Stealth or combat? Swords or magic? Rifles or shotguns? Paragon or Renegade? Hacking or swimming? Games are full of interesting decisions and this issue’s selection of choice articles is dedicated to exploring the options, variables, dilemmas and quandaries that define our medium. In recent years we’ve come to associate ‘choice’ with the kind of scripted, binary decisions BioWare is renowned for crafting. Yet as wonderful as these moments are for allowing slight narrative deviation, they hardly represent the epitome of agency, the ability to make meaningful decisions within a specific set of rules. This is what games truly excel at: Every second of play is riddled with options, from the basics of movement to tactics and superordinate strategies. But it would be wrong to assume that more agency necessarily equals better games. Mass Effect and Minecraft are completely different games one is defined by its ‘either/or’ tree of narrative decisions, the other sets you free to explore, fight, craft and build without instruction or boundaries - but one is as valid as the other. Restrictions can foster creativity. Limited choice adds significance to the options that are left to you. In this issue we cover choices in all shapes and sizes. Jack Nicholls contemplates the one, game-spanning conundrum of Max Payne 3. Andrew Huntly considers the sacrifices we make facing the undead. Stewart Melville explores the appeal of blind decisions. I talk to Failbetter’s Chris Gardiner about crafting choice, and I’ve also been polling our contributors on their choices in key moments of certain titles, with interesting results. You can find them spread across the issue. As a special treat, we’ve also included our favorite games of 2012. It is a new year after all, Mayans be damned, and what better time to make short-lived life-altering decisions. Here at Haywire, we’re considering ways to fill the off-months in between issues (like insane discussion pieces), acquiring webspace and a Flattr button. As always, you can reach me at haywiremagazine@gmail.com and I’m looking forward to your input. You could also follow me on Twitter (@deadpanlunatic) for regular Haywire updates and previews. Happy new year everyone. Make it a good one. Cheers, Johannes Köller Editor-in-Chief
HW