Explosive barrels have been a trope for as long as video games have existed, appearing in everything from shooters to strategy games, but why? What possible advantage could there be to all videogames copying eachother?
Well, as it turns out, the reason goes much deeper than just red cylinders filled with explosives. Barrels are a symbol, they communicate hidden details and they're not alone! Games use light, shapes, and even the elements to communicate to us constantly - and once The Architect reconstitutes after that last explosion, they'll tell you how.
Half Life 2 (2004) Doom 2016 (Guess, genius) Hitman (2016) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017) Red Alert 3 (2008) Donkey Kong (1981) DOOM (1993) Wolfenstein 2 (2017) Far Cry 5 (2018) Resident Evil 4 (2005) Borderlands 3 (2019) Runescape (2001) Metal Slug (1996) Doom Eternal (2020) Divinity Original Sin 2 (2018) Outer Worlds (2019) Noita (2020) Battlefield Bad Company 2 (2010) Heaven's Vault (2019) Uncharted 3 (2011) Megaman 11 (2018) Wonderful 101: Remastered (2020) Sonic Mania (2017) Cave Story+ (2011) Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze (2014) Celeste (2018) Superliminal (2020) Super Mario 3D Land (2011) DOOM 2 (1994) The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (2002) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006) HUE (2016) Galaga (1981) Teardown (early access) Minecraft (2009) World Of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth (2018) Pokemon Red (1996) Pokemon Sword (2020) Ori and the Will of the Wisps (2020) The Witness (2016) Dark Souls 3 (2016) Mario 64 (1996) Ring of Pain (2020) Darkest Dungeon (2016) Dota 2 (2013) Starcraft 2 (2010) Lightmatter (2020) Ghostrunner (2020) Dark Souls (2012) Journey (2012) Uncharted 2 (2009) Legend of Korra (2014) Magicka (2011) Deep Rock Galactic (2020) Ori and the Blind Forest (2015) Spelunky 2 (2020) MTGA 2018 Team Fortress 2 (2007) Heroes of the Storm (2015) Super Mario Sunshine (2002) From Dust (2011) Genshin Impact (2020) Spellbreak (2020) Pokemon Ultra Moon (2016) Super Mario Galaxy (2007) New Super Mario Bros U (2012) Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010) Shovel Knight (2014) Metal Gear Rising: Revengance (2013) Gears of War 5 (2020) Gears of War 4 (2016) Mass Effect 2 (2012) Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (2017) Sniper Elite 4 (2017) Deadpool (2013)
Explosive barrels have been a trope for as long as video games have existed, appearing in everything from shooters to strategy games, but why? What possible advantage could there be to all videogames copying eachother?
Well, as it turns out, the reason goes much deeper than just red cylinders filled with explosives. Barrels are a symbol, they communicate hidden details and they're not alone! Games use light, shapes, and even the elements to communicate to us constantly - and once The Architect reconstitutes after that last explosion, they'll tell you how.
Half Life 2 (2004) Doom 2016 (Guess, genius) Hitman (2016) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017) Red Alert 3 (2008) Donkey Kong (1981) DOOM (1993) Wolfenstein 2 (2017) Far Cry 5 (2018) Resident Evil 4 (2005) Borderlands 3 (2019) Runescape (2001) Metal Slug (1996) Doom Eternal (2020) Divinity Original Sin 2 (2018) Outer Worlds (2019) Noita (2020) Battlefield Bad Company 2 (2010) Heaven's Vault (2019) Uncharted 3 (2011) Megaman 11 (2018) Wonderful 101: Remastered (2020) Sonic Mania (2017) Cave Story+ (2011) Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze (2014) Celeste (2018) Superliminal (2020) Super Mario 3D Land (2011) DOOM 2 (1994) The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (2002) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006) HUE (2016) Galaga (1981) Teardown (early access) Minecraft (2009) World Of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth (2018) Pokemon Red (1996) Pokemon Sword (2020) Ori and the Will of the Wisps (2020) The Witness (2016) Dark Souls 3 (2016) Mario 64 (1996) Ring of Pain (2020) Darkest Dungeon (2016) Dota 2 (2013) Starcraft 2 (2010) Lightmatter (2020) Ghostrunner (2020) Dark Souls (2012) Journey (2012) Uncharted 2 (2009) Legend of Korra (2014) Magicka (2011) Deep Rock Galactic (2020) Ori and the Blind Forest (2015) Spelunky 2 (2020) MTGA 2018 Team Fortress 2 (2007) Heroes of the Storm (2015) Super Mario Sunshine (2002) From Dust (2011) Genshin Impact (2020) Spellbreak (2020) Pokemon Ultra Moon (2016) Super Mario Galaxy (2007) New Super Mario Bros U (2012) Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010) Shovel Knight (2014) Metal Gear Rising: Revengance (2013) Gears of War 5 (2020) Gears of War 4 (2016) Mass Effect 2 (2012) Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (2017) Sniper Elite 4 (2017) Deadpool (2013)
Tears of the Kingdom is a compulsively playable game, with many people losing hundreds of hours to its impossible-to-resist charms - but what distinguishes Link's latest outing from the many many games stuck languishing in our backlogs that we intended to keep playing, but could never quite find the enthusiasm to go back to?
After diving into the depths and ascending to the skies, The Architect has gotten a few ideas - maybe the secret to a game that keeps us playing, and stops us from burning out is one that doesn't just distract us, but makes us care about what's going on? And just maybe, could it be that the secret to creating a sense of investment lies not in the work of developers, but our own minds?
You Saw:
Redfall - 2023 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - 2023 Gone Home Fallout 4 Divinity Original Sin 2 From Dust Super Mario 3D World Hades The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - 2017 Resident Evil 4 Remake - 2023 The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe - 2022 Vampire Survivors - 2021 Persona 5 Royale - 2019 Star Wars Jedi Survivor - 2023 Psychonauts 2 - 2021 The Legend of Zelda - Twilight Princess - 2006 Forza Horizon 5 - 2021 Final Fantasy 7 Remake - 2020 Cassette Beasts - 2023 Fortnite - 2017 Marvel Snap - 2022 Dark Souls 3 - 2016 Far Cry 5 - 2018 Metroid Prime - 2002 Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - 2004 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - 1997 Xenoblade Chronicles - 2020 Dredge - 2023 Journey - 2012 Yume Nikki - 2004 Doom Eternal - 2020 Terra Invicta - EARLY ACCESS Sid Meir's Civilization 6 - 2016 Wildfrost - 2023 Elden Ring - 2022 Lonely Mountain Downhill - 2019 Nier Automata - 2017 The Pathless - 2020 Half Life Alyx - 2020 DOOM - 2016 Fallout New Vegas - 2010 The Witness - 2016 Dishonored - 2012 Super Mario Odyssey - 2017 Terra Nil - 2023 Celeste - 2018 Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - 2016 Mass Effect 3 - 2012 Minecraft - 2011 Metal Gear Rising: Revengance - 2013 Hi-Fi Rush - 2023 Undertale - 2015 Chrono Trigger - 1995 The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - 2000 It Takes Two - 2021 Death Stranding - 2019 Mario Kart 8 - 2014 Kirby and the Forgotten Land - 2022 Genshin Impact - 2020 God of War: Ragnarok - 2022 Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - 2017 Atomic Heart - 2023Terra Nil Claims Its A Reverse Citybuilder. It Isnt.Adam Millard - The Architect of Games2023-04-27 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
Terra Nil is a weird videogame, it claims to be a citybuilder with a reversed environmental theme, and yet, when it comes to delivering the fun you'd expect out of a citybuilder... Terra Nil just can't deliver - what gives? Is Terra Nil just a bad game coasting on false advertising, or is there something more going on here?
After clawing their way out from the ruins of their fallen civilization, and pouring over so many ancient tomes that they started to lose their charm, The Architect has gotten a few ideas about what's really happening with Terra Nil - it's a game that is specifically designed not to reverse the citybuilder, but to invert it, and that's a pretty big difference.
You Saw:
Terra Nil - 2023 Sim City 4 - 2003 Cities Skylines - 2015 City of Heroes - 2004 Civilization 6 - 2016 Anno 1800 - 2019 Satisfactory - Early Access Factorio - 2016 Against The Storm - Early Access Uncharted 4 - Uncharted 4 Final Fantasy 6 - 1994 Dragon Quest 11 - 2017 Xenoblade Chronicles 3 - 2022 Player Unknown's Battlegrounds - 2017 The Darwin Project - 2020 Minecraft - 2011 Infiniminer - 2009 DOOM - 1993 ULTRAKILL - Early Access Metal Gear Solid 5 - 2015 Metal Gear Rising Revengance - 2013 Apex Legends - 2019 Counter Strike: Global Offensive - 2012 Resident Evil 2 Remake - 2019 Kirby and the Forgotten Land - 2022 Deathloop - 2021 Bioshock - 2007 The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe - 2022 Getting Over It - 2017 The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - 2011 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - 2017 DOOM 2016 - hmm Final Fantasy 7 Remake - 2020 Assassin's Creed Syndicate - 2015 Assassin's Creed Origins - 2017 Assassin's Creed Odyssey - 2018 Assassin's Creed 1 - 2007 Assassin's Creed Black Flag - 2013 Senua's Sacrifice - 2017 Mario And Luigi SuperStar Saga - 2003 Mario Odyssey - 2017 Sonic Mania - 2017 Rise of the Tomb Raider - 2015 Mirror's Edge - 2009 Dishonored 2 - 2016 Shadow Tactics Blades of the Shogun - 2016 Teamfight Manager - 2021 Resident Evil 4 Remake - 2023 Metroid Prime - 2002 Batman Arkham Asylum - 2009 Ark: Survival Evolved - 2015 Gears of War 5 - 2019 Quantum Conundrum - 2012 Forza Horizon 5 - 2021 Tchia - 2023 Xenoblade Chronicles - 2010 Scorn - 2022 Dead Space - 2008 Signalis - 2022 The Evil Within - 2014 Hollow Knight - 2017 Stardew Valley - 2016 Portal - 2007 Shovel Knight - 2014 Elden Ring - 2022 Resident Evil 8 - 2021 Runescape - 2001 Journey - 2012 World of Warcraft - 2004 Psychonauts 2 - 2021 Dark Souls - 2012 Prey - 2017 Borderlands 2 - 2012 Dark and Darker - Early Access? Wandersong - 2018 Undertale - 2015 Grand Theft Auto 5 - 2013 Chrono Trigger - 1995 Psychonauts - 2005 Monkey Island 2 - 1991 Metal Gear Solid 2 - 2001 Dredge - 2023 Antichamber - 2013 What the Golf - 2019 Carrion - 2020 I Wanna Be The Guy - 2007 Jump King - 2019 Super Mario 3D World - 2013 Dark Souls 3 - 2016 Darkest Dungeon - 2016 Barbie Horse Adventures: Riding Camp - 2008 Marvel's Midnight Suns - 2022 Persona 5 royal - 2019 Hunt: Showdown - 2018 The Cycle: Frontier - 2022 Fortnite - 2017 Yume Nikki - 2004 LISA: THe Painful - 2014 Doki Doki Literature Club - 2017 Atomic Heart - 2022 Envirobear 2000 - 2009 Oxygen Not Included - 2017 Frostpunk - 2018 Surviving Mars - 2018 Rimworld - 2018 Immortality - 2022 Baldur's Gate 3 - Early Access Dawn of War 3 - 2017 Sable - 2021 Pokemon Scarlet - 2022 There is no game: Wrong Dimension - 2020 Duty Calls - 2011 Wildfrost - 2023Why Atomic Heart Fails To Live Up To Its InspirationAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2023-03-29 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
Atomic Heart and Bioshock are two games that are inexorably linked across time, one established many genre conventions we still use to this day and defined an entire era of gaming, the other feels compelled to replicate and improve upon as much of Bioshock's success as possible, but somehow misses what made it's inspiration so cherished - what gives? How could Atomic Heart, a game with such clear reverence for Bioshock, not understand what made Bioshock great? Well, the answer lies in the ever-tricky to understand Metagame.
