experimental games | Line Hollis

Coil (2008)

February 4, 2009 / 0 comments

In my review of The Graveyard, I implied that I’m generally unsatisfied by the most basic style of game storytelling: perform an action, get a cutscene, repeat. What I neglected to address is that there are some significant variations in this particular structure, some of which produce unusual narrative effects. One variation is to make…

Seven Minutes (2008)

January 14, 2009 / 0 comments

Previously, in reviewing Execution, I mentioned that gamemakers seem to be concerned recently with the issue of choice in linear game design. That is, while gaming seems to be all about agency and free choice on the part of the player, this freedom is constrained by the fact that gamers will always make a choice…

Execution (2008)

January 8, 2009 / 0 comments

Jesse Venbrux’s Execution starts with three statements that could be thought of as some implicit artistic assumptions of videogames: Your actions have consequences. You either win or lose. Do the right thing. The game goes on to examine these assumptions in a minimalist style. All you see is a prisoner tied to a stake, and your…