A long time ago I was a writer for a games magazine called Edge. I left because I wanted to make games but I kept writing, for myself and for talks that I still irregularly deliver at events. This is one of those, a short (true) story that I never quite figured out a purpose for and I’m pleased it’s finally found a home. If you want an audio version there is one on my never-updated website.
Talking of audio: I co-host a radio show, One Life Left, where we’ve been reading out Eurogamer’s news stories and rating games 7/10 for 16 years — it’s the longest running radio show about games in the world. And I sing pop songs about videogames with you at Maraoke, a karaoke night about games. More info on that here.
Last week I played the Steam version of Dwarf Fortress. It’s everything it needs to be. Tarn is a good man. If you haven’t already bought it you’ll find no better way to spend £30 on games in 2023. 7/10.
INT #1: The Queen
I glance at the clock. It is a little after midnight.
The Queen, not the Queen but another Queen, my Queen, sits on the edge of a cedar chair by the dressing table in her bedchamber, waiting for the knock on the door. When will it happen? Tonight or tomorrow morning, perhaps the day after that, but she knows it will come. And when it does she will rise to open the door and the man on the other side will hang back in the shadows, fearful, shaken. As he steps into the flickering light he will bow his head as normal; usually out of respect, right now because he cannot look her in the eye. She will bite her lip and she will want to say I know, I already know, but that is not how this story goes and besides before she can… “Ma’am,” he will say. “I’m sorry to disturb you, ma’am, but… The King… He’s…”