The Architect has had to plunder multiple dystopias, command vast armies and even scrabble through a few fourth walls in order to truly understand what makes Metagames so special and also what makes them so tricky to get right. Maybe, the success of a metagame lies not in how complex it is, or even how balanced it is, but in how it makes us think, and how fun it is to figure out?
Atomic Heart- 2023 Resident Evil 8 -2021 Bioshock - 2007 Bioshock 2 - 2010 DOOM Eternal - 2020 Psychonauts 2 - 2021 Warhammer Total War 3 - 2022 Neon White - 2022 Xenoblade 3 - 2022 Counter Strike: Global Offensive - 2012 Baldur's Gate 3 - Early Access Monster Hunter: World - 2018 Slay the Spire - 2019 Minecraft - 2011 Teardown - 2022 Persona 5 Royal - 2019 Genshin Impact - 2020 Dwarf Fortress - 2023 Half Life Alyx - 2020 Pikmin 3- 2013 The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe- 2022 Gears Tactics - 2020 Pokemon Fire Red - 2004 Dark Souls 3 - 2016 Elden Ring - 2022 Dishonored 2 - 2016 Portal 2 - 2011 Dune: Spice Wars - Early Access Rounds - 2021 Starcraft 2 - 2012 Super Smash Brothers Ultimate - 2018 Dota 2 - 2013 Rivals of Aether - 2017 The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim - 2011 Deus Ex - 2000 Deathloop - 2021 XCOM 2 - 2014 Across The Obelisk - 2022 Monster Train - 2021 Magic The Gathering: Arena - 2018 Potionomics - 2022 Rimworld - 2018 The Long Dark - 2014 Subnautica: Below Zero - 2021 Don't Starve - 2013 Transistor - 2014 ARK: Survival Evolve - 2015 Escape From Tarkov - Early Access Destiny 2 - 2017 Fallout 4 - 2015 Pokemon Emerald - 2004 Phantom Brigade - 2023 Prey - 2017 Surviving Mars - 2018 Cities Skylines - 2015 Oxygen Not Included - 2017 Path of Exile - 2013 Enter The Gungeon - 2016 Hades - 2020 Against The Storm - Early Access Hitman 3 - 2021 Evolve - 2015 Hand of Fate 2 - 2017 Hi-Fi Rush - 2023 Terra Nil - 2023How Dark Souls (accidentally) Taught You CowardiceAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2023-03-01 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot Check out Liam Triforce! youtube.com/channel/UCWQfbcMGyrPDlIU7wV7aAOQ
As tough as its reputation may be, Dark Souls tries its best to give brand new players a helping hand as they find their barings in its hardcore world - unfortunately, the manner Dark Souls does this... accidentally tricks people into playing in a cowardly, risk averse way - meaning they have less fun, and are less willing to try and master the game's intricacies.
Entry Level Strategies are a powerful and crucial tool that allow videogames to ease in beginner players, but sometimes, they're too helpful for their own good, and end up ruining otherwise great games - how do they do this? and how did Elden Ring finally fix From Soft's most persistent design problem? One thing's for sure, in order to solve this particular conundrum, the Architect is going to need more than that 100% block shield they've been carrying around since the start of the game.
You Saw: Dark Souls 2 - 2014 Dark Souls - 2012 Dark Souls 3 - 2016 Overwatch 1 - 2019 Super Smash Bros Ultimate - 2018 Xenoblade Chronicles 3 - 2021 Dota 2 - 2013 Final Fantasy 7 Remake - 2020 XCOM 2 - 2016 Counter Strike: Global Offensive Hitman: World Of Assasination - 2023 Bioshock - 2007 Pokemon: Fire Red - 2004 Hi Fi Rush - 2023 Elden Ring - 2022 Street Fighter 4 - 2008 Metal Gear Rising - 2012 Celeste - 2018 Monster Hunter: World - 2018 Resident Evil 8 - 2021 DOOM - 2016 Wonderful 101 Remastered - 2020 Apex Legends - 2019 Batman Arkham Asylum - 2009 XCOM: EU - 2012 Half Life Alyx - 2020 Halo: Master Chef Collection - 2014 Dead Space - 2008 Titanfall 2 - 2016 Factorio - 2016 Satisfactory - Early Access Street Fighter 5 - 2016 Magic: The Gathering Arena - 2018 Sonic Mania - 2017 Dark and Darker - Early Access Super Mario 3D world - 2013 Mario Kart 8 - 2014 Burnout Paradise Remastered - 2018 Descenders - 2018 F Zero GX - 2003 Spelunky 2 - 2020 Hades - 2020 THe Binding of Isaac: Rebirth - 2014 Duck Game - 2015 Bayonetta 2 - 2014 Rollerdrome - 2022 Pizza Tower - 2023 Darkest Dungeon - 2016 Marvel's Midnight Suns - 2022 DOOM Eternal - 2020 Hollow Knight - 2017 Persona 5 Royal - 2019 The Witness - 2016 Neon White - 2022 Getting Over It with Bennet Foddy - 2017 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - 2019 Bloodborne - 2015 Stardew Valley - 2016 Atomic Heart - 2023Vampire Survivors Only Works Because Were StupidAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2023-02-02 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot Check out Videogames Are Bad: youtube.com/@VideoGamesAreBad!
You are terrible at maths. Sorry, someone had to say it. However, it's not all bad news - so is every other human being ever to live! You're ALL awful when it comes to numbers! Whilst you don't always realize it, humans have an incredibly flawed understanding of everything from size to statistics, changing the way we perceive and think about numbers, particularly in videogames - but does this make them better or worse?
After clearing out a few suspiciously similar milk factories and plumbing the darkest depths of the human psyche, The Architect has determined that although the brain might be flawed, it's these flaws that can lead to some very fun game design, and no game knows this better than Vampire Survivors.
You Saw: Vampire Survivors - 2022 God of War: Ragnarok - 2022 Pentiment - 2022 Magic Survival Power Wash Sim - 2022 Undertale - 2015 Persona 5: Royale - 2019 The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe - 2022 Signalis - 2022 Super Mario Bros Movie - Not Out Yet Super Mario Bros. - 1993 Psychonauts Minecraft Super Mario 3D World Pinball FX 3 Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire Wonderputt Forever Hitman: World of Assasination - 2023 Disgaea - 2003 Borderlands 2 - 2012 Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance - 2015 Xenoblade 3 - 2022 Diablo 3 - 2012 Clicker Heroes - 2015 Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn - 2014 World of Warcraft - 2022 New Super Mario Bros Wii U - 2012 Superliminal - 2019 Portal 2 - 2011 THe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - 20017 Marvel's Midnight Suns - 2013 Pikmin - 2004 Super Metroid - 1994 Pizza Tower - 2023 Counter Strike: Global Offensive - 2012 Sonic Generations - 2011 Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator - 2021 Descenders - 2018 Satisfactory - Early Access Resident Evil 2 Remake - 2019 Resident Evil 4 - 2005 Adventure Capitalist - 2014 Frog Fractions 3 - 2020 Destiny 2 - 2017 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - 2011 Fallout: New Vegas - 2013 Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door - 2004 Bug Fables - 2019 Bioshock Infinite - 2013 Slice and Dice - 2021 Family Fortunes Wii U - 2013 Monster Hunter World - 2018 Pokemon Scarlet - 2023 Pokemon Black 2 - 2012 Baldur's Gate 3- Early Access XCOM: Enemy Unknown - 2012 XCOM 2 - 2016 Spelunky 2 - 2020 Super Smash Bros Ultimate - 2018 Sid Meirs Civilization 6 - 2016 Dota 2 - 2013 Genshin Impact - 2020 Konami's Castlevania: Grimoire Of Souls - 2021 Runescape - 2004 Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds - 2022 Diablo Immortal - 2021 Terraria - 2011 Super Smash Bros Brawl - 2008 The Last of Us 2 - 2020 Luck Be A Landlord - 2023 Deus Ex Mankind Divided - 2016 Passpatout: The Starving Artist - 2017 Lootbox Simulator - 2018 Hi-Fi Rush - 202320(22) Games You Should Have PlayedAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2022-12-30 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
As 2022 comes to a close, it's time to look back and reflect on a jam-packed year in videogaming - so many great games got released in the last twelve months from fast paced action thrillrides to thought provoking genre-busters that it's no wonder that a bunch of great videogames didn't get the time in the spotlight that they rightly deserve.
Luckily for you, after combing through the archives, and playing quite frankly too many games over the last year, The Architect has emerged from their post-holiday meditation chamber with a list of the twenty games from the last year that most deserve your attention - and that you probably haven't already heard of.
You Saw:
Xenoblade 3 (2022) Kirby and the forgotten land (2022) Cult of the Lamb (2022) Horizon: Forbidden West (2022) Stray (2022) Elden Ring (2022) Vampire Survivors (2022) Overwatch 1 (2016) Sifu (2022) Scorn (2022) You Suck At Parking (2022) Iron Lung (2022) Super Mario Bros 2 (1988) Weird West (2022) Strange Horticulture (2022) Grapple Dog (2022) God Of War: Ragnarok (2022) Grounded (2022) Trombone Champ (2022) Symphony Of War: The Nephelim Saga (2022) Tunic (2022) Immortality (2022) Potionomics (2022) Power Wash Simulator (2022) Golden Light (2022) How Fish Is Made (2022) Rollerdrome (2022) Hardspace Shipbreaker (2022) Pentiment (2022) Hyperbolica (2022) The Looker (2022) Foxhole (2022) CTRL ALT EGO (2022) Signalis (2022) Not For Broadcast (2022) Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014) Teardown (2022) Neon White (2022) Citizen Sleeper (2022)
Where would we be without companions: The sidekicks, allies and general hangers-on that accompany us through all the best videogames? Honestly, we'd probably be a lot happier, because most of them are annoying as hell - but why is that? Why are so many characters literally designed to be our friends and to help us so often irritating, pushy and generally useless, and what makes those few companions worth investing time into work so well?
The Architect is glad you asked - they've been flying through trans-dimensional abbeys, alternate versions of japan and a fair few dystopias in search of the ultimate companion, and what they found was that the ultimate videogame sidekick has less to do with how nice they are, and more about the person behind the keyboard. Yeah, you!
