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No matter how difficult, you can still beat any Game

Written by Paul Gestl

We all know the worn-out descriptor for a game being challenging is when it’s dubbed “The Dark Souls of X.” Many gamers groan at this statement, but the fact remains, that kind of reputation is well-earned for games that do have a hard mode. In a sense, Dark Souls is a game that knows how to do difficulty the right way.

To elaborate, Dark Souls has just the right amount of challenging gameplay. Let’s take a look at the ways that games are made more difficult. In all the games I’ve seen, there are 3 methods that videogames employ to raise the difficulty level: They are the Number Changes, AI Scaling, and Challenge Conditions.

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Antichamber Review

Antichamber

Developer: Alexander Bruce
Publisher: Demruth
Released on Jan 31, 2013

Antichamber is a 1st person puzzle game known for twisting the boundaries of reality using confined spaces and color-coded blocks, designed in a style similar to Escher’s. It’s one psychologically trippy game that makes the player doubt what they’re seeing. Branching paths and endless hallways are everywhere, creating a sense of disorientation for those who just want to reach the end.

Genre: An Indie Puzzle-Adventure Game

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Is Realism Important in Video Games?

A thoughtful discussion by Paul Gestl

People play video games because they want to experience things they can’t do in real life. But contrary to popular opinion, that doesn’t seem to be the path the current gaming industry is heading towards. This is probably a response to the outcry by mainstream journalists and feminists alike who want to see more relatable female characters.

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The Stanley Parable Review

The Stanley Parable

Developer: Galactic Cafe
Publisher: Same as Above
Released on Oct 17, 2013

When the live demo of The Stanley Parable was released, it began as a game design test where the player was guided by an omnipresent narrator as he or she tours the inside of a corporate building, being lead into multiple rooms through a 1st person perspective. The narrator soon gains self-awareness of the fact that we are inside his game which is all about making “choices”.

Genre: An Adventure-Indie Game

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Invisible, Inc. Review

Invisible, Inc. Tactical Espionage

Developer: Klei Entertainment
Publisher: Same as above
Released on May 12, 2015

Many kids like to pretend they are secret agent spies who can waltz straight into an enemy base and fool the guards into believing that they saw nothing in the first place. While becoming a real spy may take years of training unlike what happens in the movie, Spy Kids, the game Invisible, Inc. turns this fantasy into reality with a simple download off of Steam.

Genre: An Action-Strategy Game

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