Geek & Sundry has a new series from some of the Robot Chicken creators called FetchQuest. Each week, they release a short animated video looking at various aspects of the video game industry. It’s sharp and committed to the theme…
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Opinion pieces and recommendations on Sketchy Details
Watch: Cosplay Piano Ep. 2: Batman
by Robert • 25 April 2013 • 0 Comments
Quinni-Con 2013: Now That’s a Fan Convention
by Robert • 22 April 2013 • 0 Comments
I had a hole in my schedule over the weekend and that was supposed to be filled with convention coverage. That’s when I did a quick search online and found out about Quinni-Con. This is a Japanese culture and entertainment…
Misdirecting Django
by Robert • 21 April 2013 • 0 Comments
I watched Django Unchained for a second time today and actually like it even more. There is so much going on in the background and the art design of the film that is so easy to miss if you only…
The Preston Files: Teaser 3
by Robert • 19 April 2013 • 0 Comments
Speed Grapher and The Push for Structural Innovation
by Robert • 18 April 2013 • 0 Comments
Speed Grapher is a very strange anime from GONZO. Originally released in 2005, the 24 episode series earned mixed reviews from fans and critics. Oddly enough, the English dubs are considered better than the original Japanese audio because of the…
Tomb Raider and the Shock of Tutorials
by Robert • 17 April 2013 • 0 Comments
I’m working my way through the new Tomb Raider right now and really enjoying it. The game is just a more evolved version of the original games on the PlayStation. It has all the same elements–the platforming, the puzzles, the…
American Dad! and Misdirection: Breaking Suspense
by Robert • 16 April 2013 • 0 Comments
American Dad!, one of the best animated series you’re probably not watching, has a formula that has served itself well since Season 2. The writers set up a scenario that’s a spin on classic sitcom tropes. Then, in the final…
The Last Five Years and Structural Suspense
by Robert • 14 April 2013 • 0 Comments
So far during Spring Into Suspense, we’ve focused a lot on horror, thrillers, and crime dramas. Naturally, these are not the only genres that benefit from suspense. Even comedies can riff on the uncertainty of what will happen next, though…
Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery and the Art of Misdirection
by Robert • 12 April 2013 • 0 Comments
In the past week, I’ve encountered no fewer than 10 references, send-ups, or blatant rip-offs of Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery.” These range from the turning point in a new AAA video game sequel to one panel gags in…
The Preston Files: Teaser 2
by Robert • 12 April 2013 • 0 Comments
I Am Alive and the Big Start
by Robert • 11 April 2013 • 0 Comments
When it comes to Spring Into Suspense, we’ve covered everything from orchestral scoring to spiraling structures in video games, books, theater, comics, and film. Yet there is an entirely different school of suspense that has become synonymous with horror films.…
Explore: Broodhollow
by Robert • 9 April 2013 • 0 Comments
Broodhollow is a new webcomic by Kris Straub. He is best known for his long-running sci-fi webcomic Starslip and the gag a day comic Chainsawsuit. He’s also a regular guest in the expanded Penny Arcade universe, guesting on various PATV…
Spinning in Circles: Limbo and Structural Ambiguity
by Robert • 8 April 2013 • 0 Comments
I’m well aware of the love it or hate it reaction to ambiguous, exploration-driven indie games. For every rave about a Journey, there’s an equally passionate pan. The pros and cons are sometimes even the same on both sides of…