Journal of Games Criticism

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Mapping Dissonance: A Critical Analysis of Colonial RPG Conventions in GreedFall

by Joel, A., White

This article analyzes implicit claims embedded within the procedural rhetoric of the fantasy RPG GreedFall (Spiders, 2019). It argues that, while these claims reinforce colonial stereotypes, they helpfully show how RPGs must break with certain conventions to tell anti-colonial stories.

Ludic Composites and Playable Silvas

by Teo Kominiarczuk

The second decade of the 21st century saw the release of several idiosyncratic composite games that elude conventional classifications. This paper proposes a new name for such works: playable silvas, drawing from Polish literary theory. This notion is applied in analysis of Pony Island and Frog Fractions to demonstrate the core features of this microgenre and showcase its operational utility.

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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