You Saw: Marvel's Midnight suns - 2022 The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - 2011 God of War Ragnarok - 2022 Grand Theft Auto IV - 2008 Resident Evil 4 - 2005 The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion - 2006 Bioshock: Infinite - 2013 Persona 5 Royal - 2019 Pokemon Sword and Shield - 2019 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - 1998 Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel - 2014 Fallout 4 - 2015 Undertale - 2015 Dark Souls - 2012 Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2 - 2004 Dr Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - 2022 Half Life 2 - 2004 Halo: Infinite - 2021 Crosscode - 2015 Portal 2 - 2011 Ico - 2001 Final Fantasy 7 Remake - 2020 Hitman - 2016 Fire Emblem Awakening - 2012 Jedi: Fallen Order - 2019 Portal - 2007 Mass Effect 2 - 2010 Puella Magi Madoka Magica - 2011 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - 2011 The Witcher 3 - 2016 OneShot - 2016 The Outer Worlds - 2019 Pokemon Fire Red - 2004 The Last of Us 2 - 2020 Half Life 2 Episode 1 - 2006 Psychonauts 2 - 2021 God of War - 2018 Pokemon Scarlet - 2022 Monster Hunter World - 2018 Mario and Luigi Dream Team - 2013 Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 2018 Ace Attorney Investigations 2 - 2011 High On Life - 2022 Xenoblade Chronicles 3 - 2022 Symphony of War: The Nephelim Saga - 2022 Fire Emblem 3 Houses - 2019 The Banner Saga 3 - 2018 Titanfall 2 - 2016 Dragon Age Origins - 2009 Nier Automata - 2017 Genshin Impact - 2020 Earthbound - 1994 Final Fantasy 7 Demake - 1990 Left 4 Dead 2 - 2009 Grand Theft Auto V - 2013 Yoshi's Island - 1995 Spyro Reignited Trilogy - 2018 Stardew Valley - 2016 Mass Effect 3 - 2014 Disco Elysium - 2019 Dream Daddy - 2016 Potionomics - 2022 Half Life Alyx - 2020 Borderlands 3 - 2019 Watch Dogs 2 - 2016 Fallout 3 - 2008 Half Life 2 Episode 2 - 2007 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - 2006 Kirby and the Forgotten Land - 2022 Deltarune - NOT OUT YET Stray - 2022Why Is It So Easy To Break Videogame Economies?Adam Millard - The Architect of Games2022-12-03 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
There's something... off about videogame economics. Regardless of when the game was made, who by and what it's about - it's remarkably easy to crack a game's systems open and use them to find the optimal means of making money, even when that means doing things that aren't actually fun. Why is this? Why can't game designers simply make economies just as fair, balanced and well thought out as the real life economy?
Well, that's a mystery The Architect has been studying for some time and it's, predictably, lead to even more questions. Between realms of the mind, post apocalypses and cities far beyond the stars, there's something strange going on with videogame economics, and the answer may just lie in our relationship with reality...
You Saw: Yakuza 0 - 2015 Moonlighter - 2018 Final Fantasy 14 Doom Eternal - 2020 Persona 5 royal - 2019 Witcher 3 - 2015 Horizon Zero Dawn - 2017 pokemon scarlet and violet - 2022 Runescape - 2001 Dragon Quest 11 - 2017 Valheim - 2021 Forager - 2019 Minecraft - 2011 Diablo 2 - 2000 Starcraft 2 - 2010 Monster hunter world - 2018 Potionomics - 2022 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - 2011 Enter The Gungeon - 2016 Civilization 6 - 2016 Borderlands 3 - 2016 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - 2019 Offworld Trading Company - 2016 Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator - 2021 Mario Galaxy 2 - 2010 EVE: Online - 2003 Destiny 2 - 2017 Destiny - 2014 Death and Taxes - 2020 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - 2017 The Long Dark - 2017 Resident Evil 4 - 2005 Fallout New Vegas - 2010 Perfect Heist 2 - 2021 Deus Ex: Human Revolution - 2011 Untitled Goose Game - 2019 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time 3D - 2011 The Binding of Issaac Rebirth - 2014 Super Mario World - 1990 Hunt: Showdown - 2018 Resident Evil 2 Remake - 2019 Deus Ex - 2000 Dishonored - 2012 Dishonored 2 - 2016 Bioshock - 2007 Signalis - 2022 Age of Empires 4 - 2021 Command and Conquer 3 Dune Spice Wars - Early Access Tooth and Tail - 2017 Steamworld Dig 2 - 2017 Yakuza 7 - 2020 Fallout 4 - 2015 Elden Ring - 2022 Wario Land: Shake It!- 2008 Deep Rock Galactic - 2020 Subnautica - 2017 Don't Starve - 2013 Rogue Legacy - 2013 Hades - 2020 Pokemon sword and shield - 2018 Recettear - 2007 Frostpunk - 2017 World of Warcraft - 2004 New World - 2021 Super Paper Mario - 2007 Watchdogs Legion - 2020 Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor - 2016 Citizen Sleeper - 2022 Hardspace Shipbreaker - 2022 Fifa 2023 There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension - 2020 Genshin Impact - 2020 Teardown - 2022 Rollerdrome - 2022Why Videogames Want You To FailAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2022-11-05 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
check out eli_handle_b.wav!https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUdZY_KRQndvMIPD-8_uXRw
Whether we want to admit it or not - sometimes, we lose at videogames, it's an inevitable part of doing something challenging and naturally, gamers everywhere want to avoid this happening as much as possible. Why? Because failure and defeat aren't much fun... or are they?
Contrary to popular belief, The Architect is genuinely awful at videogames and has seen their fair share of ruined colonies, terrifying monsters and doomed dungeon runs, but despite it all, some great games manage to make this experience entertaining and enriching without compromising their challenge - how can they pull this off? Well, it's all to do with rethinking the consequences of our failure and coming to terms with the fact that WE might be the reason why failure sometimes isn't fun.
You Saw:
Space engineers - 2013 Shadow of Mordor - 2014 Marvel's Avengers - 2020 Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time - 2020 Mario Odyssey - 2017 Marvel SNAP - 2022 Mario Kart 8 - 2014 Persona 5 Royal - 2019 Dishonored - 2012 Tunic - 2022 Hardpsace Shipbreaker - 2022 Fall Guys - 2020 Deathloop - 2021 Cruelty Squad - 2021 Potionomics- 2022 XCOM 2 - 2016 Super Mario 3D World - 2013 Darkest Dungeon 2 - Early Access Rimworld - 2018 Dark Souls - 2012 Bayonetta - 2014 Strange Horticulture - 2022 Sifu - 2022 Apex Legends - 2019 Shovel Knight - 2014 Duck Tales - 1989 Mega Man X - 1993 Castlevania Symphony of the Night - 1997 Super Mario Bros - 1983 Minecraft - 2011 Day Z - 2013 Player Unknown's Battlegrounds - 2016 Call of Duty Warzone - 2020 Resident Evil 8 - 2021 Resident Evil 2 Remake - 2019 Signalis - 2022 Dead Space - 2008 Sonic The Hedgehog 2 - 1992 DOOM: Eternal - 2020 Uncharted 4 - 2016 Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Remastered Borderlands 3 - 2020 Titanfall 2 - 2016 Darkest Dungeon - 2016 XCOM: Enemy Unknown - 2012 Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga - 2022 Dwarf Fortress - 2006 Unsighted - 2021 Pathologic 2 - 2019 Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice - 2017 Death Stranding - 2019 Dead Cells - 2018 Spelunky 2 - 2021 Caves of Qud - 2015 Rogue Legacy - 2013 Hades - 2020 Monster Train - 2020 Prey: Mooncrash - 2018 Slay The Spire - 2019 Dark Souls 2 - 2014 Dark Souls 3 - 2016 Kings Field 3 Bloodborne - 2015 Elden Ring - 2022 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - 2019 Monster Hunter World - 2018 Phantom Abyss - Early Access Baldur's Gate 3 - Early Access The Elder Scrimbles 5: Skyrim - 2011 Super Smash Brothers Ultimate - 2018 Hitman 3 - 2021 Binding of Isaac rebirth - 2014 Totally Reliable Delivery Service - 2019 Kerbal Space Program - 2011 Accounting+ - 2017 Half Life Alyx - 2020 Trombone Champ - 2022 Batman Arkham Asylum - 2009 Fez - 2013 Celeste - 2018 Portal - 2007 The Witness - 2016 BABA IS YOU - 2019 Sable - 2021 Pac Man - 1980 Doom - 1993 Galaxians - 1979 Hunt: Showdown - 2018 Golf Gang - 2022Why Classes Are D&Ds Best IdeaAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2022-10-10 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
Dungeons and Dragons has been around for years, and in its many years of influence, D&D has inspired a countless number of videogames. Experience points, a bunch of classic monsters, dungeons, and yes, even dragons as videogame staples can ultimately be traced back to the venerable king of roleplaying games - but there's one idea D&D popularized that doesn't get anywhere near enough credit. And that, is classes.
Yep, everything from warlocks to warriors ultimately draw influence from a couple of very clever ideas the creators of D&D had way back in the 1970s - but why are classes so influential? In an attempt to find out why, The Architect has donned a sword, staff, bow and a whole host of other cliche articles of classy clothing in an effort to find out once and for all why both developers and players love classes as a mechanic so damn much.
You Saw: Baldur's Gate 3 - EARLY ACCESS Stranger Things - 2016 Wizardry 1 SNES - 1980 XCOM 2 - 2016 Final Fantasy 3 - 1990 Darkest Dungeon - 2016 Overwatch - 2016 (yes I am refusing to note overwatch 2 as a seperate game out of spite thank you for asking) Among Us - 2018 Paper Mario 2 The Thousand Year Door - 2004 Super Paper Mario - 2007 Moonbreaker - 2022 Warcraft 3 - 2002 World of Warcraft - 2004 Guild Wars 2 - 2012 Lost Ark - 2019 New World - 2021 Final Fantasy 14 - 2010 Runescape - 2001 Perfect Heist 2 - 2021 Final Fantasy 7 Remake - 2020 Xenoblade 3 - 2022 Dark Souls - 2012 Elden Ring - 2022 Skyrim - 2011 Path of Exile - 2013 Fire Emblem: Three Houses - 2019 Dota 2 - 2013 Dome Keeper - 2022 Gears Tactics - 2020 Space Engineers - 2013 Deep Rock Galactic - 2020 Invisible Inc - 2015 Into The Breach - 2018 Foxhole - 2022 Battle Brothers - 2015 Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga - 2022 XCOM: Enemy Unknown - 2012 The Binding of Isaac - 2014 Risk of Rain 2 - 2019 Gunfire Reborn - 2020 Grim Dawn - 2016 Titan Quest - 2006 Dragon Age Origins - 2009 Before Your Eyes - 2021 Fallout New Vegas - 2010 Terraria - 2011 Magic The Gathering Arena - 2018 Sid Meir's Civilization 6 - 2016 Cybperpunk 2077 - 2021 Prodeus - 2022Why The Hell Are There So Many Fishing Minigames?Adam Millard - The Architect of Games2022-09-11 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
No matter which genre of game you play, no matter which era of the medium is your favorite, one thing is inescapable - inevitable, and that is... fishing minigames. From RPGs to Rogelikes to MMOs, fishing minigames are in just about everything, and as much as we enjoy them, no-one really seems to know... why?
Well, that's where The Architect comes in. After conspiring with outer gods, raising a clutch of horrible monster creatures and seducing the entirety of an isolated farming town, they've figured out why fishing seems to be everywhere and why we love it so much: Fishing is just one part of an invisible gaming safety net that helps preserve the fun of our favorite games for longer - the question is how they manage to pull it off?
