Episode Four: Game Criticism and Getting to Know Your Hosts I

Every other week, entertainment journalist Sean Weeks picks the brain of multi-ENNie award winning game designer Steve Dee about games as an art form, and how they change us, and how games can rise to that calling and how we can improve our literacy around games.

Except we're flipping the script this week! This time, Steve's in the interviewer's seat and the discussion's about the nature of game criticism. This is the first part of a "getting to know you" set; the second will be about Steve's long career. 

What's the point of board games? What's the point of a board game critic? What's the difference between writing about games and making videos about games? Are you collecting games or scavenging games, and what's the difference? Why does Sean keep hating on Brenda Romero's Train? What the heck is "subjective time"? 

All of these questions and more will be answered in this episode of Role of Play. Two weeks from now, you'll hear more about Steve's design background.

Note: Sean's mention of a "napkin accord" (referring to ad hoc documents that are signed using any material which happens to be at hand) refers to the 1988 Coaster Proclamation. 13 notable signatories at the Nuremberg Toy Fair (e.g. Wolfgang Kramer) refused to sign with companies that wouldn't put the designer's name on the box. 

Timecode to skip straight to the discussion of the recited essay: 7:36.