Feature Archives

Firewatch’s Henry and tutorialising narrative

by Antony de Fault | Jun 02, 2020 | Feature, Gaming

How Firewatch’s immaculate intro teaches the player to think and behave like a very particular character

Sean Connery, and his Highlander II contract restrictions

by Simon Brew | Jun 02, 2020 | Feature

It took a long time for Sean Connery to agree to make a second Highlander film - and even then, his appearance came with a few challenges....

Zoning out in Cities: Skylines

by Ian Dransfield | Jun 01, 2020 | Feature, Gaming

The magic of solace through plotting bus routes

The ambitious $50m Robin Williams blockbuster that proved impossible to sell

by Simon Brew | Jun 01, 2020 | Feature

It was one of the biggest studio gambles of 1992 - but 20th Century Fox found itself in trouble when it came to promoting the Robin Williams-headlined...

Killer Feature: Mode 7

by Ian Dransfield | May 29, 2020 | Feature, Gaming

More than seven games used it, and it was always mind-blowing

How Kermode & Mayo's Home Entertainment Service has plugged a Film programme-sized gap

by Simon Brew | May 29, 2020 | Feature

It may have come about quickly due to current circumstances, but bringing the joy of Wittertainment to television has been long overdue....

Film Quiz Friday: 30 questions, cover to cover

by Mark Harrison | May 29, 2020 | Feature

How well do you know the work of our Film Stories cover stars to date? Put on your thinking caps and your trivia trousers for another Friday film...

The clever low-tech filming trick in 2009's Star Trek movie

by Brendon Connelly | May 29, 2020 | Feature, News

2009's Star Trek had a lot of CG, but director JJ Abrams also was keen to use practical work wherever possible - including the skydiving sequence....

British movie podcast of the week: Is It Worth It?

by Em McGowan | May 29, 2020 | Feature

Every week, we recommend an independent movie podcast that we think is worth your time: this week, a look at Is It Worth It....

Interactive: Portal Mortal

by Ryan Lambie | May 28, 2020 | Feature, Gaming

It’s the unholy offspring of Portal and Super Meat Boy. Introducing Portal Mortal…

The thrill of the in-game hunt

by Sean Martin | May 27, 2020 | Feature, Gaming

Whether for money, upgrades, or simply survival, we hunt for a variety of reasons in the games we play. But what lies beyond these motivations? What is the player experience of the hunt, and how is it conjured?

Wellbeing Matters: breaking boredom

by Jane Roberts | May 27, 2020 | Feature

In our weekly place to talk about mental health and general wellbeing, this time we're having a natter about trying to offset boredom in current...

The forgotten Mortal Kombat klones of the 1990s

by Steven T Wright | May 26, 2020 | Feature, Gaming

Behind the scenes of a bygone era’s gory, mediocre fighting games

Relax: 10 films that use ASMR - and how

by Scott Wilson | May 25, 2020 | Feature

Toy Story 2 isn't the only movie with a notable ASMR moment in it - here are ten examples of the phenomenon on the screen....

20 corking construction games you can play right now

by Simon Brew | May 22, 2020 | Feature, Gaming

Want to scratch that creative itch? You may need some cream for that. And afterwards, try out a few of these great construction games

The movies, and why it’s worth fighting more than ever for physical media

by Simon Brew | May 22, 2020 | Feature

Low quality streaming, unavailable films, movie edits by stealth: why physical media matters more than ever in the streaming age....

Film Quiz Friday: Whose Tagline Is It Anyway?

by Mark Harrison | May 22, 2020 | Feature

Deep Impact or Armageddon? Just one of the questions you’ll face in this week’s Friday film quiz, the trivia scramble where no one can hear you scr...

British movie podcast of the week: Nerdfest

by Em McGowan | May 22, 2020 | Feature

Each week, we recommend an independent British film podcast that's well worth your time: here's why Nerdfest is worth a listen....

The subtleties of kingmaking

by Stuart Maine | May 21, 2020 | Feature, Gaming

Kingmaking can be controversial in games. Let’s look at what it is, why players do it, how to stop it – or why you might even encourage it

Oliver Stone's Platoon, and how it got turned into a computer game

by Andrew Fisher | May 21, 2020 | Feature

How did one of the most successful anti-war movies of all time become a computer game? We dig into the story of Platoon....

The screenplays the Coen brothers wrote but didn't direct

by Mark Harrison | May 20, 2020 | Feature

As Joel and Ethan Coen’s long-gestating Scarface remake finally finds a director, we revisit their writing-only credits for filmmakers like Sam R...

Wellbeing Matters: hitting the pause button

by Jane Roberts | May 20, 2020 | Feature

In our weekly spot where we talk about mental health and general wellbeing, a quick natter about taking a little bit of time out....

Back to the 1980s: it's the PC Engine Mini

by Ryan Lambie | May 19, 2020 | Feature, Gaming

Konami shrink down a cult console classic with the PC Engine Mini. We spent some time with it...

True Lies, The Abyss and the Blu-ray/4K problem

by Simon Brew | May 19, 2020 | Feature

There's still no sign of James Cameron's True Lies and The Abyss on either Blu-ray or Ultra HD 4K Blu-ray - and we've been charting the stories of...

The bizarre films seized by police during the Video Nasties furore of the 1980s

by Simon Brew | May 18, 2020 | Feature

As a tabloid campaign intensified, it wasn't just films such as The Evil Dead that found themselves swept up in the 1980s Video Nasties moral...

The lost John Candy-Sylvester Stallone comedy

by Simon Brew | May 15, 2020 | Feature

Bartholomew Vs Neff was written, announced, cast, and all set to start filming - but here's the story of how the unlikely pairing Sylvester Stallone...