Back in the 60’s, the notion that videogames could be used as a medium for narrative consumption was laughable. The graphical capability of gaming hardware was so primitive that you could barely even comprehend what you were looking at on screen. Ambiguous shapes necessitated the accompaniment of fancy box art before you could understand what they represented. How could they possibly be capable of telling stories?
WHAT AM I PLAYING? – Without the cover art to accompany this picture, the context of this game is not immediately obvious.
Fast-forward to the 80’s. As technology developed, gaming hardware started to produce graphics that were capable of establishing basic context and simple stories in videogames. Sure, a fat plumber fighting sentient mushrooms to save a princess from a villainous reptile makes for a strange narrative, but at least it was a start…
SAVE THE PRINCESS! ‘Super Mario Bros.’ hardly had the most sophisticated narrative.
But with these technological advancements, developers focused on designing games ludologically – putting an emphasis on gameplay rather than narrative artistry. Because of this, the narrative in videogames continued to lacked depth and innovation.
But this has changed with modern gaming. Today, narratives in videogames are no longer a pinned-on afterthought. Developers have finally realised the potential for videogames to tell compelling stories. It has now become common for developers to develop games with a narratological approach – focusing heavily on the narrative.
This trend has ameliorated videogames as a medium for narrative consumption, leading them into becoming a new form of literacy. Modern videogames have started to include complex plots, richly detailed characters and unfathomably elaborate universes. This comparability to literature is further illustrated by the increasing use of sophisticated narrative themes in videogames today.
For example, the ‘Mass Effect’ series explores the theme of morality – you have to decide whether you are going to take the heroic route of a paragon; or if you are going to carelessly proceed via the route of a renegade.
‘Red Dead Redemption’ explores the theme of redemption (unsurprisingly) – you play as a former outlaw whose wife and son are taken for ransom by the government. You are forced to redeem yourself for your past crimes in order to get your family back.
‘Bioshock’ has even touched on the sensitive theme of blasphemy – you find yourself in a dystopian world, ruled by a man with maniacal passion for playing the role of god.
All of these themes are well executed and have been highly praised by critics – evidencing the medium’s competency for sophisticated storytelling.
This progression towards creating a novel-like experience for the consumer is accompanied by the progression towards producing a movie-like experience too. The evolution of graphic technology means that videogames are now capable of emulating the high-quality visuals that can be found in Hollywood movies.
THEN VS. NOW: Development in graphic technology means that games can now look as real as movies.
As seen above, videogames are now capable of creating realistic characters and environments. This realism is evident in ‘L.A Noire’; the game uses motion-tracking technology to create life-like character animations.
This convergence between gaming and cinema makes videogames more accessible as a medium for narrative consumption to those who are familiar with movies but not gaming.
With these developments in technology and this push towards developing games with a heavy focus on narrative, games can now emulate the visual prowess and literary sophistication of movies and novels. But movies and literature have been capable of this for years.
What makes videogames stand out as a medium for narrative consumption?
Something that the other mediums can’t provide… interactivity.
Interactivity facilitates the provision of agency – the ability to control the manner in which you consume your narrative experience. When this unique feature is interwoven with movie-like visuals and novel-like storytelling, videogames shine brightest as a medium for narrative consumption.
THE TRIFECTA: Videogames can take advantage of these three components to creature a unique narrative experience for the consumer.
This point is corroborated by Game designer, James Portnow, who says:
“In most written works, the author has all the agency. This means the author controls exactly what happens. The author has complete autonomy over the outcome of every situation. In games, the agency is shared by the player and the author together. The player can’t exceed the bounds of what has been created for him, but he can choose when, how, and in what context he will experience it.” (2008)
This agency in videogames is best demonstrated in open-world games such as ‘Mass Effect.’ In this type of game, it is not mandatory that you follow the main plot in a specific way or within a specific amount of time. As a player, you are free to explore the meticulously constructed gameworld at will. You can then return to the main plot whenever you are ready to do so.
A WHOLE NEW WORLD: You are not told where to go or when to do something. You are free to explore the universe – something that is impossible for the consumer to do in other narrative mediums.
