When games are studied, they are often cast in the image of one or more well-known and well-described cultural phenomena. ("The narrative structure of games", "Games as movies" etc...) Sometimes they are dismissed as products of pure commercial interests. Or games are seen as matters of psychology or even pathology: Why do they play games.
As I see it, we need to acknowledge games as something unique. They may in some situations and in certain ways relate to well-described pastimes and forms of expression, but it is time to take them seriously on their own.
This game is all about that. You are a games theorist. Your object is to defend games (and yourself) from the imperialism of a thousand theories. Navigate the four levels of narratology, psychology, film theory, and pathology. Control the spaceship with your mouse.
Credits: 3D graphics by Mads Rydahl. Programming and crude graphics by Jesper
Juul.
(I converted the game to JavaScript and added sounds in August 2015.)