"asses.masses is an argument for videogames and that 'boredom is freedom.'" @aguaspoints.bsky.social takes part in asses.masses, an eight-hour, collaborative gaming experience: buff.ly/cO6xRz4

For @unwinnable.com, here is my review of an art video game: asses.masses. It was quite the marathon.

I wrote about Hamnet and Hamnet, which I found moving and disappointing, respectively.

In this issue I wrote about what might possibly be my favorite type of gaming moment. No, it's not "heated."

I’m back! Check out this issue for me talking about the timely subject of sex tourism and Severance!

Behold, a new Unwinnable Monthly!

This issue featuring: me getting mad that a book that Rex Stout didn’t write isn’t a book that Rex Stout wrote. For more of such gems, consider subscribing! 🤠

Whatta cover!

this unwinnable cover absolutely whips

New issue! AND we are three new subscriptions away from our Final Fantasy Fan Fic goal!!!!!! Tell yr friends!!!!

This month I wrote about some Next Fest demos! Including...

I'm very excited/shocked/etc to share I have an experimental piece published in @unwinnable.com mag. I don't like exaggerating but I legit don't think I've seen anything like it. I tried something new. "Two Women Talking about STALKER" is a one-act play about STALKER, masculinity, and friendship.

Something's missing in this apocalypse. This month's issue of Unwinnable Monthly features @vehement-ly.bsky.social on STALKER and masculinity, plus our usual crew of misfits. Buy: buff.ly/W8dGNsw Subscribe: buff.ly/OXPSvMc

In my never ending quest to destroy video games criticism as we know it, I instead ruined Valentines day. For @unwinnable.com, the only site on the internet with the gonads to publish a detailed account of a failing marriage disguised as art criticism. Here is my review of asses.masses.

Go subscribe to @unwinnable.com and read the latest issue. Also buy and play Suzerain by @torporgames.com . What more could you want out of a Sunday?

Now you can speedrun yourself to being today's magic subscriber!

ICYMI: "Boorman’s view of the Arthurian world is simultaneously gaudy and cheap, filthy and sparkling – light has never glinted off so much armor." @orringrey.com watches John Boorman’s 1981 speedrun of Arthurian myth, Excalibur:

"Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur as told by cocaine." Now that's wordcraft!

"Boorman’s view of the Arthurian world is simultaneously gaudy and cheap, filthy and sparkling – light has never glinted off so much armor." @orringrey.com watches John Boorman’s 1981 speedrun of Arthurian myth, Excalibur:

Watching John Boorman's speedrun of Arthurian myth for the first time in over thirty years sure was an experience, and I'm pretty happy with my summation of it here:

this looks so cool

ICYMI: "Players of Necromolds will find themselves as often reminded of He-Man toys and Monsters in My Pocket as Warhammer." @orringrey.com plays Necromolds, a tabletop wargame with a lot of monster squishing:

ICYMI: "Players of Necromolds will find themselves as often reminded of He-Man toys and Monsters in My Pocket as Warhammer." @orringrey.com plays Necromolds, a tabletop wargame with a lot of monster squishing:

Are you working on something cool? Lots of somethings? Do you think the very cool people who read Unwinnable might be into it? Unwinnable is doing advertising now. But only if you're cool. unwinnable.com/Advertise/

"Players of Necromolds will find themselves as often reminded of He-Man toys and Monsters in My Pocket as Warhammer." @orringrey.com plays Necromolds, a tabletop wargame with a lot of monster squishing:

Fantastic read for learning the cultural contexts it uses, but also for putting words to the way the quiet, sometimes sad, sometimes beautiful way the show sits with my soul 💖

ICYMI: "Frieren proves that some truths are better felt than explained, that cultural specificity can produce universal resonance, that formal discipline can yield profound emotional impact." Beatrix Kondo explains how Frieren illustrates common Japanese philosophies:

"Frieren proves that some truths are better felt than explained, that cultural specificity can produce universal resonance, that formal discipline can yield profound emotional impact." Beatrix Kondo explains how Frieren illustrates common Japanese philosophies:

do you love pop culture, great writing, and spending money? bring your passions together by subscribing to @unwinnable.com today!

