El Paso Elsewhere (2023)
Xalavier Nelson Jr., leader of Strange Scaffold Studio, joins Samantha Blackmon and TreaAndrea Russworm to talk about a healthier philosophy for game development and his critically acclaimed neo-noir third person shooter, El Paso, Elsewhere. This critical discussion tackles topics of intersectionality, fandom/community/ reception, and Black cultural traditions through talk of Black love, Black masculinity, and the reception of the protagonist, James Savage, as a flawed and beautifully complex hero.
Assassin’s Creed: Liberation (2012)
While themes like slavery, miscegenation, and the sexualization of Black women in the antebellum South permeate Assassin’s Creed: Liberation this game also lends itself to rich conversations about video games and game design in general. Samantha Blackmon and TreaAndrea Russworm talk about themes like the importance of Black voice actors for Black video game protagonists, the concept of Black mechanics with Aveline’s changing of persona, and much more in this engaging critical game discussion.