The Auteur Theory

Pictured is Stanley Kubrick, the greatest director of all time. He wasn't just an auteur, he was the living embodiment of the term. He doesn't really have anything to do with gaming, but the auteur theory does.

Pop quiz. Name the author of the last game you played. Was it EON? Corey Koniesczka? Jim Bailey? Rudiger Dorn? No matter who you name, you're wrong. The designer is undoubtedly an authorial impetus in the creation of game, but ultimately we are the authors of the games we play. Give yourself some credit.

That's what this week's Cracked LCD is about, and you have due warning that it's one of those smarty pants "I been to kolledge" articles about games that may not interest you if you are more into objective reviews or component lists. I haven't done one of these in a while, and I thought it'd be nice to break up the Summer of Reviews with some highfalutin academic talk.