Sundays are traditionally a time for rest and reflection, and this week's roundup of notable writing includes a deep dive into the anxieties of documentation in Lucas Pope's Papers, Please, a critique of common VR game design pitfalls, and a report on the precarious situation of developers at The Coalition.
Micaela Deitz, writing for Deleted Saves, found new poignancy in Papers, Please, drawing parallels between the game's immigration queues and her own experiences as a trans American navigating government documentation. "As a trans American without correct documentation, I was dancing to the tune of a government that wanted to keep me moving — uncertain and afraid — until I died," Deitz explains, detailing the confusion and fear of having differing gender markers on official documents. The essay highlights how bureaucratic processes can amplify personal anxieties about identity and recognition.
Meanwhile, a new VR game called Gunman Contracts is examined by Graham Smith for Jank, who notes that it "stumbles into all the foibles of so many other VR games." Despite experiencing frustrating issues such as clipping and inconsistent hand-tracking, Smith suggests that moments of synchronicity with the game reveal its potential. He describes a sequence where the player successfully engages enemies through headshots, explosive environmental interactions, and precise knife throws, leading to a feeling of action hero mastery.
Concerns over job security at The Coalition, the studio behind Gears of War, have been amplified following a string of layoffs across Xbox. Connor Makar's report for Eurogamer details developer anxieties regarding Metacritic bonuses, which are tied to the game's critical reception. Developers must be full-time employees at the time of payout to be eligible. While those recently laid off will reportedly still receive their bonuses if targets are met, uncertainty remains for current staff who fear they may be laid off immediately after the release of Gears of War: E-Day, potentially forfeiting their bonuses.
In broader industry trends, Malin Hay's essay for the London Review of Books on Hollywood flops reflects on how executive pursuit of fads can lead to costly failures, drawing a parallel to the games media's recent struggles with AI overviews impacting website revenue. Hay notes that even projects perceived as 'sure things' can crumble due to miscalculations and a failure to adapt to changing landscapes, a theme resonant with the challenges faced by media outlets and game studios alike.
On a lighter note, the anonymous artist behind messages scrawled in West Denton underpasses, featuring British celebrities in absurd predicaments, was tracked down by Radge Magazine. The artist describes the work as "tongue-in-cheek fun" intended to "brighten up the people's day on their cruel commute to work," comparing the local reaction to a neurodivergent Batman story.
Finally, for music this week, a profile in The Guardian revealed that musician Michael Kiwanuka suffered a stroke last year and is currently in recovery. A performance of his song "Love & Hate" from RAK Studios is shared.