Throughout my life I've really come to appreciate many artforms and the beauty that they display. I love beauty in all it's forms, in all forms of media. Beauty is an artform, and it is something that can be shown in many different ways, including art, music, and story-telling. And it is in videogames where all three of those forms come together into the beauty that is videogames.
What's so great about games is how well they bring together different forms of beauty into one central form. Of course, there's what we see: the graphics. I love when a game goes beyond just simply making polygon "dolls" in order for them to simply be enemies or a means to an end. It's when developers stretch their imaginations and really create a visual medium with which the player can interact and become immersed into the videogame experience; that is art. Such visual strength goes back to games like MegaMan and Final Fantasy, which used the graphic medium that they had to create a world the player could truly get immersed in. And, of course, we come to the modern day which has graphical gems like Okami, Odin Sphere, and Valkyria Chronicles.
Visual beauty isn't all about graphics, its also an element of style. Creating one's own unique visual style and execution is the mark of a true artist. Games like Jet Set Radio and The World Ends With You come to mind, where the visual direction is so unique and stylish that it almost creates its own entity. Not everyone needs to use the same canvas, sometimes its fine to go paint on the street, or the walls. And, not everyone needs the same execution; paint with dirt, nature, or even blood. The beauty of violence can be seen in many videogames. Fighting games and stylish action games really show the best of the art of violence; for it's not simply the act of killing someone (that is ugly), it is the "force" behind their death that creates a picture of beauty. For example, the struggle between light and dark in Bayonetta sets the stage for a pantheon of beautiful kills, and the red-hot revenge behind the violence of No More Heroes 2 really creates the atmosphere of violent beauty. It ties strongly into story-telling, but there can be beauty in violence and blood; it's powerful presence paints a strong picture.
Then there's music, which, as I've said before, is truly a muse that pulls on our heart strings. A game will always get attention when it has a great soundtrack, and when someone wants to reminisce about an older game, it's that games music that is usually the best method. Look no further than the Chrono and Final Fantasy series to hear art in the form of music.
And now we come to storyline. A truly passionate story with lovable characters can truly paint a masterpiece in one's heart. The story-telling execution of games has gotten easier over time with the vast improvement in graphics, but many would argue that the art of story-telling itself has not improved. Despite the side one takes in that argument, many cannot doubt the strength of a great story in a videogame. This strength stems not simply from the art of story-telling itself, but from the artform unique to videogames: gameplay.
Gameplay as an artform is something that can easily be argued, but I see it as evident. It is the way gameplay ties into the visual, aural, and story-telling forms of art that gameplay itself becomes an artform, or, at the very least, a bridge between the gaps of visuals, music, and story.
As an example, I'll use the final fight in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. The final fight has the main character, Zack, fighting a pointless battle that both he and the player knows he is going to lose, but because of everything he fights for, he continues to fight (meaning the player is going to fight). The visual art lies in the physical damage of Zack we see as we play, it lies in the cold, and desolate wasteland we fight in; the music is sad and slow; and the story has reached it's sad end; but what makes this battle truly beautiful, is how the game uses the roulette system. A game mechanic that has been in the game the whole time, but is now showing something unique. As Zack is dying, we see this in the roulette wheel breaking apart, and showing all of the people that Zack holds close to his heart "breaking" apart as they give him strength to fight just a little longer. We also hear snippets of memories Zack had with these people, all while fighting this battle. It's a truly beautiful moment, as it brings the sadness of the story, the visuals, and the music and puts it right in the players hands; until finally the roulette breaks down, and it's over. It's just the most beautiful moment I've played in a videogame.
As I've played more and more videogames, I've come to expect more and more beauty out of the games I play. Mainly because I've come to really see how truly beautiful games can be. Even a game series I wouldn't have really considered too beautiful (Super Mario) pulls out all the stops and creates Super Mario Galaxy, one of the most beautiful games this generation. Beauty can come in so many forms and different styles of execution, that it's really exciting when a new IP or idea comes along, because it makes me wonder just how beautiful the game will be and just how its going to execute it.
I also believe that, among other things, the fact that I don't really enjoy western-developed games is because I don't find much beauty in them. Bulletstorm I liked because it had some really satisfying gameplay and executed "the beauty of violence" quite well.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
In the Hype of Grand Knights History
Back in early 2007, the cover of that month's PLAY magazine feircly grabbed my attention. The cover was an artwork of Gwendolyn by George Kamitani, and after buying that issue, I found the world of Vanillaware.
Vanillaware is a small game company originating from a small development group from SEGA who originally developed the game Princess Crown. Odin Sphere was Vanillaware's first game as an independent developer, and was developed with only 12 members present in the then current Vanillaware. Odin Sphere was released in May 2007, and Grimgrimoire was released only a month later. Muramasa: The Demon Blade was released in 2009. And now, we come to 2011, where Vanillaware will release Grand Knights History.
Simply upon it's announcement, I have become extremely hyped for GKH. Why? Because I'm a Vanillaware fanboy. But, why am I such a fan of Vanillaware's games?
Of course, the one major factor is the one most apparent to everyone who just looks at a Vanillaware game: the superb 2D graphics. However, what sets Vanillaware apart from other developer of 2D graphics, is how Vanillaware breaths so much life into their sprites. Everything in a Vanillaware game moves. The characters breath in and out realistically, the trees waft in the breeze, the stream water flows, and the stars soar in the sky. It's the level of detail present in Vanillaware games that set them apart not simply in terms of 2D graphics, but graphics of any type. Vanillaware games truly feel alive, and that quality really brings their games alive. This "living" quality is one of the reasons I love Vanillaware, because it aids not simply in the visual enjoyment of their games, but the enjoyment of the stories and gameplay present in their games. Which brings up the next topic ....
The gameplay of Vanillaware games. In this modern era of videogames, many developers will put forth so much work into their graphics that they leave the other qualities of a game behind, especially gameplay. Not so with Vanillaware games. It always surprises me how well Vanillaware games play. Odin Sphere may look like a straight-forward 2D beat-em-up with a stamina gauge (and at its core, it is), but the level up systems were brilliant. The way one had to eat food to level up their health, and forage and cook food in order to level up their health even higher was brilliant. It really connected the player with the game's world by incorporating real-life functions such as planting, cooking, and eating into the game's world; it just made the game world feel truly alive. Furthermore, the separation of leveling up the strength and health of a character was great. Then there was the separation of the story between the 5 characters, who all played differently and had their own stories and bosses. It really kept everything fresh and interesting throughout the 40-hour main story. Grimgrimoire's gameplay was basically Starcraft with unique character types, but it worked brilliantly. Muramasa is the lowest moment of Vanillaware's gameplay design career, as it was simple and straight-foward with no real unique quality other than the special attacks; regardless, the game was satisfying.
Outside of gameplay, comes the quality of Vanillaware that I probably like the most: story. George Kamitani has penned the storylines for each Vanillaware game so far, and with the exception of Muramasa, each storyline has been one of the best I've ever experienced, in or out of a videogame. Odin Sphere is a superbly written and well-developed epic tragedy. The story touched upon so many themes and conflicts that by its end, it truly felt complete. The way the story mode was split between 5 characters made the story even more satisfying. I really couldn't ask for any more. To this day, Odin Sphere has my favorite storyline in a videogame. Grimgrimoire is a superb mystery story; furthermore, it was very mature in it's scope, having many different types of relationships between its characters, even having a lesbian relationship. Princess Crown's storyline is a great "coming of age" story that truly developed the character of Gradriel on many different levels.
And that's what makes these stories stand out so well: their characters. The characters in Vanillaware games are very iconic in their development; making them very likable, and thus making the player actually care about the characters. This is a problem I have with most videogame stories, as well as manga, anime, and movie stories; the stories don't have much of an impact on me because I don't care about the characters. This has never been the case in a Vanillaware game, except for Muramasa.
It may sound strange, but despite having some great graphics, gameplay, and music, Muramasa is my least favorite Vanillaware game because it lacked good characters and a good story. It just made the graphics and gameplay have less of an impact because the lack of good characters kept me from being immersed into the world of Muramasa. It pains me that I didn't enjoy Muramasa's story, especially since I enjoyed Odin Sphere and Grimgrimoire's storylines so much.
