Jerry Zhang·Apr 27Cutscenes and Player Control: When Should the Game Take the Wheel?Cyberpunk 2077 left a deep impression on me. I had just gotten my first PC with a dedicated GPU, and this was the first AAA game I ever…
Jerry Zhang·Apr 20Slay the Spire 2: More Breadth, Less CounterplayI’ve been playing a lot of Slay the Spire 2, and I think I’ve finally settled into my read on it. There’s a lot to like — the sequel is…
Jerry Zhang·Mar 26Balancing Growth and Pressure: Systems Design in Mini MetroMini Metro is an independently developed strategy puzzle game. As the title suggests, the game asks players to simulate a real subway…
Jerry Zhang·Feb 20Between Despair and Probability: Realist Narrative and Randomness in Darkest DungeonWhen I play Darkest Dungeon, I rarely feel like I am simply overcoming a difficult RPG challenge. More often, it feels as if I am…
Jerry Zhang·Feb 5Persona 5 and the Power of System-Driven NarrativeI still remember the feeling after I finished Persona 5. It wasn’t excitement, and it wasn’t relief either. It was something quieter and…
