Michael Berlyn essay

University assignment. April 2019

Ten-page essay

"For better or for worse, Michael Berlyn’s work and the Bubsy series are clear products of their environment. With influence from Fleischer cartoons, pirate ship excavations, postmodern design, and the ebb and flow of industry trends, the resulting games are unorthodox and unwieldy, but also rich and unique in a way that evidently captured the imagination of their audience. Bubsy’s unusual history, fan-base and legacy make for a fascinating and effective case study to analyse industry practices, the evolution of the medium, and the anarchy of internet culture. Regardless of its absence from the games history ‘canon’, this franchise will certainly be remembered." (p. 9)

"This essay will present an argument for the overlooked complexity and merit of the series and its cultural impact, through the lens of the history of the games, the factors informing their design, their relationship to internet communities, and their enduring cult following unperturbed by Bubsy’s critical derision and online infamy." (p. 1)