What is most notable about the narrative in games that provide you with this agency, is that they are not told in a linear structure. Of course, there is a vague order in which the story is told, but you can choose from a multitude of narrative paths to reach the conclusion. For example, let’s say that the game is divided into 3 ‘main sections’ – ‘beginning’ ‘middle’, and ‘end’ (we’ll call these ‘1’, ‘2’ and ‘3’). Now let’s say that each of these ‘main sections’ contains 9 ‘subsections’ (we’ll call these ‘1a’, ‘1b’, ‘1c’, ‘1d’, ‘1e’, ‘1f’, ‘1g’, ‘1h’, ‘1i’, ‘2a’, ‘2b’, ‘2c’… etc.). Each of these ‘subsections’ can be completed in any order before advancing to the next ‘main section’ of the plot. For example, the player may choose to take the following path before advancing to section ‘2’:
1F > 1B > 1E > 1A > 1G > 1D > 1I > 1C > 1H
CHOOSE YOUR PATH: A visual aid of the vast number of narrative paths that you can take in ‘Mass Effect’
It would be impossible to provide this type of experience in film or literature because they don’t provide the consumer with agency. Novels are written in the order that the author intends for you to read them; similarly, scenes in films are edited in the order that the director wants you to view them – they are designed for passive consumption. Whereas videogames provide the user with a powerful sense of autonomy, allowing you to create your own experience by choosing from a vast number of narrative paths.
This agency doesn’t just let you choose when you want to experience the story, it also let’s you shape the story too. Using ‘Mass Effect’ as the example again, you are provided with a multitude of choices during the story, each with their own consequence. These decisions facilitate profound experiences for the gamer – they must carefully consider the implications of their virtual actions. These choices are is intelligently interwoven with the previously mentioned literary theme of morality. For instance, in the beginning of the game, you may choose to take the paragon route by sparing the life of an enemy; the consequence of this may be that later on in the game, you encounter him again and he manages to kill one of your teammates. However, if you had chosen to take the renegade route and kill your enemy, you wouldn’t have encountered him later on in the game, thus your teammate would have survived. Now, imagine that there are hundreds of these choices to be made, each with their own consequence; the outcome of this is a narrative experience that is uniquely tailored by the consumer’s interaction. This narrative customisation means that each time you replay the game, your experience of the narrative will be different – this narrative diversity is only possible via the medium of videogames.
MAKE YOUR OWN STORY: An infographic displaying how players’ experiences differed when playing ‘Mass Effect 3’
When this interactivity is interwoven with the gorgeous visuals, illustrious storytelling and impeccable voice acting/sound effects that videogames are now capable of providing, an unparalleled sensory symphony is created – A unique narrative experience that can only be consumed via the medium of videogames.
Charles Staples
*CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS*
Although often overlooked, videogames serve as a great narrative medium.
Writers can spend years creating meticulous backstories, plots and characters, so it can be easy to find yourself engrossed in the universe of a videogame.
Unlike movies, games often require countless hours of commitment. Naturally, this investment of time can create a deep emotional attachment between you and your digital buddies. Consequently, when tragedy occurs, it can be hard to stifle the tears.
Let’s not pretend, we’ve all been there. So just this once, let’s say “screw it” and embrace the tears. Grab a box of tissues and prepare to channel your inner Chris Crocker.
Top 5 Tear-Jerking Moments:
5) Homefront – Parent execution scene.
With today’s excessive use of violence in the media, it is easy to become desensitised to it all. But there is something that really hits home with the opening of ‘Homefront.’
The game is set in the near-future, with North Korea invading the United States – a scenario that seems all too conceivable.
As the opening scene progresses, you watch as men and women are rounded up and tortured in the streets.
But there is a particular moment that really strikes a chord: The cry from a child as he witnesses the execution of his parents.
The emotion in his shriek is so uncanny that it brings the scene to life.
4) Halo 4 – Cortana Dies
Halo is the perfect example of how emotionally attached that you can become with a videogame character.
Together, the Chief and Cortana have been through more than most – the blue gal has been with you since 2001.
You share a symbiotic relationship – you are the genetically enhanced ‘supersoldier’ and she is the ‘smart A.I.’ – both sharing an unconditional love for each other.
