Gamasutra Member Blogs: From The Mental Benefits Of Games To Sexuality In Mafia II

In highlights from Gamasutra's Member Blogs, our bloggers write about diverse topics, including how games affect our attention, a look at classic game castles, and why Mafia II needed more sexual content. Member Blogs can be maintained by any registered Gamasutra user, while invitation-only Expert Blogs -- also highlighted weekly -- are written by selected development professionals. We hope that our blog sections can provide useful and interesting viewpoints on our industry. For more information, check out the official posting guidelines. Here are the top member blogs for the week: This Week's Standout Member Blogs - Playing For Attention (Shoshannah Tekofsky) While some argue that games ruin our attention span and are linked to ADHD, Shoshannah Tekofsky provides research evidence that suggests games sharpen players' attention and hone certain mental skills. - Minecraft And The Lost Allure (Jesse Cathell) In the midst of Minecraft's sudden popularity among hardcore players, Jesse Cathell explains why he lost interest with the world-building game. He argues that tools alone cannot hold an audience; content is just as important. - Castles In Videogames (Alexei Chibakov) Taking a very different approach to Gamasutra blog entries, Alexei Chibakov compiles a collection of images depicting castles in classic games, leaving the reader to draw their own conclusions about the prominence of castles in the medium. - Left 4 Dead 2's Marvelous Mutations (Finn Haverkamp) Finn Haverkamp analyzes Left 4 Dead 2's Mutation mode, explaining why slight variations of traditional games modes can alter tremendously the overall experience. - The Sexual Misadventures of Mafia II (Aaron Leach) Aaron Leach takes a look at Mafia II, and suggests that while the game tried to present a gritty, authentic mafia-inspired tale, its refusal to embrace sexual content tarnishes the game's sense of believability.