This week we go from incredible open world visuals of Bethesda's latest to a game that relies on the retro pixel graphics of yesterday.

This week we examine a game that designs gruesome executions and another that charms the player with 8-bit level design.

This week we take a look ghastly ghouls and malevolent robots. Both of these games tackle game platforming in interesting ways. The 2D and FPS camera perspectives challenge the designer to tackle platforming differently for each game. Timing of jumps and swift reactions to the games' environments are critical to the overall experience.

Each week we will try to offer up suggestions on what you should be playing. There will be at least 2 game suggestions; something from the past and a recent release. When you play these games try to think about the design choices the developers and designers have made. Think about level creation, game flow, narrative beats, challenges, etc. Step away for awhile and analyze a recent scenario you encountered in the game; what were the level assets, what were the scripted events, did you learn anything new? By delving into the designer mindset, you'll start to appreciate some of the tough choices that game creators have to make.