Below are episodes 1 to 5 of History’s Creed, and ARTE Web Series on History in Video Games. To read Play the Past’s introductory remarks on the series, please click on this link. Episodes 6 to 10 are discussed here.   Note: if subtitles do not autoplay, please click onContinue Reading

N.B. Readers who would like to take up the Victoria 2 #Canada150 challenge without reading the historical introduction, can skip to the play rules, below.   March 16th, 1882. Canada’s 4th parliament is in session. A member of the Liberal party from the opposition bench, the Right Honourable William Paterson from BrantContinue Reading

Setting the Stage Playing The Creative Assembly’s Rome: Total War (2004) is a manner of performing history. When the map loads, the Mediterranean world appears under a technicolor backdrop of young factions ready to be swallowed up by the Roman banners. The first playthrough only permits players to select amongContinue Reading

The Problem of Ephemeral Gaming Do you remember where you were when Twitch Plays Pokémon finished Pokémon Red? It was only in 2014— barely three years ago—but many people who actively participated have already forgotten about it; interest faded fast after the game was “won,” and although there are plentyContinue Reading

At first glance, Banished feels pretty familiar for gamers who grew up playing things like Age of Empires. You start with a small stock of supplies and a few workers standing around in the wilderness. Your task is to efficiently convert that wilderness into a late-medieval settlement. I was initiallyContinue Reading