Jessica Thompson

Some gamers like to go in all guns blazing, immersing themselves in the action and dispatching enemies left, right, and centre. Others prefer to take a more hands-off approach, guiding their troops towards victory with a perfectly-executed strategy. Of course, there’s room for us all at this wonderful buffet table, and we love shooters just

When you want to add a touch of grit, class and History to your game where do you go? The answer is London. There’s something about London that keeps gamers captivated, and coming back for more. Whereas gamers will groan about games being set in New York from time to time, rarely will you hear

With Google’s entry into the console gaming (well, sort of) ring now firmly established, it’s time to start speculating. There’s plenty we already know about Google Stadia – what games will launch for it, what its technical capabilities are, when it will launch (November, if you’re interested) – but we don’t know what the future

Digital technology comes in waves, with new devices created weekly. Older technology has retained its relevancy despite this, and statisticians Clear Sky Institute reckon there’ll be over 760,000 amateur radio operators by 2020. A technically demanding hobby with a great amount of depth, amateur radio operation has a huge crossover with gaming, and Twitch, through a communal

Dark Souls has a lot to answer for. Since From Software’s cult RPG classic launched back in 2011, it’s spawned a legion of imitators. There have been straight Soulslikes (Lords of the Fallen, The Surge), 2D Soulslikes (Salt and Sanctuary, Hollow Knight) and even roguelike Soulslikes (Dead Cells). It’s not unreasonable to say that Dark

The great debate in video games for a while was as follows: should we pursue linear level-based design or open our games out and make them sandboxes? Both design approaches have their advantages. Linear games are more focused and allow for tighter, more controlled design. Open-world games have more potential for “watercooler moments”, those funny

As an aspiring game developer, you’re probably often thinking about the subtle but masterful ways that games get players emotionally invested in the narrative. You’ve also likely realized that “atmosphere” is the medium through which games typically induce emotional immersion. So what elements create immersive atmosphere, and how does a developer sustain the player’s immersion

We’ve all experienced this phenomenon before: you’re gaming online with your friends, about to secure that all-important kill and win your team the game, when suddenly all the character models on screen freeze and lock in place. Movement becomes jerky and characters start to slingshot around the map. Nothing you do has any effect and

We all love our cars. It’s difficult to imagine a world in which we had to get around without them. Whether we’re shopping, traveling, or simply cruising around for a leisure drive, our cars are essential to our daily lives. Even if you don’t drive yourself, you’ve probably availed yourself of the services of other

For many, Japanese RPGs represent an impenetrable phenomenon. There are, of course, plenty of accessible entry points into this most idiosyncratic of game styles, but many are put off by the very genre conventions others adore. JRPG opponents decry the occasionally wobbly dialogue and sometimes samey tropes these games employ. Proponents of the genre love

Many debates have been held about movies over the course of history. What is the greatest film ever made? Are cinemas about to disappear? What is the worst film ever made? Who is the greatest actor ever? These are all important questions to ask, but they are eclipsed by a single question that haunts families

Here’s a question worth asking: what’s the best way to honor the lineage of a video game? Should we present its earliest version warts and all and allow others to judge it for what it truly was? Should we tidy up the game and add features it didn’t have to make it seem more palatable?