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Steve Howe
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Joy Shtick

The joy of wordless video games

Why video games stripped of words feel evocative, make players smarter, and amplify comedy

9 min readOct 26, 2023

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A screenshot from the game Florence. There’s a graphic —containted in a comic-book style window —of Florence on a coffee date with Krish. They have empty speech bubbles over their heads. To the sides there are puzzle pieces which the player must drag and drop into a space below the image.

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Steve Howe

Joy Shtick: 5 great lines from video games

A round-up of witty writing from virtual worlds. Featuring Trombone Champ, Frog Detective, and Ace Attorney.

2 min readMar 11, 2024

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A screenshot from the game Sludge Life. The art is cartoon style. The perspective is looking down from the top of a construction site at the arm of a crane. A red-head, white man is hanging precariously from the arm. He says: “and I’m still sadder than a Goldfish in a Shot Glass.”

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Steve Howe
in
Joy Shtick

Joy Shtick: 5 great lines from video games

A round-up of witty writing from virtual worlds

2 min readDec 5, 2023

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A screenshot from Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Princess Peach talks to a petal-headed creature called Master Poplin, inside a room filled with flowers. Master Poplin says: “But what did I really teach you? Nothing at all! Ha ha!”

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Steve Howe
in
Joy Shtick

Joy Shtick: 5 great lines from video games

A round-up of witty writing from virtual worlds. This week features Stray, Before I Forget, and Inscryption.

2 min readSep 12, 2023

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Joy Shtick: 5 great lines from video games

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Steve Howe
in
Joy Shtick

Joy Shtick: 5 great lines from video games

Featuring Anodyne 2, Edith Finch, and more Zelda

2 min readAug 1, 2023

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Displays two central characters from the game Anodyne 2: C Psalmist, and Palisade.

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Steve Howe
in
Joy Shtick

Joy Shtick: 5 great lines from video games

Featuring Earthbound, A Short Hike, and Hades

2 min readJul 10, 2023

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The player-character interacts with a man in yellow fishing coat and hat — Jefferson. A squid with red eyes has its tentacles wrapped around his waist. The text caption reads: “I sure do love preparing food with my multi-digited mammal-hands!”

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Steve Howe
in
Joy Shtick

Joy Shtick: 5 great lines from video games

Featuring Return to Monkey Island, Disco Elysium, and Overboard

2 min readJun 12, 2023

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The player-character stands in front of three skiffle band members. The lead, holding a banjo, states: “The beatles had skiffle roots. Comin’ back in a big way.”

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Steve Howe
in
Joy Shtick

Joy Shtick: 5 great lines from video games

Featuring Zelda, Stanley Parable, and Stardew Valley

2 min readJun 5, 2023

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Link stands next to Cece in her fashion workop. Cece says: “Hmm. I must say, you don’t seem to show any sort of interest in fasion.”

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Steve Howe

Mourning the loss of silence: how tinnitus interrupted my life

I live with a constant ringing in my ears. Here’s how it happened, why it impacts my mental health, and what I’m doing about it.

15 min readMay 26, 2022

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Mourning the loss of silence: how tinnitus interrupted my life

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Steve Howe
in
Joy Shtick

3 examples of great content design in video games

How games use content mapping, narrative systems, and UX writing to create memorable experiences

11 min readFeb 3, 2022

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3 examples of great content design in video games

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Steve Howe

Steve Howe

Writer for UX, games, and mental health orgs. Background in teaching, translation, and support for vulnerable people. Loves languages, long runs, and bad puns.

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