Fantage: A Glittering Digital Ghost Town
Ah, Fantage—a flashback to the days when the internet felt like a freshly discovered galaxy. Imagine it: 2008, an era where the internet was less algorithmic and more anarchic, where the hottest trend wasn’t about who had the most followers, but who had the most neon-clad avatar in an online game designed for kids. Fantage was the digital utopia for the tweenage crowd, a place where your biggest dilemma was whether to splurge your hard-earned Stars on a new virtual outfit or save up for a more exclusive hairdo. It was a pixelated paradise, until it wasn’t.
Read More
Spiritfarer: A Game About Life, Death, and Human Connection
How Spiritfarer Embraces the Complexities of Life and Death Written by Calypso Morgan 2020 is a year many of us would rather forget, but if it is to be remembered for one thing, it should be the release of a game that turned the world upside down. This isn’t a reference to Animal Crossing: New…
Read More
Mum’s Letters in Animal Crossing
In the world of Animal Crossing, the letters from Mum (or Mom) have evolved into something of a cult artefact, a weird blend of digital nostalgia and a reminder of that soft, maternal nudge from a simpler time. They’re these peculiar little notes you receive as you toil away, pulling weeds and catching bugs on your quaint little island. Mum’s letters are equal parts endearing and slightly offbeat—a perfect encapsulation of the game’s charm, but with an undertone that makes you question who’s really writing them and why they keep coming.
Read More
Dave The Diver: Plunging Headfirst into New Worlds
Too scared to play Subnautica, but want to traverse a deep sea environment? Meet Dave The Diver, developed by studio Mint Rocket, a cosy, yet challenging experience as the player inhabits Dave, a diver returning from his vacation, as he gathers different types of fish for the renowned Bancho Sushi. Pact full of incredible animations, dynamic boss battles and quests, Dave The Diver is easily one of the best games I’ve had the pleasure to play this year.
Read More
Charli XCX’s Brat Era Takes Over Dress to Impress
This Might Be the Best Brat Collab Yet Just when we thought our favourite digital dress-up game, Dress to Impress (DTI), had reached its peak, they’ve gone and outdone themselves. If you read our recent piece, “The New Era of Digital Dress-Up: How Roblox’s Dress to Impress Captivates a Generation”, you’ll know we’re completely besotted…
Read More
The New Era of Digital Dress-Up: How Roblox’s “Dress to Impress” Captivates a Generation
Once shaped by nostalgic browser games, Gen Z are now finding fashion-forward fun and creativity in Roblox’s latest hit, “Dress to Impress.” Written by Ore Adeyoola In recent years, many female gamers have reminisced on their childhood memories of sites like GirlsGoGames and Disney’s Pixie Hollows, which have long passed their peak popularity and, in…
Read More
More Than a Console: How Hardware Defines Gameplay
What Another Code: Recollection reveals about the importance of utilising game console hardware to its fullest potential Written by Arwa Al-Sahli As a form of media, video games have a unique feature that separates them from other forms of art: player interaction. Game developers utilise and embrace this aspect, as good game design shapes a…
Read More
Loving the Environment through Gaming
The EcoGaming Revolution Written by Christina Amato EcoGaming will forever be in vogue. There has been a surge within gaming in recent years, with developers coming out with stories that focus on nature and the environment. Some of these are cosy, cuddle-up-on-the-couch games, while others can feature forms of harsh survival. They immerse players in…
Read More
The Endearing World of Garage Sale
Garage Sale and its Director, Amelia Zollner, Prove the Importance of Indie Developers who Produce Heartfelt Gaming Experiences In Garage Sale, which saw release last June on Steam, you play as kid-next-door Juniper living in Lettuce Village: an adorable yet mysterious town away from the suburban life of Salad City. The player inhabits Juniper on…
Read More
Little Kitty Big City: The Warmth of Cosy Gaming
Proof That Sometimes the Purr-suit of Happiness Is as Simple as Being a Cat Written by Rose Renaud The mainstream popularity of the casual games genre has exploded in recent years. They have always been around and possess a sense of nostalgia with series like Animal Crossing and The Sims. They were worlds where we…
Read More