You Saw: Stardew Valley - 2016 Red Dead Redemption 2 - 2018 Final Fantasy 15 - 2016 The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess - 2006 Resident Evil 4 - 2005 Wii Play - 2006 Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - 2017 Warframe -2013 Nier Automata - 2017 Sonic Adventure 1 - 1998 Spiritfarer - 2020 Animal Crossing New Horizons - 2020 Ultimate Fishing Simulator - 2018 A Short Hike - 2019 Sea of Theives - 2018 Yakuza Kiwami - 2016 The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild - 2016 Cult of the Lamb - 2022 Minecraft - 2011 Devil May Cry - 2001 The Witness - 2016 Elden Ring - 2022 Crypt of the Necrodancer - 2015 DOOM 2016 - hmm DOOM Eternal - 2020 Paradise Killer - 2020 DOTA 2 - 2013 Infinifactory - 2013 Final Fantasy 14 - 2010 Sonic Adventure 2 - 2001 Deep Rock Galactic - 2018 Psychonauts 2 - 2021 Final Fantasy 7 - 1997 Final Fantasy 10 - 2001 Final Fantasy 7 Remake - 2020 Yakuza Like A Dragon - 2020 Dark Souls 3 - 2016 Hollow Knight - 2017 Across the Obilisk - 2020 Halo Infinite - 2021 The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim - 2011 Fallout 4 - 2015 Runescape - 2001 It Takes Two - 2021 Xcom: Chimera Squad - 2020 XCOM - 2012 XCOM 2 - 2016 Cyberpunk 2077 - 2020 A Hat In Time - 2016 Metal Gear Solid 5 - 2015 Left 4 Dead - 2008 Xenoblade 3 - 2022 God of War - 2018 Deathloop - 2021 Bioshock - 2007 Borderlands 3 - 2019 Hades - 2018 Returnal - 2021 Gloomwood - EARLY ACCESS HuniePop 2 - 2021 There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension - 2020 Lake Facade - 2022 Tower of Fantasy - 2021 Genshin Impact - 2020 Fallout Shelter -2015 Crosscode - 2015 Valheim - 2021 Sleeping Dogs - 2012 Fallout 3 - 2008 The Legend of Zelda Link's Awakening Remake - 2019 Perfect Heist 2 - 2021Why Do We Love Hostile Worlds?Adam Millard - The Architect of Games2022-08-15 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
There are few better feelings in games than being able to immerse ourselves in unfamiliar and hostile videogaming worlds, but quite often - they fail to deliver on their promise of presenting us with environments that challenge and surprise us at every turn... why?
Well, it's hard to feel like a videogame environment is indifferent to your presence and filled with unknown mysteries when we already recognize the patterns and tropes used to construct them - so how can we get around this problem? The architect has braved multiple apocalypses, lands shrouded in spoiler warnings, and even vast subterranean cities to figure out this problem once and for all... and why the solution seems to involve cats?
You Saw: Deathloop (2021) Bioshock (2007) Deus Ex Mankind Divided (2016) Prey (2017) Elden Ring (2022) The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011) Fez (2012) Dark Souls (2012) Metroid: Dread (2021) Hollow Knight (2017) Bloodstained: Ritual of the night (2019) Subnautica (2014) Minecraft (2012) Journey To The Savage Planet (2020) Control (2019) Rain World (2017) Super Mario Sunshine (2004) LSD Dream Emulator (1998) Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (2022) Monster Hunter World (2018) DOOM (2016) Resident Evil 8 (2021) Half Life 2 (2004) Spooky's Jump Scare mansion (2014) Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (2017) Dark Souls 3 (2016) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017) World of Warcraft (2004) Grounded (Early Access) Outer Wilds (2019) Five Nights At Freddy's: Security Breach (2021) Amnesia: The Dark Descent (2010) Mass Effect Legendary Edition (2021) Grand Theft Auto 5 (2013) Far Cry 6 (2021) EXO ONE (2021) Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015) Mirror's Edge (2010) Getting Over it (2017) Lorne's Lure (Early Access) Hyperbolica (2022) Call of Cuthulu (2018) Apex Legends (2019) Hunt: Showdown Escape From Tarkov (EARLY ACCESS) The Cycle: Frontier (2022) Descenders (2018) Deltarune part 1 (2018) Psychonatuts 2 (2021) Psychonauts 1 (2005) Black Mesa (2015) Half Life Alyx (2020) Call of Duty 4 (2007) The Looker (2022) The Witness (2016) Xenoblade Chronicles DE (2020) Resident Evil 2 Remake (2019) Death Stranding (2019) Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) The Eternal Cylinder (2021) Power Washer Simulator (2022)How Bad Balance Can Be A Good ThingAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2022-07-20 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
Balance in videogames is a tricky thing, no-one can ever seem to get it quite right. From AAA studios to tiny indie games, you'll always find someone complaining about a game's balance, and in particular, about how something is probably overpowered. It's a tale as old as time! But are overpowered strategies really as bad as we've been led to believe?
The Architect doesn't think so - sure, something being overpowered can suck, but by fiddling with the power levels of various ingame options, developers can also spice up their games in several really interesting ways that we don't tend to talk about, all it's going to take to prove it is braving some of gaming's most overpowered obstacles ever.
You Saw:
Anno 1800 - 2019 AM2R - 2016 Cyberpunk 2077 - 2020 Diablo Immortal - 2021 Dota 2 - 2013 Starcraft 2 - 2010 Hearthstone - 2014 Team Fortress 2 - 2007 Pico Park - 2021 Halo Infinite - 2021 Left 4 Dead 2 - 2009 ULTRAKILL - Early Access Metal Gear Rising: Revengance - 2012 Apex Legends - 2019 Devil May Cry - 2001 Final Fantasy 14 - 2010 technically Final Fantasy 7 Remake - 2020 Final Fantasy 10 - 2001 Final Fantasy 7 1997 Bayonetta 2 - 2014 Devil May Cry 5 - 2019 Titanfall 2 - 2016 Divinity Original Sin 2 - 2017 Deep Rock Galactic - 2020 Fling To The Finish - 2021 The Cycle: Frontier - 2022 Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door - 2004 DOOM Eternal - 2020 Fire Emblem: 3 Houses - 2019 Satisfactory - Early Access Magic Duels - 2015 Magic Arena - 2018 League of Legends - 2009 Arcane - 2021 Project Winter - 2019 Gary's Mod - 2006 Evolve - 2015 It Takes 2 - 2021 Dead By Daylight - 2016 Spy Party - 2018 Crawl - 2014 Half Life 2 - 2004 Guild Wars 2 - 2012 World of Warcraft - 2004 Call of Duty WW2 - 2017 Street Fighter 4 - 2008 Street fighter 5 - 2016 Bioshock Infinite - 2013 Elechead - 2021How To Design An Unsolvable ProblemAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2022-06-25 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot Check out SokPop! sokpop.co
Sim City is one of the most important videogames ever made, but Will Wright's magnum opus isn't revolutionary because it made architecture fun, but in how it created an entirely new kind of videogame: the problem solver. Problem Solving videogames are a unique collection of titles that rely not on the developer to author specific obstacles, but on the player to interact with a set of meticulously-balanced variables and rules and in the process create a series of challenges that are totally unique.
The Architect has been trying their hand at alchemy, logistics, speed running and even... whatever that word is for planning out what buildings look like in an effort to figure out the root of this particular problem - and they've come to a startling conclusion. Some of the best problems in videogaming are, in fact, designed to be unsolvable.
You Saw:
Streets of Rage - 1991 Super Mario Bros - 1985 Surviving Mars - 2018 Game Dev Tycoon - 2015 Sim City - 1989 Civilization 6 - 2016 Starcraft 2 - 2010 Sim City 3000 - 1999 Sim City (2013) - :/ Sim City 2000 - 1993 Utopia - 1982 Sim City 4 - 2003 Anno 1800 - 2019 They Are Billions - 2017 Teardown - 2022 Hardspace Shipbreaker - 2022 Factorio - 2020 The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe - 2022 Super Mario Odyssey - 2017 World of Goo - 2008 Rimworld - 2018 Evil Genius 2 - 2021 Satisfactory - Early Access Neon White - 2022 Dorfromantik - 2021 Spacechem - 2011 Infinifactory - 2015 Exapunks - 2018 Opus Magnum - 2017 Human Resouce Machine - 2015 Cities Skylines - 2015 Two Point Hospital - 2018 Frostpunk - 2018 Northgard - 2017 Mini Motorways - 2019 Death Stranding - 2019 Wilmott's Warehouse - 2019 Tetris 99 - 2019 Fallout New Vegas - 2010 Super Mario 64 - 1996 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - 2011 Quake - 1996 Elden Ring - 2022 Divinity Original Sin 2 - 2017 Terra Nil - Early Access Baba is You - 2019 The Greatest Movie Of All Time (2007) Fall Guys - 2020Whats So Difficult About Alternate Endings?Adam Millard - The Architect of Games2022-06-01 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
Videogames are unique for a lot of reasons, but what makes them stand out amongst every other form of media is the simple fact that they can end in a variety of ways. From choosing who lives and who dies, the fate of the world, to simply what colour a big pretty ending explosion is - alternate endings are one of the great videogaming ideas...
So why are they so often kind of rubbish?
The Architect has scouted multiple timelines, delved into the farthest reaches of the universe and poked around in the still-smoking craters left by controversial videogames to figure out the answer - games with multiple endings are great, but not for the reasons we think... and it's this misconception that's dragging down a whole load of otherwise great games.
You Saw:
The legend of zelda breath of the wild - 2017 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - 2003 Titanic - 1997 Waiting for Godot - 1952 Dishonored 2 - 2016 Papers Please - 2013 Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp - 2020 Clue - 1986 Disco Elysium - 2019 Storyteller - Early Access Resident Evil 7 - 2017 Undertale - 2015 Until Dawn - 2015 Far Cry 5 - 2018 Detroit: Become Human - 2018 Fallout 4 - 2015 Mass Effect Legendary Edition - 2021 The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe -2022 Citizen Sleeper - 2022 Reventure - 2019 Pikmin - 2001 Telltale's Batman - 2016 Not For Broadcast - 2022 Nier Automata - 2017 Shadow The Hedgehog - 2005 Chrono Trigger - 1995 Fire Emblem 3 Houses - 2019 Catherine - 2011 Red Dead Redemption 2 - 2018 Sonic Mania - 2017 Bioshock - 2007 Silicon Dreams - 2021 Dawn of War 2: Chaos Rising - 2010 Metro Exodus - 2019 Paradise Killer - 2020 Life Is Strange - 2015 Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door - 2004 Deus Ex: Human Revolution - 2011 Bastion - 2011 Ghost of Tsushima - 2020 Grand Theft Auto 5 - 2013 Infamous - 2009 Pikmin 2 - 2004 Dark Souls - 2012 Furi - 2016 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - 2019 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - 1997 The Talos Principle - 2014 Super Mario 64 - 1996 Hollow Knight - 2017 Bloodborne - 2015 How Fish is Made - 2022 Fallout New Vegas - 2010 Final Fantasy 14 - 2010 Sonic Generations - 2011How Nostalgia Is Holding Games BackAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2022-05-06 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
Everyone loves engaging in a bit of nostalgia - it's a way to enjoy the things we love from an entirely new perspective, adding some extra layers to our existing cherished childhood memories - from Mario to Pokemon to Dark Souls, everyone has something they're nostalgic about... but is that a good thing?
After a lot of soul searching, and a few trips into alternate pasts and futures - The Architect has discovered an unsettling truth - that nostalgia might not be the universal good we often think it is, and in fact, our obsession over our own flawed memories might be ruining our present day fun...
You Saw: jedi fallen order (2019) rocket league (2015) Bloodstained: ritual of the night (2019) Super Smash Bros Ultimate (2018) FF7 Remake (2020) Spider Man: No Way Home (2022) Super Mario Odyssey (2017) Super Mario 64 (1996) Dark Souls 3 (2016) Dark Souls (2012) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time (1998) The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (2002) The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006) Halo 1 (2001) Final Fantasy 6 (1994) Cuphead (2017) Dishonored 2 (2016) Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (1997) Animal Crossing New Horizons (2020) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017) Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (2019) Tem Tem (EARLY ACCESS) Coromon (2022) Nexomon: Extinction (2020) Monster Crown (2020) Pokemon Emerald (2004) Pokemon Showdown (2011) The Legend of Zelda: A Link To the past (1991) Far Cry Primal (2016) Metal Gear Rising: Revengance (2012) The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim (2011) Pokemon Sword (2019) Fortnite (2017) Realm Royale (2018) Portal 1 (2007) Quantum Conundrum (2012) Q.U.B.E 2 (2018) Superliminal(2019) Portal 2 (2011) Narbacular Drop (2005) Tag: The Power of Paint (2008) Unturned (2014) Minecraft (2011) Terraria (2011) Starbound (2016) Tales of Maj'eyl (2012) Rogue (1980) Yooka Laylee (2017) Banjo Kazooie (1998) Banjo Tooie (2000) Project Warlock (2018) Ion Fury (2018) Hellbound (2020) DOOM: Eternal (2020) Nightmare Reaper (2022) Dusk (2018) Quake 2 (1997) ULTRAKILL (EARLY ACCESS) Sonic Mania (2017) Sonic The Hedgehog (1991) Super Mario Bros Advance (2001) Super Smash Bros Brawl (2008) Resident Evil 2 Remake (2019) Resident Evil 2 (1998) Pokemon White 2 (2012) Pokemon Shining Pearl (2022) Final Fantasy 15 (2016) Watchdogs (2014) Sea of theives (2018) Hollow Knight (2017) Super Metroid (1994) Metroid Dread (2021) Guacamelee 2 (2018) Ori and the Blind forest (2015) Supraland (2018) Toki Tori 2 (2013) Unsighted (2021) Elden Ring (2022) Tenchu: Stealth Assasins (1998) The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe (2022) Metroid Fusion (2002) Metroid (1986) A Hat in Time (2017) Shovel Knight (2014) Mega Man 2 (1988) Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (2005) Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (2008) Hypnospace Outlaw (2019) DOOM (2016) Ready Player 1 (2018) Pokemon Heart Gold (2009) Dead Estate (2021)Why Tunic Hides Its TutorialAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2022-04-12 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
Over the last decade, videogames have gotten much better at communication. After so many years, we've finally got comprehensive tutorials, clear user interfaces and well-paced difficulty curves that never leave you overwhelmed or confused - but have videogames lost something in this transition to easy-to-play accessibility? The Architect thinks so.
After stumbling their way through forests, caverns and ancient ruins, The Architect has uncovered scraps of an ancient manual, containing a hidden secret within: Sometimes, hiding information from the player, and making learning itself part of a game's challenge, can make eventual mastery all that more satisfying. Luckily for us, Tunic is here to show us how this nearly-forgotten technique is done.
Tunic - 2022 Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu - 2018 Gears Tactics - 2020 Shadow of War - 2017 Metroid Dread - 2021 Deathloop - 2021 Heaven's Vault - 2019 Psychonauts - 2005 Death Stranding - 2019 Street Fighter 5 - 2016 Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - 2017 Metroid Prime - 2002 Hollow Knight - 2017 Steamworld Dig 2 Elden Ring - 2022 Golden Light - 2022 Bug Fables - 2019 Monster Hunter Rise - 2018 Monster Hunter World - 2021 Fez - 2012 XCOM: Enemy Unknown - 2012 BABA is YOU - 2019 The Witness - 2016 Antichamber - 2013 Super Metroid - 1994 Super Mario Bros - 1985 XCOM 2 - 2016 Portal 2 - 2011 Far Cry 4 - 2014 Half Life Alyx - 2020 Knightfall - 2022 Dark Souls - 2012 Journey - 2017 Minecraft - 2011 Satisfactory - Early AccessWhy The Best Open World Is A (slightly) Closed WorldAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2022-03-21 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
Open World games have been in a bit of a rut for years now, ever since Far Cry 3 set the tone for the genre more than a decade ago, every single open world game has been held prisoner by a single feature: Towers. The bane of exploration-lovers everywhere. Or are they?
The Architect has seen a fair share of towers, and they're starting to doubt whether towers really are at fault for bad open worlds after all - hell, even Elden Ring has them, and that game has a great world! After saddling up and exploring the worlds of Hyrule, The Mojave and now the Lands Between, finally the secret of good world design is within grasp... It's just inside this innocent looking chest, I swear...
You Saw: Halo Infinite - 2021 Batman Arkham Knight -2015 Horizon: Zero Dawn - 2017 Far Cry 5 - 2018 Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - 2011 Breath of the Wild - 2017 Cybperpunk 2077 - 2020 Assasins Creed Valhalla - 2020 Assasins Creed Odyssey - 2018 Spiderman PS4 - 2018 Shadow of War - 2017 Infamous: Second Son -- 2014 Genshin Impact - 2020 Deus Ex: Human Revolution - 2011 Elden Ring - 2022 Metro Exodus - 2019 Fallout 4 - 2015 Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion - 2006 Fallout 3 - 2008 Sea of Thieves - 2018 Far Cry 3 - 2012 Hyperbolica - 2022 Tunic - 2022 Batman Arkham City - 2011 Sable - 2021 Fallout: New Vegas - 2010 World of Warcraft - 2004 Far Cry 6 - 2021Is It Possible To Make Feeling Weak Fun?Adam Millard - The Architect of Games2022-02-25 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
Power fantasies are almost ubiquitous in games, from the absolute most casual experiences out there to the hardest of the hardcore - videogames LOVE making us feel strong and powerful, and why wouldn't they? Feeling powerful is loads of fun!
However, a feeling of strength and control isn't all games have to offer, and in our obsession with power fantasies, some equally good kinds of games can sometimes get swept under the rug. After a lifetime's worth of training in the martial, bureaucratic and logistical arts The Architect is ready to tell you how being weak is just as fun as being strong - even if it's in an unconventional way.
Disco Elysium is a weird game - that much is obvious. It's got high minded philosophical commentary sharing space with childish jokes, it mocks just about every political worldview ruthlessly, and it veers drunkenly between bleak musings on the state of post-capitalist reality and joyous moments of pure fun.
It's no wonder that many people, The Architect included, have tried and failed over and over again to figure out what, if anything, Disco Elysium is actually about. Until now. Against the advice of the many voices in their head, The Architect has ventured into the wild pale yonder of Elysium and lived to tell the tale, specifically, a tale about how failure... is just the beginning.
It's the end of another year in videogaming and oh what a year it's been - regardless of how well your 2021 has gone, there's one thing we can agree on, that there's been a bunch of great videogames in the last 12 months. Unfortunately, that also means that some otherwise great games have been overshadowed by bigger titles.
Luckily, The Architect has spent the last 365 days rummaging through every last videogame released this year and has come up with a definitive list not of the best games of the year, but of the games you should've played... but probably didn't - as well as where best to buy them during the holiday sales. Buckle up! There's some real gems in here.
Also, sorry for some audio glitches here and there - I couldn't upload a fixed version but they're only noticeable if you're insane like I am!
You Saw: Dyson Sphere Program (Early Access) New Pokemon Snap (2021) Hitman 3 (2021) Resident Evil 8 (2021) Outer Wilds (2019) It Takes Two (2021) Everhood (2021) Chicory - A Colorful Tale (2021) - Of The Killer series (2021) Slipways (2021) Silicon Dreams (2021) Blade Runner Mundaun (2021) The Forgotten City (2021) Genesis Noir (2021) Loop Hero (2021) Spookware (2021) Unpacking (2021) Unsighted (2021) Webbed (2021) Nerts (2021) Escape Simulator (2021) Cruelty Squad (2021) Sable (2021) GTA Trilogy Remastered (2021) Balan Wonderworld (2021) Ball in a Cup Game (Early Access) Before Your Eyes (2021) Wildermyth (2021) Inscryption (2021)How Videogames Keep You Playing ForeverAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2021-12-22 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
You probably already know this, but video games are LONG - we pour hour after hour into not just our favorite videogames, but also ones we don't even like that much - and there is no better example of the sheer compulsive, time-sucking power of games than Roguelikes. Ever since their inception at the dawn of interactive entertainment, rogue and its spawn have demanded millions of hours of our collective time... but how?
The Architect has plundered basements, raided ancient castles and delved into realms of anime as yet undreamed of to fiind out what it is about roguelikes, and by extension all videogames that is so damn compelling... that is unless they get distracted with another Isaac run.
How does Mario remain so infamously creative, without ever having to tell you how its new ideas work? Why do platinum games make your dodge move so powerful? And how does Halo create interesting strategic decisions by taking your guns away? the answer is a little-known and abstract concept called Toolsets.
A videogame's toolset is the culmination of all of your abilities and all of your strategic options, and the way each component fits together can have a huge yet invisible impact on the way you play - and there is no better example of the power of a good toolset than Halo. By restricting players to just two weapons at a time, Halo didn't just use a toolset to shape the way you play, but to put players in charge and let them decide their own strategies, a decision that inadvertently changed the course of videogame history...
You Saw:
Halo: Combat Evolved - 2001 Doom - 1994 Quake 2 - 1997 Half Life - 1998 Halo Infinite - 2021 DOOM: Eternal - 2020 Blood - 1997 Halo 2 - 2004 Grand Theft Auto 5 - 2013 Titanfall 2 - 2016 Counter Strike: Source - 2000 Halo 3 - 2007 Psychonauts 2 - 2021 Eastern Front: 1941 - 1981 Asteroids - 1979 Human Resource Machine - 2015 Super Mario Odyssey - 2017 Hades - 2020 Wonderful 101: Remastered - 2020 Nier: Automata - 2017 Bayonetta 2 - 2014 Metal Gear Rising: Revengance - 2013 DUSK - 2017 Halo: Reach - 2010 Prey - 2017 Super Metroid - 1994 Metroid Prime Trilogy - 2009 Ori and the Blind Forest - 2015 Ori and the Will of the Wisps - 2020 Stardew Valley - 2016 The Eternal Cylinder - 2021 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - 2017 King's Quest V - 1990 Dota 2 - 2013 Shovel Knight - 2014 Sonic Adventure - 1998 World of Warcraft - 2004 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D - 2011 Castlevania: Symphony of the night - 1997 Super 3D Noah's Ark - 1994 Witch It - 2017How Videogames Make The Ultimate SacrificeAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2021-11-11 | Check out GiantGrantGames: youtube.com/channel/UCdHKiETyuMbV6a86GRK-MWA
Sacrifice as a concept has been a part of human culture since the very beginning - and as the concept has evolved and changed, it's taken on a variety of forms: Personal, emotional, financial... as well as a few rather more grizzly varieties. But through our culture's long relationship with sacrifice, they've always been seen as emotional, dramatic and memorable moments that define a story... so why can't the same be said for videogames?
Despite getting a lot of mileage out of the aesthetic of sacrifice, very few videogames have managed to create ones as satisfying as the literary and cinematic greats. Videogame sacrifices almost always end up as unsatisfying, arbitrary distractions that feel bad to engage with - but why? The Architect is going to find out, even if it means venturing into spooky woodland cabins, more than one type of dystopic future and the worst, most poorly thought out bowels of the Fallout universe.
