players with both agency and choice, while problematically reproducing various aspects of imperialism. Specifically, players develop a “heroic” narrative by exploring and conquering game spaces and neutralizing “savage, hostile” enemies. This paper focuses… Continue reading

  • ASSESSING MASS EFFECT 2 AND ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM: USING COLLABORATIVE CRITERIA FOR PLAYER AGENCY IN INTERACTIVE NARRATIVES

    by Lindsey Joyce First published July 2016 Download full article PDF here. Abstract The central argument in the ludology versus narratology debate is that the relationship between narrative and agency is fundamentally in tension. Within the field of game studies this debate has become as tedious as it is misguided. The key error on both… Continue reading

  • HANGING IN THE VIDEO ARCADE

    by Samuel Tobin First published July 2016 Download full article PDF here. Abstract The video arcade is an important site for game studies and game history. So far it has been largely addressed as a site of play. This paper decenters play and the player in the arcade by exploring another subject I call hangers. It explores… Continue reading

  • CONSIDERING THE SEQUEL TO GAME STUDIES…

    by Aaron Trammell & Zack Lischer-Katz First published July 2016. Download full article PDF here. Like any good sequel, a band’s sophomore album is replete with its own mythology. Often conceived as a cash grab while the success and clout of a band’s first album keeps the audience interested, second albums are all high-highs and… Continue reading

The Journal of Games Criticism is a non-profit, peer-reviewed game studies journal that strives to connect the conversations between traditional academics and popular game critics. The journal strives to be a producer of feed-forward approaches to video games criticism with a focus on influencing gamer culture, the design and writing of video games, and the social understanding video games and video game criticism.

ISSN: 2374-202X

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