Media
Video Essays
Death Stranding: Genre and the Sisyphean Chronotope
Death Stranding is a weird game. It’s so weird its creator has claimed it belongs in a genre all its own.
How do categorize games and how do we recognize the existence of a completely new genre? In this video I take a unique approach to understanding genre. Utilizing Mikhail Bakhtin’s concept of the “Chronotope”, I examine how virtual representations of time and space can inform narrative, shape experience, and ultimately define genre.
This is a video I want to revisit soon. I made it for a class project and had certain limitations I had to follow. I’d like to flesh it out a bit more and try to make it a bit more approachable for a general audience.
Assassin’s Creed III: In the Shadow of Revolution
Assassin’s Creed III is the first and only big budget triple A video game about the American Revolution. Connor Kenway, the game’s native American protagonist, allows the developers to approach the Revolution from a unique perspective and avoid the traditional “Patriot Vs. Loyalist” Dichotomy.
However, Connor’s story is undermined by the developers strict adherence to a story book version of history, and the game’s narrative is ultimately undone by the very concepts it was trying to critique.
Amnesia: The Bunker
Consider this a sneak peak at a “deep dive” video I’m working on about Amnesia: The Bunker, a spine chilling horror game set during World War I.
I’m working on describing how the game’s system and narrative intertwine to tell a nuanced story of guilt and the monsters we must resist becoming.
The Lies of P
A Pinocchio Soulslike??? I know I couldn’t believe it either, but what I couldn’t believe even more is that it’s good?!
In this short video I take a quick look at how the game Lies of P adapts one of the most famous aspects of the original fairy tale… lying. How does the game’s lie system impact its story and what is it trying to say about agency and humanity?
Other Fun Stuff
Here’s a hodgepodge of other media I’ve made. Some of it’s video game related some of isn’t, but I’ll update this page with miscellaneous entertainment, educational content, and general wacky stuff I make.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Edits
Here’s a collection of short videos I made utilizing clips from the anime Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. The series features abilities called “Stands” which are all named after famous rock songs or bands. In these videos I edit clips of the show together to the beat of the song referenced. Enjoy!
Dr. Pepper Man
I Play Every Batman Video Game
Watch… If you dare…
Last summer, I got the idea to go back and play every Batman Video Game that has ever been released and document my journey. This ended up being a much bigger undertaking than I had initially anticipated.
I completed the first part of this series last fall and have been working on the second part. It’s been a really cool way to delve into the history of a character and medium that I love and watch them grow together. At times, it’s also been a horrible experience because some of these games are really bad but I promised myself I’d get through all of them.
So here is part 1. It’s not perfect and there are a lot of things I would change if I did it again, but I’m overall really proud of it (especially some of the stupid jokes). I plan on completing part 2 this summer but no promises. I might still be working on this series until the day I die.