You Saw:
Fallout 3 - 2008 Left 4 Dead 2 -2009 XCOM: UFO Defence - 1997 Xenoblade 2 - 2017 Teardown - Early Access The Iron Giant - 1999 Romeo And Juliet - 2013 Star Wars: Return of the Jedi -1983 Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker - 2019 Dark Devotion - 2018 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - seemingly every year lmao Far Cry 3 - 2012 Fable 2 - 2008 Magic Arena - 2018 Warhammer Total War 2 - 2017 Fire Emblem Warriors - 2017 Fire Emblem Fates - 2015 Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn - 2007 Fire Emblem 3 Houses - 2020 Halo: Reach - 2010 Inscryption - 2021 Resident Evil 4 - 2005 Dark Souls 3 - 2016 The Binding of Issac: Rebirth - 2014 Darkest Dungeon - 2016 Unrailed - 2020 Outer Wilds - 2019 Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice - 2017 Pathologic 2 - 2019 LISA: The Painful - 2014 Unsighted - 2021 Mass Effect 2 - 2012 Mass Effect Remastered - 2021 The Hex - 2018 Xenoblade Chronicles DE - 2020 Nier Automata - 2017 Pokemon Emerald -- 2004 Rolled Out - Early AccessFinding True Freedom In VideogamesAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2021-10-14 | Check out Hotcyder! youtube.com/channel/UC_r8gFeezEBZVnazvbv75pQ
Is there anything better in videogames than that feeling of total freedom? Where you can go wherever you like, do whatever you want and become whoever you want to be - probably not. However, as much as the gaming community loves to feel like they're finding their own fun, the reality is a little more complicated.
See, when playing a game, we're never truly making our own decisions, and game designers must strike a constant balance between letting the player off the leash and making sure that their freedom actually means something. After a long trek through the desert and across the world, The Architect has managed to discover how the best, most liberating games of all manage to pull this trick off, and surprisingly, it's often by restricting players that the most empowering games work so well.
You Saw: Outer Wilds - 2019 Final Fantasy 14 - 2010 Animal Crossing New Horizons - 2020 The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild - 2017 Starcraft 2 - 2010 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - 2011 The Legend of Zelda - 1986 Planescape Torment - 1999 Divinity: Original Sin 2 - 2017 Passpartout: The Starving Artist - 2017 Monster Hunter: World - 2018 Minecraft - 2011 Half Life: Alyx - 2020 Genshin Impact - 2020 Prey - 2017 Far Cry 5 - 2018 Grand Theft Auto 5 - 2013 Destiny 2 - 2017 Borderlands 3 - 2019 Cyberpunk 2077 - 2077 am i rite??? (it was 2020 in case you forgot) The Stanley Parable - 2013 Deltarune Chapter 1 - 2018 Mass Effect 3 - 2012 Psychonauts 2 - 2021 Deathloop - 2021 Undertale - 2015 Sable - 2021 TOEM - 2021 Before Your Eyes - 2021 Accounting Plus - 2018 Art Sqool - 2019 Umurangi Generation - 2020 No Man's Sky - 2016 Gears Tactics - 2020 X-COM: UFO Defence - 1994 XCOM - 2012 XCOM 2 - 2016 Offworld Trading Company - 2016 Dota 2 - 2013 Magic Arena - 2018 Yu Gi Oh: Legacy of The Duelists - 2020 Teardown - Not Out Yet Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - 2016 Dishonored - 2012 Hitman 3 - 2021 Dishonored 2 - 2017 Disco Elysium - 2019 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - 2019 Dark Souls 3 - 2016 Telltale Game of thrones - 2014 Mario Maker - 2015 Pokemon Ultra Moon - 2017 Warcraft 3 Remastered - 2020 Legion TD 2 - 2021How Storytelling Saved PsychonautsAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2021-09-22 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
The history of Psychonauts is an interesting one, it went from promising project, to embarrassing failure, to fan-fave cult classic before having a glorious return fifteen years later. What caused Psychonauts to fail, and why did people fall in love with it anyway?
The answer, as The Architect has just found out, is a little technique called Environmental Storytelling, a way to communicating complete narratives, not through mere words, but through nothing but level design. How is it possible to do that? Well, as it turns out, things are a little more complicated than putting some graffiti on the wall and calling it a day...
You Saw:
Psychonauts (2005) Psychonauts 2 (2021) Disco Elysium (2019) Bioshock (2007) The Stanley Parable (2013) Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (2019) Deltarune (IDK it's weird) Journey (2012) Bloodborne (2015) Half Life: Alyx (2020) Horizon: Zero Dawn (2017) Deathloop (2021) Psychonauts and the rombus of Ruin (2017) A Hat In Time (2017) Wolfenstein: The New Colossus (2017) Half Life 2 (2004) Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014) Dark Souls 3 (2016) Bioshock Infinite (2013) Overwatch (2016) The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim (2011) Fallout 4 (2015) The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion (2006) Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (2016) Far Cry 3 (2012) Hitman 3 (2021) Mass Effect Legendary Edition (2021) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017) Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018) Metal Gear Rising: Revengance (2013) Batman Arkham City (2011)Building Better Crafting SystemsAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2021-08-29 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
Humankind (2021) Valheim (Early Access) Satisfactory (Early Access) Animal Crossing New Horizons (2021) Final Fantasy 14 (2013) Spiritfarer (2020) Fallout 4 (2015) Resident Evil 8 (2021) Ooblets (Early Access) Horizon: Zero Dawn (2017) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017) Runescape (2001) Stardew Valley (2016) Minecraft (2011) Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book (2015) Battle Chef Brigade (2017) Terraria (2011) Subnautica: Below Zero (2021) Prey (2017) Project Winter (2019) THe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim (2011) Death Stranding (2019) Potion Craft (Early Access) Factorio (2020) Deep Rock Galactic (2020) The Last of Us 2 (2020) Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018) Far Cry 3 (2012) Monster Hunter World (2018) Monster Hunter: Rise (2021) God of War (2018) Dead Space 3 (2013) Mass Effect: Andromeda (2017) Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014) Ghost of: Tsushima (2020) Psychonauts (2005)
Crafting systems are one of the most popular mechanics in all of videogaming, appearing in everything from open world games to shooters to MMOs, and if there's one thing that most crafting systems have in common it's the fact that they... sort of suck.Whether they're boring or time consuming or overly simplistic, there are a lot of potential problems that can plague crafting systems, and to make matters worse - a lot of the bad ones look just like the good ones.
So, what’s the solution?
Well, after some tinkering, salvaging and refining, The Architect has come up with a three-step formula to fixing every crafting system, focusing not on their mechanics, or their balance, but the way they affect their parent games - it makes sense in context, trust me.The Ugliest Videogame Ever MadeAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2021-08-04 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
What does it mean for something to be ugly? Is it when something is repulsive, when it offends your senses, or is it when something is just plain bad? Beyond that, is there any situation where ugly games can actually be good?
The Architect thinks so. They've torn and screamed their way through the fleshpunk dystopia and come out the other side with profane visions relating to the truth of ugly games. They aren't good - but they *are* interesting, and by playing them, we can learn more about the games we love and see videogames as a whole in a new, uglier, light - it's a good thing I promise.#
You Saw: Cruelty Squad - 2021 Death Stranding - 2019 Bird Museum - 2020 Art Squool - 2020 Nier Automata - 2017 Mario 64 - 1996 Bennet Foddy's Getting over it - 2017 Super Mario Bros - 1985 Super Mario World 3D - 2013 New Super Mario Bros. U - 2012 Super Mario Galaxy 2 - 2012 A Hat In Time - 2017 The Hex - 2017 Super Mario Odyssey - 2017 The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth - 2014 Resident Evil - 1996 Resident Evil 2 Remake - 2019 Resident Evil 6 - 2012 Jazzpunk - 2014 The Stanley Parable - 2013 Furi - 2016 Jedi: Fallen Order - 2019 Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn - 2013 I Wanna Be The Guy - 2007 Sonic The Hedgehog (2006) - hmm i wonder XCOM 2 - 2016 Dark Souls 3 - 2016 Demon Souls Remake - 2020 Dark Souls - 2012 Bloodborne - 2015 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - 2019 Dark Souls 2 - 2014 Knock-Knock - 2013 Pathologic 2 - 2019 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - 2011 Goat Simulator - 2014 Surgeon Sim - 2013 Octodad: Dadliest Catch - 2014 Street Fighter 2: Turbo - 1992 Street Fighter 5 - 2016 Lego Builder's Journey - 2019 Journey - 2012 Horizon: Zero Dawn - 2017 Mario Tennis Aces - 2018 God of War - 2018 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D - 2011 Deadly Premonition - 2010 It Takes 2 - 2021 Earth Defence Force 4.1 - 2016 Minecraft - 2011 Gorbino's Quest - 0000000000000Why Wildermyths Best Story Wasnt Written By AnyoneAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2021-07-11 | Check out HeavyEyed! youtube.com/c/heavyeyed
Videogames are a storytelling medium, everyone knows that - but unlike their contemporaries, they allow us to write our own stories too - by interacting with the systems and mechanics of games, we can tell gripping stories of survival against the odds, create epic rivalries between us and NPCs, and epic quests starring heroes of our own creation.
So... how can games do this?
Well, one of the best ways is through a particular game design ethos called permanence - where games remember your actions and allow you to build on them, not just over the course of a single level, but an entire playthrough - and there's no better example of it than a little game called Wildermyth. As a result, the Architect has spent the last few weeks making friends with orcs, delving into old addictions and apologizing to dragons for that big misunderstanding, all in an effort to understand how games can create stories not by writing them - but by giving us space to write them ourselves...
You Saw:
Wildermyth - 2021 Shadow of War - 2017 Spelunky 2 - 2020 DOOM Eternal - 2020 Prodeus - Early Access Super Mario 3d World - 2013 Super Mario Galaxy - 2007 Humankind - Early Access Slipways - 2021 Dark Souls 2 - 2014 Resident Evil 2 Remake - 2019 Pokemon Fire Red - 2004 Pokemon Sword - 2019 Sid Meir's Civilization 6 - 2016 Sid Meir's Civilization - 1991 Donkey Kong - 1981 Dragon's lair - 1983 Galaxians - 1979 paperboy - 1984 Defender - 1981 Metal Slug 3 - 2000 Gauntlet - 1985 Hades - 2020 Dark Souls - 2012 The Matrix - 2000 Tales of Maj'Eyal - 2012 Skul the hero slayer - 2021 FTL - 2012 Dicey Dungeons - 2019 Nowhere Prophet - 2019 The Long Dark - 2014 Hunt: Showdown - 2018 XCOM: UFO Defence - 1994 XCOM 2 - 2016 Star Renegades - 2020 Assasins' Creed Odyssey - 2018 Shadow of Mordor - 2014 The Fermi Paradox - Early Access Death Stranding - 2019 No Man's Sky - 2016 Among Us - 2018 Fallout New Vegas - 2010 It Takes Two - 2021How The Best Game of 2021 Respects Your Time By Ending Too SoonAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2021-06-16 | Endings are something that we don't appreciate enough, we spend so much time trying to squeeze every drop of content from games that we often don't get around to finishing them at all - and worse yet, some developers don't even *want* you to finish their games, leading to a malaise that's afflicted videogames for close to a decade.
The solution? We need to embrace the shorter, more imperfect endings that video games have to offer, and after blinking their way through time and across the boundary of mortality, The Architect has some wisdom to share about how some of the best games of the year so far can create satisfying conclusions that mean much more because they aren't complete.
