[Like slogging through the mud in a busted-up truck? Snowrunner’s your game!]
And here’s another installment of Video Game Deep Cuts on Substack, in our 932nd week of self-isolation. That’s about right, huh? At least our digital video games & interesting articles/videos still seem to arriving promptly. Bon appetit!
- Simon, curator
The Current: New Games To Consider
Tonight We Riot (PC, Switch) is an ‘unapologetically leftist’ pixel squad brawler made by a worker-owned cooperative.
Levelhead (Xbox Game Pass, PC, Switch, iOS, Android) is a ‘leaving Early Access’ super-fun ‘platformer maker’ game from the Crashlands devs.
Wintermoor Tactics Club (PC, Switch) is a strategy RPG & visual novel combo about high school D&D shenanigans. (Trailer.)
Old World (PC Early Access @ Epic Games Store) is Soren Johnson (Civ IV/Offworld Trading Company)’s latest intriguing 4x strategy game.
Snowrunner (PC, PS4, Xbox) is the latest in the Spintires series, involving lots of slow, low-gear heavy vehicle maneuvering in rough terrain. It’s weird/good!
Someday You’ll Return (PC, pictured) is an atmospheric first-person psychological horror game which has great visuals, but mixed reviews to date.
The Culture: Game Culture & Deep Dives
What makes a good RPG dungeon? A look at 11 great video game dungeons.
Why we need more games that are social platforms first & games second.
Fed up of no physical game exhibitions? LIKELIKE Online & oMoMA are playful, tricksy pixel-art style multiplayer galleries & environments.
Went deep into the rhythm game scene this week, & found this joyous 2-player freestyle on Konami’s Dancerush Stardom - 100%-ing the game while doing it!
A great overview of virtual concerts in Minecraft. (BONUS: this 100 Gecs DJ set from the recent Square Garden benefit is wild. )
The Past: Game History
The story of how Bullfrog made futuristic racing game Hi-Octane in 8 weeks (?!) after EA decided they wanted a PC game out that quarter.
Billy Mitchell’s Donkey Kong high-score cheating controversy makes it all the way to court, sigh.
Go behind the scenes of seminal ‘80s British game magazine Your Sinclair.
The massive effort to re-engineer Mario & Zelda N64 game source code.
The ‘best art show of the year’, the 2020 Famicase exhibit (pictured) features imaginary covers to imagined Famicom/NES games. (Alt list of the 25 best!)
The Other Goodness
Sim car racing doesn’t have the same physical danger as real-life racing - is that changing the rules of fair play?
‘The floor is lava’. Or quicksand? Or something else? A comprehensive survey of the most dangerous childhood imaginary floors.
