Games Reviews
The 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Game Has the Sloppy Appeal of Its Source Material
Never great but rarely bad, 'Guardians' tries to make up for a lack of consistent quality with nonstop action and variety.
Yussef Cole
10.25.21
Fortnite
Fortnite's Appropriation Issue Isn't About Copyright Law, It's About Ethics
Epic Games must credit the black artists whose work it has appropriated.
Yussef Cole
2.11.19
Detroit: Become Human
'Detroit' Siphons and Squanders a History of Marginalized Struggle
The only meanings in 'Detroit: Become Human' are the ones it steals.
Yussef Cole
6.6.18
Guns and Games
White Supremacy, Black Liberation, and the Power Dynamics of Gun Violence
'Mafia 3' understands why the black radicals of the 1960s would turn to guns for protection.
Yussef Cole
3.19.18
The Pantheon of Games
Dishonored's Billie Lurk Was the Spirit of Justice in 2017
In a year filled with debate about how to confront inequity, the heroine of 'Death of the Outsider' did so without apology.
Yussef Cole
12.25.17
At Play in the Carceral State
In 'Injustice 2,' Even Our Heroes Are Authoritarian Assholes
A battle between Superman and Batman showcases the limit of the superhero allegory.
Yussef Cole
7.27.17
prison
'Prison Architect' Has No Room for Political Action
'Prison Architect' models building well, but it fails to strike at a system that routinely abuses prisoners' rights.
Yussef Cole
7.26.17
buying games
Scoring Video Games at the Flea Market
Life lessons in economics and happiness, shaped by scoping out discounted games from the flea market.
Yussef Cole
4.2.17
doom
Playing In the Shadow of Progress in 'Doom' and 'Inside'
'Doom' and 'Inside' may be two of the most stylistically dissimilar games of 2016, but they both comment on technology's sinister side.
Yussef Cole
11.16.16