In terms of music, Vanillaware games aways impress a LOT. With the exception of Princess Crown, each Vanillaware game has music composed by Basiscape, the music composition group headed by the legendary Hitoshi Sakamoto. A common misconception is that Sakamoto composes all of the music heard in Vanillaware games; this is not true, as most of the compositions come from other composers within Basiscape, Sakamoto usually only does the main themes and a few other themes. This is notable because the music heard in Vanillaware games are very unique and unlike the music heard in Sakamoto's more better known works like Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy XII. The music in Vanillaware games truly enhance the experience as a whole, as the music tends to touch upon many different emotions. Be sure to listen to the soundtracks of Odin Sphere, Muramasa, and Grimgrimoire if you haven't; they're truly some of the best soundtracks in gaming.
And so, this brings us to Grand Knights History. As of now, we know GKH will have two of the prime elements of a Vanillaware game: 2D sprite-based graphics and music composed by Basiscape. Surprisingly, GKH is not being directed by George Kamitani, making this the first Vanillaware game not directed by him. Tomohiko Deguchi, who was previously a designer and programmer for Odin Sphere, Grimgrimoire, and Muramasa, is the director. Another role Kamitani usually does that is being taken up by someone else is the role of character designer, which is being done by Kouichi Maenou, another Vanillaware veteran. This doesn't really have me concerned, as Vanillaware is full of talented people, and I'm sure George Kamitani is over-looking the project in some form since he is the president of Vanillaware. The art direction is also clearly Kamitani's, so that distinct Vanillaware flavor is still present in full effect; I woudln't have even guessed Kamitani wasn't the character designer if it wasn't noted. What I mainly hope for is that Kamitani is writing the story for this game, as I'd love another epic.
On the gameplay side of things, the act of creating one's own units in an army sounds great. The player has the choice of choosing which character they want to be the main character they follow in the story, and despite there only being 4 of them (and 3 kingdoms), Kamitani has written great stories with small casts before, specifically Grimgrimoire. I know I may be setting myself up for disappointment again, but I have high expectations for the story of GKH based primarily off of how amazing the stories for Odin Sphere and Grigrimoire were.
Then there's the music. Only one track has been played, which is played on the main site, but it sounds fantastic, and it's clear the direction the soundtrack is taking. It's bound to be just as great as Basiscape's past soundtracks for Vanillaware games.
Grand Knights History is now my second most anticipated game behind Asura's Wrath. Vanillaware has become one of my all-time favorite games with only 3 games, and I hope they're just getting started.
Hopefully, George Kamitani's plans of training a new director and developing two games simultaneously has grown to fruition and we'll be getting another Vanillaware game soon; one directed by George Kamitani himself. I have to admit that I was concerned over the status of Vanillaware with no news from the company in two years, but now I hope that they thrive and grow as a truly unique game development studio.
Vanillaware is a small game company originating from a small development group from SEGA who originally developed the game Princess Crown. Odin Sphere was Vanillaware's first game as an independent developer, and was developed with only 12 members present in the then current Vanillaware. Odin Sphere was released in May 2007, and Grimgrimoire was released only a month later. Muramasa: The Demon Blade was released in 2009. And now, we come to 2011, where Vanillaware will release Grand Knights History.
Simply upon it's announcement, I have become extremely hyped for GKH. Why? Because I'm a Vanillaware fanboy. But, why am I such a fan of Vanillaware's games?
Of course, the one major factor is the one most apparent to everyone who just looks at a Vanillaware game: the superb 2D graphics. However, what sets Vanillaware apart from other developer of 2D graphics, is how Vanillaware breaths so much life into their sprites. Everything in a Vanillaware game moves. The characters breath in and out realistically, the trees waft in the breeze, the stream water flows, and the stars soar in the sky. It's the level of detail present in Vanillaware games that set them apart not simply in terms of 2D graphics, but graphics of any type. Vanillaware games truly feel alive, and that quality really brings their games alive. This "living" quality is one of the reasons I love Vanillaware, because it aids not simply in the visual enjoyment of their games, but the enjoyment of the stories and gameplay present in their games. Which brings up the next topic ....
The gameplay of Vanillaware games. In this modern era of videogames, many developers will put forth so much work into their graphics that they leave the other qualities of a game behind, especially gameplay. Not so with Vanillaware games. It always surprises me how well Vanillaware games play. Odin Sphere may look like a straight-forward 2D beat-em-up with a stamina gauge (and at its core, it is), but the level up systems were brilliant. The way one had to eat food to level up their health, and forage and cook food in order to level up their health even higher was brilliant. It really connected the player with the game's world by incorporating real-life functions such as planting, cooking, and eating into the game's world; it just made the game world feel truly alive. Furthermore, the separation of leveling up the strength and health of a character was great. Then there was the separation of the story between the 5 characters, who all played differently and had their own stories and bosses. It really kept everything fresh and interesting throughout the 40-hour main story. Grimgrimoire's gameplay was basically Starcraft with unique character types, but it worked brilliantly. Muramasa is the lowest moment of Vanillaware's gameplay design career, as it was simple and straight-foward with no real unique quality other than the special attacks; regardless, the game was satisfying.
Outside of gameplay, comes the quality of Vanillaware that I probably like the most: story. George Kamitani has penned the storylines for each Vanillaware game so far, and with the exception of Muramasa, each storyline has been one of the best I've ever experienced, in or out of a videogame. Odin Sphere is a superbly written and well-developed epic tragedy. The story touched upon so many themes and conflicts that by its end, it truly felt complete. The way the story mode was split between 5 characters made the story even more satisfying. I really couldn't ask for any more. To this day, Odin Sphere has my favorite storyline in a videogame. Grimgrimoire is a superb mystery story; furthermore, it was very mature in it's scope, having many different types of relationships between its characters, even having a lesbian relationship. Princess Crown's storyline is a great "coming of age" story that truly developed the character of Gradriel on many different levels.
And that's what makes these stories stand out so well: their characters. The characters in Vanillaware games are very iconic in their development; making them very likable, and thus making the player actually care about the characters. This is a problem I have with most videogame stories, as well as manga, anime, and movie stories; the stories don't have much of an impact on me because I don't care about the characters. This has never been the case in a Vanillaware game, except for Muramasa.
It may sound strange, but despite having some great graphics, gameplay, and music, Muramasa is my least favorite Vanillaware game because it lacked good characters and a good story. It just made the graphics and gameplay have less of an impact because the lack of good characters kept me from being immersed into the world of Muramasa. It pains me that I didn't enjoy Muramasa's story, especially since I enjoyed Odin Sphere and Grimgrimoire's storylines so much.
In terms of music, Vanillaware games aways impress a LOT. With the exception of Princess Crown, each Vanillaware game has music composed by Basiscape, the music composition group headed by the legendary Hitoshi Sakamoto. A common misconception is that Sakamoto composes all of the music heard in Vanillaware games; this is not true, as most of the compositions come from other composers within Basiscape, Sakamoto usually only does the main themes and a few other themes. This is notable because the music heard in Vanillaware games are very unique and unlike the music heard in Sakamoto's more better known works like Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy XII. The music in Vanillaware games truly enhance the experience as a whole, as the music tends to touch upon many different emotions. Be sure to listen to the soundtracks of Odin Sphere, Muramasa, and Grimgrimoire if you haven't; they're truly some of the best soundtracks in gaming.
And so, this brings us to Grand Knights History. As of now, we know GKH will have two of the prime elements of a Vanillaware game: 2D sprite-based graphics and music composed by Basiscape. Surprisingly, GKH is not being directed by George Kamitani, making this the first Vanillaware game not directed by him. Tomohiko Deguchi, who was previously a designer and programmer for Odin Sphere, Grimgrimoire, and Muramasa, is the director. Another role Kamitani usually does that is being taken up by someone else is the role of character designer, which is being done by Kouichi Maenou, another Vanillaware veteran. This doesn't really have me concerned, as Vanillaware is full of talented people, and I'm sure George Kamitani is over-looking the project in some form since he is the president of Vanillaware. The art direction is also clearly Kamitani's, so that distinct Vanillaware flavor is still present in full effect; I woudln't have even guessed Kamitani wasn't the character designer if it wasn't noted. What I mainly hope for is that Kamitani is writing the story for this game, as I'd love another epic.
