Games: Design and Criticism (P3093)
15 credits, Level 5
Spring teaching
On this module, you’ll explore how games reflect, shape and challenge the world around us. You’ll examine how games:
- create social systems
- tell stories
- make worlds ‘playable.’
Through a mix of analysis and creative practice, you’ll look at games as:
- cultural texts
- interactive experiences
- forms of digital art.
You’ll engage with a wide range of games – from mainstream (AAA) to indie – to critically analyse their design, storytelling, and social meaning. Mixing fundamentals with engaging approaches, the module expands on core principles of game design while exploring more experimental methods.
You’ll also develop your technical skills with accessible game development tools. You’ll build skills in game art creation and creative coding for games. For your final project, you’ll choose between creating a short game prototype or producing a critical playthrough of an existing game.
We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2026/27. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.
We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.
Courses
This module is offered on the following courses: