tim spencer

Who would think that simulating farming would create such an enjoyable experience? Stardew Valley is a mix-up of the Harvest Moon games of old, Minecraft and Animal Crossing; the best parts of all three form into an excellent experience that can take forty hours away from anyone. The mechanics...

The Welfare Officer candidates put forward their views in the UON SU Question time on the 8th March. Katie Leach, Radhika Chond, and a representative speaking for Rachel Hoskins discussed diverse issues include the stigma around mental health and creating a central location for information about Welfare Services.  It...

Fashion and trends have always been dictated by society; Chanel’s masculine and liberating designs during the 1920s – a time of general female empowerment, are just one example that comes to mind. So it should come as no surprise that designers in the 21st century are starting to get...

“I hope that those reading will have a greater understanding why LGBT representation is good for gamers and games, and that it’ll allow more discussion in the future.” As we enter an age where being gay, bi or trans* has become much more acceptable I believe there needs to...

As we come up to Valentines Day, we need to discuss why videogames have such as bad rap for the portrayal of relationships. With some notable exceptions such as the Witcher 3, relationships in games have either come across as token, awkward or completely sexist. This even goes as...

Mario in Pantomine! The excellent Mario: A Super Musical takes the Mario soundtrack through the era and applies a plot and lyrics. Except for a small problem with scene changes and unfortunate language for the audience it was well worth seeing, and I’d love to see it again. The...

On the 23rd of October 2015 I interviewed the writer Jim Burrows and producer Charlotte Fage about Mario – A Super Musical just before their second performance. We discussed their favourite games, obscure characters and unexpected romances, to give a lovely perspective of the minds behind the musical. First...