Poser Status: Gaming With Imposter Syndrome

Twitter is now my favorite place to consume gaming content. Quick, easy, visual, and the ability to 1v1 anyone on their very literal latest opinion or creation. I was nonchalantly scrolling on my battered phone (probably ten centimeters from my face because I have no depth perception) before coming across this tweet by Girl Tribe Gaming.

I tapped it, ready to input my two cents by replying to the tweet as I don’t have a Reddit account, and then froze, mentally reprimanding myself. I couldn’t answer that question. My horde of 100 followers couldn’t know that the first time I ever played Street Fighter was in my first year of university, or that I caught my first Pokémon ever in 2016. They couldn’t know that I was a fake! I even have an illustrated Twitter icon, the hallmark of ‘I’m professional, yet hip; approachable, but discerning in the ventures I have dotted about in my bio.’

And then I realized that I should probably address this.

The year 2016 has definitely been a year for the reboots, remasters, remakes, sequels, and prequels—even before we talk specifically about gaming. At E3, Tekken 7 was announced and Microsoft Studios showed off the Gears of War 4 demo in all its high-def glory. Naughty Dog bestowed the huge news of a Crash Bandicoot trilogy remaster and release on PlayStation 4, which sent long-lost fans into a completely understandable frenzy.

When Maps Come Alive: ‘Firewatch’ Never Feels Fenced In

Firewatch is an adventure mystery game from new developer Campo Santo. This article will not spoil any plot points for the game, so read at your leisure. Then take a gander at Nik’s past Twitch stream!

Self-described as “small but scrappy,” the Campo Santo studio is definitely one to watch. Firewatch deals a heavy emotional hand to the player, acting as the first-person perspective of Henry, the fire lookout protagonist, and his sole interactions with another lookout, Delilah, whose relationship with Henry is filtered through the use of a radio while on duty in the Wyoming wilderness. Characterization and dialogue are superb, yet it is the level design and map that absolutely excels. I wouldn’t have considered Firewatch if my friend hadn’t suggested it to me after Oxenfree, so tiny shoutout to her!

While watching the E3 trailer, the one thing that really grabbed me was the map. After all those colors, the witty dialogue, and that cliffhanger, the deciding moment for me was, “Holy moly. We’re using an actual map with an actual compass!” In an almost ubiquitous trend in games, the map is usually tucked into a corner or a separate screen the player has to toggle on and off, perhaps revealed as the player explores any given level. Useful and efficient, yes, but realistic and intriguing, no.

In Firewatch, the map is fluidly flipped up by Henry’s square hands, given a shake to help it stay rigid, and can be zoomed in on to check features and paths. The player can lower the map and jog about, flipping it back up if need be, and the map and compass can be visible either simultaneously or independently—one in Henry’s left hand, the other in his right. The compass is a standard issue one, spinning as Henry turns to face different directions. There is no option to place helpful markers down or an illuminated path directing you to your objective as you walk on this map. The player has to navigate the area to progress both their understanding of the setting and Henry’s skillset, just as would be required in reality, and that feels so authentic and organic.

Reconciling Grief With Time Travel in ‘Life Is Strange’ & ‘Oxenfree’

[Trigger warning: discussions of death, grief, and assisted suicide.]

I’m a sap for indie games with great art direction. I think lots of people are, which makes me feel less like a sap, so I’m grateful for that. Whenever I see a new game with quirky characters, skillful storytelling, and weird game mechanics, I’m there faster than you can say “RPG Maker” and about knee-deep in developer blog entries and fan theories. Life Is Strange and Oxenfree are two of my favorites, and when the credits rolled for each, there was a realization that these games truly did leave their mark on me, which was cause for surprise. One day, I understood why.

What I really want to look at is time manipulation and control as a means for reconciling the impact that grief has. Stay with me—I hope I deliver on that. Lots of spoilers for Life Is Strange and Oxenfree follow. Both are very good games, so I recommend checking them out first before reading!

Time rewinds in Oxenfree are a strange side effect of alternate dimensional beings taking possession over your body. As described by Alex, the player-controlled protagonist, your soul or essence is “exhaled somewhere else” and not influenced by what the character wants or needs. For Alex, she is placed in instances where her brother Michael is alive. (Michael died before the events of the game and his death deeply impacts Alex and Michael’s girlfriend Clarissa.) Alex is assertive, witty, and self-deprecating, and depending on player choices, can be companionable or cold to her new step-brother Jonas. Clarissa is acerbic and distant, choosing to sit, drink, and smoke on the beach rather than socialize with Alex, Ren, and Jonas.

Time rewinds happen at the whim of supernatural beings—expressed quite clearly as creatures who are using their time powers to create alternate demises for one character. Detached from the perils of Edwards Island, the time rewinds in Oxenfree are safe, calm, and peaceful. The color scheme of Oxenfree’s gorgeous art style switches to warm yellows and golden oranges, conjuring up a homey feeling, that this past is real and this present is not.

The Unsolved Mystery of Bella Goth in ‘The Sims’ Franchise

Pretty much everyone has played one of the The Sims games and everyone has had their own experience in the sandbox that allows you to literally do anything to pixelated people. (Motherlode, anyone?) Premade Sims are often references to famous literature and media stereotypes with hints and scripted events dotted about to provoke ideas for the players, but ultimately, the player has control over any Sim’s life. This is why my attention is drawn to perhaps the most famous premade Sim: Bella Goth.

Over the course of the franchise, Bella was (perhaps inadvertently) subject to a mystery disappearance in the most successful installment of the game, The Sims 2. Consequently, a narrative was created for a sandbox game, and its effects rippled backwards and forwards in the games’ chronology. Her character was divided; a seductive, sweet-talking gold digger or a good-natured, enthusiastic occultist. But how far do each of her representations support either half of the binary personality she was assigned?

The first incarnation of Bella Goth is The Sims 3 version, a child of the Bachelor family in Sunset Valley. Due to the open world nature of The Sims 3, it’s hard not to notice the small, sociable little girl, and her family appear on community lots. Her assigned Traits (part of the game’s personality system) are Good, Brave, and Lucky. Bella Bachelor and Mortimer Goth are best friends, and she wears a red dress and has a gothic-themed bedroom. She does not struggle at school, has a good family life, and is very sociable and will engage most Sims in conversation regardless of life stage. This seems banal, but by using these facts placed in by developers, we can analyze Bella Goth’s changing character.