While narrative games have often been at the forefront of innovation and originality in game design, it's fair to say that many contemporary titles tend to follow a similar formula. We're all very used to the "walking simulator" that lets you progress through a location while a story unfolds around you. Even as a big fan of this kind of storytelling, it can definitely get stale and sometimes feel a little bit like an easy option for creating a narrative experience in gaming. At least until a new entry into the genre comes along and reveals another twist on the formula, providing a fresh perspective on how a story can be delivered via this medium we all love.
Are all games art? Or are art games actually games? How much art makes a game art instead of a game? At what point does a game with great art become nothing like a game, leaving only the art? What if the art is split between visuals and music, while the game focuses on generic elements, overshadowed by the art? When does a game become art, or when does art become a game? After all, games are an artform, but they rarely contain beautiful art.
As time goes on, I find myself being repeatedly surprised at how much I enjoy shorter games that showcase a complete vision. It's happening so much that I really need to start expecting it as the norm, instead of the exception. Gone are the days when a huge open-world epic appeals to me more than a tightly polished experience that hits every nail on the head.
To this day, no music driven game has managed to get its generation formula as precise as Audiosurf. I love the idea of using my own music library to automatically generate levels to play in a game, but it turns out that coding for procedural creation is really difficult.
I wasn't going to say anything about this beloved 90s rhythm game for the Playstation, but then it got me thinking about how valuable nostalgia can be. In fact, after playing the train wreck that is the PaRappa The Rapper Remaster, I can only deduce that nostalgia goes a lot further than I had previously given it credit for.
One of the coolest things about any form of art, is that it often defies any rational justification for why we like it. Sure we can point to likely culprits, such as quality and detail, but sometimes something hits you harder than expected. I often think that these odd connections with creativity are all the more powerful, as they defy logic and rationale.
Rhythm games are another genre that I've never been all that good at, but love to play. Perhaps it's because I'm a big music fan, but it could just be because Audiosurf is one of the greatest games ever made. However, unlike Audiosurf, most rhythm games are stuck to a rigid progression tied to some average music. There's no better case of an entire genre living and dying by the quality of its soundtrack.
Once upon a time I was house-sitting for someone, so I took my trusty PS3 with me and prepared myself for a week of pooning out on the couch where I wouldn't be disturbed… for days…
