Ritualistic Collecting
Collecting physical media is more about enjoying the world of people and things than it is about playing old games or listening to old music.
Sophistry
Writing repository for @SoFisht
Latest posts
The Case for the Extreme
On liberal inaction, leftist malaise, and the struggle to follow in the footsteps of those who came before.
June ‘26 Steam NextFest Demos
Three mini reviews of NextFest Demos from June 2026
Pokémon the Dungeon Crawler
The Pokémon series began as an approachable JRPG with all the standard genre conventions intact, but as the series moved towards online and narrative, its level design has lost its bite.
The Speculative Present
Decolonizing the archive with Black speculative fiction: Insurrection, Black Speculation, and a New Archive in Nineteenth Century America. A Talk from 2021.
No Hype Here
In the wake of E3's death, games enthusiasts had the opportunity to leave the trailer-reel presser format in the dust but elected not to. Perhaps we should have.
When Harder is Easier
How learning to play a hard fighting game can be easier than learning to play a game designed for approachability
The Jank is the Point
Monster Hunter is often criticized for its "jank", but that jank is the product of Monster Hunter walking a fine line of abstraction and simulation that gives it its identity.
Animation as Consequence in Monster Hunter
Monster Hunter World streamlines many of Monster Hunter's long running features, but loses much of its weight and consequence in removing lengthy animations.
Hearthstone 5 Minute Review
Short review of Hearthstone's new Cataclysm expansion from the perspective of a new player.