On the gameplay side of things, the act of creating one's own units in an army sounds great. The player has the choice of choosing which character they want to be the main character they follow in the story, and despite there only being 4 of them (and 3 kingdoms), Kamitani has written great stories with small casts before, specifically Grimgrimoire. I know I may be setting myself up for disappointment again, but I have high expectations for the story of GKH based primarily off of how amazing the stories for Odin Sphere and Grigrimoire were.
Then there's the music. Only one track has been played, which is played on the main site, but it sounds fantastic, and it's clear the direction the soundtrack is taking. It's bound to be just as great as Basiscape's past soundtracks for Vanillaware games.
Grand Knights History is now my second most anticipated game behind Asura's Wrath. Vanillaware has become one of my all-time favorite games with only 3 games, and I hope they're just getting started.
Hopefully, George Kamitani's plans of training a new director and developing two games simultaneously has grown to fruition and we'll be getting another Vanillaware game soon; one directed by George Kamitani himself. I have to admit that I was concerned over the status of Vanillaware with no news from the company in two years, but now I hope that they thrive and grow as a truly unique game development studio.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Different Genres, Different Strengths. Why?
When I was young, I didn't really think too critically about videogames. When I bought an RPG, I knew I would be in for lengthy cutscenes, a great story, and great music; and when I bought an action game, I knew I was in for some high difficulty, good gameplay, and a simple story. But, not that my mind has matured the way it has, I have to ask: why? Why must the genres remain separated in the priorities they take when executing their games?
Take the music present in so many great JRPGs over the years. Powerful and emotional themes that emphasize and enhance the narrative. Pieces like "Star Stealing Girl" in Chrono Cross, or Hepatica (KOS-MOS) in Xenosaga III. Why are such emotional musical pieces that emphasize the narrative so well, and provide such an emotional impact restricted to the RPG genre. And yet, the RPG genre restricts itself with simple execution of gameplay. For satisfying gameplay we look to action games, yet these games usually have such simple storylines that provide little drive to follow the story and the player instead focus simply on the gameplay, which in turn reminds the player they are playing a game thus reducing the immersion into the experience and thus hurting the overall satisfaction. Why can't there exist a game that breaks down these "genre gaps" and provide a "full" experience of everything gaming can offer?
I believe that the game that truly satisfies me will not have these "genre gaps". Games like Okami and Bayonetta have come close, but Bayonetta could have used a more coherent story and needed to be much longer; Okami is the closest a game has come to this ideal, as it only really needed a slightly stronger battle system and to be more difficult.
It's really the strong sense of immersion (which results in emotion) that RPGs have that makes them so satisfying to play, and the graphics, art direction, music, and storyline often all come together so well to provide that power immersion. However, gameplay tends to always take a backseat to the visual and aural elements of RPGs. The only RPG that I really think about the gameplay is FFXIII. FFXIII came close to this ideal as well, but it needed more depth to the combat (despite the combat being the best RPGs have to offer) and the story could've been more emotional towards the end. The fact that FFXIII came so close to the ideal gives me hope that FFXIII-2 may achieve it, with the satisfying gameplay of an action game alongside the powerful story and immersion of an RPG.
Some games have attempted to bride this gap. Games like the .HACK//GU series, which are action RPGs, but have strong narratives and great music; another CyberConnect2 developed game, Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, also did a good job at trying to reach this ideal, by being a fighting game with a focus on gameplay, but an equal, if not stronger, focus on graphics, music, and expressing the story visually and not just through words. While both games are far from being the best, they give me hope that CC2 may achieve this ideal with Asura's Wrath, which has been promised to blend narrative and gameplay together. It will be interesting to see what AW brings to the table.
Odin Sphere is also a game that came close to this ideal. If the gameplay provided more complexity, then it may have achieved this ideal, for Odin Sphere had one of the most powerful narratives I've experienced in a game, and Vanillaware's trademark 2D graphics alongside the beautiful soundtrack just made the game a true visual and aural tour de force.
I am starting to see these genre gaps to become smaller and smaller, so soon there may be game that totally lack a solid definitive genre. I hope that day comes soon.
At the moment, I'm really looking at PlatinumGames, Vanillaware, Square-Enix, and CyberConnect2 to deliver the game that will completely satisfy me. Not that I'm not open to other developers. There's always bound to be some surprises on the horizon (El Shaddai perhaps?).
Take the music present in so many great JRPGs over the years. Powerful and emotional themes that emphasize and enhance the narrative. Pieces like "Star Stealing Girl" in Chrono Cross, or Hepatica (KOS-MOS) in Xenosaga III. Why are such emotional musical pieces that emphasize the narrative so well, and provide such an emotional impact restricted to the RPG genre. And yet, the RPG genre restricts itself with simple execution of gameplay. For satisfying gameplay we look to action games, yet these games usually have such simple storylines that provide little drive to follow the story and the player instead focus simply on the gameplay, which in turn reminds the player they are playing a game thus reducing the immersion into the experience and thus hurting the overall satisfaction. Why can't there exist a game that breaks down these "genre gaps" and provide a "full" experience of everything gaming can offer?
I believe that the game that truly satisfies me will not have these "genre gaps". Games like Okami and Bayonetta have come close, but Bayonetta could have used a more coherent story and needed to be much longer; Okami is the closest a game has come to this ideal, as it only really needed a slightly stronger battle system and to be more difficult.
It's really the strong sense of immersion (which results in emotion) that RPGs have that makes them so satisfying to play, and the graphics, art direction, music, and storyline often all come together so well to provide that power immersion. However, gameplay tends to always take a backseat to the visual and aural elements of RPGs. The only RPG that I really think about the gameplay is FFXIII. FFXIII came close to this ideal as well, but it needed more depth to the combat (despite the combat being the best RPGs have to offer) and the story could've been more emotional towards the end. The fact that FFXIII came so close to the ideal gives me hope that FFXIII-2 may achieve it, with the satisfying gameplay of an action game alongside the powerful story and immersion of an RPG.
Some games have attempted to bride this gap. Games like the .HACK//GU series, which are action RPGs, but have strong narratives and great music; another CyberConnect2 developed game, Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, also did a good job at trying to reach this ideal, by being a fighting game with a focus on gameplay, but an equal, if not stronger, focus on graphics, music, and expressing the story visually and not just through words. While both games are far from being the best, they give me hope that CC2 may achieve this ideal with Asura's Wrath, which has been promised to blend narrative and gameplay together. It will be interesting to see what AW brings to the table.
Odin Sphere is also a game that came close to this ideal. If the gameplay provided more complexity, then it may have achieved this ideal, for Odin Sphere had one of the most powerful narratives I've experienced in a game, and Vanillaware's trademark 2D graphics alongside the beautiful soundtrack just made the game a true visual and aural tour de force.
I am starting to see these genre gaps to become smaller and smaller, so soon there may be game that totally lack a solid definitive genre. I hope that day comes soon.
At the moment, I'm really looking at PlatinumGames, Vanillaware, Square-Enix, and CyberConnect2 to deliver the game that will completely satisfy me. Not that I'm not open to other developers. There's always bound to be some surprises on the horizon (El Shaddai perhaps?).
Sunday, March 20, 2011
My Satisfaction
I talk a lot about satisfaction in my blog entries, but I've never really gone into just what that satisfaction is. Well, that's what this blog entry is all about.
Satisfaction, at it's core, is simply the sense of fulfillment. However, what goes into that sense of fulfillment changes from situation to situation, and from person to person. Because of the wide range of things satisfaction can entail, this blog is specifically about my satisfaction. Furthermore, when the term satisfaction is brought up, people's minds tend to go in many different directions. For some satisfaction involves the act of 'winning', for others 'taste', and others think of 'sex'. Such is the essence of satisfaction; it covers a wide range of emotions and actions, many of which are part of our daily lives. However, the satisfaction I'm covering in this blog entry is focused entirely on the satisfaction that the videogame medium can provide.
