Kill Screen Magazine's Blog, page 413

Hieronytris turns Tetris into a macabre Bosch masterpiece

Not for the faint-of-anything. 

Will wearables bring videogame design into the real world?

Better living through data.

Calculords makes me feel like a math genius, and that's magical

I am not a "math man."

Double Fine made a pretty lame trailer for this otherwise awesome Zelda-inspired hacking game

I was super-impressed along with everyone else when I saw the  code’em-up Hack 'n' Slash at a live demo a month ago. The idea is that you solve puzzles like those found in the overhead Zelda games, but instead of dropping bombs and pushing blocks, you pull up a computer terminal and alter the code. This allows you to craftily change parameters of objects in the world so you can grab that heart piece, or whatever. This is very cool to behold, and it familiarizes you with the ins-and-outs of code to boot.

The other issue on the table is, man, has Double Fine along with the rest of the industry really been derping it up with corny, kitschy, ostensibly funny game trailers lately. This has gone on long enough!

A room full of rowdy people getting hype for Star Citizen's in-game footage

Star Citizen is quickly becoming something of a big deal. Sure, the $41 million raised is impressive, for a crowdfunding campaign. But what finally convinced me that this spiritual salute to Wing Commander has escaped the echo chamber of the Internet into broader culture was when a random stranger I met at a pizzeria asked me, “Do you know about this Star Citizen game?” Her boyfriend was obsessed, she said. 

Apparently there were plenty of people like her boyfriend at PAX East this morning, hooting and chanting and yelling “woo” as the developer demoed the game in action for the first time. And I have to say it looks pretty outstanding, even though it’s very, very early in production. Admittedly, that could just be the crowd full of cheering fanatics swaying my judgement. Either way, I’m excited!

New PBS Game/Show appraises the worst games of all time

It’s been said that badness is only spoiled goodness, but obviously whoever said that had never played a truly bad videogame. Case in point: there is nothing even remotely redeemable about the majority of the games in this week’s PBS Game/Show’s episode. Well, except that it’s pretty funny when Jamin compiles a list of them and summarily dissects their worst qualities by category. But even the lowest of the low can reveal some critical insight into the often glorious but occasionally atrocious medium we call videogames.

Check out the episode and let us know what you think in the comments!

Last Life is a Grim Fandango-looking adventure game and Tim Schafer is involved. Need I say more?

Minus the skulls. Plus the art deco.

Gamebuino is the 8-bit handheld game programmer from your childhood dreams

Can you're credit card do this?

The secret history of the American boardgame

Or: why you hate Monopoly.

Monument Valley is a painting you can touch

Who cares for how long?