From critical hits to random encounters, and from loot boxes to procedural generation, video games are stuffed to bursting with randomness. In this episode, I look at the way randomness is used in games - and why some forms are more contentious than others.

Making a signature move for your platforming hero is hard work: just ask developer Yacht Club Games, who has had to make four of them for Shovel Knight, Plague Knight, Specter Knight, and King Knight. In this video, I talk to Yacht Club about the design decisions behind these iconic platforming actions.

Can a video game level tell a story? In this video I look at a bunch of examples and best practices for embedding narrative elements into the very spaces and places we visit in games. We’ll tackle environmental storytelling, evocative architecture, and contextualising player identity.

You know I love a good multipurpose game mechanic. Prey’s Gloo Cannon is one of the best. Let my tell you why. There are no major spoilers for Prey in this video, so please do watch it if you've yet to try the game.

Welcome to the School of Stealth, a GMTK miniseries on how stealth games work. In episode one, I’m going to tackle guard perception and awareness. How do guards see and hear, and how do different solutions lead to different game experiences?

This is the first part of a series of videos on editing for YouTube.

A DOOM Eternal combat encounter might only last five minutes, but they’re five, utterly intense minutes: filled with quick movement, smart decision making, and more. In this episode of GMTK, I’m going to break down just one fight in the game to see how it works, and how it makes players act.

Welcome back to the School of Stealth, a GMTK miniseries on how stealth games work. In episode two, let’s look at stealth game gadgets. From optic fibre cameras to camouflage outfits to the trusty silenced pistol.

Players certainly aren't shy about sharing their thoughts on video games. So what should developers do when players tell them they hate a certain game mechanic, character, or level? This video will explore some tips for responding to feedback and criticism.

Welcome back to the School of Stealth, a GMTK miniseries on how stealth games work. In episode three, it's time to tackle the biggest challenge of stealth game design: detection. In a genre that's all about staying hidden, what should designers do when the player is found?

Original Title: Mass Effect Analysis - The Shared Ownership of Commander Shepard When Mass Effect launched in 2007, the heroes of western RPGs were typically blank-slate nobodies. But Commander Shepard is different. What does it mean to have a character whose personality and identity is shared between the player and the character?

There's only one genre that we divide down strict geographical lines: the RPG. But western RPGs and Japanese RPGs have way more in common than you might first realise.

The GMTK Game Jam for 2020 was our biggest one yet. In this video, Mark runs down his 20 favourite games.

Original Title: How a Last of Us Part II Level is Made // This video focuses on one of Ellie's level in the chapter "Seattle: Day 1", and does not contain any major story spoilers // In this episode of Game Maker's Toolkit, I chat to The Last of Us Part II designer Evan Hill about the creation of the game's best level.

It's easy to assume that amazing indie games like Gunpoint, Crypt of the Necrodancer, Ape Out, and Into the Breach were designed in a flash of inspiration. But that's not true - find out how these games came to be in this episode of Game Maker's Toolkit.

Original Title: The Psychological Trick That Can Make Rewards Backfire Goals and rewards can be a great way to motivate players to learn, try out features, and play longer - but in certain circumstances, they can actually backfire on you. To find out more, let's jump into the psychology of motivation.

GMTK's game history series Design Icons takes a trip to the UK, to see how the early British games business started as a cottage industry of bedroom coders.

Are lives an outdated relic of the arcade era, or are they still relevant to game design in 2020?

Many games come with the promise of letting the player live out some kind of awesome, aspirational fantasy. But the game's design will dictate who gets to live the fantasy, and who might get left behind.

It's time for my annual investigation into the accessibility of the year's biggest games. From Cyberpunk to Demon's Souls, and from Miles Morales to Valhalla, let's look at how these games do in terms of controller remapping, subtitles, colourblind settings, and more.

Every year I break down the design and development of the year's most innovative game system. This time: it's Watch Dogs Legion's "Play as Anyone" concept. How does it work - and is it any good?