Should Every Action Title Add RPG-Elements? Or Is It A Curse We Must Dispel?
October 16, 2017
In a faraway future neon lights flicker, rain ticks and the sound of action echos through your room. Tucked away in a corner you are playing Ninja Gaiden 4, only just released. Hopping from wall…
Enemy Variety | What Is The Value of Combat Compositions?
June 22, 2017
If there’s one element while designing a product that restricts creativity – it is time. Time influences what content is cut, what is left in and thus decides which pieces of the puzzle the designers…
Viewtiful Joe | Revealing underlying talent - or exposing lack thereof?
June 7, 2017
Creative minds rarely start as they are now, only having gotten this far through hard work and an environment that allowed growth and experimentation. Itagaki from Ninja Gaiden fame had years to grow as a…
Mirror's Edge: Catalyst | When combat is not the focus, how do you design it?
May 3, 2017
It is June 10th, 2013. As the ink-pen edges over her skin viewers are wondering what kind of trailer they are watching. Does the upcoming tattoo signify anything? Are we looking at a sequel or…
Rising Zan: The Samurai Gunman | the inspiration of Devil May Cry?
April 3, 2017
♪ Once upon a time a blue eyed boy from the west Learned one of life’s cruelest lessons That evil was bigger than his gun So he followed the footsteps of a mysterious master to…
Ninja Gaiden: past to present
March 21, 2017
These articles were originally published separately, but after posting them I felt they belonged together so I combined them into one big piece. As a result each article was slightly altered to prevent double explanations…
Devil's Third | Untapped potential or mistaken depth?
February 8, 2017
“I only make unique games. I only make games that don’t yet exist in this world.” – Tomonobu Itagaki; in an interview with James Mielke And he wasn’t wrong. To play a game like Devil’s…