Brief 3: Post II

Sarah Tribble continues to amaze me with all her works, it feels a bit naff to say that about a peer but it is one hundred percent true. I know little about the “Phan” ship but enough to know it’s one of the biggest ships on Tumblr, and as someone who always steers clear of real-life people shipping like the plague; this was a fascinating read. I’m aware of YouTubers using their fandoms shipping culture to get more views on their videos, like, using suggestive thumbnails and titles, something a lot of vloggers do, or when they read fanfiction about themselves, Liza Koshy has done this, Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg (PewDiePie) has done it, and it wouldn’t surprise me, in the least, if YouTubers queerbaiting their audiences became the new norm. An enlightening read on a controversial topic.

Oh boy, Dana Navarro really catering to my tastes here; Bioshock Infinite was one of my favourite games of 2013 with its story, its twists, and wonderful design, I was suckered in the moment I pressed start. Dana does a fantastic job explaining just how the beginning stage alone makes you feel uncertain, with its harsh lighting and harsher colours before entering somewhere the stark opposite. How Columbia itself feels almost fake with its overly bright and colourful disposition, almost mimicking the fascist's mindset that since they are fighting a “just” cause, that they aren’t to be punished. She further delves into the games use of certain propaganda, that also mimics real-life anti-propaganda, and how Irrational games brilliantly communicates all of this visually.