Games and Culture

Ludic Mechanics, Psychic Mechanisms and Explorations of “Inner Space” in Mindwheel and Psychonauts

Games and Culture May 17, 2023 Rob Mayo

Robert Pinsky's Mindwheel (1984) and Tim Schafer's Psychonauts (2005) are dissimilar games in terms of player interface and ludic mechanics, but both participate in the creative tradition of “inner space,” which begins in science fiction literature and depicts the human mind metaphorically as a physical space which can be explored and interacted with. This essay examines how each game...