<div><p>Video games, once dismissed as idle entertainment, are experiencing a cultural renaissance. Galvanized by easier manufacturing methods and better distribution channels, a new generation of independent designers and developers have created games that are startlingly original, accessible, and artistic. In 2011, one of the most visionary of those indie developers, Superbrothers, released<i>Sword and Sworcery EP</i>. An immersive, paradigm-shifting adventure game—<i>Wired</i>magazine said it had &quot;the best creative direction of any mobile role-playing-game we've seen&quot;—it became a global phenomenon.</p><p>Now, writer Adam Hammond journeys to Superbrothers' secret headquarters in rural Quebec to chronicle the creation of their eagerly anticipated follow-up title. As one of the first players of the new game, Hammond provides a unique, ringside account of the gaming world. Along the way, he shows how indie video games have evolved into a socially progressive art form, tracing their creative DNA in everything from modernist fiction to punk rock.</p><p><b>Adam Hammond </b>teaches digital humanities at the University of Guelph. His writing has appeared in<i>The Walrus </i>and the <i>Globe and Mail</i>. He is the author of the forthcoming book<i>Literature in the Digital Age: A Critical Introduction </i>(Cambridge University Press). He lives in Toronto, Ontario.<br></p></div>