You Saw: Before Your Eyes (2021) Fire Emblem 3 Houses (2019) Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (2016) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006) Pokemon Fire Red (2004) Portal (2007) Monster Hunter Rise (2021) The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003) Fallout 4 (2015) Fortnite (2017) Genshin Impact (2020) Final Fantasy 7 Remake (2020) Hearthstone (2014) Pikmin 3 (2013) A Short Hike (2019) Kirby Star Allies (2018) The Stanley Parable (2013) Sonic Unleashed (2008) Pikmin (2001) Gorogoa (2017) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017) There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension (2020) BABA IS YOU (2019) Minit Racer (2021) Farcry 5 (2018) Grow Up (2016) Pyre (2017) What Remains of Edith Finch (2017) Hypnospace Outlaw (2019) Gunpoint (2013) Inside (2016) QWOP (2010) Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (2013) Doom Eternal (2020) SNKRX (2021) Metal Gear Rising: Revengance (2013) Wonderful 101 Remastered (2021) Nier Automata (2017) Bayonetta 2 (2014) Astral Chain (2019) Mass Effect Trology (2021) 80 Days (2014) Overboard (2021) Hades (2020) Dead Cells Rimworld (2018) Slipways (2021) Despot's Game - Not Out Yet Monster Hunter World (2018) The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim (2011) Life Is Strange (2015) Hitman 3 (2021) New Pokemon Snap (2021) Batman Arkham Knight (2015) Apex Legends (2019) Assasin's Creed Valhalla (2021) Battlefront 2 (2017) Disco Elysium (2019) Raid Shadow Legends (lol who cares) Knockout City (2021)The Secret To Resident Evils SuccessAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2021-05-23 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
Resident Evil is a hell of a game, it's got great world design, terrifying zombies and some... *extensive* characterization - but that's not all. Resident Evil is also the master of tension. Tension is the secret ingredient that turns mere excitement into exhilaration and simple fear into outright horror, but how do the best of the best use this subtle game design element to their advantage?
Whether it's Half Life Alyx's Jeff, Resident Evil's Lady Dimitrescu and Subnautica's Reapers - the greatest moments of videogaming tension rely not on outright scares, but on taking control away from the player - and after a much-needed change of clothes, the Architect is ready to tell you how they do it.
Tanks, Supports and Damage Dealers are a staple of... too many games to count - and no matter where you look this holy trinity seems to be growing more and more popular over time, but why?
A veteran of MMOs, Hero Shooters and all sorts of tactics games, The Architect has squeezed into an ill-fitting helm of domination and waded out onto the battlefield to work out why the holy trinity is so common, and what effect it has on our favorite games.
Why are puzzles so popular? They're less exciting than action games, less compelling than narrative ones, and less challenging than the peak of strategy games, but in spite of all that - they're endearingly popular. Why?
The Architect has delved into both ancient records and cutting-edge games to try and figure this out, and after some initial confusion, they've happened upon a eureka! moment all of their own, holding the secrets not just of puzzle design, but of why we create them in the first place.
The Witness - 2016 Fez - 2012 Ultrakill - Not Released yet Disco Elysium - 2019 5D Chess with multiverse time travel - 2020 Mini Metro - 2014 Doom Eternal - 2020 Picross Touch - 2016 World of Goo - 2008 The Talos Principle - 2014 Supraland- 2018 Samsara Room - 2020 Maquette - 2021 Antichamber - 2013 Braid - 2008 Professor Layton: The Curious Village - 2007 Monument Valley 2 - 2017 Portal - 2007 Portal 2 - 2011 Superliminal - 2019 Size Matters - 2021 BABA IS YOU - 2019 MO:Astray - 2019 The Swapper - 2013 Thimbleweed Park - 2017 Genesis Noir - 2021 Dorfromantik - 2021How To Create A Legendary Sword Fighting GameAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2021-03-16 | Support the channel on Patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames
Swords have been a mainstay of human culture since before you fleshy sacs of mostly water knew how to write - all across the world, nearly every culture has its version of the sword, and a whole host of stories and heroes to accompany it.
Tales of swordfighting are all about high adventure, epic battles, and legendary duels between masters of the blade - but how can we adapt them to videogame form? Well, The Architect has been training with wise senseis, duking it out with cybernetic goons and facing down mighty warriors for weeks just to be able to answer that question, and the answer may surprise you - a great swordfight isn't about realism, but about creating both a sense of lethality, but also a sense of vulnerability.
For Honor- 2016 Runescape- 2001 Undertale - 2015 Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity - 2020 Total War Warhammer 2 - 2017 Ryse: Son of Rome - 2013 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - 2016 Jedi: Fallen Order - 2019 Xenoblade: Definitive Edition - 2020 Fire Emblem: Three Houses - 2019 Dark Souls - 2012 Sekiro - 2019 World of Warcraft - 2004 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD - 2016 Ninja Gaiden - 1988 Link: The Faces of Evil - 1993 Dark Souls 2 - 2014 Metal Gear Rising: Revegance - 2013 Ghostrunner - 2020 The Witcher 1 - 2007 Lords of the Fallen - 2014 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - 2011 Nidhogg - 2014 The Princess Bride - 1987 Dark Souls 3 - 2016 Nier Automata - 2017 Bayonetta 2 - 2014 Bushido Blade - 1997 Furi - 2016 Dynasty Warriors 9 - 2018 Katana Zero - 2019 Excalibur - 1981 SMITE - 2014 Mordhau - 2019 Deep Rock Galactic - 2020Why Hitman Isnt A Stealth GameAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2021-02-23 | Support the channel on patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames
Hitman is a hell of a franchise. It's been around for just over two decades and it's been rebooted and overhauled more times than anyone can count (3), and over its many iterations, the team behind it have learned some very interesting lessons about how to get people to play a certain way, and about what kind of game they were actually making.
With Hitman 3 marking the end of Agent 47's career for the time being, The Architect - a fellow master of disguise - has taken it upon themselves to look back at Hitman's history and run through how the game earned its by now legendary reputation, as well as how the developers created it.
Hitman: Codename 47: 2000 Hitman: Blood Money: 2006 HITMAN: 2016 HITMAN 2: 2018 HITMAN 3: 2021 Factorio: 2020 Polybridge: 2015 Opus Magnum: 2017 Dishonored 2: 2016 Deus Ex: Human Revolution: 2011 Metal Gear Solid 5: 2015 THE GAME OF WHICH WE DO NOT SPEAK (Hitman: Absolution): 2012 Fling To The Finish: Not Out YetWhat Does Immersion Actually Mean?Adam Millard - The Architect of Games2021-02-01 | Support the channel on patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on Twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
For decades video game discourse has been dominated by a single word, one with no clear meaning but a whole lot of promises to deliver: Immersion. As much as we love to use the word immersion to describe gripping experiences that draw us into fantasy worlds - it's becoming harder and harder to define what, if anything, immersion actually means.
So, what is the deal with immersion? That's something The Architect has been pondering for Eons and it's about time we got some answers. It took diving to the deepest oceans and getting stuck into far-flung worlds, but The Architect has got a few ideas about what immersion actually means to us gamers, and how understanding it can improve the way we talk about our favorite games.
You Saw: Abzu - 2016 Cyberpunk 2077 - 2077 The Last of Us 2 - 2020 Red Dead Redemption 2- 2018 Bioshock - 2007 Bubsy 3D - 1996 Far cry 5 - 2018 Jumanji - 1995 Resident Evil 8 - Not Released Yet Assassin's Creed Odyssey - 2018 Death Stranding - 2019 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - 2011 Papers Please - 2013 Metroid Prime - 2002 Dishonored 2 - 2016 In Other Waters - 2020 No Man's Sky - pffffffff Deep Rock Galactic Hitman 3 - 2021 Shadow of Mordor - 2014 Shadow of War - 2017 Prey - 2017 Superliminal - 2019 Breath of the Wild - 2017 What Remains of Edith Finch - 2017 Deus Ex: Human Revolution - 2011 Deus Ex - 2000 Dishonored - 2012 System Shock 2 - 1999 Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - 2016 Antichamber - 2013 Monster Hunter World - 2017 Hades - 2020 Divinity: Original Sin 2 - 2018 Rimworld - 2016 Animal Crossing: New Horizons - 2020 Paradise Killer - 2020 Heaven's Vault - 2019 Disco Elysium - 2019 Yoshi's Island - 1995 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - 2006 Resident Evil 4 - 2005 Mass Effect 3 - 2012 God of War -2018 The Last of Us - 2013 Fallout: New Vegas Dead Space - 2008 Metro 2033 - 2010 F-Zero GX - 2003 Apex Legends - 2019 Descenders - 2019 DOOM Eternal - 2020 Crusader Kings 3 - 2020 Rise of Industry - 2018 Sid Meir's Civilization 6 - 2016 Factorio - 2020 Satisfactory - Early Access Subanutica - 2018 Her Story - 2015 Hypnospace Outlaw - 2019 New Super Mario Bros U - 2012 NERTS - 202120(20) Games You Should Have PlayedAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2020-12-31 | Support the channel on patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames Follow me on Twitter!: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
2020 has been a hell of a year for a variety of reasons, there's been social movements, disasters, political upheaval... and also some fantastic videogames. However, with all the big-name blockbusters taking up everyone's attention, some smaller games that are just as good haven't gotten the praise they deserve.
It falls, once again, to The Architect, to swim the darkest depths of 2020, fight a variety of weird and wacky monsters and take a train back to give you a haul of great games that you should have played from this year.
You Saw:
Doom Eternal (2020) Plague Inc (2020... apparently) Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020) Fortnite (2017) Cyberpunk 2077 (2020) Among Us (2018) The Last of Us 2 (2020) Final Fantasy 7 Remake (2020) Superliminal (2020) Hades (2020) Crumble (2020) Coffee Talk (2020) Unrailed (2020) The Pathless (2020) ABZU (2016) Terra Nil (2020) Water Womb World (2020) In Other Waters (2020) There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension (2020) Ghostrunner (2020) One Step From Eden (2020) Noita (2020) Phogs (2020) Spelunky 2 (2020) Kill It With Fire (2020) Lair of The Clockwork God (2020) Tenderfoot Tactics (2020) Paradise Killer (2020) The Matrix: Path of Neo (2005!?) Monster Train (2020) The Longing (2020) Deep Rock Galactic (2020)When Great Games Have Terrible BeginningsAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2020-12-03 | Support the channel on patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames
"It gets good... Eventually" it's an observation that you've no doubt heard before about the latest TV show, book, game or whatever. By this point, it's all but expected that any game over a particular length won't actually be fun for several play sessions until you've got it all figured out. But does this need to be the case? The Architect doesn't think so.
By re-examining the job of introductions in games, we can fix this problem of boring tutorials AND make them more effective in the long run. How? Well The Architect is on their way back from their third trip to Alrest so just hold on a second, things will get more interesting in a bit....
Spelunky 2 is a hell of a game, what else could you expect out of the mastermind that is Derek Yu? It's also really, really hard - to the point that whoever is reading this is probably never going to completely beat the game. Is this a good thing?
Err... Yes.
As weird as it sounds, whilst Spelunky 2 is obscenely hard, it's also got one of the best approaches to difficulty The Architect has ever seen - and it's at the forefront of a bunch of recent games that cater to expert players and newbies using a cool new technique called Granular Difficulty.
