Matt Faherty – GamingRebellion

Modern video game design has a problem with player motivation. In Pong you hit the ball until you couldn't, in Tetris you stacked the blocks until you couldn't, and in 2D side scrollers like the original Super ...

Horizon: Zero Dawn is a Model for AAA Innovation

Matt Faherty

*Modern Gaming

5

If you were to break down Horizon: Zero Dawn into a list of gameplay, presentation, and narrative features, it would look like one of the most generic modern big-budget AAA video games in existence. It is chock...

Mass Effect: Andromeda Companions Review – Part 2

Matt Faherty

*Modern Gaming

7

See Part 1. WARNING - Mild character spoilers ahead, but no major plot spoilers. Liam Kosta More than any other species, humans face an uphill battle from a writing perspective in the Mass Effect series. The...

Mass Effect Andromeda: Companion Review – Part 1

Matt Faherty

*Modern Gaming

5

Arguably the highlight of every Mass Effect and Dragon Age game since Bioware was acquired by EA and fundamentally changed its approach to storytelling, has been the companions. Each game sets up a grand, overa...

Playing the Last Guardian is like Going to India

Matt Faherty

*Modern Gaming

2

Before I get to The Last Guardian, a digression… When I was 23, I backpacked around India alone for two months on a shoestring budget. I stayed in Spartan hotels for roving businessmen or huge bunk houses wi...

Paradox Studios, Stocks and Flows, and the Challenge of Contextualization in Stellaris

Matt Faherty

*Classic Gaming

1

As of writing this sentence I have put a combined 2,000 hours into Europa Universalis III, IV, Crusader Kings II, and Victoria II, all of which were developed by the Swedish studio, Paradox. For the uninitiated...

Pure Exploration is not a Valid Standalone Mechanic

Matt Faherty

*Modern Gaming

7

(Note – This entire article is filled with conjecture. I often refer to “people saying something” without direct citations, since the “people” in question are often random Youtube/Reddit/forum commenters. I did...

Politics in the Witcher 3 – Part 2

Matt Faherty

*Modern Gaming

193

Continuing from Part 1: Could it be better to be conquered by an aggressive state than to live under an oppressive, but peaceful government? The Nilfgaardian Empire is an aggressive state. No one doubts t...

No Man’s Good Game

Matt Faherty

*Modern Gaming

3

What “is” No Man’s Sky? I ask this question because nearly every defense I’ve read of the game, from errant Youtube comments to early pundit analyses, contains some variation on the statement, “I enjoyed No ...

Politics in Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Part 1

Matt Faherty

*Modern Gaming

8

Writers Note: I have only played The Witcher 3 base game. I have not played any of the other games or DLCs, nor have I read the books. If I am missing crucial plot information, that is why. More often than n...

The Witcher 3 – Just Another Day on the Job

Matt Faherty

*Modern Gaming

6

I promise this will get to the Witcher 3 eventually, but first… For six months I worked as a wedding caterer. I attended two or three weddings per week to set tables, serve drinks, deliver hordervs, etc. It ...

The Conservative Design Philosophy of Dark Souls

Matt Faherty

*Modern Gaming

The evolution of Dark Souls has truly been remarkable to behold. The nature of the Dark Souls gameplay system has been endlessly analyzed, so I don’t want to belabor the particular merits of the series’ bril...

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Playing the Last Guardian is like Going to India

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Mass Effect: Andromeda Companions Review – Part 2

Mass Effect Andromeda: Companion Review – Part 1

Playing the Last Guardian is like Going to India

Paradox Studios, Stocks and Flows, and the Challenge of Contextualization in Stellaris

Pure Exploration is not a Valid Standalone Mechanic

Politics in the Witcher 3 – Part 2

No Man’s Good Game

Politics in Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Part 1

The Witcher 3 – Just Another Day on the Job

The Conservative Design Philosophy of Dark Souls

Author Matt Faherty