In Halo 4, the story focuses on this relationship more than ever before. Both characters are brought closer together because Cortana begins to suffer from ‘rampancy,’ the AI equivalent of Alzheimer’s (kind of.) As Cortana begins her descent into madness, you get that sick feeling in your stomach that the inevitable will happen, but you keep trying to convince yourself that everything will be O.K.
But it isn’t.
It is a testament to the developers that as the inevitable plays out, Master Chief’s emotions are clearly portrayed through the impediment of his visor. Somehow, you can empathise with his agony. As he suffers, so too do you.
You feel his weight, you feel his melancholy, you feel his pain.
3) Mass Effect 3 – Mordin’s death
There are a countless amount of moments that I could have chosen from Mass Effect 3, but to me, Mordin’s death meant the most. It is the climax in his story of redemption.
During his days with the ‘Salarian special tasks group,’ he participated in the modification of the Krogan genophage; a bio-weapon created to dramatically decrease ‘Krogan’ reproduction rates.
After realising his mistake, he is adamant on resolving his inner-conflict.
He chooses to sacrifice himself, in turn, distributing a cure. What is most poignant is that he knows that he is going to die, but he needs to make sure that he resolves what he started.
Just before he heads towards his inevitable death, he turns to you and says with a genuine conviction: “It had to be me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong”
2) Red Dead Redemption – John’s death.
Trying to escape his old ways as a bandit, John Marston is bribed by government officials to help them track down his old gang.
Now a family man, John obliges in the hope of providing his family with a life free of danger.
After bending his back until it breaks, the game seemingly comes to a close. John has paid his dues and he can finally live in peace with his family.
After what seems to have been the conclusion, you are even given a few small missions to work around the farm. You start to think, “Boy, he’s finally found that quiet life that he always wanted.”
Just as you’re content with his story, those backstabbing bastards gun him down in cold blood.
The worst part is that John’s efforts are in vain. He only wanted to make sure that that his son, Jack, would live an easy life. But Jack regresses into exactly what John didn’t want him to become.
Jack turns into his father as he seeks to avenge his death.
Ultimately, John’s sacrifice was wasted.
1) Gears of War 3 – Dom’s Death
What is most poignant about Dom’s death is that it wasn’t entirely necessary.
By this point in the game, Dom is a broken man. After losing his wife, he has nothing left to live for.
As your loyal partner, instead of dragging you down, he decides to sacrifice himself to save the squad.
It was all that he had left in him, he was ready to die.
When the developer, Cliff Bleszinski, was asked on ‘Reddit’ why he decided to kill ‘Dom,’ he replied:
I think the seed was put in my head by a Gears fan that I met at a tweetup in NYC at Union Square months prior. I asked the folks “What do you think is going to happen in Gears 3?” and one guy said “Dom’s gotta die dude” and I replied “Why?” and he said “Stuff’s gotta happen.”
Dom’s death is a signpost of what videogames are capable of. Everything was executed perfectly: The script, the cinematography, the music. Everything.
Perfect.
Charlie Staples
Why doth thou torment me so?
It seems that some games have been in development since the beginning of time.
It has almost become habitual that we are allured by the announcement of incredible games, only for them to vanish without a trace. Where have they gone?
Videogame Limbo:
‘The Last Guardian’
At E3 in 2009, ‘Team Ico’ announced their return by introducing ‘The Last Guardian.’
A studio with a stellar track record; Team Ico are the talent behind cult classics: ‘Shadow of the Colossus’ and ‘Ico.’
This announcement trailer had us salivating…
…four years later and we’re yet to sink our teeth into anything.
The game was originally intended as being released in 2011 for PlayStation 3. However, it was eventually pushed back a year.
Even after this delay, 2012 passed and nothing was released… Team Ico stayed ominously silent.
After being postponed for so long, there was speculation that the game was being saved and converted into a PS4 title. This doesn’t seem too far-fetched, right?
The theory was that ‘Team Ico’ had taken so long to develop ‘The Last Guardian’, that it would have been a waste to release the game this late into the PlayStation 3’s life cycle. They must have been sitting on a finished game, waiting to share the details once the PlayStation 4 had been revealed.
However, with Sony’s recent announcement of the PlayStation 4, there was no update of the project.
