Game AssistLife is Strange 2 stands out for being an overtly political game, explicitly tackling racism in a post-Trump America. But racism isn’t just an isolated act of violence, it’s woven into our institutions and our everyday lives. Especially in light of current events, it’s time to take a deeper look at how racism is represented in Life is Strange 2.
Obviously, this video contains spoilers for Life is Strange 2.
Music Credits: Into The Woods - Jonathan Morali Lisbeth - Jonathan Morali New Perspectives - Jonathan Morali Nightbus - Jonathan Morali Winter Woods - Jonathan Morali
Resources: Fonts: Poppins, Fredoka One Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia Commons
Everything is Political | Institutional Racism in Life is Strange 2Game Assist2020-06-15 | Life is Strange 2 stands out for being an overtly political game, explicitly tackling racism in a post-Trump America. But racism isn’t just an isolated act of violence, it’s woven into our institutions and our everyday lives. Especially in light of current events, it’s time to take a deeper look at how racism is represented in Life is Strange 2.
Obviously, this video contains spoilers for Life is Strange 2.
Music Credits: Into The Woods - Jonathan Morali Lisbeth - Jonathan Morali New Perspectives - Jonathan Morali Nightbus - Jonathan Morali Winter Woods - Jonathan Morali
Resources: Fonts: Poppins, Fredoka One Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia CommonsSalad-in - #shortsGame Assist2024-07-07 | English is a fascinating and cursed language
#assassinscreed #history #gamesNavigating Palestine in Assassins CreedGame Assist2024-07-01 | Sara analyses the politics of historicity and movement in Assassin's Creed, a game set partly in historic Palestine. How are Palestinians orientalised and erased at the same time? How is the space of historic Palestine rendered, and how do we move through it, especially considering restrictions that Palestinians face on their freedom of movement today?
Stick around for the full 2 hours to catch words from these brilliant Palestinians working in games: Rasheed Abueideh, Ramsey K (Marskye), Natalie Gedeon and Nadia Shammas.
CW // Discussions of genocide, settler colonialism, anti-Palestinian racism, orientalism, militarism, policing and state violence. Depictions of blood, death and military and police violence on screen.
Contents: 0:00 - Intro 13:45 - Part 1: What context do we move in? 17:02 - 1.1 History lesson on the crusades 38:01 - 1.2 The crusades according to Assassin's Creed 53:42 - 1.3 Remembering the crusades: historical research ethics 1:08:05 - Part 2: Freedom of movement in Assassin's Creed and in Palestine today 1:09:56 - 2.1 Moving through Assassin's Creed 1:24:07 - 2.2 Moving through Palestine, now 1:45:10 - Conclusion: We are returning (feat. Rasheed Abueideh, Ramsey Kharroubi, Natalie Gedeon and Nadia Shammas) 2:12:42 - Credits
Music Credits (in order of appearance): Mirage Theme (Assassin's Creed: Mirage Soundtrack) - Brendan Angelides Mesopotamia - Munir Mashir City of Jerusalem (Assassin’s Creed Soundtrack) - Jesper Kyd Acre Underworld (Assassin’s Creed Soundtrack) - Jesper Kyd Trouble in Jerusalem (Assassin’s Creed Soundtrack) - Jesper Kyd Maqamat - Munir Bashir Introducing the Prince (Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Soundtrack) - Jordan Mechner Behold the Sands of Time (Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Soundtrack) - Jordan Mechner Generational Trauma (Thirsty Suitors Soundtrack) - Marskye Podi Dua (Thirsty Suitors Soundtrack) - Marskye
Resources: Fonts: Poppins Game Assist Avatars: Chanelle @knellbelles on Twitter and Instagram Game Assist Logo: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia CommonsNavigating Palestine in Assassins Creed teaser trailer 👀 #videoessay #assassinscreed #palestineGame Assist2024-04-26 | Sneak peek of 'Navigating Palestine in Assassin's Creed' 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸
Coming very soon... keep an eye out for the release date 👀
Make sure you're subscribed ahead of the premiere: youtube.com/gameassistHow Video Game Futures Exchange Bodies For CapitalGame Assist2024-03-18 | There are countless different visions of the future to be found in video games, and common themes amongst them include how bodies and capitalism are presented. Games like Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Cyberpunk 2077, and Citizen Sleeper all take their own approach to these themes, so today Bee is investigating just exactly how these three titles make the exchange between bodies and capital.
