Jini Maxwell

is The Saturday Paper’s games reviewer.

By this author


Culture June 04, 2022

Norco

Norco is a dark science fiction game that holds closely to the history of the Lousiana town it’s named after.

Culture April 30, 2022

Elden Ring

The fantasy world of FromSoftware’s Elden Ring is challenging but it richly rewards curiosity and patience.

podcast February 03, 2022

Why everyone is addicted to Wordle

With no promotion or monetisation, Wordle has grown a player base of over two million in a little less than three months. But what is it about this humble word game that has so many people addicted?

Culture January 22, 2022

Wordle

Wordle has taken the internet by storm – and is a reminder that play can matter for its own sake.

Culture December 04, 2021

Unpacking

The new Australian game Unpacking  is an intimate experience of domestic realism.

Culture September 18, 2021

The Artful Escape

The Artful Escape’s exuberant style and psychedelic soundtrack can’t mask its essential superficiality.

podcast September 03, 2021

The dark side of the games industry

The video games industry is worth over $180 billion a year, more than the US film and sports industries combined. For decades though, it’s been plagued by a culture of misogyny, homophobia and racism.

Culture September 04, 2021

We Know the Devil on Nintendo Switch

The release of dark visual novel We Know the Devil on Nintendo Switch may herald a more inclusive industry, but it’s far from marketable ‘diverse content’.

Culture August 07, 2021

Phantom Abyss

Phantom Abyss, the new asynchronous multiplayer game from Brisbane-based studio Team WIBY, promises to take the social stress out of online gaming.

Culture June 26, 2021

Mutazione

A moving parable that looks at the effects of colonial trauma, Mutazione invites the player to co-create its soundtrack.

Games May 01, 2021

Umurangi Generation

Naphtali Faulkner’s first-person photography game Umurangi Generation is a fun dystopian romp that develops into an insightful exploration of the insidiousness of fascism.

Culture March 20, 2021

Under a Star Called Sun

Some of the most profound evolutions in video games are occurring in smaller DIY story games such as Under a Star Called Sun.

Culture January 23, 2021

Among Us

After a year of being nice in Animal Crossing, the casual, uncurated indifference of Among Us comes as a relief.

Culture October 10, 2020

Tell Me Why

Initially the sensitive portrayal of trans characters in Tell Me Why comes as a relief, but it’s undermined by the game’s determined inoffensiveness.

Culture September 05, 2020

Necrobarista

Set in an other-worldly Carlton cafe and filled with thoughtful musings on life, death and loss, Necrobarista is a welcome antidote to the relentless dominance of American games.

Comment May 26, 2018

Labour failures in the arts industry

“The maxim holds that arts work shouldn’t feel like work if you love it enough. We don’t have to treat your work as work if we can treat it as your passion. If there is funding, it should go to the art, and paying workers is optional. We would if we …”