ICYMI: "Vampire Crawlers has been a particularly bright spot within several months worth of bright spots." @robsteinone.bsky.social takes Vampire Crawlers for a spin -- and again, and again:

ICYMI: "A political bomb is not just about fear, or shutting something specific down." Oluwatayo Adewole explores FFVII's AVALANCHE bomb and the political bombs within the industry that made the game and its remake:

"Vampire Crawlers has been a particularly bright spot within several months worth of bright spots." @robsteinone.bsky.social takes Vampire Crawlers for a spin -- and again, and again:

"A political bomb is not just about fear, or shutting something specific down." Oluwatayo Adewole explores FFVII's AVALANCHE bomb and the political bombs within the industry that made the game and its remake:

I reviewed Vampire Crawlers for @unwinnable.com! tldr: It's not a very good dungeon crawler - because it's not actually a dungeon crawler - but it IS a *fantastic* card drafting/deck building game that reaches Siralim levels of "Wow, that's busted" (complimentary). unwinnable.com/2026/05/08/v...

ICYMI: "If there’s one thing I’m happy we left behind in the seventh generation of videogames, it’s the strict binary morality systems." @jhensliterature.bsky.social laments the forced dichotomy of morality in the Mass Effect series:

ICYMI: "If there’s a parallel between Final Fantasy and Rage Against the Machine, it may be that the political content of their messaging is often misunderstood." @bensailer.bsky.social breaks down how Tom Morello's collab with FFXIV reveals the political nature of the series:

Do you love incredible niche content that's fantastic? Prove it with your money by subscribing to @unwinnable.com!

For @unwinnable.com's Final Fantasy x Politics special theme issue, I wrote about how Tom Morello writing a song for a Final Fantasy game is less weird than what's implied by the sentence "Tom Morello wrote a song for a Final Fantasy game."

"If there’s one thing I’m happy we left behind in the seventh generation of videogames, it’s the strict binary morality systems." @jhensliterature.bsky.social laments the forced dichotomy of morality in the Mass Effect series:

"If there’s a parallel between Final Fantasy and Rage Against the Machine, it may be that the political content of their messaging is often misunderstood." @bensailer.bsky.social breaks down how Tom Morello's collab with FFXIV reveals the political nature of the series:

The gang worked extremely hard to bring y'all this one, an issue subscribers voted for with their wallets. And it's really good. I don't even like Final Fantasy! And if you do, subscribing helps pay our writers and keep (most of) the stories free for every reader! A gift for everyone!

And there you have it, the full run-down of @unwinnable.com's Final Fantasy x Politics issue, an issue so massive it took me nearly a week to put it all out here. If any of this sounds even remotely interesting, toss five bucks in the subscription bucket: unwinnable.com/subscribe/

ICYMI: "We can’t change everyone’s minds, but the hard conversations and decisions can be worth it." Melissa King explains what FFXIV's Dawntrail expansion has to teach us about accountability in interpersonal politics:

"We can’t change everyone’s minds, but the hard conversations and decisions can be worth it." Melissa King explains what FFXIV's Dawntrail expansion has to teach us about accountability in interpersonal politics:

ICYMI: "Once, games like Breath of Fire II helped me to make sense of and manage life events that were too big and confusing for my age." @walshbr.bsky.social reflects on Breath of Fire II, retro gaming, and memory: unwinnable.com/2026/05/05/g...

ICYMI: "But war is actually a game played by greybeards and fought by those much younger than them." @unwinnabledavid.bsky.social ponders how Final Fantasy's child soldiers are closer to reality than American war media:

ICYMI I've got a piece out with @unwinnable.com about how games help children make sense of difficult topics—like memory loss—and how your relationships to that material and those objects change with age.

"Once, games like Breath of Fire II helped me to make sense of and manage life events that were too big and confusing for my age." @walshbr.bsky.social reflects on Breath of Fire II, retro gaming, and memory: unwinnable.com/2026/05/05/g...

One of the insights that stuck with me the most from this interview is how FF compositions talk to each other. Even when pieces were rearranged into medleys for Pixel.wav’s performance, their head composer would notice how easy it was for leitmotifs to communicate majors themes or conflicts.

"But war is actually a game played by greybeards and fought by those much younger than them." @unwinnabledavid.bsky.social ponders how Final Fantasy's child soldiers are closer to reality than American war media:

I’ve got a piece out with @unwinnable.com that discusses retro gaming, memory loss, and Breath of Fire 2. Check out "Gaming to Remember." Many thanks to @rubeck.bsky.social and the crew there for taking it on. unwinnable.com/2026/05/05/g...

