Category: The Backlog Video Game Zine
back-log, n
- an accumulation of something, esp. uncompleted works that must be dealt with
- video games you want to play, at some point, when you have the time
- a zine about video games and their place in history
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How to Tell a Story: Don’t Look Back & Narrative Gameplay
Terry Cavanagh’s Don’t Look Back is a masterpiece by telling an emotionally resonate story without text, voiceovers, or cinematics.
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Spoiler Alert: A Story Summary & Analysis for Metal Gear & Metal Gear 2
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Hideo Kojima’s creative insanity began in the overlooked MSX Metal Gear games with themes expanded in the Metal Gear Solid extended universe.
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Fortunate Son: What an NES Game Can Teach About Privilege
NES economic sim Wall Street Kid perfectly illustrates how anyone can make it in America… with a half a million dollar investment!
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Under the Influence: How Indie Games Influence Big Developers
The Hidden Half-Life mod demonstrates how seemingly small games can slowly lead to developers that borrow ideas for bigger, AAA video games.
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In Review: Why Score Ratings Are Ultimately Meaningless
Why was A Boy & His Blob on the NES, with its deep, innovative systems fondly remembered despite horrible reviews upon release?
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Not Just Hell: How Stressful Games Can Be Enjoyable
Papers, Please demonstrates how video games can be stressful, upsetting, and even traumatic, yet still be desirable experiences.
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Rogue Agents: How The Sega Genesis Created the Rogue-Lite
ToeJam & Earl introduced players to the “Rogue-Like” genre years before the term existed with a strange, absurd, and fun world to explore.