ICYMI: "Betty having access to social media would have been a nightmare for Sally, but I think she would have been very successful." @nochshorn.bsky.social watches Mad Men S1E9–S1E10:

ICYMI: "The unicorn is another thing that tries to fit women into a narrow definition." @alyssawejebe.bsky.social muses on unicorns and our gendered assumptions about them:

Betty shoots pigeons and we are all gonna die!

"Betty having access to social media would have been a nightmare for Sally, but I think she would have been very successful." @nochshorn.bsky.social watches Mad Men S1E9–S1E10:

there is a prestige class in the D&D book of Exalted Deeds where the Unicorn will only hang out with you if you're a virgin but "no hard feelings" and it always struck me as fucked up like we're fighting evil bro, why do you care about my sex life?

"The unicorn is another thing that tries to fit women into a narrow definition." @alyssawejebe.bsky.social muses on unicorns and our gendered assumptions about them:

ICYMI: "Pathologic 2 is a game that wants to push you and test you, the player, but it does so in ways that are far more compelling than reaction-based button bashing." @robsteinone.bsky.social sings the praises of Pathologic 2:

Earlier this week, the vulture posted a great primer on what Unwinnable is and why you should consider subscribing. Looking for one subscriber a day in 2026! unwinnable.com/subscribe/

Theme park that kills you feels like such a mild horror these days

"Pathologic 2 is a game that wants to push you and test you, the player, but it does so in ways that are far more compelling than reaction-based button bashing." @robsteinone.bsky.social sings the praises of Pathologic 2:

Since nobody talks about it*, I thought I'd shed some light on this underrated masterpiece you've never heard of at @unwinnable.com! *this is a joke - I know much has been said on Pathologic, and that I probably don't have anything new to add to the discussion, but I wanna words about it anyway

ICYMI: "I’m telling you this because I’m about to do something a little wild, and I want you to trust the process: I’m going to link Mulholland Drive to Pluribus via a Yash Chopra movie." @unethicalcoffee.bsky.social looks at racialized desire across multiple works:

ICYMI: "The game world signals where to go, and you decide whether to listen." Justin Reeve examines Tears of the Kingdom's gliding mechanic:

"I’m telling you this because I’m about to do something a little wild, and I want you to trust the process: I’m going to link Mulholland Drive to Pluribus via a Yash Chopra movie." @unethicalcoffee.bsky.social looks at racialized desire across multiple works:

"The game world signals where to go, and you decide whether to listen." Justin Reeve examines Tears of the Kingdom's gliding mechanic:

it's been 9 years since my first international pitch went live, and almost 11 since i started writing altogether. it hasn't gotten any easier, but it's completely changed my life for the better. eternally grateful for sites like unwinnable taking a chance on new voices unwinnable.com/2017/03/11/s...

now I'd be a living crime if I didn't also mention @zaaack.bsky.social's magazine and also the fact that @stuhorvath.com is still out here running Unwinnable, so definitely be ashamed of how you're using your limited spending money all the time

We're in the middle of our most ambitious sub drive ever, a new subscriber every day! Help us make that a reality. Share with your friends and help sing our song so others can hear!

One of the things I love about Unwinnable is that lots of people who write for us write the story they cant publish elsewhere. So it's this giant collection of impossible stories. Pretty, pretty neat.

Amanda's got a great thread about Unwinnable and their history with it. We're still looking for a new subscriber every day this year. Maybe that's you? Maybe Amanda's thread is the inspiration you need! unwinnable.com/subscribe/

ICYMI: "The joy of Lanesplit is realizing that never getting one of these bikes was the right call for me, as I’d probably be a smear at this point, but here I am able to dole out my own little serotonin drip." @rubeck.bsky.social takes Lanesplit for a spin: