Features and articles by game critic Erik Twice. Discover the secrets of games, the people who make them and the community around them.
Games are an interactive art form. Our actions as players shape the resulting experience to the same degree, if not more, than the game mechanics, the level design or the developer’s vision. This puts us in a position where the effort we put into a game has a direct impact on how much we enjoy it. And yet, we often forget about how not putting in that effort can worsen our game sessions.
What a year! In the last twelve months I may have written some of my best articles yet. More people than ever read my blog and I’ve met many of you, who are as excited to talk about games as I am. Today I look back at all the articles I’ve written last year, what I think about them and what I’m planning for the future.
This has been a very special year. Today I wanted to thank everyone who makes this blog possible. To those who read me, those who follow me on social media and those who debate with me about games. To Debbie, my editor, Yariknight, my Spanish proof-reader, and all my supporters on Patreon. To everyone who has been part of this project, thank you!
As a gift, we made a small escape room for you. Hope you have fun with it!
“It’s not that I’m overly influenced by conflict games. It’s that they have a seat at my table and, for other designers, they don’t”. Across the screen with a sly smile, sits Cole Wehrle, designer of Root. As we talk about his passion for wargames, the influence of Dune and the obscure Early Railways Series one thought crosses my mind: How do his habits as a player shape him as a designer?
Last week I published my 100th article on this blog. While I’ve been writing about games for almost a decade, it was only recently that I began publishing every week. As I look back, I’m amazed at how much I’ve achieved and how many of you have enjoyed my analysis and reviews. Let’s celebrate by looking at our favourite articles and my plans for the future.
