Howdy, gaming lovelies! Hopefully you had some time this weekend to play some great games or check out the open betas. I admit, I played a few (too many) hours of the DOOM! open beta but missed out on Overwatch. If you played either, I’d love to hear what you thought.
Representation Matters
For the longest time, I couldn’t explain that disappointment in games or media — when I was really excited for a thing and then I saw it and was sad for no good reason. Then I came to WWAC and had my a-ha moment, it was representation. For all those things I was excited about, I was saddened when the trailer came out and I couldn’t see myself in it. Fast forward to the Fallout Out 4 Wasteland Workshop trailer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjASHR7F79Q?rel=0
You see, I’ve been roaming around the wasteland with super mutant Strong, killing bad guys and setting up barrack-style settlements — seriously, no fluff, just a floor, roof and simple beds. When the Wasteland Workshop trailer dropped, I thought, this could be my chance to spruce things up a bit. The trailer image was a saucy vintage red-head mechanic, but as soon as I heard the male voice over, my heart sank. I roamed around the wasteland as a woman and this voice was not me. I kept hoping that maybe halfway it would switch voices, but it didn’t. I know it seems like a silly thing, I mean, I get to play the actual game as a female character, but I’m so sad that my little-kid-joy was trampled with such a small thing.
Diversity Leaderboard
Achievement Unlocked – Romance & sexuality in games
Karin Weekes and Michelle Clough chat about romance, sexuality and LGBTQ characters in video games. Of course there is still a ton of work to do, but the fact that game developers and their international organization are taking it seriously is a huge win.
Your life force is running out – Alex St. John’s “Enslaving the Masses”
The game development community was rocked by outrage and sarcasm this week as Alex St. John shared ideas on recruiting and retaining employees. The 14-page presentation includes so many off-color remarks, it’s hard to fathom how he came up with them all. He manages to insult millennials, women and even autistic folks all in one tidy package. But he doesn’t stop there. Since the internet has called him on the carpet, he’s felt the need to write a follow-up which doesn’t exactly help. Thankfully, there are some studios who do care about their employees’ work life balance. The folks at Klei Entertainment (Invisible, Inc.) have this video on the philosophy at their company.
Critical Hit – Milo Tosser
Milo Yiannopoulos may be no friend to women in games or feminists in general, but it doesn’t mean I want to see his cartoon likeness thrown off a roof. In Milo Tosser, the ISIS-inspired game has you play as terrorists throwing bodies off the roof into a bulls eye target. The game’s designer, Michael Garber, claims he wanted to bring awareness of extremist Islam’s intolerance of gay men, women and non-Muslims.
New to Play
Invisible, Inc – PS4
Invisible, Inc is a tactical espionage game by Klei Entertainment (Don’t Starve) and has been available for PC, Mac and Linux since mid-2015. This week the game finds its first console release via PS4. The stylized turn-based strategy game comes with high accolades and the graphics look phenomenal. I’m loving those female agents!
Sailor Moon Drops – iOS, Android
A perfect way to pass the time in line, Sailor Moon Drops is all adorable chibis and pastel palette. It’s a Candy Crush-style game play so don’t expect amazing new game mechanics. If you’re in it for fun-loving Sailor Scouts and cutesy cut scenes, check out this free-to-play game.
Cartoon Network: Crossover Crisis – Tabletop
Are you addicted to Cartoon Network shows like Steven Universe, Adventure Time, Regular Show and Samurai Jack? If so, the new deck building game from Cryptozioc Entertainment is worth a gander. This competitive game mish moshes characters from multiple shows to ensure hilarity ensues. The 2-5 player game is suggested for ages 12 and up.
Just for fun
In general, gamer cosplay has some of the best cosplay I have ever seen. And for someone who attends 6-8 conventions a year, that’s nothing to shake a stick at. I have friends building amazing Fallout 4 cosplay for this weekend’s PAX East (pics to come!), but today I’ll leave you with this amazing build of Gauss Rifle. The thousand part, magnetic breakdown, with real rust gun build from Kamui Cosplay will blow your mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdgSBeRonbw?rel=0
That’s it for this week. Remember, I’m off to PAX East this weekend, so if you’re there, feel free to give me a shout out. Until next week, happy gaming!
