Category: Spoony Bard
Spoony Bard 10: How Games Tend to End
Spoony Bard is a biweekly column by James Bishop that looks at narrative within video games, celebrating the stories that make games special, but also…
Spoony Bard 9: Design Flaws of the Endgame
An important goal of any design is to engage the consumer in the product. With a wealth of inspiration in other mediums, most notably film…
Spoony Bard 8: Critical and Commercial Contradictions
Even the supposedly recession-proof entertainment industry has been forced by fiscal crunching into some fundamental shifts from progressive game design. But that hasn’t stopped some…
The Anatomy of a Great Boss Fight
Boss fights rank among the most unforgettable moments in video games. Ask any gamer and they will vividly recall Liquid Snake’s seeming inability to die…
Spoony Bard 7: The Problem with Progress Bars
We’ve all seen them. In nearly any game you play there will be a progress bar of some sort. Its implementation is varied, ranging from…
Spoony Bard 6: Dragon Age’s Better Banter
Dialogue is hard, just ask any game writer. When it comes down to character interaction, the fine line between natural and contrived is one that…