With many fans having been left in the dark, Sony Worldwide Studios head, Shuhei Yoshida, apologised. Speaking with Kotaku, he said:
“I apologize to people who are waiting for the game. We are waiting for the right time to re-introduce The Last Guardian.”
Chance of escaping Videogame Limbo: 7/10
‘Agent’
Way back in 2007, Sony announced that ‘RockStar’ was working on a new intellectual property for PlayStation 3.
It took another two years before ‘RockStar’ eventually announced details. (Yes, this took place at E3 2009 too!)
The game was called ‘Agent’ – A stealth-action game set during the Cold War.
After the success of RockStar’s ‘Grand Theft Auto’ series, gamers were excited to get their hands on this new franchise.
On a Q&A blog in September 2009, Rockstar revealed that the game could be released as early as 2010.
Surprise, surprise – 2010 passed by and the game had not been released.
It took until May 2011 before Rockstar decided to talk. It was confirmed that ‘Agent’ was still in development. Soon after, an image of the game emerged online.
With no update since then, some hoped that the game would also be revealed during the PlayStaion 4 announcement. Unfortunately, there was nothing.
The game looks increasingly less likely to be released, but there hasn’t been an official announcement from RockStar for the game’s cancellation.
Chance of escaping Videogame Limbo: 3/10
‘2 Days to Vegas’
Another game that has slipped way past it’s release date.
The game was intended to be a third-person shooter, developed by ‘Steel Monkeys.‘
There is not much information regarding the game, but ‘Steel Monkeys’ did reveal the general plot. You play as Vinny; a convict recently released from Rikers Prison. You find out that your younger brother, Tony, is in trouble in Las Vegas. You have two days to trek across the country and save him.
Sounds awesome, right?
Unfortunately, that is as much as we ever found out. Unlike the other games in this list, this didn’t even have an event announcement.
Surprisingly, the game is still listed on Steel Monkeys website as being “under construction.” But as the years roll by, it looks more and more unlikely that Vinny will ever get the chance to save his brother.
Chance of escaping Videogame Limbo: 1/10
Charlie Staples
As Sony finally announced the upcoming Playstation 4, they teased gamers by revealing many different aspects that the ‘next-generation’ console will possess. However, they still left many fans wanting to know more.
Here I explore three major questions that Sony left unanswered:
What will the console look like?
Sony certainly teased gamers across the world with their launch of the Playstation 4 at a press conference in New York on Wednesday. It may look as if they went with the ‘give the fans something, but leave them wanting more’ technique by addressing some of the accessories and gadgets that the Playstation 4 will possess – such as the games, but leaving the question of ‘what will the console look like’, unanswered. Fans were left frustrated by the lack of a physical product reveal – and they were quick to vent their frustrations out on Twitter, with one gamer tweeting: “Stayed up for two hours for the Sony press conference and they don’t even show us the console design?!?! #wasteoftime”
The reason, it may appear, is that Sony does not even know what the Playstation will look like themselves, with Sony’s worldwide studio president Shuhei Yoshida stating: “The console hardware isn’t finished, but we thought this was a really good time to show our games.”
Jack Tretton – the President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America – was quick to address the complaints of the fans as he assured gamers that the design is not the most important aspect of the console, and they will care more about “what comes out of the box, not what it looks like. I can promise you that it will be plastic, it won’t be triangle-shaped or round. You’ll see the box in due time.”, he stated.
So, should Sony have waited until the Playstation design was fully completed before setting out a press conference watched by millions around the world; or was this an intelligent ploy to leave games on the edge of their seats – imaging what was described as “the next generation console” might look like?
Although Sony failed to show what the PS4 console will look like, they did introduce what the controller will look like – prompting positive feedback across the globe.
Release Date
Sony have stated that the Playstation 4 will be released sometime in 2013 – for game consoles especially, it is unheard of to confirm a brand new console will be released in the same year that it was announced.
We have seen over the years with the likes of Microsoft and Nintendo Wii announcing the release of game consoles – they’ve showed segments of what the game will possess in one year; the following year they would show an upgrades version of the console; and then later that year they would show the world the final, completed version with a confirmed release date.
However, Sony have built up the excitement for the Playstation 4 before their rivals could do the same. Now, when Xbox do announce their newest version, it will be compared with the Playstation – and not the other way round.
