Literature by Matt S. Kirino Natsuo is one of the most important figures in modern Japanese literature – right up there with Murakami. Kirino’s writing isn’t exactly pleasant to read, and you’ll walk away from Grotesque feeling more than a little deflated, but the way she structures her writing, and…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. It seems appropriate that at about the same time that the (current) pinnacle of realism in video games – Red Dead Redemption 2 – is released, Killer7 would also have its long-awaited re-release. Originally a console exclusive on PlayStation 2 and GameCube, Killer7, to this day,…
Read MoreNews by Matt S. There have been some truly horrible attempts at bringing the noir literary genre to video games, and yet I continue to hold out hope that each new “noir” game really nails it. The next attempt at doing noir in video game form is the psychological horror…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. Metropolis: Lux Obscura is what happens when a game developer really likes Sin City, and decides to copy it, without really understanding why Sin City – or the broader noir genre – is so good. It does manage to get every common noir element into it,…
Read MoreReview by Harvard L. The hardboiled detective novel is a cornerstone of American literary history – authors like Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett constructed an anti-hero archetype which is no less than iconic. The image of a sly, quick-witted private detective and an eclectic cast of morally grey suspects is…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. “Noir” is not just a great word; it’s a great genre. Presenting us with worlds of shadow, where the dark swallows the light, and where the good guys are not as heroic as they should be, and the bad guys represent the cancers that are slowly…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. Blues and Bullets is a game that appeals to almost all of my sensibilities. It’s narrative-focused and striking, and fits neatly within the crime noir genre; something that has fascinated me into many, many years of study. Related reading: The other staff favourite episodic game series…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. As much respect as I have for David Cage, I hadn’t actually played Heavy Rain before. I didn’t have a PlayStation 3 when it first launched, and when I did eventually pick one up, there were an awful lot of games I had to catch up…
Read MoreCalvino Noir exudes style. It’s clear from any screenshot that the game perfectly encapsulates film noirewith its gritty art style peppered with hints of light. The purpose of the game is every bit as dark, following an underground group thrust together by circumstance to fight for their city. On paper,…
Read MoreHorror has for the longest time been the place where newcomers have gone to learn their craft and launch their careers. We’ve seen any number of films over the years that have “discovered” talent as far ranging as Kevin Bacon (Friday the 13th) to Jennifer Aniston (Leprechaun). Modern films from…
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