Credits: Script, voice over, editor: Bee Script editor and video support: Sara
Contents: 0:00 - Intro 4:50 - Part 1: The Body 28:02 - Part 2: Future Capital 45:15 - Part 3: The Exchange 1:02:14 - Conclusion
Resources: Fonts: Poppins Game Assist avatars: Chanelle @knellbelles on Twitter and Instagram Game Assist logo: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Additional art: Jump Over the Age Media Logos: Wikimedia Commons“Your best American girl” | Race, gender and labour in Life is Strange: True Colors (re-upload)Game Assist2024-03-15 | TW // Depictions of blood and needles. Discussions of and depictions of sexual violence and abuse; physical abuse; xenophobia; racism; child abuse; death and grief.
Join us for the ultimate deep dive into Life is Strange: True Colors. We'll be asking, what exactly is empathy, and what do race and gender have to do with it? How are sex and romance represented in the game? And how does the game address the effects that capitalism has on our lives?
(Re-uploaded and re-edited due to some copyright issues - now with more comprehensive on-screen references!)
Contents: 0:00 - Intro 3:52 - Key concept 24:38 - I. Your mother wouldn't approve of how your mother raised me, but I do (I think I do) 25:50 - I.i. Empathy 34:10 - I.ii. The nuclear family 39:54 - I.iii. Foster care 49:00 - I.iv. Psychiatry 54:00 I.v. Housing 57:06 - I.vi. The racism of foster care 1:11:55 - I.vii. Conclusion (just of this section) 1:19:34 - II. Nothing cuts like a mother 1:25:02 - III. Everything is sex, except sex, which is power (and production) 1:58:17 - IV. Typhon cares! 2:09:48 - V. Conclusion 2:12:06 - Outro
Music: Charlotte's Anger - Unknown Haven - Novo Amor Heavy Gets Light - Angus and Julia Stone Hold On To - Angus and Julia Stone Imagining a future in Haven - Unknown Living Underground - Angus and Julia Stone Tears - Angus and Julia Stone Thank You - Dido
Resources: Fonts: Poppins Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia CommonsMaking a Monster: A COVID-19 Pandemic Perspective on VAMPYRGame Assist2023-06-12 | In 'Making a Monster', our brand new video series on the topic of monsters in games, Sara kicks off with a deep dive into Don't Nod's underrated Gothic masterpiece, VAMPYR. Since 2020, Sara argues this has become an especially worthwhile game to revisit or to visit for the first time, as thinking about monsters in VAMPYR can help us think through the issues of power and oppression that have shaped our own experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
CW // Mentions and depiction of medical abuse, violence and malpractice; Depictions of blood, gore, needles, self harm and physical violence to others; Negative and othering depictions of people with limb and facial differences; Discussions of xenophobia and racism, particularly anti-semitism and anti-Romanian discrimination; Discussions of disablism, classism and queerphobia; Discussions of eugenics.
