Stealth games were few and far between for much of gaming’s history - until the year 1998 when three huge stealth games came out in the same year. In this video, I’ll explore the conventions that these games established, and ask why ’98 was the year stealth games got serious.

One of the biggest decisions for any developer making a roguelike, is whether or not to add persistent upgrades. Should every run be the same, like Spelunky? Or should your character get more powerful over time, like Rogue Legacy? Let’s look at the pros and cons of both approaches.

Video games are for everyone. But those with disabilities can be left out if developers don’t consider their needs.

Stealth games are known for their open-ended and realistic levels. And no franchise does this quite like Hitman. In this video, I chat to IO Interactive’s Jakob Mikkelsen and Eskil Mohl about the making of the Miami level in Hitman 2

I have been obsessed with a card battling roguelike called Slay the Spire. And a big reason for that is how the game uses synergies. What are they, and why are they so cool? Let’s find out.

Balancing a game is one of the most complex pursuits in game development - especially when you’re dealing with a cast of completely distinct and diverse characters. So how do devs do it?

Halo 3: ODST was a bold move for Bungie. A non-linear and open world Halo game, with a melancholic vibe and without Master Chief. In some ways it was wonderfully clever, in other ways it fell on its face. Let’s explore the highs and lows of this forgotten game.

Choosing a camera for a 3D game is a huge challenge, because cameras can serve gameplay and aesthetic goals at the same time. What happens when these goals clash?

Making a strong trailer for your game can be a huge challenge, so I’ve collected a bunch of tips and best practices from the industry’s top trailer makers.

2019 has already seen the release of four post apocalyptic open world games - but 4A's Metro Exodus is by far the most immersive. So what does that phrase actually mean, and what design decisions help create that feeling?

Making your very first Super Mario Maker 2 stage is a daunting prospect. What parts should you use? How should you lay them out? How do you pace your level, and make a fair challenge? To help you clear this hurdle, here are ten steps you can follow to get your first level made, published, and open for feedback.

Certain RPGs make the tantalising promise that you can skip combat altogether, by talking your way past the bad guys. But how can we turn this into genuinely interesting gameplay? Warning - This video contains story spoilers for Mass Effect (1) and Life is Strange (Episode 2), and also features content related to suicide.

Celeste is one of the most satisfying platformers released in recent memory. And a big part of that is due to the tight and responsive controls of the game’s main character: Madeline. In this video, let’s look at how designers Matt Thorson and Noel Berry made the hero of Celeste feel so good to play.

The third GMTK Game Jam has come to a close. In this video, I look at my favourite games from among the 2,600 projects that were uploaded.

Design Icons is a new series from Game Maker's Toolkit, charting the history of game design through influential and important games. Starting with an invasion from space...

There’s a handful of games where time is taken very seriously. In this video, I look at the design, challenges, and opportunities of what we might call “clockwork games”.

While a nascent games industry was laser focused on emulating the success of Taito’s Space Invaders, one designer tried to make something completely different - and ended up creating our second design icon: Pac-Man.

One year on from my “Designing for Disability” series, let’s take a look at 50 of the year’s biggest games to see how the industry is tackling accessibility in 2019.

Every year, I celebrate one game that went above and beyond in terms of innovation, invention, and imagination. From Her Story to Snake Pass to Return of the Obra Dinn, these games have stunned us with their unique ideas and excellent execution. This year, the award goes to...