So for this post I want to talk about two of my favourite games of 2021, a year filled to the brim with incredible games: The Wild At Heart by Moonlight Kids and Kena: Bridge of Spirits by Emberlab. These are two incredibly gorgeous games, lavish and lush with beauty and danger, and full of […]
I’ve become obsessed with Death Stranding lately. When it initially released, I bounced off of it due to a combination of burnout and not a lot of free time. But given a few conversations with folks about it, I was prompted to pick it back up. And it got its hooks into me. Deep. This […]
I miss talking about games! And particularly, I miss geeking out about the specific and cool things happening in narrative design. So, in an effort to combat how much I miss hallway talks at GDC, con cofffees and dinners, and casual get togethers, I’m going to try writing about games (again). Mostly because there are […]
Bad Astronaut 3 Minute Games, Cancelled (Android) Writer & Designer Building on the existing premise from Lifeline‘s original writer and designer, I re-developed the next instalment in the Lifeline series. With Bad Astronaut, I had a specific focus on opening up the universe for new stories to emerge out of, while maintaining the existing arc […]
“I’ve already become obsessed with the NPCs in Watch Dogs Legion” PC GAMER “…the option to recruit and play as almost anyone in the city makes it feel unlike anything I’ve ever played” VG247 Watch Dogs Legion Ubisoft Toronto, 2020 (Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Stadia, Amazon Luna) Team Lead Narrative Designer, post-launch […]
“It’s an instant Classic” Oli Welsh, Eurogamer “Grindstone wasn’t just a great puzzle game, it was one of my favorite experiences of last year.” Patrick Klepek, VICE “Grindstone is a perfect balance of risk and reward.” Nicole Carpenter, Polygon Grindstone Capybara Games, 2020-2021 (iOS, Nintendo Switch, Epic Game Store) Lead Narrative Designer, post-launch content I […]
Books The Game Narrative Toolbox My go-to. It’s an excellent primer if you’re first learning about writing for games and narrative design. But if you’re more experienced, it’s also a good way to lend a common language to a practice and process you’re probably already doing. Includes worksheets that are good references, as well as […]
Like most people, I’ve been thinking a lot about the past decade. It’s weird to think of milestones like this when they’re so big. It’s a decade, of course it’s big. The past ten years contain the entirety of my career in the games industry (I started writing and editing for a games website, the […]
The Next Step: Spotlight Relish Interactive, 2018 (iOS, Android) Narrative Designer Working with The Next Step’s TV writer, I designed the narrative system, taking into account brand guidelines and IP restrictions. This included developing the choice-based gameplay system, when to interject dance mini-game within the story, and creating friendship mechanics.
Ain’t No Place for a Hero: Borderlands (ECW Press, 2017) Author, non-fiction, video game criticism Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Indigo | Barnes & Noble | ECW Press The critically acclaimed first-person shooter franchise Borderlands knows it’s ridiculous. It’s a badge of pride. After all, Borderlands 2 was promoted with the tagline “87 bazillion guns just got bazillionder.” These space-western games […]