Dredge

https://www.dredge.game/ Entry by Kevin Ghouchandra A. BASIC INFORMATION Creator: Black Salt Games Studio website: https://www.blacksaltgames.com/ Creation technology: Unity Publisher: Team17 Date of original release: March 30, 2023 Platforms: Windows; macOS; PlayStation 4/5; Nintendo Switch; Xbox One; Xbox Series X/S; iOS; Android Peripherals required: Mouse/keyboard, game controller  ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Awards/Distinctions: Version used for entry: PlayStation 5 Version 1.4.0 B. GAME INFORMATION Game/eLit Genre(s): Open world, exploration, role-playing, nautical/fishing, horror Time to complete: Main Story: 9.5 hours; Completionist: 19 hrs (https://howlongtobeat.com/game/94128)  Replay required/useful?: No. All quests conclude in the same way (assuming the player succeeds) and both endings can be … Continue reading Dredge

Overboard!

https://www.inklestudios.com/overboard/ Entry by Jeremy Andriano A. BASIC INFORMATION Creator(s): Inkle (https://www.inklestudios.com/) Creation Technology: ink, Unity Publisher: Inkle Date of Original Release: June 2, 2021 Platform(s): Windows, MacOS, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android Peripherals Required: Mouse or Touchscreen-enabled device, Speakers or Headphones ESRB Rating: T (Teen) Awards & Distinctions:  Version Used for Entry: Apple iPad iOS, Version 1.4.2 b354ec B. GAME INFORMATION Game/eLit Genre(s): Adventure, Visual Novel, Roguelike, Puzzle/Strategy Time to complete: Main story: 2.5 hours, according to https://howlongtobeat.com/game/93626, although this may be misleading. A single Overboard! playthrough can be completed in less than 20 minutes. However, it may take dozens of … Continue reading Overboard!

The Stanley Parable and The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe

https://www.stanleyparable.com/ Entry by Jason Boyd A. BASIC INFORMATION Note: The Stanley Parable was originally released by Davey Wreden on July 31, 2011 as a free modification for Half-Life 2. This entry describes the 2013 ‘remake’ as well as The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe, which is not an extension or DLC of the ‘remake,’ but a remaking of the remake in Unity, with additional content.  Creator(s): Studio website: http://www.galactic-cafe.com (but redirects to URL above) Creation technology: Source (remake); Unity (Ultra Deluxe) Publisher: Galactic Cafe Date of original release: October 17, 2013 (remake); April 27, 2022 (Ultra Deluxe) Platform(s): Windows; Mac OS … Continue reading The Stanley Parable and The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe

Venba

https://venbagame.com/ Entry by Leila Kazeminejad A. BASIC INFORMATION Creator(s): Visai Studios Creation technology: Unity Publisher: Visai Games Date of original release: 31 July 2023 ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Blood, violence, use of tobacco Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Playstation 5 (PS5), XBox Series, XBox One Peripherals required: Keyboard and mouse (PC), speakers/headphones Awards/Distinctions: Version used for entry: PC B. GAME INFORMATION Game/eLit Genre(s): Visual Novel, Cooking Simulator/Puzzle. Time to complete: Approximately 2 hours (including all dialogue options in Chapter 3 and Chapter 7). Replay required/useful?: Not required. There are no other alternative plot lines or endings. Gameplay: Using the left … Continue reading Venba

‘Unarchived’ podcast featured on ‘Continuing Studies’ podcast episode

Playable Stories: Unarchived team members Jason Boyd and Patrick R. Dolan were guests on the Continuing Studies podcast broadcast on 16 September 2024. The episode, “Digital Narratives: Video Games in Literary Studies,” discusses the purpose of the Unarchived podcast and its relationship to the Playable Stories Archive. The Continuing Studies podcast explores the intersection of higher education and podcasting. Sponsored in part by the University Podcasters Network, this podcast delves into the uniqueness of university podcast production and podcast growth through the lens of seasoned podcasters across various higher education institutions. Listen to the episode. Continue reading ‘Unarchived’ podcast featured on ‘Continuing Studies’ podcast episode

Unarchived (Season 2, Episode 3)

Death Stranding (Kojima Productions) with Patrick R. Dolan (Host), Jeremy Andriano, Jason Boyd, and Alexander Hurezeanu Broadcast date: November 21, 2023 Writer: Patrick R. Dolan Producer: Patrick R. Dolan As the weather gets colder, join Patrick, Alexander, Jeremy, and Jason as they trudge through the windy mountains of Hideo Kojima’s latest title, Death Stranding, its unique gameplay, perplexing story, and the aesthetics of its auteur developer. All audio clips in the podcast quoted from Death Stranding. Sources and Resources: Continue reading Unarchived (Season 2, Episode 3)

Unarchived (Season 2, Episode 2)

Revisiting Resident Evil: Resident Evil (2002) (Capcom) with Noah Pedinelli (Host), Julia Froio, and Alex Hurezeanu Broadcast date: October 24, 2023 Writer: Noah Pedinelli Producer: Jeremy Andriano Capcom’s Resident Evil series is one of the most popular and beloved horror franchises in contemporary popular culture. In the 2002 remake of the first game, players take control of Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield in order to uncover the terrifying mysteries of the Spencer Mansion. The original Resident Evil established the survival horror genre and the series’ subsequent remakes continue to shape and define the genre today. All audio clips in the … Continue reading Unarchived (Season 2, Episode 2)

Unarchived (Season 2, Episode 1)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo) with Taryn Rollins (Host), Patrick Dolan, Alex Hurezaneau and Chelsea Russell Broadcast date: September 12, 2023 Writer: Taryn Rollins Producer: Patrick Dolan In Nintendo’s 2017 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the player controls an amnesia-inflicted Link in an expansive and beautifully designed open-world conceptualization of Hyrule. The Zelda universe’s narrative power resides in its world-design and exploration-driven story. As with other Zelda games, Breath of the Wild utilises flashbacks to tell the story of the past. However, unlike the other games, in Breath of the Wild the player … Continue reading Unarchived (Season 2, Episode 1)