Price
There have been many rumours regarding the price of the Playstation this past week, with many suggesting that it will be near the £120 mark; whilst others suggest it will be nearly £700. Though we still don’t know the exact price at which the PlayStation 4 will launch, SCEA CEO Jack Tretton assured fans that the price of software will not be rising [above the £450 mark which the Playstation 3 originally cost].
The pricing issue has sparked huge debates worldwide, with Playstation fanatic William Usher predicting that “if the console arrives at more than $400 this holiday season then I can see only core gamers picking up the Playstation 4. If the console launches for anything less than $400, then it opens up for a wide range of demographics.”
With Jack Tretton confirming that Playstation 4 game prices will not be increasing, and stating that games will vary from “99 cents up to those $60 games”, could this pave a way for Sony to go for a higher starting price for the Playstation 4?
Sunveer Sandhu
Image courtesy of:
Tech Radar – http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/ps4-controller-revealed-introducing-the-dualshock-4-1132650
Resident Evil 6. The world awaited the newest part of the greatest survival horror franchise. What we got was a mediocre third-person shooter that potentially sums up the survival horror genre; in decline.
Let’s begin at the beginning. Vast amounts of small-budget horror games were released in the early-mid 1990s, with Alone in the Dark being seen as the game that truly invented brought the genre to a wide audience. It wasn’t until Capcom coined the term ‘survival horror’ leading up to the release of Resident Evil in 1996, when these games became truly popular.
Survival horror reached the golden age after this point. Series like Resident Evil and Silent Hill reached their peak and brought a genre previously unseen in gaming.
After any huge rise comes a big fall, and this is the same with survival horror games. After Resident Evil 4, possibly the greatest game of the genre, there has been definite downfall in the quality and originality of these types of games.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, Resident Evil 6 was a huge disappointment. Critics, but especially the users of the game gave it negative reviews. It was like Capcom, the game’s developer thought, ‘people will forgive us if take out the horror, but make the game 4 times as long, die-hard fans of the series will love that!’ It was at this point that it really struck me how low the genre has gotten. This franchise was the reason an entire genre gained commercial success and a cult following, so to see the latest in the series completely fail is down-hearting. Worst of all about this is Resi 6 isn’t actually a ‘survival horror’ game like it once was, with IGN placing it in the ‘Action’ genre.
A similar thing has happened with another ‘horror’ series. The first two Dead Space games which scared me and provided lots of thrills, were followed by Dead Space 3, which received positive reviews overall but was criticised for it’s more action-orientated gameplay. Even Silent Hill, one of the original competitors of Resident Evil, has fallen dramatically, with the last few of the series released only receiving mixed reviews compared to the original. It seems that the premise of things popping out at you on-screen going ‘boo’ has worn a bit thin after more than 10 years…
Of course there have been newer survival horror games that have come out, for example Dead Island, Saw and Deadly Premonition, the latter being regarded as one of the most divisive games of recent times, with some loving it but the same amount of people hating it. But all three of these have generally received far lower review score than the games of the ‘Golden Era’ of survival horror.
It’s remarkable how much of a correlation there is between recent horror games and movies of the same genre. Movies like Halloween, Friday 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street and the Blair Witch Project have been replicated numerous times, just like series’ including Resident Evil and Silent in gaming terms, but eventually after a period of time these replicates become tiresome, lacking originality, and devoid of much horror at all. Like the games, they literally have a few ‘boo’ moments but nothing more.
What can save this genre from becoming a complete shambles? Only one thing it seems, independent video game developers. While everyone’s pretty much lost all hope that Capcom (Resident Evil) and Konami (Silent Hill) will take their games back to the golden era’s quality, unless a huge miracle occurs, which is quite unlikely with those series in the state they’re in, small name indie developers including Frictional Games and Parsec Productions have come to shine through the mess. Their games; Penumbra, Amnesia: The Dark Descent and Slender: The Eight Pages, have all been given huge praise by critics and users alike, mainly due to their focus on minimalist horror. I personally haven’t played any of these games, but realising the state of big-budget horror games in recent months, I may reconsider and see whether the new breed of horror can live up to expectations. While they may not be as commercially successful or as well known as major franchises like Resident Evil, they should hopefully continue in maintaining the survival horror genre.
