Well Played 2.0: Video Games, Value and Meaning

by Drew Davidson

Following on Well Played 1.0, this book is full of in-depth close readings of video games that parse out the various meanings to be found in the experience of playing a game. Contributors analyze sequences in a game in detail in order to illustrate and interpret how the various components of a game can come together to create a fulfilling playing experience unique to this medium. Contributors are again looking at video games in order to provide a variety of perspectives on the value of games.

Genres: Ebooks, Video Games

334 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 2010

Reviews

[Aglaia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The variety of games covered in this collection is better than the first collection. A good attempt at addressing a variety of games (modern, vintage, online, social, and mobile) is made. Many of the articles, though, still fall far into the reader-response and summaries of games. A few articles, though, are worth noting.

In particular, Bobby Schweizer's "Making and Unmaking Place in The Darkness" provides a good analysis of the game in context of the literary concept of "space making." Less scholarly but well-written was Celia Pearce's "Discovering Uru." Pearce provides an intriguing introduction to the online universe set in the Myst mythos.

I would like to have seen more critical study and less experiential essays on the games -- or at least an analysis of how games must be experiential. Generally, I appreciate the attempt of this collection to demonstrate that gaming has gained not only a popular but also a critical following.

[Jorge Albor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm in this book, so that's cool, but it's also a great collection of games writing edited by one of my personal heroes in the industry.