Contents: 0:00 - intro 6:08 - part i.i: what even is a monster, actually 15:41 - part i.ii: eat the (vampire) bourgeoisie 33:10 - part ii.i covid-19 (it's still happening) 43:12 - part ii.ii knowledge is for cutting 1:03:22 - conclusion: taking the vampirism out of healthcare 1:06:08 - outro
Music Credits: Another Land - Olivier Deriviere Industrial Landscapes - Olivier Deriviere New Home - Olivier Deriviere Rich Neighbourhoods - Olivier Deriviere Secrets - Olivier Deriviere The Cross - Olivier Deriviere The Lady - Olivier Deriviere
Resources: Fonts: Poppins Game Assist avatars: Chanelle @knellbelles on Twitter and Instagram Game Assist logo: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Additional art: Don't Nod Entertainment, Focus Home Interactive Media Logos: Wikimedia CommonsIts a chomby laaaaaady #GameAssist #catsGame Assist2023-02-24 | Our first YouTube Short just had to be featuring Chickpea, the adorable ginger cat! We are Sara (they/she), Daz (they/them) and friends, and we are Game Assist, a multimedia journalism and advocacy project focused on liberation and accessibility in the video games industry. We make video essays, let’s plays and streams and have a Discord for more chat and fun. Give us a follow and check us out on YouTube, Twitch, Twitter and Instagram for more of our content.“The War Economy” | Neocolonialism in gamesGame Assist2022-12-19 | We're back with another feature film– I mean video essay, and just in time for Christmas. In this video, Sara explores neo-colonialism in games. They'll be looking at everything from Call of Duty, to anti-war games like Spec Ops: The Line, all the way to the satirical Saints Row IV.
TW // Discussions and depictions of racism, Islamophobia, war and military conflict, blood and gore, and suicide
Contents: 0:00 - Intro 3:40 - Key concept: Neo-colonialism 14:31 - Key concept: Military-Entertainment Complex 21:33 - Part 1 22:52 - i. Horrible Histories 29:59 - ii. Answering the call of duty 36:13 - iii. The good guys 40:10 - iv. Are we the baddies? 44:42 - v. Fear and loathing 49:30 - vi. Does art imitate reality, or does reality imitate art? 56:10 - Part 2 1:01:17 - i. Or is it worse? 1:15:21 - ii. Heart of darkness 1:32:59 - iii. The same old theme 1:47:32 - iv. The man who sold the world 2:08:01 - Conclusion 2:13:37 - Outro
Music Credits: Afghanistan’s a Big Place (MGSV) - Ludvig Forssell Big Boss Returns (MGSV) - Harry Gregson-Williams Call of Duty: Modern Warfare main theme - Sarah Schachner Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II main theme - Sarah Schachner Chris’s Arrival (RE5) - Kota Suzuki Ghost Stories (COD Ghosts) - David Buckley Quiet’s theme (MGSV) - Akihiro Honda Remember Kabul, John (Spec Ops: The Line) - Elia Cmira Sahelanthropus Dominion (MGSV) - Justin Burnett The Delta (Apocalypse Now) - Carmine Coppolla The Code Talker (MGSV) - Ludvig Forssell The Line Ending 1 (Spec Ops: The Line) - Elia Cmira The Star-Spangled Banner - Jimi Hendrix
Resources: Fonts: Poppins Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia CommonsEducation as Revolutionary Practice | Games, Culture and Identity @multiplaynetwork Conference 2022Game Assist2022-08-15 | Thanks so much to Multiplay for giving us this incredible opportunity to discuss the power of education as revolutionary practice in the gaming space! We hope to do more panels, talks and workshops down the line, and we hope you will support us!
Resources: Fonts: Poppins, Fredoka One Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates, Dontnod Entertainment & Square EnixWe went to WASD 2022! | Game Assist IRLGame Assist2022-05-12 | On 8th April 2022 we were lucky enough to attend WASD 2022 as Creators! We got to try out loads of amazing new games and we wanted to share the experience with you! Let us know which of the featured games you're most excited for ✨
Resources: Fonts: Poppins, Fredoka One Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia Commons Music: YouTube Audio Library2021 CAT COMPILATION! | The Cats of Game AssistGame Assist2021-12-25 | Daz and Sara both know that the cats are more internet famous than they are, so they put together this compilation of all the times the cats upstaged them! Time for Cornflake, Chickpea and Beans to steal the spotlight!
Resources: Fonts: Poppins, Fredoka One Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia Commons“Sit in Judgement” | Representations of Justice in Video GamesGame Assist2021-11-29 | What does justice mean? And what do video games have to say what justice is, has been, and could be? Join Sara for an analysis of these questions, taking a closer look at games like Dragon Age: Inquisition, Watch Dogs 2, and The Last of Us II in order to do so.
TW // Depictions of murder; blood; and dead and mutilated women’s bodies. Discussions and depictions of police harassment, assault, and violence; medical exploitation and disablism; sexual assault and harassment of survivors; racialised harassment and violence.
