Ian Bogost’s “How to Do Things with Videogames” investigates the varieties and applications of videogames using the concept of “media microecology”, in which specific aspects of a medium (in this case, videogames), are focused on and closely analyzed in order to better understand the medium’s role in society as a whole.

Bogost discusses the role of videogames in inspiring empathy, and mentions that some critics maintain that gamers are not interested in playing a “feeble character,” however, he remarks that it is interesting that people are interested in watching a movie about a feeble character.  This relates to the similarities and differences of video games and movies; videogames offer a stronger connection between the user and the experience than movies because the user actually has some degree of control in a videogame, they are more engaged.

Read the full review here.