Videogames are a creative medium, they are crafted from the hands of creator's to form something new. In this sense, videogames are like books and movies. But videogames have a major element that makes their potential for satisfaction go beyond books and movies, and that is the factor of interaction. The ability to interact with the object the videogame have made puts videogames second only to reality in terms of the potential for satisfaction. However, in reality, we are hindered by the rules and regulations of not just our different societies, but by our very being. Videogames, however, can go beyond reality into the realm of fantasy, where anything is possible. This makes the videogame medium a middle-ground between reality and the realm of books/cinema; a fantasy we can interact with. It is that factor that makes videogames such an alluring medium to me, and why I believe it has the potential to satisfy like few other things.
Satisfaction in videogames can be broken down into separate factors. But first, lets break down the raw essence of satisfaction. Satisfaction is the end product of two main factors: drive and struggle. And it is the intensity of those two factors that leads to just how satisfying a videogame is.
The drive is what ties the player to the game itself. This can be how powerful a game's story and characters are, or how believable the world is. Regardless of what encompasses an game's drive, it is what pushed the player to move forward into a game and just how passionately a player does it.
The struggle is the challenge given to the player. A journey without hardship is simply a fool's errand, and nobody is satisfied with being a fool. To put struggle in it's simplest terms would be to call it a game's difficulty level. However, the execution of that difficulty is the truly key factor, for there is a fine line between challenge and frustration.
Both drive and struggle lead to satisfaction. One passionately drives themselves through massive struggle in order to reach their goal, and in doing so receive satisfaction. That is the satisfaction in a nutshell.
Now I'll break satisfaction down into different factors in terms of game design:
1) "Graphics"
"Graphics" is a simple term of what is essentially a game's visual design, not just polygons and sprites, but exactly what the player is seeing. Visual design is a major factor in satisfaction, for the player it is the one thing that the player is always paying attention to. A game needs to be seen to be played, thus the burden placed on a game's visual design is huge. Something I find very critical with a game's visual design is that a game doesn't just rely on the amount of polygons that are in it's models, but what those polygons form and how they are executed in the interaction element of the game. This puts huge impact on character and world design, as well as what those characters are doing and how they are interacting with their world.
Character design is a very important factor to me, because, simply put, if characters aren't attractive, then the amount I care for the characters is hindered. Now that may sound terrible of me, but the word "attractive" can mean a lot of things. For me, it means "identity". Who a character is, and what a world is, can be expressed fully through what they look like.
For example, in Okami, the characters had very simple character designs. This was a very unique style of execution, because all of the characters in the story were very simple in their personality, therefore, they had no need to extremely detailed facial expressions. We knew who the characters were just through what they looked like, and through their simple actions. This by no means hurt the story of Okami, for while the cast was drawn in a simple style, the story made up for it with the sheer amount of these characters you meet. As a result, the drive through the story was not to protect a few deep and developed characters, but a whole nation of simple people with simple problems. There's a reason Amaterasu is the most detailed main character in the game, and that is so the player understands that they are the powerful being that will protect these simple people. Furthermore, the execution of Issun's character is also driven by his seemingly simple character design. Issun appears as a simple dot throughout most of the game so that the player never forms a specific identity for Issun, which is extremely important, for Issun turns out to be the game's most complex character. The story forges Issun's identity, and the visual execution of Issun throughout the game enhances his character development. Even the world of Okami itself is simply beautiful, and the way the player creates that beauty by interacting with the world is a great example of supreme visual design and interaction there-of. Okami is a supreme example of visual design merging with story.
This forming of a character's identity through their design is seen in many other games; especially fighting games. In fighting games, the characters tend to just jump out at the player, and as a result, we see some of the best character design in fighting games. This factor of "jumping out" at the player is a feature I would like to see go into other game genres as well, for a character should always have that "wow factor" that makes them an idol. Bayonetta is the most recent example of such an "idol" character. Her character design, as well as how she moves, are a true visual expression of the term "sexy". She is the quintessence of "sex appeal", thus making her an idol. Her character development in the game develop her character further into a very likable character, but from a visual standpoint, her sex appeal is her "wow factor". Another character that comes to mind is Haohmaru, of Samurai Showdown, who expresses the quintessential form of the samurai. This "simplicity" seen in the designs of Bayonetta and Haohmaru is by no means bad, or deterring of their characters. Quite the opposite actually, as it gives them appeal at the eye level. The player can instantly see the power of their presence and who they are. Of course, the characters are more than what they appear, but the first impression is the most important, and an attractive first impression is the best. The appearance of Bayonetta and Haohmaru, is in contrast to characters seen in western-developed shooters that have a more realistic look to them. This visual direction is very unattractive, and essentially eliminates any potential for one of these characters becoming an idol, because their appearance tells us almost nothing, and thus the player is not given a good first impression and lacks any desire to find out more about this character. Of course, exceptions exist, such as Halo's Master Chief.
2) Sound
Music is the eternal muse. It has the power to put visions of beauty, rage, and serenity directly into our minds. A truly perfect musical score to a videogame would allow a player to play the game without ever having to open their eyes, for the music would "show" them all they need to know. It is because of this incredible potential that music has, that one should expect a lot from the musical score in a videogame. It should not simply be music playing in the background, but actually be part of the experience as a whole. It may go without saying how music should be executed in a game (sad music should play for sad scenes, intense music should play for battles, etc.), and yet so many musical scores fall flat of what they can achieve. This is usually because the music ends up feeling like a seperate entity than the graphics and gameplay, which it shouldn't be.
Music ties almost directly into the drive of a videogame. Music can make a soul burn hotter than any graphics, and music can make a major cutscene much more impactful. It's all about tying the element of music directly into the gameplay and visual design. That leads to a powerful drive, which will inevitably lead to a stronger satisfaction. However, that drive means very little without a struggle, which leads to the final element of satisfaction in games:
3) Interactivity
Interactivity is how one plays the game and just what it all entails. This is a section I can only speak the importance of but not truly explain it, as game design is an ever changing process that has seen many changes throughout the existence of the videogame medium. There is complex game interactivity (Zone of the Enders) and simple game interactivity (Super Mario Bros.). But, regardless of the execution, what matters is how satisfied the player is with the actual controls and how well they interact with what the player is seeing and hearing. The interactivity of a game is essentially how one interacts with what the player is seeing and hearing.
However, beyond simply the controls lies the element of struggle. The struggle entailed in the gameplay is equally as important as drive, for if the "fight" was too easy, then the player never truly receives that sense of accomplishment; however, if a game is challenging, but the player has no drive to face that challenge, then there is no possibility for a sense of accomplishment. Thus the two factors of drive and struggle balance each other out.
It is important to note that drive can come from many factors, as can struggle. Their existence is known, but what they are made of can change from game to game. For example, a JRPG tends to rely heavily on it's story for drive and gameplay for struggle, while a 2D run-and-gun shooter relies on it's challenging gameplay for both drive and struggle. However, to see what factors a game relies on for it's drive and struggle factors is part of the lure I have towards videogames.
For me, I have had many satisfying game experiences. Great storylines, challenging gameplay, beautiful music, gorgeous visual designs, and very unique experiences all around. However, I have never played a game that fully satisfies me. I'm not even sure if a game ever will fully satisfy me because I don't know what complete satisfaction feels like. Regardless, I will continue to play games in order to find the one to satisfy me in ways that only the videogame medium can.
Satisfaction, at it's core, is simply the sense of fulfillment. However, what goes into that sense of fulfillment changes from situation to situation, and from person to person. Because of the wide range of things satisfaction can entail, this blog is specifically about my satisfaction. Furthermore, when the term satisfaction is brought up, people's minds tend to go in many different directions. For some satisfaction involves the act of 'winning', for others 'taste', and others think of 'sex'. Such is the essence of satisfaction; it covers a wide range of emotions and actions, many of which are part of our daily lives. However, the satisfaction I'm covering in this blog entry is focused entirely on the satisfaction that the videogame medium can provide.
