About

This site is founded and run by Graves (he/they), an active games journalist with years of industry experience. This site exists to go beyond surface-level coverage, and to give an outlet for Graves to explore more personal, academic, and analytical concepts.

GraveStates is a project entirely dedicated to exploring video games as art. Here, we both dissect their design, aesthetics, and meaning, and also take a look at the larger industry and how it treats games as an artform.

Here, you’ll find:

  • Opinion & Analysis – Unfiltered takes on games journalism, games as an art form, design, and the state of gaming criticism.
  • Critical Reviews – Serious examination of games from an artistic viewpoint. Not buyer’s guides, but artistic analysis.
  • Industry Interviews – Conversations with developers about their craft, process, and vision, with a heavy focus on themes and concepts.
  • Links to My Video Essays – Together with some discussion about them that goes just a tiny bit further into the topic.

Whether you’re here for a fresh perspective, a deep-dive into your favorite games, or just to challenge your own thoughts on the medium, welcome to GraveStates.