Between playful graffiti on the walls of the Sorbonne and long denunciations of the spectacle lies the enigma that is Guy Debord's Game of War. Veteran gamer Scott Lenney played a match with Class Wargames at their Summer Offensive, enjoyed it thoroughly but wondered at the aim of the game

Dark, fast and heroically anti-social, Black Metal is perhaps more renowned for its practioners’ acts of violence and murder than its musical form. But is there more to it than burning churches and diabolical pseudonyms? Cameron Bain looks into the abyss

Marina Grzinic looks at a selection of recent photography from Japan

Rudy VanderLans is editor of the highly influential graphic design magazine Emigre and co-founder of the digital type foundry of the same name. He recently published Joshua Tree, the third in a series of books presenting photographs taken of the Southern California (SoCal) landscape.

In early summer 2001, violence exploded across several Nothern English towns. For many, the riots appeared to come out of the blue, but the building blocks of an explanation were soon in place - to be repeated by newspapers, TV, community spokespersons and state authorities. In the wake of events, Matthew Hyland reads on from 'irrational, mindless thuggery' to 'race riots' and representation.