Videogames are a creative medium, they are crafted from the hands of creator's to form something new. In this sense, videogames are like books and movies. But videogames have a major element that makes their potential for satisfaction go beyond books and movies, and that is the factor of interaction. The ability to interact with the object the videogame have made puts videogames second only to reality in terms of the potential for satisfaction. However, in reality, we are hindered by the rules and regulations of not just our different societies, but by our very being. Videogames, however, can go beyond reality into the realm of fantasy, where anything is possible. This makes the videogame medium a middle-ground between reality and the realm of books/cinema; a fantasy we can interact with. It is that factor that makes videogames such an alluring medium to me, and why I believe it has the potential to satisfy like few other things.
Satisfaction in videogames can be broken down into separate factors. But first, lets break down the raw essence of satisfaction. Satisfaction is the end product of two main factors: drive and struggle. And it is the intensity of those two factors that leads to just how satisfying a videogame is.
The drive is what ties the player to the game itself. This can be how powerful a game's story and characters are, or how believable the world is. Regardless of what encompasses an game's drive, it is what pushed the player to move forward into a game and just how passionately a player does it.
The struggle is the challenge given to the player. A journey without hardship is simply a fool's errand, and nobody is satisfied with being a fool. To put struggle in it's simplest terms would be to call it a game's difficulty level. However, the execution of that difficulty is the truly key factor, for there is a fine line between challenge and frustration.
Both drive and struggle lead to satisfaction. One passionately drives themselves through massive struggle in order to reach their goal, and in doing so receive satisfaction. That is the satisfaction in a nutshell.
Now I'll break satisfaction down into different factors in terms of game design:
1) "Graphics"
"Graphics" is a simple term of what is essentially a game's visual design, not just polygons and sprites, but exactly what the player is seeing. Visual design is a major factor in satisfaction, for the player it is the one thing that the player is always paying attention to. A game needs to be seen to be played, thus the burden placed on a game's visual design is huge. Something I find very critical with a game's visual design is that a game doesn't just rely on the amount of polygons that are in it's models, but what those polygons form and how they are executed in the interaction element of the game. This puts huge impact on character and world design, as well as what those characters are doing and how they are interacting with their world.
Character design is a very important factor to me, because, simply put, if characters aren't attractive, then the amount I care for the characters is hindered. Now that may sound terrible of me, but the word "attractive" can mean a lot of things. For me, it means "identity". Who a character is, and what a world is, can be expressed fully through what they look like.
For example, in Okami, the characters had very simple character designs. This was a very unique style of execution, because all of the characters in the story were very simple in their personality, therefore, they had no need to extremely detailed facial expressions. We knew who the characters were just through what they looked like, and through their simple actions. This by no means hurt the story of Okami, for while the cast was drawn in a simple style, the story made up for it with the sheer amount of these characters you meet. As a result, the drive through the story was not to protect a few deep and developed characters, but a whole nation of simple people with simple problems. There's a reason Amaterasu is the most detailed main character in the game, and that is so the player understands that they are the powerful being that will protect these simple people. Furthermore, the execution of Issun's character is also driven by his seemingly simple character design. Issun appears as a simple dot throughout most of the game so that the player never forms a specific identity for Issun, which is extremely important, for Issun turns out to be the game's most complex character. The story forges Issun's identity, and the visual execution of Issun throughout the game enhances his character development. Even the world of Okami itself is simply beautiful, and the way the player creates that beauty by interacting with the world is a great example of supreme visual design and interaction there-of. Okami is a supreme example of visual design merging with story.
This forming of a character's identity through their design is seen in many other games; especially fighting games. In fighting games, the characters tend to just jump out at the player, and as a result, we see some of the best character design in fighting games. This factor of "jumping out" at the player is a feature I would like to see go into other game genres as well, for a character should always have that "wow factor" that makes them an idol. Bayonetta is the most recent example of such an "idol" character. Her character design, as well as how she moves, are a true visual expression of the term "sexy". She is the quintessence of "sex appeal", thus making her an idol. Her character development in the game develop her character further into a very likable character, but from a visual standpoint, her sex appeal is her "wow factor". Another character that comes to mind is Haohmaru, of Samurai Showdown, who expresses the quintessential form of the samurai. This "simplicity" seen in the designs of Bayonetta and Haohmaru is by no means bad, or deterring of their characters. Quite the opposite actually, as it gives them appeal at the eye level. The player can instantly see the power of their presence and who they are. Of course, the characters are more than what they appear, but the first impression is the most important, and an attractive first impression is the best. The appearance of Bayonetta and Haohmaru, is in contrast to characters seen in western-developed shooters that have a more realistic look to them. This visual direction is very unattractive, and essentially eliminates any potential for one of these characters becoming an idol, because their appearance tells us almost nothing, and thus the player is not given a good first impression and lacks any desire to find out more about this character. Of course, exceptions exist, such as Halo's Master Chief.
2) Sound
Music is the eternal muse. It has the power to put visions of beauty, rage, and serenity directly into our minds. A truly perfect musical score to a videogame would allow a player to play the game without ever having to open their eyes, for the music would "show" them all they need to know. It is because of this incredible potential that music has, that one should expect a lot from the musical score in a videogame. It should not simply be music playing in the background, but actually be part of the experience as a whole. It may go without saying how music should be executed in a game (sad music should play for sad scenes, intense music should play for battles, etc.), and yet so many musical scores fall flat of what they can achieve. This is usually because the music ends up feeling like a seperate entity than the graphics and gameplay, which it shouldn't be.
Music ties almost directly into the drive of a videogame. Music can make a soul burn hotter than any graphics, and music can make a major cutscene much more impactful. It's all about tying the element of music directly into the gameplay and visual design. That leads to a powerful drive, which will inevitably lead to a stronger satisfaction. However, that drive means very little without a struggle, which leads to the final element of satisfaction in games:
3) Interactivity
Interactivity is how one plays the game and just what it all entails. This is a section I can only speak the importance of but not truly explain it, as game design is an ever changing process that has seen many changes throughout the existence of the videogame medium. There is complex game interactivity (Zone of the Enders) and simple game interactivity (Super Mario Bros.). But, regardless of the execution, what matters is how satisfied the player is with the actual controls and how well they interact with what the player is seeing and hearing. The interactivity of a game is essentially how one interacts with what the player is seeing and hearing.
However, beyond simply the controls lies the element of struggle. The struggle entailed in the gameplay is equally as important as drive, for if the "fight" was too easy, then the player never truly receives that sense of accomplishment; however, if a game is challenging, but the player has no drive to face that challenge, then there is no possibility for a sense of accomplishment. Thus the two factors of drive and struggle balance each other out.
It is important to note that drive can come from many factors, as can struggle. Their existence is known, but what they are made of can change from game to game. For example, a JRPG tends to rely heavily on it's story for drive and gameplay for struggle, while a 2D run-and-gun shooter relies on it's challenging gameplay for both drive and struggle. However, to see what factors a game relies on for it's drive and struggle factors is part of the lure I have towards videogames.
For me, I have had many satisfying game experiences. Great storylines, challenging gameplay, beautiful music, gorgeous visual designs, and very unique experiences all around. However, I have never played a game that fully satisfies me. I'm not even sure if a game ever will fully satisfy me because I don't know what complete satisfaction feels like. Regardless, I will continue to play games in order to find the one to satisfy me in ways that only the videogame medium can.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
My Genre Standards
I've heard a lot of criticism from others that I shouldn't compare a game I'm currently playing to another game from the past, and judge the current game against the the game that I hold as the "golden standard". Apparently this is a poor way of judging a game. But despite those criticisms, that's just how I do things. If a game is clearly in a certain genre, I am going to judge it against the game I hold as the standard of that genre; just as someone judges a sequel against the original.
