Minimalist Wasteland On the erasure of culture via minimalist design trends

For anyone who shares a nostalgic yearning for the lost days of maximalism.

#culture #substack #writing #design

The False Promise of Technology in Education (And Beyond) How tech has failed to live up to its potential to reduce workloads and benefit workers

Thoughts on how technology has failed to live up to its promise for reducing workloads and improving lives for the average worker, particularly in the field of education.

#education #highered #academicsky #substack #edusky

The new expansion for Diablo 2: Resurrected (insane to have new content for such an old favorite childhood game!) as well as Mewgenics are occupying all of my free time lately! Both SO addictive.

#games #gaming #videogamesky #mewgenics #diablo2

2025 is the Year of the Ninja in video games! Loved playing Shinobi, Ninja Gaiden, etc. (Close second: Year of the Superhero thanks to MARVEL Cosmic Invasion and Dispatch).

#videogames #videogamesky #gaming

My favorite gameplay element with the best implementation in 2025 was level select screens. Several newer games like Shinobi or Cosmic Invasion let you pick your own path which gives a greater sense of adventure. Happy to see these come back in a few games!

#gaming #videogames #videogamesky

My pick for the best free content update in 2025 is Crime Scene Cleaner! This is a game where I always look forward to new maps, perhaps more than any other game out there, so 2 new maps (with the promise of more to come) is great!

#games #videogames #gaming #horror #goty #crimescenecleaner

The Philosophy of Blue Magic An analysis of JRPG "blue magic" skills from several angles

Write-up about a few potential readings of the "blue magic" mechanic in many JRPGs and other video game genres (Mega Man and Kirby, too, can be seen as a sort of blue mage).

#games #videogames #writing #gaming #jrpg #academia

CULTIC: Chapter 2 wins my personal award for “spookiest scares,” even in a year with some other horror bangers. Despite being a fast-paced “boomer shooter,” CULTIC often slows down the pace for a straight-up horror segment.

ctrlaltdecay.substack.com

#horror #games #videogames #gaming #goty #cultic

The best games of 2025, picked by NPR's staff From indies like Blue Prince to big console exclusives like Donkey Kong Bananza, NPR staff members and contributors round up their favorite games of 2025.

NPR always puts out the best end-year games list that I can rely on for interesting write-ups of games that are both households names as well as unknowns.

On behalf of my Substack ctrlaltdecay.substack.com, my “Endless Content” award for the game with the most bang for your buck, or the most content, goes to Monster Train 2!

#gaming #videogames #goty

My second-ever print book chapter, out now! Great work by the other authors and the editor, @librarianchef.bsky.social

#academia #edusky #academicsky #writing #conspiracy

Excited to be presenting tonight at @popcrn.bsky.social's conference on food in pop culture, "Delicious, Nutritious and Fictitious!"

#academia #highered #academicsky #research #popculture #dnd #dungeonsanddragons

The Voyeur Horror of Butcher's Creek How watching (and being watched) drive this Condemned-inspired horror game

Yet again, couldn't help but write about some of @duskdev.bsky.social's work in the form of 2025's Butcher's Creek.

ctrlaltdecay.substack.com/p/the-voyeur...

#horror #gaming #videogames #horrorgaming

Dungeon Ecology: The Pit (Drova: Forsaken Kin) A subterranean environment where man and nature clash

Took a closer look at the flora and fauna of one dungeon in @just2d.bsky.social's incredible Drova: Forsaken Kin!

#gaming #rpg #crpg #videogames

ctrlaltdecay.substack.com/p/dungeon-ec...

Dungeon Ecology: Moon AT-5 (Iron Lung) What kind of wildlife can be found in an ocean of blood?

As it turns out, it is possible in the Lovecraftian universe of @duskdev.bsky.social's Iron Lung for life to exist and indeed thrive in an ocean of blood on an alien moon.

#gaming #horror #horrorgames

WNUF Halloween Special & the Theft of Joy How 2013's WNUF Halloween Special critiques commercialism and the media

This week I wrote about how @chrislamartina.bsky.social's wonderful WNUF Halloween Special showcases the dangers of commodifying joy.

#horror

Dungeon Ecology: Flying Waters (Expedition 33) What does it mean for ecosystems when people go to war?

The Flying Waters dungeon warns us of the real-world consequences of failing to take seriously the stewardship of Earth.

#gaming #videogames #videogamesky #expedition33 #nature

Some random, well-loved fantasy paperbacks with great cover art.

-On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers

-Saga of Old City by Gary Gygax

#fantasy #coverart #bookart #booksky

Man this is a great image; captures incredible vibes that are hard to describe with words alone.

Here are my picks for the best, most satisfying and rewarding loot in video games. What would you pick?

1. Baldur's Gate (1 or 2)
2. Wizardry 7
3. Diablo 2
4. Legend of Grimrock (1 or 2)
5. Resident Evil 4

#games #videogames #gaming

Yep! There still are! Some of my favorites are Illusory Script, Skywrite, of course anything to let me speak with animals or the dead, Feather Fall, Zone of Truth, etc.

They're some of my favorites! I love finding uses for niche utility spells.

Yep! The last section is all about goodberry. I argue that goodberry is the kind of anti-heroes' feast, feeding about the same amount of people for next to no cost while spells like heroes' feast or "magnificent mansion" are wasteful and selfish.

Food Magic and Class Dynamics in Dungeons & Dragons How food-conjuring magic reveals class disparities in D&D

Casting "Heroes' Feast" once, due to its material requirements, is equivalent to purchasing 50,000 loaves of bread or 1,000 goats. What does this say about food magic and the people who cast it in the world of Dungeons & Dragons?

#dnd #dungeonsanddragons #dnd5e #gaming #academicsky

Man this game is beautiful! Love the atmosphere. Playing through now.

Oh that's awesome, I suck at it but I've been enjoying 1v1.

I liked this one but I'm a sucker for shark movies.

Ludofauna: Moths in Games The role of moths as gaming's lunar emissaries

I'm writing a recurring series on the roles of animals in games. Moths represent darkness, the moon, and transformation. How do the real-world scientific characteristics and behaviors of moths translate to video game mechanics?

#videogames #games #academia #ecocriticism #nature #substack

Gotham is the greatest comic book city. It's a character in its own right, and always dripping with atmosphere --if it's not raining in Gotham, it better be snowing--otherwise I feel the creative team has made a misstep.