By Joseph Knight
Images courtesy of:
Resident Evil 6 – http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7156/6730468241_13902837dd_z.jpg
Dead Space – http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5015/5457761799_ae80b5a197.jpg
Dead Island – http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2697/5775917657_9edd3d255d.jpg
A Nightmare on Elm Street – http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/flickr-3752450569-hd.jpg
In their ingenious attempt to discover the cause of Adam Lanza’s rampage, journalists played the role of Sherlock Holmes. To Facebook! (Of course.) After much ‘meticulous research’, they discovered that the shooter was a fan of video games. Bingo.
That’s all ‘The Express’ and ‘The Sun’ needed to write a story. Disregarding all reasoning, they deemed this common hobby as the cause of such a one-off morbid act.
Of course, this was such a straightforward issue, how could video games NOT be the logical explanation?
‘The Express’ specifically noted that the killer played ‘Dynasty Warriors’ and ‘Mass Effect.’ Dynasty Warriors is a game set almost 2,000 years ago in ancient China, contains no aspects of realism, and demonstrates no bloody violence. Mass Effect is a game that is set 200 years in the future. You play as the commander of a spaceship and it is your mission to save the human race from alien baddies.
Clearly, these games encouraged the deranged killer to steal his mother’s assault rifle and mow down a class of kindergarteners; slaughtering innocent children is evidently a major theme that runs through both games.
Okay, now let’s get real.
If you’re going to unjustifiably blame video games for such atrocities, at least have the courtesy to pretend to know what you’re talking about. Believe it or not, I find it hard to submit to the notion that playing video games and being mentally stable are mutually exclusive… but I’m probably already crazy. I am aware that modern commercial pressures force journalists to opt for the quickest route to publish a story, but there is no excuse for throwing credibility out of the window.
If video games are transforming youths into becoming killers, why isn’t there a mass of pre-pubescent pistol packers roaming the streets of South Korea? The East Asian nation has the second highest (behind Holland) global spending/consumption on video games per capita, but yet, there has been zero school shootings in South Korea’s recorded history. How strange.
Now, I’m not irrational enough as to say that increased video game consumption reduces gun-related murder (I’ll save jumping to such illogical conclusions to the careless news organisations) but this does prove that video game consumption and gun crime are not inextricably linked.
But fine. I’ll play along. Even if we assume that correlation does equal causation, and by that premise, playing shooters will turn you into a killer… why haven’t my countless hours invested into FIFA turned me into Lionel Messi? I mean, I don’t mean to brag but my goals-per-game ratio is superior to every striker on the planet. Still, Fergie is yet to offer me a contract with the Red Devils. To be fair, he doesn’t often do business in January, so it’s probably best that I wait until the summer…
When are the real issues going to be tackled?
Is it too far-fetched to suggest that the US’ lenient firearm laws or financial cutbacks to their mental health system could be the cause of this? Apparently so.
Why have so many journalists taken it upon themselves to place culpability on video games without any real plausibility? Because it’s easy. It is easier than scrutinising the politics. It is easier than questioning the mothers reasoning for owning an assault rifle. It is easier than blaming doctors for not recognising any abnormal mental conditions.
It is a simple excuse used to justify something that is near impossible to explain: the erratic thoughts of a killer. When journalists want to post a story, it is the easiest and quickest one to produce. It is a scapegoat.
Being such a sensitive topic, any story published by any credible journalist should be chosen carefully. The topic should be used as an example to tackle real issues, trying to prevent a repeat of such a tragic loss of lives. Instead, many news outlets have published stories frivolously. Throughout the ordeal, countless journalists haven’t thought twice about exploiting this tragedy; publishing nonsensical stories without considering the consequence – bypassing any consideration for those in mourning and shoving cameras in the faces of parents who have lost their children. I can’t help but feel that every time such a tragedy occurs, there is a tactless journalist rubbing his hands together with glee. For them, this is open season.
Imagine being that parent, trying to come to grips with what has just happened. Your child. 6 years old. Harmless. Shot dead. Just before Christmas… “Why?”
I can think of nothing more disgustingly insensitive than a journalist arbitrarily blaming the loss of 26 innocent lives on a video game.
Charlie Staples
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New High Score 