These are my genre standards:
3D Action: Bayonetta
I have never had a true standard for the 3D action genre until Bayonetta, because before Bayonetta came along, I was never truly satisfied by any 3D action game. This is mainly because I saw so much potential in the genre going unfulfilled. I don't think any other 3D action game will knock Bayonetta off of her throne unless a Bayonetta 2 is made; but, hey, the future is full of surprises.
2D Action: Viewtiful Joe
VJ is the best when it comes to 2D action. If Muramasa had a little more 'oomph' to it's gameplay and a better story, then it would've probably beaten VJ, but it didn't, so, yeah, it's VJ. The only 2D action games coming in the future will probabaly only be from Vanillaware, so it's all on them to knock VJ off of his throne.
3D Fighting: SoulCalibur series
I love the entire SC series, and no other 3D fighter has come even close to knocking it off of it's throne. The future is unpredictable, but I doubt any 3D fighter will top SC for me.
2D Fighting: The King of Fighters XII
Games are all about satisfaction, and KOFXII is the most satisfying 2D fighter I've ever played. Arcana Heart 3 is a close second, but KOFXII is just raw energy in a game form. It's very balanced and fights are just intense. KOFXIII has a good shot at beating it though.
RPG: Chrono Trigger
FFXIII is an incredible RPG experience, but CT remains the epitome of the genre. CT took players on a believable and charming journey that was full of incredible moments. No RPG has marked more memories into my head than CT. Maybe FFXIII-2 can beat it though.
Action-Adventure: Okami
The Legend of Zelda series had been my standard for this genre for the longest time, but Okami took the Zelda formula and actually managed to improve it vastly. Not only that, but provide a sweeping storyline that is usually reserved for RPGs, and a battle system striaght out of a 3D action game. Okami remains not only the best action-adventure game I've ever played, but the best quality experience I've ever played.
2D Platformer: Yoshi's Island
This is the holy grail of 2D platforming. While Yoshi's Island had great crayon-esque graphics and a great soundtrack, it was the gameplay that really shined. YI was original, challenging, and creative. Plus, it has one of the greatest final boss fights ever!
3D Platformer: Super Mario Galaxy 2
It's hard to choose between Super Mario 64 and Galaxy, but Galaxy just improved upon 64's playability to the point where it's the more satisfying experience. Galaxy 2 had it's flaws, but it's still the best example of a 3D platformer.
Strategy RPG: Fire Emblem: The Blazing Sword
Balance. That is the key to the perfect SRPG. A developer needs to balance story, gameplay, and presentation, or the entire formula just leans to much to one side and the satisfaction is lessened. Fire Emblem balanced all of these elements perfectly.
Action-RPG: The World Ends With You
Odin Sphere means a lot to me, but TWEWY is as close to perfect as a game can get. The presentation, gameplay, and soundtrack were all supremely original and stylish.
Real-Time Strategy: Grimgrimoire
GG has the gameplay of Starcraft, with a superb twist-driven storyline, and a beautiful soundtrack, all wrapped up in Vanillaware's signature style. It's just a beautiful experience.
FPS: Bulletstorm
The one FPS that satisfied me.
Racing: Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Mario Kart is the best and DD is the best of the series.
These are my genre standards:
3D Action: Bayonetta
I have never had a true standard for the 3D action genre until Bayonetta, because before Bayonetta came along, I was never truly satisfied by any 3D action game. This is mainly because I saw so much potential in the genre going unfulfilled. I don't think any other 3D action game will knock Bayonetta off of her throne unless a Bayonetta 2 is made; but, hey, the future is full of surprises.
2D Action: Viewtiful Joe
VJ is the best when it comes to 2D action. If Muramasa had a little more 'oomph' to it's gameplay and a better story, then it would've probably beaten VJ, but it didn't, so, yeah, it's VJ. The only 2D action games coming in the future will probabaly only be from Vanillaware, so it's all on them to knock VJ off of his throne.
3D Fighting: SoulCalibur series
I love the entire SC series, and no other 3D fighter has come even close to knocking it off of it's throne. The future is unpredictable, but I doubt any 3D fighter will top SC for me.
2D Fighting: The King of Fighters XII
Games are all about satisfaction, and KOFXII is the most satisfying 2D fighter I've ever played. Arcana Heart 3 is a close second, but KOFXII is just raw energy in a game form. It's very balanced and fights are just intense. KOFXIII has a good shot at beating it though.
RPG: Chrono Trigger
FFXIII is an incredible RPG experience, but CT remains the epitome of the genre. CT took players on a believable and charming journey that was full of incredible moments. No RPG has marked more memories into my head than CT. Maybe FFXIII-2 can beat it though.
Action-Adventure: Okami
The Legend of Zelda series had been my standard for this genre for the longest time, but Okami took the Zelda formula and actually managed to improve it vastly. Not only that, but provide a sweeping storyline that is usually reserved for RPGs, and a battle system striaght out of a 3D action game. Okami remains not only the best action-adventure game I've ever played, but the best quality experience I've ever played.
2D Platformer: Yoshi's Island
This is the holy grail of 2D platforming. While Yoshi's Island had great crayon-esque graphics and a great soundtrack, it was the gameplay that really shined. YI was original, challenging, and creative. Plus, it has one of the greatest final boss fights ever!
3D Platformer: Super Mario Galaxy 2
It's hard to choose between Super Mario 64 and Galaxy, but Galaxy just improved upon 64's playability to the point where it's the more satisfying experience. Galaxy 2 had it's flaws, but it's still the best example of a 3D platformer.
Strategy RPG: Fire Emblem: The Blazing Sword
Balance. That is the key to the perfect SRPG. A developer needs to balance story, gameplay, and presentation, or the entire formula just leans to much to one side and the satisfaction is lessened. Fire Emblem balanced all of these elements perfectly.
Action-RPG: The World Ends With You
Odin Sphere means a lot to me, but TWEWY is as close to perfect as a game can get. The presentation, gameplay, and soundtrack were all supremely original and stylish.
Real-Time Strategy: Grimgrimoire
GG has the gameplay of Starcraft, with a superb twist-driven storyline, and a beautiful soundtrack, all wrapped up in Vanillaware's signature style. It's just a beautiful experience.
FPS: Bulletstorm
The one FPS that satisfied me.
Racing: Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Mario Kart is the best and DD is the best of the series.
The "Next Generation" 5 years in
[Written in February 2010]
It has been 5 years since the current generation of home consoles began with the Xbox 360 in 2005. A lot has happened over the years. We've seen online gaming explode in popularity, graphics almost reaching photorealism, and the rise of downloadable games. However, with all these technological advancements, have videogames truly gotten better? Does this current generation of consoles deserve to be called the "next generation"?
My answer is a reluctant "yes", simply because, in my opinion, this generation just barely qualifies as "next generation", for nearly every game made these days could have been done in the past. Sure, they wouldn't have been as pretty, or had the best internet functionality, but what do those two things matter when considering the game itself?
Videogames are meant to be played. Lately, it feels like I'm watching more than I'm playing in videogames. Videogames like Mass Effect 2 and Metal Gear Solid 4 simply came across as a chore, because while the games have detailed graphics and high production values, when it came time for me to take control, the game just felt so basic; thereby making the gameplay simply a means to progress the story, rather than something to be experienced. In so many games these days, it feels like you "play to watch", rather than "play to play" like it should be. Story is an important part of videogames, but games should always be equal parts story and gameplay; and if there must be a focus on story, the game better be an RPG. When I play an action game, the gameplay should be the main highlight.
Simply put, I am very disappointed with this generation of videogames. This disappointment stems from the standards that have been set by the past generations and this current generation not meeting those standards. This current gen has seen many, many great games, but very few have been truly impressive.
This is a result of game developers focusing too much on technology, which is taking away the originality and style that developers had in the past.
For example, look at Capcom's Street Fighter IV. Street Fighter IV is a huge step backwards from the masterpiece that is Street Fighter III: Third Strike. Gameplay, style, music, whatever you look at, Third Strike did it better than SFIV. This was due to Capcom's decision to appeal to a mass market, and induce nostalgia by esentially remaking Street Fighter II: The World Warrior. Furthermore, Capcom has ditched 2D sprites for 3D models, which further appeal to the mass market.
