‘Warframe’ review: Space ninjas with laser guns are awesome, unsurprisingly
“Warframe” is a game that’s held a special place in my heart for quite some time. It’s an infrequent passion, something I come back to once every couple of months, just to play for a few weeks – but nonetheless, it’s one of those games that’s managed to stick with me. Years after first starting, […]
The basement
Editor’s Note: This story contains graphic imagery. Reader discretion is advised. Author’s Note: Consider this a late Halloween story. Jeremy lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. It was dark, the room illuminated by only a slim sliver of moonlight coming in through the window. It was quiet; the night only pierced by the roar […]
The morality of the gacha
Gacha games—that is to say, games inspired off of “gachapon” machines, featuring gambling mechanics and usually made by eastern developers—have, to my eyes, become more and more popular in recent years. Games like “Genshin Impact” and “Arknights” have been quietly raking in billions of dollars and amassing loyal fanbases, while many western AAA developers seem […]
Scrapyard
The Scrapyard was, to John’s eyes, unreasonably massive. Of course, compared to Station 27a – of which the Scrapyard made up a significant part – it was actually quite reasonably sized. A bit small, even, compared to how big starships could get. But still, all John saw was an enormous hall, stretching eight miles long […]
The long, slow and inevitable death of Minecraft
I would like to begin this article with a reassurance: This is not an attack on Minecraft. Neither is it an attack on the people who play it, nor is it, for that matter, an attack on the people who hate it. This article is nothing but an observation of a series of decisions, by […]
Brandeis graduate students protest for a better contract, higher wages
Last week on Sept. 9, 2024, graduate students gathered at the senior administration open office in the Feldberg Lounge to advocate for fair wages and the negotiation of a fair graduate student worker contract. There are nearly 2,000 graduate students on campus, most of them full time, who also have various other jobs to help […]
ANNA.2
She breathed in, suddenly aware. She thought, and therefore she was. She opened her eyes, and beheld the world around her — a white room, a window in the far wall and a man in a chair and a white jacket before her, holding a clipboard. It made him look vaguely official. “Hello.” He said. […]
Short story: ‘The Mountain’s Heart, Pt. 2’
Odgruck stared down into the darkness at the bottom of the cavern, where Mossgran had fallen, a little crease of concern on his brow. Stupid, stupid boy. He sighed. It was the kind of foolishness that came with youth, and honestly, something he should have predicted. He was a good lad, but far too young […]
Short story: ‘The Mountain’s Heart’ (Part 1)
Normally, night in the forest below Crystalshine Mountain was quiet and cold, broken only by the twinkle of fireflies and the chirp of crickets. But tonight, there were two intruders in this peaceful domain. “And I tell you—well, my cousin told me, and he heard it from … doesn’t matter. There’s a ruby in that […]
Starsector: A game of space, starships, big guns and the occasional, teensy tiny war crime.
Do you want to be a space pirate? Do you want to be a space mercenary? Do you just want to fly a spaceship and shoot big guns? Then you might want to consider playing starsector. Starsector was released on April 26th, 2013, by Fractal Softworks—a small group of people who continue to work on […]
‘At The Forest’s Edge’: a short story
Buddy was many things. He was happy, most of the time, a sort of haze of contentment that permeated his entire life. He was loved, lounging his days away surrounded by his family. He was also, perhaps most importantly, a dog. His long, fluffy tail waved as he stood in the park, head moving back […]
‘Armored Core 6’: the outline of a masterpiece
“Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon” was released by FromSoftware on Aug. 25, 2023. It is the newest title from the famous creators of the “Dark Souls” series, “Bloodborne” and many other games. But what is it? How does it measure up to their previous titles? And most importantly, is it any good? As the […]
All The Colors of The Sky, Part 2: a short story
Soon, the Stargazer found himself at the door of the Waif’s house. He hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to tell her, before shaking his head and opening the door. She needed him, excuses could wait. “‘Gazer? it’s a bit late… how are you?” he heard her quiet voice from her bed. The Waif’s […]
All The Colors of The Sky, Part 1: a short story
The Stargazer lay on his back, in the gray grass under the moonlight, and looked to the stars. Despite the late hour and his thin clothing, he felt no cold. Indeed, he lacked even the concept—none in the Village felt, or had ever felt, the cold, or the heat, or the feeling of the grass […]
The Mermaid and the Sky Pearl
Aria stared at the oyster, eyes thin and focused, tail waving slowly behind her. In one hand, she held a stone, washed smooth by the sea. With her other, she moved aside the kelp of the forest, letting her clearly see her goal. There was little light this deep in the ocean, but what was […]