Contents: 0:00 - Intro 5:27 - Key Concepts and Definitions 19:32 - Past | Dragon Age: Inquisition 39:44 - Present | L.A. Noire, Watch Dogs 2 1:04:29 - Future (Side A) | The Last of Us Part II 1:24:58 - Future (Side B) | Animal Crossing: New Horizons 1:31:53 - Outro
Music Credits: Dream suite - Yumi Takahashi Eye for an Eye - Hudson Mohawke It Can’t Last - Gustavo Santaolalla Main Theme - Andrew Hale The Cycle of Violence - Mac Quayle The Last of Us Part II - Gustavo Santaolalla Watch Dogs 2 theme - Hudson Mohawke Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts - Trevor Morris
Resources: Fonts: Poppins Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia Commons“Woman is at once serpent and apple”: InQueery into Transfemininity in Catherine: Full BodyGame Assist2021-09-27 | TW // transphobia / transmisogyny / fetishisation of transfeminine people / the word ‘trap’ / sexual assault / rape / mentions of vomit
With transmisogynistic violence on the rise around the globe, Daz decided to tackle two of gaming’s most famous trans girls. How does a game that is explicitly about horrible people tackle relationships between trans people and their surroundings? This video explores the representation of trans women and transfeminine people in Atlus’s 2019 game Catherine: Full Body, as well as the 2011 original version.
Contents:
0:00 - Intro 2:57 - Key concepts and definitions 10:00 - Cultural Context: being trans in Japan 15:30 - Cultural Context: Transfemininity in the media 24:03 - Atlus and the LGBT community 26:41 - Rin 36:42 - Erica 50:15 - Conclusion 52:04 - Outro
Music Credits: From Catherine OST: Also Sprach Brooks (Smooth Jazz ver.), Good Morning, New Day, Jouji Washington, Lamb Between Mars and Venus, Lost, Sonata for Piano No. 14 Moonlight in C# Minor Op. 27-2, Up Up Up! From Persona 5 OST: Beneath the Mask Instrumental Version
Resources: Fonts: Poppins Images: The Canadian Encyclopedia (Two-Spirit Flag), Pride Colour Schemes (Mahu flag concept) Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia CommonsDecolonization is not a metaphor: Settler Colonialism and Indigeneity in Video GamesGame Assist2021-07-26 | WATCH THIS FIRST: youtube.com/watch?v=2QUacU0I4yU&t=55s
We return with a splash to the video essay scene with this absolute GOLIATH covering settler colonialism and Indigeneity in video games, using Tuck and Yang's 'Decolonization is not a metaphor' as a framework. Thank you for your patience while we took a break from video essays, and we hope you enjoy this one!
0:00 Opening 4:03 Key Concepts and Definitions 22:01 'Settler nativism' in Horizon Zero Dawn 41:43 'Settler adoption fantasies' in Beyond: Two Souls 52:48 'Colonial equivocation' in Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic 59:50 'Conscientization' in Genshin Impact 1:13:23 'At-risking/Asterisking' Indigenous peoples in Life is Strange 1:18:17 'Re-occupation and urban homesteading' in Assassin's Creed III 1:46:03 Settler colonialism now & the Games Industry 2:00:25 Outro and credits
Music credits: Prologue - Joris de Man feat. Julie Elven What Came Before - Lorne Balfe Aloy’s Theme - Joris de Man feat. Julie Elven Jodie’s Story - Lorne Balfe Tusken Enclave - Jeremy Soule Liyue - Yu-Peng Chen, HOYO-MiX Max & Chloe - Jonathan Morali Connor’s Life - Lorne Balfe Beyond - Lorne Balfe Melodious Flute - Yu-Peng Chen, HOYO-MiX
Games created by Natives Never Alone - http://neveralonegame.com When Rivers Were Trails - indianlandtenure.itch.io/when-rivers-were-trails Spirit Lake - 7generationgames.com/spirit-lake Games by AbTeC (Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace) - http://abtec.org/#projects The SimPa project - computingforsustainability.com/category/simpa“The Oldest Game”: Gender-based violence, exploitation and sex workers’ rights in video gamesGame Assist2021-03-29 | TW // Physical violence against sex workers, including murder / Sex / Substance abuse and addiction / Sex trafficking / Sexual exploitation / Sexual assault and abuse / Misogyny / Pornography / Homelessness / The criminal justice system / Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) / Transphobia / Racism
Coming off the back of Cyberpunk 2077’s release, Daz explores the representation of sex worker characters in video games through the years, focusing on the last decade. From the mean streets of Los Santos, San Andreas, to the neon lights of Night City’s Japantown, join us on a journey to see how far sex worker representation has come, and how much further we still have to go.
0:00 - Intro 1:51 - Spoilers and TWs 3:11 - Key concepts and definitions 12:00 - Sex work and the law 19:44 - SWERFs and anti-porn feminism 22:02 - Sex workers’ rights = labour rights 27:22 - Sex work and games 28:40 - GTA V 39:01 - HunieCam Studio (and other HuniePop games) 59:22 - Cyberpunk 2077 1:10:40 - Conclusion 1:13:32 - Outro
Credits: Bella Thorne Made $2 Million On OnlyFans This Week (Update) - J. Small Calculating the Number of Sex Workers and Contribution to Non-Observed Economy in the UK for the Office for National Statistics - Brooks-Gordon et al Chapter 14: ‘Playable Politics and Interactivity for Understanding’ - N. Case Chapter 15: ‘More Than Just “the Woman Who Makes Sex Games”’ - N. Freeman Cyberpunk Wiki Facts about sex work - English Collective of Prostitutes GTA V Wiki House of Commons Home Affairs Committee - Prostitution, Third Report of Session 2016-17 How to find Joytoys in Cyberpunk 2077 - S. James HuniePop Wiki Incorporating Sex Workers into the Argentine Labor Movement - K. Hardy Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary New Cyberpunk 2077 faction protects sex workers from violence - C. Hall Objectification - M. Nussbaum Pixelated Prostitution: Feminist Sex Work Debate Bleeds Into Video Games - N. Berlatsky Prostitution in computer games - S. Gabriele Representing sex workers in video games: feminisms, fantasies of exceptionalism, and the value of erotic labor - B. Ruberg Revolting Prostitutes: The Fight for Sex Workers’ Rights - Juno Mac and Molly Smith Sexual Exploitation Bill 2019-21 Sex Workers and Video Games - K. Evans + E. Tarver ‘Sex Worker Rights with Lady Charlotte Rose’ - Doing It! with Hannah Witton Sisters Uncut Twitter STIs and STDs – what’s the difference? - LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor The difference between decriminalisation and legalisation of sex work - F. Miren The Real Problem With Sex Workers In Video Games - Y. LeJacq The World of Cyberpunk 2077 - M. Batylda This Researcher Studied How Sex Workers Are Portrayed in Video Games - S. Cole and B. Ruberg Video games and gender-based violence - E. Gutiérrez Wikimedia Commons Wikipedia Women as Background Decoration pt 1 +2 - Anita Sarkeesian
Music Credits: Camflix and Chill - HunieCam Studio OST (all composed by Jonathan Wandag) Daddy's Little Girl Mission Theme - GTA V OST (all composed by Tangerine Dream, Woody Jackson, The Alchemist, Oh No & DJ Shadow) Fingerblast - HunieCam Studio OST Heart On - HunieCam Studio OST Judy's Theme - Cyberpunk 2077 OST (all composed by Marcin Przybyłowicz, P. T. Adamczyk, Paul Leonard-Morgan) Lizzie's Bar - Cyberpunk 2077 OST North Yankton Memories - GTA V OST Vol. 2: The Score No Happy Endings - GTA V OST Vol. 2: The Score V - Cyberpunk 2077 OST Winky Face - HunieCam Studio OST Wushu Dolls - Cyberpunk 2077 OST
Resources: Fonts: Poppins Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates, HunieCam Studio Media Logos: Wikimedia Commons“The Madwoman in the Attic” | Women, Writing and Mental Illness in Tell Me WhyGame Assist2021-02-22 | In this video, Sara explores how ‘madness’ is represented in DONTNOD Entertainment’s Tell Me Why, with a particular eye to women’s experiences and patriarchal storytelling.
TW // Suicide / death / misogyny / mental illness / ableism and disableism / conversion therapy / sexual assault / Child Services
Contents:
0:00 - Intro 2:17 - Key concepts and definitions 20:04 - The Madwoman in the Attic 26:18 - Brothers and Sisters 31:09 - Women’s Stories 41:07 - The Mad Hunter 46:26 - Alyson’s Epilogue 51:09 - Conclusion 54:56 - Outro
References “Disabling Barriers - Enabling Environments” ed. by John Swain, Vic Finkelstein, Sally French and Mike Oliver. “Exploring the Endings of Tell Me Why” | Tell Me Why Official Website. tellmewhygame.com/endings-explained ‘Eye to Eye: Black Women, Hatred, and Anger’ and ‘Man Child: A Black Lesbian Feminist’s Response’ in “Sister Outsider” by Audre Lorde. Pathologize | Definition of Pathologize by Merriam-Webster. merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pathologize “Mad, Bad and Sad: Women and the Mind-Doctors from 1800” by Lisa Appignanesi. “The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination” by Sandra M. Gilbert and Susan Gubar.
Music Credits: Broken Bond - Ryan Lott Epilogue - Ryan Lott Go Big Or Go Home - Ryan Lott The Book of Goblins - Ryan Lott The Diary - Ryan Lott The Last Decision - Ryan Lott Welcome Home - Ryan Lott What We Believe - Ryan Lott
Resources: Fonts: Poppins Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia CommonsThe World Could Always Use More (Queer) Heroes | An Inqueery into Overwatch ft. @RammyTTVGame Assist2021-01-25 | In 2016, Blizzard made waves in the gaming community when they released Overwatch. They then made even more waves when it was revealed in December 2016’s comic Reflections that Tracer, the character on the box art for the game, is a lesbian. The announcement polarised the community, and has since led to the appearance of more queer characters in online multiplayer FPS games.
In this Inqueery, Daz dives into the world of Overwatch to see just how good the game’s representation of queerness is. They also take a look at the wider community’s response to the characters, and to queer players in the public eye.
TW // homophobia / misogyny / transphobia / gay trauma / lesbophobia, including fetishisation / sexual harassment and abuse / conversion therapy / fascism / neocolonialism
Contents: 0:00 - Intro 04:15 - Spoilers and TWs 04:51 - Key Concepts and Definitions 10:21 - Blizzard’s historic queerphobia 13:47 - Queer representation vs Queer storytelling 18:19 - Queer rep in Overwatch outside of the game 24:10 - Queer rep in Overwatch within the game 30:16 - Fan reactions to Tracer and Soldier: 76 37:11 - Homonationalism 41:15 - Toxic gamer culture and geek masculinity 45:32 - LGBTQ+ personalities in the Overwatch community 47:09 - Interview with Rammy 56:52 - Homophobia and misogyny in esports 1:00:28 - Conclusion 1:03:31 - Outro
Resources: Font: Poppins Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia CommonsThe Sound of the Future | Capitalism, Alienation, and Disability in Project DIVA: Future ToneGame Assist2020-12-28 | Alongside a special guest star, Sara unpacks how in Project DIVA: Future Tone, the highly capitalist context of gaming and Vocaloid subculture sits in tension with songs and videos that explore the link between mental illness and capitalism.
TW // Discussions of: ableism and disableism; compulsory heterosexuality; queerphobia, specifically lesbophobia; mental illness; and suicide and suicide ideation. On-screen depictions of clowns, and syringes and other medical equipment.
Contents: 00:00 Intro 04:23 Key Concepts and Definitions 16:17 Rolling Girl 26:21 The Disappearance of Hatsune Miku 37:37 Meltdown 48:23 Two Sided Lovers and World's End Dancehall 01:04:28 Conclusion 01:08:28 Outro
Music Credits: Love is War - supercell Magnet - minato Meltdown - iroha(sasaki) No Logic - JimmyThumb Rolling Girl - wowaka Sand Planet - hachi The Disappearance of Hatsune Miku - CosMo Two Sided Lovers - wowaka World's End Dancehall - wowaka
Resources: Fonts: Poppins, Fredoka One Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia CommonsGame Assist Plays Wicked Willow!Game Assist2020-11-01 | TW// religious trauma, grief, death-related trauma, suicide mentions, substance abuse mentions, sexual harassment
A sapphic witch and a witchy sapphic sit down to play this spooky gay visual novel for Halloween! (yes we know it's a bit late). Plus it's Daz's birthday!
Resources: Fonts: Poppins, Fredoka One Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia CommonsGame Assist Live StreamGame Assist2020-10-28 | ...Inqueery | Bisexuality as a Game MechanicGame Assist2020-09-29 | TW // Biphobia, Homophobia, Abuse, Death, Grief, Misogyny, Transphobia
After a few edits, we're back to talk about how narrative structures often work to reinforce the structures of power and oppression which marginalise queer people. The trope of “player-sexual” NPCs, or characters that are bisexual due to a game mechanic, only serves to worsen these structures and limit the people we see in games. In this Inqueery, we’re going to cast a wide net and look at romance as a queer person in videogames.
This video contains spoilers for the Mass Effect franchise, the Dragon Age franchise, Arcade Spirits, Huniepop, Max Gentlemen, Sexy Business! and Monster Prom.
Contents: 0:00 - Intro, Spoilers and Trigger Warnings 2:01 - Key Concepts & Definitions 7:53 - It’s All About Men... 12:38 - Objectification & Fetishisation 18:38 - Cheating? 27:48 - The Dating Sim Quandary 30:03 - So, What About The Gays? 44:25 - Outro
In this latest addition to the Game Assist Explores series, Daz takes us on a deep dive into one of the most well known NSFW dating sims on the market: HuniePop. Be prepared for a wild ride as they uncover the deep-rooted racism and misogyny hidden behind cheap jokes and colourful puzzles.
Contents:
0:00 - Intro 1:21 - HuniePop: an overview (tw: fetishism) 6:54 - The Racism of HuniePop (tw: racism, fetishism, sexual assault, alcoholism, misogynoir) 12:34 - The Misogyny of HuniePop (tw: misogyny, alcoholism, misogynoir, fetishism) 16:57 - The Future of HuniePop (tw: transmisogyny, racism, fetishism) 20:02 - Outro
Music Credits: The following tracks from the HuniePop OST, composed by Jonathan Wandag: Bar & Lounge Dawnwood Park Hiking Trail Main Theme Morning After Turtle Bay
Resources: Fonts: Poppins, Fredoka One Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia CommonsThe Price of Life | Disability, Gender and Agency in Life is StrangeGame Assist2020-08-17 | As Dontnod’s repertoire of games expands, Sara and Errol return to Life is Strange to discuss how gender and disability impact the characters, their agency, and the player’s choices, throughout the course of the five-episode game.
TW // suicide / assisted suicide / suicidal ideation and behaviour / ableism / physical & emotional abuse / sexual violence / sexual assault / substance abuse
Contents:
0:00 - Establishing Your Choices: The Storm 2:08 - Intro 3:03 - Spoiler and Trigger Warnings 3:55 - Definitions 13:14 - Max, Chloe and a Masculine World (Men are Trash) 22:58 - The Toll of Being Disabled (Abled People are Trash) 33:04 - Your Last Choice (Sacrificing Chloe is Trash) 41:46 - The Third Ending (You, The Player, may be Trash) 47:06 - Outro
Music Credits: Golden Hour - Jonathan Morali Max And Chloe - Jonathan Morali Night Walk - Jonathan Morali The Right Way Around - Daughter The Storm - Jonathan Morali Timelines - Jonathan Morali
Resources: Fonts: Poppins, Fredoka One Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia CommonsClever Ways To Kill | Politics and Gender in Gears of WarGame Assist2020-08-03 | In this in-depth exploration, Errol takes Game Assist down a coffee-fuelled, aggressively political examination into the Gears of War franchise, picking apart its hypermasculinity, the enforcement of gender norms, and its relationship with socialism and fascism.