In the past, there were revolutionary games that set standards of how we play games. Games such as Metroid Prime, Shadow of the Colossus, Okami, Pikmin,Metal Gear Solid, Viewtiful Joe, SoulCalibur, and many more. These games set standards because they took many risks in their design and brought fresh ideas to the market. Now the market is saturated by sequel upon sequel, which only improve upon their predecessors through better graphics without truly advancing gameplay.
Unfortunately, this generation has seen a decline in the diversity of videogames in the market as well, with RPGs being a rare sight now, as well as pretty much any genre that isn't a 1st or 3rd person shooter. This market is dominated by one thing: the almighty dollar. The result is killing off developers left and right, and causing developers to take very few risks; which is a shame.
I have enjoyed many games with generation. The highlights of this generation for me have been Bayonetta, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Mario Galaxy, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, the World Ends With You, SoulCalibur IV, WarioWare Smooth Moves, King of Fighters XII, Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm, Valkyria Chronicles, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, and Uncharted 2. But, the true standouts of this generation are the games that I play and realize that I am truly playing a "next generation" game, these games are:
-Bayonetta: gameplay, gameplay, gameplay, that is what Bayonetta delivers in spades above every other action game in existance. Bayonetta's gameplay depth showed me what was possible with a lot of creativity, superb design, and great execution. It helped that the game was gorgeous as well, but the gameplay was the first great step forward that the 3D action genre needed this generation.
-Super Mario Galaxy: Galaxy was truly a game from Nintendo, because there was so much gameplay diversity in Galaxy that it felt like a completely fresh experience. The gameplay design of Galaxy is simply genius, and really felt like a step forward in game design after the stellar Super Mario 64.
-Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm: I am no fan of the Naruto manga series, but this game is something to be admired by every game developer on the planet due to CyberConnect2's incredible graphics and animation. This game brought cel-shading to the next level, and is not only well detailed, but is almost unbelievable in motion; rivaling that of animation. The animation in this game is beyond anything any other game has accomplished. Omitting the factor of art direction, NUNS is the best looking game out right now; and I think the only game to surpass it will be it's sequel.
-The World Ends With You: an incredible gaming experience that completely takes advantage of it's hardware. Every facet of the DS hardware was used in TWEWY to great effect, from the incredible graphics, fantastic soundtrack, and superbly executed gameplay. TWEWY is a shinging example of how to use the freedom given to you as a game developer and let your creativity flourish.
My disappointment has been explained in my other blogs, so I will stop here with the complaints.
I am very critical when it comes to choosing which games to play, especially in this current generation. I believe there is so much more than can be accomplished with modern consoles, but very few are taking advantage. However, the future is looking rather bright with Metroid: Other M and Zelda Wii coming from Nintendo, Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 from CyberConnect2, Final Fantasy XIII and Versus XIII from Square-Enix, Vanquish from PlatinumGames, and several mystery titles that could be legends in the making, such as MistWalker's 'The Last Story', Monolith's 'Xenoblade', and Vanillaware's next game.
It has been 5 years since the current generation of home consoles began with the Xbox 360 in 2005. A lot has happened over the years. We've seen online gaming explode in popularity, graphics almost reaching photorealism, and the rise of downloadable games. However, with all these technological advancements, have videogames truly gotten better? Does this current generation of consoles deserve to be called the "next generation"?
My answer is a reluctant "yes", simply because, in my opinion, this generation just barely qualifies as "next generation", for nearly every game made these days could have been done in the past. Sure, they wouldn't have been as pretty, or had the best internet functionality, but what do those two things matter when considering the game itself?
Videogames are meant to be played. Lately, it feels like I'm watching more than I'm playing in videogames. Videogames like Mass Effect 2 and Metal Gear Solid 4 simply came across as a chore, because while the games have detailed graphics and high production values, when it came time for me to take control, the game just felt so basic; thereby making the gameplay simply a means to progress the story, rather than something to be experienced. In so many games these days, it feels like you "play to watch", rather than "play to play" like it should be. Story is an important part of videogames, but games should always be equal parts story and gameplay; and if there must be a focus on story, the game better be an RPG. When I play an action game, the gameplay should be the main highlight.
Simply put, I am very disappointed with this generation of videogames. This disappointment stems from the standards that have been set by the past generations and this current generation not meeting those standards. This current gen has seen many, many great games, but very few have been truly impressive.
This is a result of game developers focusing too much on technology, which is taking away the originality and style that developers had in the past.
For example, look at Capcom's Street Fighter IV. Street Fighter IV is a huge step backwards from the masterpiece that is Street Fighter III: Third Strike. Gameplay, style, music, whatever you look at, Third Strike did it better than SFIV. This was due to Capcom's decision to appeal to a mass market, and induce nostalgia by esentially remaking Street Fighter II: The World Warrior. Furthermore, Capcom has ditched 2D sprites for 3D models, which further appeal to the mass market.
In the past, there were revolutionary games that set standards of how we play games. Games such as Metroid Prime, Shadow of the Colossus, Okami, Pikmin,Metal Gear Solid, Viewtiful Joe, SoulCalibur, and many more. These games set standards because they took many risks in their design and brought fresh ideas to the market. Now the market is saturated by sequel upon sequel, which only improve upon their predecessors through better graphics without truly advancing gameplay.
Unfortunately, this generation has seen a decline in the diversity of videogames in the market as well, with RPGs being a rare sight now, as well as pretty much any genre that isn't a 1st or 3rd person shooter. This market is dominated by one thing: the almighty dollar. The result is killing off developers left and right, and causing developers to take very few risks; which is a shame.
I have enjoyed many games with generation. The highlights of this generation for me have been Bayonetta, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Mario Galaxy, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, the World Ends With You, SoulCalibur IV, WarioWare Smooth Moves, King of Fighters XII, Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm, Valkyria Chronicles, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, and Uncharted 2. But, the true standouts of this generation are the games that I play and realize that I am truly playing a "next generation" game, these games are:
-Bayonetta: gameplay, gameplay, gameplay, that is what Bayonetta delivers in spades above every other action game in existance. Bayonetta's gameplay depth showed me what was possible with a lot of creativity, superb design, and great execution. It helped that the game was gorgeous as well, but the gameplay was the first great step forward that the 3D action genre needed this generation.
-Super Mario Galaxy: Galaxy was truly a game from Nintendo, because there was so much gameplay diversity in Galaxy that it felt like a completely fresh experience. The gameplay design of Galaxy is simply genius, and really felt like a step forward in game design after the stellar Super Mario 64.
-Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm: I am no fan of the Naruto manga series, but this game is something to be admired by every game developer on the planet due to CyberConnect2's incredible graphics and animation. This game brought cel-shading to the next level, and is not only well detailed, but is almost unbelievable in motion; rivaling that of animation. The animation in this game is beyond anything any other game has accomplished. Omitting the factor of art direction, NUNS is the best looking game out right now; and I think the only game to surpass it will be it's sequel.
-The World Ends With You: an incredible gaming experience that completely takes advantage of it's hardware. Every facet of the DS hardware was used in TWEWY to great effect, from the incredible graphics, fantastic soundtrack, and superbly executed gameplay. TWEWY is a shinging example of how to use the freedom given to you as a game developer and let your creativity flourish.
My disappointment has been explained in my other blogs, so I will stop here with the complaints.
I am very critical when it comes to choosing which games to play, especially in this current generation. I believe there is so much more than can be accomplished with modern consoles, but very few are taking advantage. However, the future is looking rather bright with Metroid: Other M and Zelda Wii coming from Nintendo, Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 from CyberConnect2, Final Fantasy XIII and Versus XIII from Square-Enix, Vanquish from PlatinumGames, and several mystery titles that could be legends in the making, such as MistWalker's 'The Last Story', Monolith's 'Xenoblade', and Vanillaware's next game.
