What’s that faint light? It’s the glare of the RPS podcast, the Electronic Wireless Show, crashing through the atmosphere of the internet like an unstoppable comet capable of both massive destruction and enlightened conversation. This week, we’ve all been playing transhumanist adventure game Sun Dogs, which sees us romping through the solar system, necking drinks made out of germs and being killed over and over and over again by extraterrestrial forces beyond even our own post-human ken. It’s quite a pleasant trip.
But we’re also talking about “merchandise” and why it is often so rubbish. Pip will warm your heart with tales of a contraband dagger, and Adam will soothe you with a story about blood. There is much to learn. Read the rest of this entry »
Rob Sherman’s Black Crowncrept into parts of my brain that hadn’t been touched by literature for years. I didn’t expect a game to reach them. Some of the scenes and turns of phrase set up shop in my limbic nether regions and an occasional echo of their cries and coughs can be heard.
Last Friday, Black Crown abdicated, vanishing from the internet, and in memory of its passing, we share the memories of the author in the form of an extended essay based on a talk about the meaning, structure and purpose of games, writing and other matters – Adam.
Looking through the recent releases on Steam, a casual observer might believe that there’s a horror game renaissance underway. In the last few weeks, several games have appeared, with titles like Paranormal and The Orphanage. I’ve installed a few of them, heard them go bump in the night, and then moved on. Despite some quality releases, horror is in a rut. And it’s an unpleasant one.
Black Crown began with a suitcase, a junk shop and some photographs of strangers. I spoke to writer and creator Rob Sherman about how the story behind his story, and we shared our thoughts on the world he created. Thick with disease, horror and mystery, it’s also a place of occasional and unusual beauty. As well as talking about influences drawn from the aches and illnesses of life, Rob introduced me to an artist, a photographer and an author who have inspired the work in some way. Read on for many words from one of the most interesting and literary writers in games.
Failbetter’s collection of ‘immersive fiction’ continues to grow via its Storynexus platform but I haven’t found anything in the collection quite as gripping as the bizarre demon-Dickensian sprawl of Fallen London. Until now!Black Crown, the first published work from author Rob Sherman, has found life as a Storynexus experiment thanks to a collaboration between Random House and Failbetter. It’s free to play, although some (presumably) optional branches require the purchase of Nex, the currency shared across the Storynexus platform. I’ve only spent an hour in the word labyrinth so far, but I’m hooked. As well as being adept at squeamish body horror, Sherman shows the mark of a supreme builder of strange worlds.
