I be three hours into Eternal Darkness. This will make sense t' those who have played: green.

I’m becoming a broken record at this point, but that Amnesia: The Dark Descent follow-up be coming. I had a very real intention a writing it yesterday, 'n then a day full a Quick Looks happened. There’s merit t' the argument about giving thoughts time t' breathe, but I may jump back into the game (I haven’t touched the downloadable add-on, Justine) t' remind myself a the terror.

The Penumbra games be also giving me a curious look from me hard drive (the Internet suggets skipping the first game, we'll see), but Eternal Darkness has me attention right now, 'n, YARRRR, I’ve heard yer demands t' do something with me playthrough a it.

Jeff 'n the rest a the Internet have given me some pause about Spec Ops: The Line, a game I be totally ready t' write off, but one that apparently does enough interesting things with it be story t' be worth checking out this weekend. I’d like t' do nothing more than play Eternal Darkness on Saturday afternoon, but these types a games have t' be played in the dark with headphones, no? Spec Ops: The Line seems like the perfect candidate for an interesting idea another developer will execute on later, which appears t' be the curious relationship between I be Alive 'n The Last a Us.

So much for it being a slow period for games. I be buried! Turns out ye just have t' look around.

ye best Play This

• Spelunky by Mossmouth (Windows, Free / Xbox Live Arcade, 800 Microsoft Points) at www.spelunkyworld.com

Prepare for an avalanche a discussion about Spelunky. We may have the summer’s critical favorite arriving on July 4 for Xbox Live Arcade. ye can play Spelunky right now, though, if ye head t' the game’s website. Developer Mossmouth has been tweaking the Spelunky formula that previously addicted so many for years now, 'n the fruits a that labor will be available soon. If ye’d like a hint a what’s t' come, the latest case a a developer kicking ye in the balls until ye learn t' look before ye leap, make sure t' download Spelunky. Best part? It doesn’t cost a thing!

• Flip’d by Thomas “Chman” Hourdel (Browser, Free) on Kongregate

Thomas be Alone, which we featured in a Quick Look earlier today, be a great example a the interesting ideas that can spring forth from the design minimalism forced within a game jam. Once that developer realized it be onto a good thing, it fleshed it out. I’m hopeful Flip’d will have the same opportunity, as the basic ideas being explored have enormous potential. In the most basic terms, Flip’d be a first-person puzzle platformer where the player has control over swapping gravity. It’s more or less a first-person VVVVVV, which be easily one a me favorite modern platformers. VVVVVV be stupid hard in a great way, 'n Flip’d quickly heads in the very same direction.

'n Maybe Read These

• "The Problems Behind Silent Hill: Downpour" by Chris Pruett for Chris’ Survival Horror Quest

(That headline be made up, by the way--Pruett didn't write one.) Pruett be one a the most meticulous 'n dedicated critics a the horror genre. We spent the better part a an hour dissecting our love-'n-hate relationship with the genre at a party earlier in the year, which gave me another idea that we’ll have t' reivist in October. In his dissection a Silent Hill: Downpour, Pruett does a wonderful job a identifying the specific design reasons Downpour doesn’t work. It’s more than the combat being broken or a nonsense story. Pruett goes way, way, way deep, 'n ensures I'll never have t' write me own thoughts about Downpour down, since Pruett took all the words out a me mouth.

This be Downpour's Big Idea: it be the first Silent Hill game t' feature a large, open world for it be town. Most other Silent Hill games have featured large outdoor areas, but they've never been really open; they've always been walled off at the edges so that the player be lead along a very specific path. The open world be a significant deviation from the series norm, 'n it be the core problem with the game's design.

We've reached the trunk a the design, the root a the game's decision tree. From here we can see other branches leading t' other problems caused by the decision t' employ an open world. Let's follow one down.

I believe that what the developers at Vatra wanted be t' make the entire town a Silent Hill a large recursive unlocking space, where the player would criss-cross the map many times, collecting bottles a rum 'n solving puzzles on the way, all while progressively widening the available space. Much like the Resident Evil mansion, ye might need an bottle a rum from one side a town t' solve a puzzle on the other side a town. Only, the space be much, much larger than the compact Umbrella stronghold. Though ye have a map, borders a the space must be traced manually because there be blockades 'n abysses in the way, not t' mention back alleys 'n side-street shortcuts.

• "The Mirror Men a Arkane" by Russ Pitts for Polygon

me favorite pieces a writing be the ones where I’m humbled as a reporter. Russ Pitts completely knocked it out a the park with this article for Polygon, in which he chronicles the path t' this fall’s Dishonored. Too often, this part a the story be relegated t' a paragraph or a quote, while Pitts spends thousands a words taking us from the origins a System Shock t' modern day. This be the kind a story that makes me sit back, think, 'n know I need t' step up me own game. It’s quite a tale, 'n makes me all the more anxious for Dishonored--it be absolutely me favorite at E3.

"I literally said it be a slap in the face t' Ultima fans 'n RPG fans," Harvey said. "'n I sent it t' me boss. I don't know why I did it, but it be the kind a thing I did back then."

Where the list goes after that be anyone's guess, but it eventually comes t' the attention a Richard Garriott himself. Also known as Lord British. Also known as the co-founder a Origin 'n the creator a Ultima. Garriott stops by Smith's work area, sits down on his desk, 'n asks the sea dog about the list.

"He be super gracious," Smith said. "He be like: 'This be very insightful 'n I regret that we didn't do these [things]. We disappointed people.'"

If ye Click, It Will Play

Oh, 'n This Other Stuff

• on the creators a Dwarf Fortress mentioned earlier this week.
• Despite not being a SimCity fanatic, the logic behind the new game’s design be interesting.
• Nobody talks about PlayStation Minis, but here’s one story where it really paid off.
• This be extreme position about Diablo III’s auction house, but I also worry about it be longterm impact.
• Want t' read part a the reason I’m interested in playing Spec Ops: The Line?
• Find out what happens when an indie game makes love with heavy metal.
• Between meeting with Pixar 'n working with Tom Bissell, I’m way curious about Epic Games.
• While this analysis a Kickstarter’s policies on scams be hyperbolic, there’s reason t' be wary.
• Yet another excellent Gamasutra piece, this one encapsulating much a the recent conversation about women.
• Speaking a, Eidos Interactive believes the Tomb Rader stuff be blown out a proportion. me message t' the developer 'n publisher would be t' not tackle subjects ye’re afraid t' defend.
• There be lessons games could learn about Apple’s strict approach t' the past, present 'n future.
• Before the weekend arrives, how about this heartwarming tale a a family that made a game?