'UFO 50,' one of the best video games of the year, took 8 years to make – and a Philly-area developer had a hand in it

One of the most beloved video games released this year is a collection of 50 retro-inspired games that took nearly a decade to make — and a developer in the Philadelphia region was one of the major creative forces behind it. "UFO 50," released Sept. 18 on the Steam platform, is the fifth-best reviewed game of the year based on the Metacritic review aggregator.
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UArts students, faculty grieve, rally and scramble to find a path forward

As the fallout from the abrupt closure of the University of the Arts continues, students, faculty and staff members marched to express their discontent with the administration.A coalition of demonstrators led by United Academics of Philadelphia (UAP), the local chapter of the American Federations of Teachers union (AFT), marched on Broad Street on Wednesday morning from Hamilton Hall to 15th and Market streets, where the university's board chair Judson Aaron has a law office.
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Meet the couple trying to open Philly's first lesbian bar since 2021

Philadelphia has been without a lesbian bar for three years, but two South Philly residents are looking to fill in that gap. Through events including an art market and a leap year dance party, couple Julia Harris and Clover Gilfor have been raising funds to open Val's Lesbian Bar.
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Marvel’s Avengers: War for Wakanda – Senior designer and writer talk Black Panther’s arc and building a bold new biome

Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics provided us with about an hour of footage showcasing the first two campaign missions of War for Wakanda. We also had the opportunity to speak to writer Hannah MacLeod and senior designer Scott Walters from Crystal Dynamics to learn more about their process and inspirations.
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Watch Dogs: Legion Interview—Lead Producer Talks London, Brexit, and Simulated Personalities

We’ve seen a number of dystopian societies in video games—you didn’t even have to look beyond E3 2019 to get a glimpse of them. Still, something about Watch Dogs: Legion strikes more of a chord than many of the other fantastical games vying for our attention. In a time where political unrest permeates every aspect of our lives, whether we admit it or not, there is something intriguing about the pitch of a game set in a theoretical post-Brexit London.
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Catherine: Full Body Localizers Talk Trans Controversy and the Pitfalls of Localization

When Atlus first released Catherine in 2011, the puzzle-platformer became a phenomenon in ways that the developers didn’t anticipate. Not only were the unconventional gameplay mechanics and story praised, but Catherine somehow ended up with a competitive scene. With a re-release through Catherine: Full Body, Atlus has the rare opportunity of a second chance in developing the same game, with experience and feedback in tow.
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Interview Piece Collection

Below is a comprehensive collection of pieces by Chris based on interviews from direct sources.
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PhillyVoice •

'Dragula' contestant Pi hopes Philly will grow its 'arsenal' of drag stars on TV

With cartoony aesthetics and a sense of childhood whimsy, Philly drag artist Pi brought a playfulness to Season 6 of the twisted, gross-out competition show "The Boulet Brothers' Dragula" on Shudder. Though the performer only placed fifth after literally being iced out of the race, the experience allowed them to reflect on their creative identity and contemplate their next career steps.
PhillyVoice •

'UFO 50,' one of the best video games of the year, took 8 years to make – and a Philly-area developer had a hand in it

One of the most beloved video games released this year is a collection of 50 retro-inspired games that took nearly a decade to make — and a developer in the Philadelphia region was one of the major creative forces behind it. "UFO 50," released Sept. 18 on the Steam platform, is the fifth-best reviewed game of the year based on the Metacritic review aggregator.
PhillyVoice •

UArts students, faculty grieve, rally and scramble to find a path forward

As the fallout from the abrupt closure of the University of the Arts continues, students, faculty and staff members marched to express their discontent with the administration.A coalition of demonstrators led by United Academics of Philadelphia (UAP), the local chapter of the American Federations of Teachers union (AFT), marched on Broad Street on Wednesday morning from Hamilton Hall to 15th and Market streets, where the university's board chair Judson Aaron has a law office.
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