I use the term "ritual" quite precisely: they follow the same pedagogical pattern daily as they move from patient to patient and review their status.
Rote memorization is not learning, humans are not machines and should not be trained to act as such.
Of course, games can also be absorbing and done for their own sake -- playing Words With Friends or Grand Theft Auto -- so those types of games are fine
Making college about checking a block destroys it's purpose, just as making a game a linear or not engaging a bore
These portfolios can contain text, images, video and audio recordings, giving students opportunities to express themselves in a variety of ways beyond the traditional pen-and-paper test or essay
The fact you can constantly edit your work, allows you to adapt and change to criticism and review quickly, and the variety of work expands as well.