The inimitable @walshbr.bsky.social with his @unwinnable.com debut. A lovely piece on memory loss, games, and what we pass on.

This is a fantastic read!

ICYMI: "Russell’s protagonist may eventually prove not merely useful but even heroic, but his own inner life is misery." @orringrey.com watches Soldier (1998) a Paul W. S. Anderson film that came before Alien vs. Predator and Resident Evil:

ICYMI: "These two relationships to time take opposite sides: one loops and the other pinpoints. Yet, they share stagnation." Excerpt: @gracemachine.bsky.social puts Final Fantasy's time-bending villains within the context of Francis Fukuyama's political theory:

Heard it’s Citizen Sleeper day! Game rules so hard. It’s always gonna be special to me not just for being a great sci-fi game, but my first paid game crit article was about the train on Wellspring in CS2 for @unwinnable.com unwinnable.com/2025/03/17/i...

"Russell’s protagonist may eventually prove not merely useful but even heroic, but his own inner life is misery." @orringrey.com watches Soldier (1998) a Paul W. S. Anderson film that came before Alien vs. Predator and Resident Evil:

"These two relationships to time take opposite sides: one loops and the other pinpoints. Yet, they share stagnation." Excerpt: @gracemachine.bsky.social puts Final Fantasy's time-bending villains within the context of Francis Fukuyama's political theory:

The Unwinnable Final Fantasy x Politics is here! It overflows with amazing stories, so let's go through one by one. But only after you take a moment to appreciate @sydneyjones.bsky.social's fantastic cover art. Buy: tinyurl.com/53f7schv Subscribe: unwinnable.com/subscribe/

Still glowing from being a part of this!

Hey, that's me!

Issue 98 of Exploits is also my first time writing for Unwinnable! I am flattered to be in such good company. If you read my essay regarding age restrictions in videogames (and beyond), let me know what you think.

Feel like I got some real gems in this one

I find it amazing that @nod-crafty.bsky.social was able to take what I'm sure is the physically largest book ever created by human hands and make a gorgeous piece of micro-criticism out of it. Applause!

Happy May Day, everyone. We don't have a workers' revolution for you, but we do have the latest issue of Exploits, chock full of micro-criticism. Buy: buff.ly/HAxjI8z Subscribe: buff.ly/EtUub5B Read J. Ryne Danielson's essay on The Oxford English Dictionary: buff.ly/e0bqKct

This is such a good piece dude

Okay I will share trans journalism I have written about trans topics For @unwinnable.com i write about Kurt Cobain’s struggles with gender and how their poetry n music saved me [a thread] unwinnable.com/2024/04/05/d...

"In short, Ramza is a good cop." @nukelassic.bsky.social breaks down Ramza Beoulve's role as a good cop in a corrupt system in Final Fantasy Tactics:

"In short, Ramza is a good cop." @nukelassic.bsky.social breaks down Ramza Beoulve's role as a good cop in a corrupt system in Final Fantasy Tactics:

If you haven’t read it yet - here’s your chance

È uscita la nostra nuova rassegna stampa videoludica mensile, con articoli da @unwinnable.com, @polygon.com, @aftermath.site, @deletedsavesmag.bsky.social, @eteogames.bsky.social, @gamesline.net, @designroom.site e @jank.cool, tra gli altri.

ICYMI: "With Final Fantasy IX embracing the series’ roots, it also became one of Final Fantasy’s strongest political statements to date." @solfleet.bsky.social analyzes the anti-authoritarian message at the heart of Final Fantasy IX:

"With Final Fantasy IX embracing the series’ roots, it also became one of Final Fantasy’s strongest political statements to date." @solfleet.bsky.social analyzes the anti-authoritarian message at the heart of Final Fantasy IX:

nethicite was such a great concept, one of many great ideas in a great game

ICYMI: "To find one’s own voice, even if speaking through a language exclusive to you, means to be true to yourself." @quiltedpoints.net muses on making meaning and connections in Brigsby Bear:

ICYMI: "Just like in our world, these relics are more than just expensive symbols worn and adorned for mere projections of power. Their acquisition tells a story." Excerpt: @aguaspoints.bsky.social examines Final Fantasy XII's nethicite -- simultaneous WMDs and crown jewels:

I love much more about Brigsby Bear than I could’ve fit into this essay. But I wanted to explore how James’ quirky and tender story might resonate with people who know what it’s like to feel alone and still find the courage to express their passion and creativity. Also, “it’s dope as shit”.

"To find one’s own voice, even if speaking through a language exclusive to you, means to be true to yourself." @quiltedpoints.net muses on making meaning and connections in Brigsby Bear: