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Realism is an interesting idea when it comes to video games, as it's often regarded as something admirable to aim for, while ultimately being compromised for entertainment purposes. I mean, there are many games that flirt with realism, but if they actually created hyper-realistic systems and gameplay mechanics, the entire experience would be a frustrating bore.
Ever since I was a kid I've loved science fiction, but mostly one particular kind of science fiction that doesn't always stand out. I suppose a lot of the time when I mention science fiction, people tend to think up fantastical future things like Star Wars, or something completely off the wall like Transformers. While I do enjoy that side of the genre, what really gets me going are the stories that seem to be firmly tied to what's actually possible.
There has to be a point in life when you realise that interacting with art can be an experience without form, or end. When I studied philosophy, I quickly learned that a lot of people really hate wrestling with questions that have no immediate answer. It seemed that no matter how compelling the discourse was, some of us can't handle a lack of definition.
An exercise in simplicity and elegance, Zen Bound 2 is a beautifully realised puzzle game. It's attention to detail and minimalist mechanics serve to keep this sequel evergreen as technology grows. It goes to show that if you do something right, you rarely need to change it later.
Remember those old Apple Mac computers that were cutting edge in the mid-90s? They had this native program where you could put a bunch of clip art style images on a page and make them interactive and animated. I spent too much time making basic hidden object games when I was in school, but the process was satisfying and really allowed for some creative thinking. Now imagine that same type of game, with the modern power of an engine like Unity and you'll get the idea behind Hidden Folks right away.
