This week, a number of games critics looked at the agencies and capacities of female characters, and examined stories that center women. We’ve also got some discussions of cops and hackers, and puppets!

Resurrection

Reforms to a character’s abilities and the launch of a new esports league has brought Overwatch back into focus for some writers this week.

An Overwatch Women’s League isn’t the answer – Polygon

Ashley Oh summarises and refutes some of the reasons that have been given in attempts to explain away the lack of women being included in Overwatch League teams.

Why Does Everyone Hate Mercy, Part 2: This is Not The End

Apple Cider Mage explores the cultural biases in FPS games, patriarchy, and the mechanical design of Overwatch that combine to make support characters an ongoing fraught issue.

“Mercy herself, mechanically and culturally, represents Blizzard’s fumbling with their own desires as designers of a game that is both for fun, casual competitive play and now is moving speedily towards a marketable esports package. Resurrection is the place where these things wage war […]”

Familiar

Sad, strange games about exploring memory and personal effects are examined by two critics this week.

Digital Voyeurism – A Familiar, if Strange Game | Unwinnable

Alyse Stanley compares the ethical implications of two different approaches to narratives that center on a fictional character’s personal communications.

What Remains of Edith Finch and losing someone you love – Polygon

Simone de Rochefort discusses personal spaces and grief in an account of playing a game about loss while one is mourning the passing of a loved one.

Fantasies

Literary analysis is front-and-center in these three pieces that look at character development, agency, and intertextuality.

Inchoate scream

Four articles look at different ways that games have engaged with systems of power, and explored the possibilities for subverting them – or even the pernicious reverse fantasy, held by those who wish to benefit from systems of power without hearing voices of dissent.

“The game that resulted is a pathetic piece of wish fulfillment from a man in disgrace: A roiling, inchoate scream that blue lives matter, and they shouldn’t have to hear any criticism.”

Plugs

Finally, the “plugs” section this week is a little longer than usual, as I have a few things I want to share separately to the roundup itself.