Assignment Format:

For this first assignment, students will need to write a short critical review of a game (analog, digital or performance-based) or a game-related piece of media (film adaptation, award show, livestream, etc.). There are no restrictions on the kinds of games that students may select to discuss, however it is strongly recommended to either pick a game on the shorter side, or to select one aspect of that game-related piece of media to discuss. This is because games are easy to underestimate in terms of time and space required to analyze, between their narrative content, mechanics, rules, social contexts, and especially the experience of play. Aside from that, students can take this assignment wherever they’re interested.

This assignment follows an academic essay form (500-750 words) and should focus on a primary

argument concerning the chosen subject, including some context, a body of argumentation (with

supporting evidence and references to class readings) and a conclusion that assesses the subject one last

time. Do not simply summarize the content of your chosen game, and move towards a critical

engagement with themes, production, or reception, for instance. Students will also need to weave in at

least one required or recommended reading from weeks 1-4 from the course materials to support or

contrast their analysis. Although there is no set minimum for how much of the readings to incorporate,

significant inclusion is generally recommended, as it supports the arguments you’re trying to make and

provides more structure to the work.

The goal of this assignment is allowing students to write a short analysis piece that is akin to what

industry professionals write in games journalism outlets that have strong critical engagement like

Waypoint, Polygon, Kotaku, Forbes or the kinds of scripts often used to produce video essays, critical

livestreams, and expert podcasts. Although this essay requires more overt citation of your sources, the

approach is generally similar. Additionally, although it is important to weave in readings, students are

welcome and encouraged to critique or push back against aspects of those texts they may find limiting or

inadequate. The overall purpose of the assignment is to allow students room to engage with pop culture

they’re interested in discussing, while providing them with sufficient backing to do so.

Finally, students can find a few examples of game analysis texts on the Moodle, under the week 5

section, which do not count for the required/recommended reading but may provide useful tools or

avenues for your analyses. These are established texts that games scholars use in the study of games

both in industry and academia.

Specific Instructions:The analysis should total around 500-750 words. Assignments that are more than 10% over the

word count will be penalized, as will assignments that fall under the minimum word count.Students must include one bibliographic source from the required or recommended course

readings in their assignment, either by paraphrasing, in short quotes or long quotes. Though

given the short nature of the paper, multiple long quotes are discouraged.PDFs are preferred as a submission format, but .doc or .docx files are also acceptable.There are no set expectations for font or line spacing.All sources, including music, fashion shows, television programs, film, games or convention

panels, must be appropriately cited. Citations formats encouraged are MLA, APA, or Chicago,

according to resources provided by the Concordia Library. For other formats consult the course

instructor.