You Saw: Spelunky 2 (2020) Spelunky (2008) Hades (2020) Celeste (2018) DOOM (2016) Into The Breach (2018) Dark Souls 2 (2014) Paper Mario And The Thousand Year Door (2002) Shovel Knight (2014) Ori and the Will of the Wisps (2020) Doom Eternal (2020) Bayonetta 2 (2014) Breath of the Wild (2017) Xenoblade 2 (2017) Yooka Laylee and The Impossible Lair (2019) Metal Gear Rising Revengance (2013) Ultimate Chicken Horse (2016) Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition (2020) Rayman Legends (2013) Sonic Generations (2011) Mario Odyssey (2017) Super Mario 3D world (2013) Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014) Halo Reach (2010) The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess (2007) Mass Effect 3 (2012) Risk of Rain 2 (2020) Dark Souls 3 (2016)What Among Us Has In Common With Soviet PsychologyAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2020-10-19 | Support the channel on patreon!: patreon.com/ArchitectofGames
Among Us is the hot new game right now - and who can blame it? It's tense, innovative and from a long tradition of games about lying to your friends, it's great. But what caused Among Us to become popular now? And what does any of that have in common with an old Russian psychology experiment from the 80s?
Fresh from another killing spree, The Architect is determined to find out why, and that's going to mean delving into murder mysteries, our modern-day political landscape, and the truth behind why we enjoy hidden role games to find out the truth behind Among Us' surprising rise to fame.
RPGs are a classic genre - so much so that they've been around since before the dawn of videogames. However, despite their years of evolution and tradition, RPGs have a problem - namely, that no-one can ever finish the damn things, why?
The Architect thinks it's got something to do with how they handle combat - something that's core to the RPG identity, yet is also one of their weakest elements. How can this be? What can be done about it? Watch the video and find out, dummy.
Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga and Bowser's Minions - 2017
YIIK: The Postmodern RPG - 2019
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition - 2020
Indivisible - 2019
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds - 2013
The Outer Worlds- 2019
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light - 1990
Fire Emblem: 2 Houses and Golden Deer - 2019
Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword - 2003
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance - 2005
Pokemon Ultra Moon- 2017
Pokemon Platinum- 2008
Path of Exile- 2013
Knights of the old Republic 2 - 2004
The Hex - 2018
Mass Effect 2 - 2012
Fallout 3- 2008
Persona 5 - 2017
Final Fantasy 7 Remake - 2020
Saints Row 4 - 2013
Barlkley's Shut up and Jam: Gaiden - 2008
Shadowrun: Dragonfall - 2014
South Park: The Stick of Truth - 2014
Nier Automata - 2017
Disco Elysum - 2020
West of Loathing - 2017
Dragon Quest 1 - 1986
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - 2015
Fire Emblem Fates - 2015
TerraNil - 2020The Architect of Games Q&A Extravaganza 2: Electric BoogalooAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2020-09-15 | We did it! 250 subscribers! Thank you all so much for your support over the years! As a way of giving back, The Architect has organised for some of your most popular and pressing questions to be answered.
Frog Fractions, developed by Twinbeard Studios is the canonical fractions-based video game of all time, the best there is. In this video, The Architect unpacks exactly what makes Frog Fractions the best fraction-sim of all time and how it came to be the father of the fractionlike genre.
Yep. That's it.
You Saw:
Frog Fractions (2012) Undertale (2015) There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension (2020) Oneshot (2016) Deadpool (2013) Valorant (2020) What Remains of Edith Finch (2017) New Super Luigi U (2013) The Stanley Parable (2011) Nier Automata (2017) Blazing Saddles (1974) Funny Games (1997) Spaceballs (1987) The Wonderful 101 Remastered (2020) Monkey Island 2 Special Edition (2010) Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door (2004) Tales From The Borderlands (2014) Banjo Kazooie (1996) World Of Warcraft (2004) Batman Arkham Knight (2015) Pony Island (2016) From Dust (2011) Metal Gear Solid (1998) Doki Doki Literature Club (2017) Batman Arkham Asylum (2009) Super Mario Bros (1985) Legend of Zelda Breath of The Wild (2017) Call of Duty Blops Cold War (not out yet lol) Bubsy 3D (1996) The Princess Bride (1987) 80 Days (2014) Event 0 (2016) Metal Gear Rising (2013) Doom Eternal (2020) Gris (2018) Dr Langescov, The Tiger, and the TERRIBLY cursed Emerald i got the name wrong (2015) Bioshock (2007) Moon (1997) Frog Fractions 2 (2016) Frog Fractions 3 (2020) Apex Legends (2019)Why The Longing Takes Four Hundred Days to PlayAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2020-08-15 | Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
Time's a funny thing, isn't it? We've got so much of it and yet it never feels like enough. So many games are about time, and they've all got different ways of using it to motivate and manipulate players - but what's the underlying truth behind the way video games use chronology?
To find out, The Architect is going to have to go deep, deep underground to play with a little game called The Longing which, as the name may imply, is very very long indeed.
The Longing (2020) A Hat In Time (2017) Overwatch (2015) Starcraft 2 (2012) Super Mario Bros (1985) Undertale (2015) Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010) Wonderful 101 (2013) Super Metroid (1994) Time Limit (1983) Rayman Legends (2013) Pikmin (2001) Mass Effect 2 (2010) Portal (2007) Mirror's Edge (2009) Verlet Swing (2018) Spelunky (2008) Sonic Mania (2017) Outer Wilds (2019) Monster Train (2020) Minit (2018) Sexy Brutale (2017) Megaman 11 (2018) Braid (2008) Quantum League (2020) Hitman 2 (2018) Team Fortress 2 (2007) Animal Crossing New Horizons (2020) Time Clickers (2015) Adventure Capitalist (2014) Cookie Clicker (2013) Forager (2019) Universal Paperclips (2017) Factorio (2020) Satisfacotry (Early Access) Super Mario 64 (1996) The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim (2011) Slay The Spire (2019) Horizon Zero Dawn (2017) TitanFall 2 (2016) Fall Guys (2020) Runescape (2004) Breath Of The Wild (2017) Vanquish (2010) Return of the Obra Dinn (2018) Final Fantasy 14 (2010) RAID: Shadow Legends (NO NO I REFUSE TO LOOK AT THIS GAME ANY MORE THAN I HAVE DONE) Control (2019)Is It Possible To Fix Gaming Toxicity?Adam Millard - The Architect of Games2020-07-24 | Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
If you've played any online game ever, chances are you've run into some form of toxicity. From BM, to name calling to the old classic teabagging, meanness and vitriol in games comes in a variety of forms. For years game developers have tried to fix this problem to... mixed results - what gives?
It turns out, video game toxicity is less of a systems problem and more of a communication problem - by removing barriers to effective communication, and rewarding people for not being dicks, we can go some way to fixing this eternal gaming problem.
The Architect is going to need to drop into the outlands, take a stroll around Azeroth and journey to the top of one of gaming's best mountains - all to learn the best ways to be nice... or something.
Hearthstone (2014) Unrailed! (Early Access) Rocket League (2015) Halo Master Chief Collection (2019) Dark Nights with Poe and Monroe (2020) Eternal Card Game (2016) World Of Warcraft (2004) Breath of the Wild (2017) Disco Elysium (2019) Apex Legends (2019) Dark Souls 3 (2016) Dark Souls 2 (2014) Runescape (2004) Dota 2 (2013) Dark Souls 1 (2012) Minecraft (2009) Cities Skylines (2015) Deep Rock Galactic (2020) Magicka (2011) Street Fighter 5 (2016) Valorant (2020) Starcraft 2 (2012) Tribes Ascend (2012) Total War Warhammer 2 (2017) The Cycle (2019) Magic The Gathering Arena (2018) Hypnospace Outlaw (2019) Final Fantasy 14 (2013) Bayonetta 2 (2014) Gwent (2016) Fortnite (Early Access???? Techically????) Journey (2012) Last of Us 2 (2020) Undertale (2015) Verlet Swing (2018)What Makes a Great Deckbuilder?Adam Millard - The Architect of Games2020-07-03 | Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/Thefearalcarrot
Deckbuilders are the future - from humble beginnings as ugly but promising rougelikes, they've grown to encompass every genre in a million different ways with no sign of stopping. From classic hits like Slay The Spire, to brand new kids on the scene like One Step From Eden and Monster Train, deckbuilders are going from strength to strength, and The Architect has been playing a LOT of them.
But what make a good deckbuilder? What separates one that's fun enough to give you hundreds of hours of experimentation from one that bores you after your first few runs - particularly when they all use the same mechanics? Well, the answer is pretty simple, and it comes in the form of the trifecta that is Identity, Synergy, and Strategy. What does that mean? Watch to find out.
Work is boring - at least, that's what we've been told. Satisfactory, Factorio, and other logistics games have got other ideas. Far from being boring, these factory or city building games turn regular chores and busywork into compelling, highly enjoyable gameplay, all without falling back on the sketchier tricks AAA developers sometimes employ. How?
The Architect has a few ideas.
With hard hat equipped, and a pot of builder's brew on the go, the Architect is ready to sketch out a production line that takes boring mechanics, and turns them into fun - and it all starts with our need to optimise things.
You Saw: Factorio (Early Access) Satisfactory (Early Access) Anno 1404 (2009) Cities Skylines (2016) Rise of Industry (2018) DOOM Eternal (2020) Her Story (2015) Into The Breach (2018) Anno 1800 (2020) Borderlands 3 (2019) Apex Legends (2019) Minecraft (2019) Anno 2070 (2011) Slime Rancher (2016) DOOM (2016) Offworld Trading Company (2016) Opus Magnum (2017) The Last of Us (2013) A Short Hike (2019)Adam Millard - The Architect of Games Live StreamAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2020-05-29 | ...How to Fix Borderlands 3s VillainsAdam Millard - The Architect of Games2020-05-22 | Listen to North Star Rising!: northstarcrew.com
Villains are a crucial part of fiction. From Star Wars to Shakespeare we often fall in love with the antagonists of a story far more easily than we do the good guys, why? And what seperates a truly iconic villain from a run of the mill evildoer?
Luckily for us, the Architect has been looting and shooting their way around Pandora recently, and they've got a few thoughts as to what makes a video game villain, and how we can improve our existing crop.
You Saw:
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII- 2007 Far Cry 3- 2010 Bioshock- 2007 Portal 2- 2011 Undertale- 2015 Rouge 1- 2016 Silence of the lambs- 1991 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - 2004 Castlevania: Symphony of the night- 1997 System Shock 2- 1999 Wonderful 101- 2013 Mass Effect 2- 2012 Animal Crossing New Horizons- 2020 Final Fantasy 7- 1997 The Last of Us- 2013 Batman: Arkham Asylum- 2009 Borderlands 3- 2019 Borderlands 2- 2012 Empire Strikes Back- 1980 Nier Automata- 2018 Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice- 2018 Titanfall 2- 2016 The Hex- 2018 Super Mario 64- 1996 Mario Bros- 1985 Ocarina of Time- 1998 Knights of the Old Republic 2: 2004 Sonic Mania- 2017 DOOM: Eternal- 2020 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild- 2016 Heaven's Vault- 2019 Hollow Knight- 2017 Pokemon: Fire Red- 2004 Pokemon Platinum- 2008 Pokemon Ultra Moon- 2017 Prince Of Persia- 1989 Batman Arkham City- 2012 Dark Souls 2- 2014 Dark Souls- 2012 Dark Souls 3- 2016 Metal Gear Rising: Revengance- 2013 Disco Elysium- 2019 Wolfenstein: The New Order- 2014 Portal 1: 2007 Ori and the Will of the Wisps- 2020 Shadow of Mordor- 2014 Civilization 6- 2016 XCOM 2- 2016 Dream Quest- 2014 New Super Luigi Bros- 2013 Overwatch- 2015 What Remains of Edith Finch- 2017 Borderlands: The Pre Sequel- 2014 Monster Train- 2020