Science in the City Post Festival: The Power of Play…

This Science in the City post-festival event brings videogames to you as a medium for engaging with science, research, and philosophy.

Target Audience: 11+

Prof. Stefano Gualeni – Università ta’ Malta

“To someone holding a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” This familiar saying suggests that the tools we use shape how we see and engage with the world. Technology is not just passive equipment — it frames what we think is possible and influences how we act.

In this talk, Prof. Gualeni presents Hamm-3r, an experimental videogame that turns this philosophical idea into playable form. Through hands-on interaction, the game explores how tools — whether a hammer, a smartphone, or a plasma gun in a shooter — actively guide perception, expectation, and agency. The project also showcases creative uses of procedural content generation in game design.

Dr Costantino Oliva

Music games have opened new spaces for interactive musicality — but improvisation remains surprisingly rare. Popular titles like Guitar Hero focus on performing pre-existing tracks, leaving little room for spontaneous creativity.

Dr Oliva introduces Night Parade of 100 Demons, a research-based game that challenges this format. Designed without a fixed rhythmic pulse, it creates space for genuine musical improvisation. The game was recently showcased at BitSummit 2025, Japan’s largest indie game festival.

Prof. Víctor Navarro-Remesal & Dr Beatriz Pérez Zapata – Pompeu Fabra University

How do videogames represent migration and forced displacement? And can they shape how we think about citizenship and belonging?

This talk explores two decades of refugee-themed games and examines their role in educational contexts. While games can foster empathy and debate, meaningful impact often depends on how they are introduced and discussed. Educators play a key role in turning gameplay into critical reflection and informed conversation.

The evening will combine short talks with hands-on play, including large-screen participation and playable stations featuring HAMM-3R and other experimental titles.

This event is a collaboration between the Science in the City team, Institute of Digital Games (University of Malta)

Info: Play Hamm-3r on the big screen

Info: Try out HAMM-3R, Night Parade, and other games at our stations and discuss with the designers

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Valletta Campus Theatre VCT (Ex MITP), 86 Merchants Street, Valletta, Malta

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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