All Episode
Jan. 14, 2019
MINIGAME: Is the Ending of ‘Firewatch’ Satisfying or Disappointing?
Firewatch gets a lot of criticism for its conclusion, but the anticlimactic ending was sort of the point.
Minigame is a short essay series produced and hosted by Michael Farris (@farristhewheel). Each bite-sized episode dive…
Dec. 24, 2018
MINIGAME: How to Reboot a Franchise and Win GOTY
This year’s God of War and Tomb Raider titles were reboots of beloved franchises. One of them won Game of the Year, while the other was quickly forgotten. Michael explores why.
Minigame is a short essay series produced and h…
Nov. 12, 2018
MINIGAME: American Idealism in ‘Red Dead Redemption’
In Red Dead Redemption, John Marston is a man of a bygone era tasked with murdering the past, all in the name of progress. The same progress that will inevitably come for all of us.
Minigame is a short essay series produced …
Oct. 15, 2018
MINIGAME: A Eulogy for Telltale Games
Telltale Games may no longer exist, but its games and stories will stay with us forever. We look back at how the developer revolutionized storytelling in video games.
Minigame is a short essay series produced and hosted by M…
Sept. 10, 2018
MINIGAME: Building Empathy in ‘Bury me, my Love’
It’s one thing to read about the Syrian refugee crisis in an article, or to see it on TV. But only a video game like Bury me, my Love could make the tragedy feel so real.
Minigame is a short essay series produced and hosted …
Aug. 20, 2018
MINIGAME: How Telltale Games Reinvented the Joker
For the better part of a decade, the Joker has been portrayed as the same cackling, murderous maniac. In their Batman series, Telltale Games shows us a Joker we’ve never seen.
Minigame is a short essay series produced and ho…
July 30, 2018
MINIGAME: Making Your Own Lore in ‘No Man’s Sky’
The story is whatever you make it in No Man’s Sky. Only a video game can give you the tools and the world to craft a narrative only you can. That’s why we love games.
Minigame is a short essay series produced and hosted by M…
July 16, 2018
MINIGAME: The Power of Imagination in ‘The Adventures of Captain Spirit’
Michael discusses how Dontnod Entertainment, the developers of Life is Strange, explore the imagination of a young child in their latest demo.
Minigame is a short essay series produced and hosted by Michael Farris (@farristh…
June 4, 2018
MINIGAME: Family Mysteries in ‘Her Story’
Her Story is not a game about solving a murder mystery. Instead, it’s a story about solving a family mystery, which is what makes the game so engrossing.
Minigame is a short essay series produced and hosted by Michael Farris…
May 21, 2018
MINIGAME: The Organic Storytelling of ‘Beyond: Two Souls’
Beyond: Two Souls has no codex or blunt exposition about its lore. Instead, it effortlessly teaches players about its world without being overwhelming. That’s an achievement a lot of story-driven games can learn from.
Miniga…
April 30, 2018
MINIGAME: ‘Knights of the Old Republic II’ and The Death of Tropes
Knights of the Old Republic II deconstructed a ton of Star Wars tropes and made players question everything they thought they knew about the Star Wars universe.
Minigame is a short essay series produced and hosted by Michael…
April 16, 2018
MINIGAME: ‘Knights of the Old Republic’ and The Poetry of Star Wars
The first game in the Knights of the Old Republic series plays it safe with a traditional Star Wars storyline. It mirrors the stories in the original and modern film trilogies and proves one thing about the Star Wars univers…
April 2, 2018
MINIGAME: Finding Answers in the World of ‘The Witness’
The Witness hides its story in plain sight and teaches you to look past the obvious.
MINIGAME is a short essay series produced and hosted by Michael Farris (@farristhewheel ). Each bite-sized episode dives into the themes o…
March 19, 2018
MINIGAME: Wolfenstein and Healthy Masculinity
Wolfenstein is the last place you’d think to look for a healthy masculine hero. But it’d be a mistake to overlook B.J. Blazkowicz.
Minigame is a short essay series produced and hosted by Michael Farris (@farristhewheel ). E…
March 3, 2018
MINIGAME: The Painful Nostalgia of Life is Strange
Life is Strange is a game that confronts the realities of nostalgia, and how it can be both painful and unproductive for our lives.
Minigame is a short essay series produced and hosted by Michael Farris (@farristhewheel ). …