video games

In Bioshock Infinite, a simple premise — a guy, a girl, a gun — animates a mind-bending story.

Reading The Game: Bioshock Infinite

by Jason Sheehan

It's a simple premise — a guy, a girl, a gun and a debt to repay — but in Bioshock Infinite it becomes a mind-bending story about politics, oppression, change and sacrifice. Set in a flying city.
Shadow of Mordor won awards for its gameplay, but lacks a compelling narrative.

Reading The Game: Shadow Of Mordor

by Jason Sheehan

As part of our occasional series on storytelling in video games, we're looking at a game where the story fails: Shadow of Mordor, which won awards for its gameplay, but lacks a compelling narrative.
Writer and critic Jason Sheehan calls Red Dead Redemption his favorite Western of all time — surpassing even The Outlaw Josey Wales.

Reading The Game: Red Dead Redemption

by Jason Sheehan

Our occasional series on storytelling in video games continues with the epic Western Red Dead Redemption. It's the tale of a reformed gunslinger tasked with hunting down the members of his old gang.
The Last of Us is as much about the bonds between Joel and his surrogate daughter Ellie as it is about their post-fungal-apocalypse world.

Reading The Game: 'The Last Of Us'

by Jason Sheehan

Our occasional series on storytelling in video games continues with a look at The Last of Us. Set in a world undone by a fungal apocalypse, it follows a grizzled smuggler and his surrogate daughter.