Subtitles provided by de la Nae, who you can find on Twitter at @de_la_Nae!
TW // Fascism / Gendered Violence / General Violence and Gore / Genocide / Military Violence / Police Violence / Rape / Statutory Rape / Torture / Violence against indigenous communities /
Details: 0:00 - Intro 1:53 - Spoiler and Trigger Warnings 3:11 - A COG History Lesson 5:32 - Socialism, Incorrect Conflations, and the Red Scare 10:44 - The COG as Fascist Government (TW // Fascism, Miltary Violence) 17:31 - COG in the USA (TW // Police Violence, Violence against Indigenous Communities) 21:38 - Masculinity, and the Conditioning of Men (TW // Torture, Genocide) 28:33 - A Locust/Swarm History Lesson 31:34 - Locust Culture and COG Revisionist History 36:31 - Women: Emotional Crutch or Traumatised Victim (TW // Torture, Rape) 43:47 - The Role Of the Everyday COG Woman (TW // Rape, Statutory Rape) 47:20 - Kait Diaz - Breaking and Reinforcing the Mould 50:11 - Outro - Be Sure to Like and Subscribe!
Music Credits: A Nightmare Reborn - Ramin Djawadi Building Thunder - Steve Jablonsky Bump in the Night - Steve Jablonsky Creeping Dread - Steve Jablonsky Family - Ramin Djawadi Finale - Steve Jablonsky Gears of War - Kevin Reipl Kait’s Theme - Ramin Djawadi Mad World - Gary Jules The Storm - Ramin Djawadi The Truth - Ramin Djawadi The Wrong Gear - Edward Patrick White Tomb of the Unknowns - Kevin Reipl Undefined Charges - Steve Jablonsky
Resources: Fonts: Poppins, Fredoka One Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia Commons
Special thanks to Lance Kerr, who helped in recording gameplay of the Gears of War series.Inqueery | Nintendo VS the LGBTQ+ Community?Game Assist2020-07-13 | In their first video for Game Assist, Daz investigates Nintendo's rocky relationship with LGBTQ+ representation in its many games, from Animal Crossing to Tomodachi Life.
Why is this relationship so confusing? Where does it go wrong? Why does nobody seem to realise Birdo is trans?
All of this and more in a 7-minute bitesized Inqueery.
Resources: Fonts: Poppins, Fredoka One Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia CommonsInqueery | Dream Daddy, a Dad Dating SimulatorGame Assist2020-06-29 | In the first video in our Inqueery series, Sara takes a look at Dream Daddy, a Dad Dating Simulator, examining everything from building dads to dating them, and just how inclusive this award-nominated simulator truly is...
Music Credits: Dream Daddy - Baths Dream Daddy Soundtrack
Resources: Fonts: Poppins, Fredoka One Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia CommonsExploring Autism: Mass Effect 2: OverlordGame Assist2020-06-01 | Game Assist is back, with an in-depth look at Mass Effect 2: Overlord, and its main characters, David and Gavin Archer. With rumours of an upcoming Mass Effect Trilogy remaster, it's important to look back at this beloved series, and tackle its representation of autism.
This video contains spoilers for Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3.
Music Credits: Das Malefitz - Faunts Final Conversation - Christopher Lennertz New Worlds - Jack Wall The End… - Cris Velasco, Sascha Dikiciyan The Illusive Man - Jack Wall The Wards - Jack Wall, EA Games Soundtrack Vigil - Jack Wall
Resources: Fonts: Poppins, Fredoka One Artwork: Fiona Marchbank @FionaCreates Media Logos: Wikimedia CommonsGA Reviews | The Average Everyday Adventures of Samantha BrowneGame Assist2019-04-26 | Sara delves into a well-known "Anxiety Simulator" in Lemonsucker Games' The Average Everyday Adventures of Samantha Browne.