A moving look at the value gaming can bring to people’s lives told through personal essays, from relaxation to escapism to catharsis.

Critical Hits brings us some amazing essays on gaming. The nostalgia of playing nascent systems from the older writers some of whom have gamer kids. The choices made by game designers that uphold white supremacy. The grief felt when a main character dies, for real, not temporarily. This volume has interesting viewpoints about video games. Some made me think, oh, I never thought about it this way. Some made me feel seen. Truly the sign of a fantastic anthology!

Reviewed and recommended on The Watchers podcast, linked below. Loved the collection in general, and Machado’s introduction and Abdurraqib’s essay, in particular.

I am so thankful to the Graywolf Press, Netgalley, and the contributing authors for granting me early access to this gorgeous collection. I love a good anthology of stories and this one scratched my itch. I am so thankful for the consideration.

I really liked these essays about video games and how they have impacted our lives. Alexander Chee's was my favorite!

I think I’m predisposed to enjoy anything that Carmen Maria Machado touches. This anthology was a combo of two things that I adore and was curated by an author whose work has consistently been incredible - there was no possible way it would not be a 5 star read. I adored these essays and found myself deeply interested even if I had never played the games they were about. In particular I found myself really interested in Hanif Abdurraqib‘s essay at the end of the collection. Would recommend it for any video game lovers!