Appreciation of the Past - Metroid series
[Written before the release of MOM]
If I had to describe the Metroid series in one word it would be quality. Very few videogame series get so much quality out of a single game that way the Metroid games do. When people say quality these days, they usually think of high production values like top-class voice acting, high quality cutscenes and motion capturing, and photo-realistic graphics. Well, that is not quality. That is just showing how deep a publisher's pockets are. True quality is when all facets of game development come together to form a game that is not different pieces meshed together, but graphics, music, gameplay, sound design, level design, art design, and execution that all form to make one identity all it's own. That is the quality that is Metroid. When play a Metroid game, you know you are playing a Metroid game. Whether it is ambient music that seems to meld into the background, the incredible art design, or the haunting isolation that follows Samus wherever she goes; it is all distinctly Metroid.
Metroid owes it's existance to the brilliant minds at Nintendo Research and Development 1. The two main minds behind the creation were the late Gunpei Yokoi (R.I.P.) and Yoshio Sakamoto, who continues to direct the Metroid games developed by R&D1.
So, what has the Metroid series accomplished throughout it's history? Well, Metroid created the aspect of an "open world environment" before anyone else, and utilized the concept to great effect. The player is thrown into the Metroid world without any hint of where to go; this has always been a staple of the franchise until Fusion. This immersed the player into the isolation of being alone on an alien planet. This gave Metroid it very own "flavor", even seperate from other Nintendo gems, such as The Legend of Zelda. Super Metroid's isolated atmosphere also helped build the foundation of survival-horror games; one could even say that the Metroid games are sort-of part of the survival-horror genre. Then there was Metroid Prime, which developed the sub-genre of first-person adventure games. While it's true that it was a shooter, Prime had many adventure aspects to it that gave it a truly seperate identity among other FPS. And, of course, the level of quality that Metroid games provide in both the 2D and 3D realm is truly excellent, and sets the bar for other adventures in both the 2D and 3D realm.
Gameplay has always been excellent in the Metroid games, both the main series and the Prime series. With the constant gaining of power-ups and enhancements, Metroid games always provided a sense of progression. But, it wasn't just the platforming and shooting that made Metroid games fantastic. Superb level design made traversing the areas of planets feel very engaging and never boring. Furthermore, combat was never so simple as simply shooting the alien creatures; strategy and thought had to be put into encounters, because enemies usually always had strengths to kill you, but weaknesses to exploit. This made combat in Metroid's very satisfying. The variety of enemies and bosses are incredible throughout the series, as everything is exploited to provide each boss with a unique touch; for example, Quadraxis' enormous size, Ridley's severe agression, the platforming element to the Kraid battles, or the distortion of gravity when fighting Nightmare.
You can't talk about Metroid without talking about the music. The original and Return of Samus had great themes, but sound director, Kenji Yamamoto, went all out on Super Metroid, providing a soundtrack that was both atmospheric and beautiful. His work would continue to impress throughout his work on the series. What is so truly excellent about the music in the Metroid series is how atmospheric it is. The theme of Norfair sounds like the erupting of lava, the gentle melody of the Phendrana Drifts sounds like the gentle falling of snow, and the eerie Sector 1 theme provides the feeling of isolation and fear. The music blends so well into the levels themselves that one tends to forget music is even playing, as it all just feels so natural.
Then, of course, we have the heroine of the series: Samus Aran. Up until Metroid: Other M, Samus has never spoken a word, yet we know Samus so well. Samus has shown us her strength, skill, maternal instincts, vengeance, and sadness to us; all without speaking a word. Nintendo must be praised for their ability to tell such a story without any dialouge. Well, it's less of a story, and more of a biography of Samus Aran that we are watching play out before us. Samus is alone in all of her adventures, thus making the experience that much more personal for the heroine. Something else I like about Samus is how despite being encased in armor, she still displays her femininity very well. It makes me very excited to know that Sakamoto plans to go even further into Samus' character with MOM.
The debate over which Metroid is the best is a debate that has raged on for well over a decade, and continues to this day. Super Metroid is a true legend of gaming, as it took the Metroid formula and executed it superbly; just looking at the title screen, and the player knew that they were in for a great experience. Metroid Fusion took the Super formula and enhanced it with more intelligent enemies, more diverse boss encounters, and added more of a narrative; a truly great successor. Metroid Prime took the Metroid series into 3D in the form of a FPS; and the result was nothing short of phenomenol. Prime took every aspect of Super and put it into the 3D realm; furthermore, Prime took every advantage of the 3D plane and used it in it's combat, platforming, and presentation. None of the games were slouches when it came to quality either.
Personally, I cannot choose a favorite out of the whole series, but splitting the series into the 3D and 2D realms, I'd have to go with the original Prime being the best 3D, and Fusion being the best 2D game. Yes, I said Fusion. It only beats Super by a hair, mainly due to Fusion's stellar boss battles. Combat has never been as satisfying in a Metroid than in Fusion, and that's including the Prime games.
Metroid games have influenced me in a large way throughout my life playing videogames. The main influence Metroid has on me would be the Metroid game's execution of it's presentation. When a game creates an atmospheric world, I always compare it to Metroid's worlds. I have never experienced such superbly executed worlds as I have with the Metroid games, because the Metroid developers understand that it isn't all in graphics and how detailed it is. It's about level design, art design, and how it is executed through the graphics and music, and how the player interacts with the world through gameplay. It is a complex process, and that is why so many games cast aside the complex process and just make the environments "pretty" and say that it was good. However, Nintendo always grasps the challenge and conquers it. Also, the Metroid Prime games changed the way I though about first-person shooters. In my opinon, the Prime games are the best executed FPS games to date. The way the first-person view is executed is incredible, from steam foggin up Samus' visor, or the relfection of Samus' eyes in the visor; it truly felt like the player was Samus. The controls were also very refined and worked perfectly without any clumsiness. Prime is truly a grand achievement in gaming, just as much as Super Metroid was. And, of course, the Metroid quality is some of the best you'll find in gaming, rivaled only by Team ICO's games.
So what can the modern market learn from the Metroid series? Modern videogames have come to gain too much of their identity from their production values. Relying on detailed graphics, extravagant cutscenes, and Hollywood caliber voice work and directing. While such merits aren't a bad thing, they are used far too often to mask a game's lack of identity in a market saturated by the same types of games. Games need to develop themselves to stand out among the crowd like games in the past did. Metroid did this by utilizing it's art direction and atmospheric design. Every aspect of a videogame should work towards the common goal of giving a game a sense of personality; everything from graphics, music, art design, and level design, and executing the gameplay so that the player becomes enthralled in the identity that all those different factors create. That is what every Metroid game does, and what modern games could learn from Nintendo and their legendary series.
If I had to describe the Metroid series in one word it would be quality. Very few videogame series get so much quality out of a single game that way the Metroid games do. When people say quality these days, they usually think of high production values like top-class voice acting, high quality cutscenes and motion capturing, and photo-realistic graphics. Well, that is not quality. That is just showing how deep a publisher's pockets are. True quality is when all facets of game development come together to form a game that is not different pieces meshed together, but graphics, music, gameplay, sound design, level design, art design, and execution that all form to make one identity all it's own. That is the quality that is Metroid. When play a Metroid game, you know you are playing a Metroid game. Whether it is ambient music that seems to meld into the background, the incredible art design, or the haunting isolation that follows Samus wherever she goes; it is all distinctly Metroid.
Metroid owes it's existance to the brilliant minds at Nintendo Research and Development 1. The two main minds behind the creation were the late Gunpei Yokoi (R.I.P.) and Yoshio Sakamoto, who continues to direct the Metroid games developed by R&D1.
So, what has the Metroid series accomplished throughout it's history? Well, Metroid created the aspect of an "open world environment" before anyone else, and utilized the concept to great effect. The player is thrown into the Metroid world without any hint of where to go; this has always been a staple of the franchise until Fusion. This immersed the player into the isolation of being alone on an alien planet. This gave Metroid it very own "flavor", even seperate from other Nintendo gems, such as The Legend of Zelda. Super Metroid's isolated atmosphere also helped build the foundation of survival-horror games; one could even say that the Metroid games are sort-of part of the survival-horror genre. Then there was Metroid Prime, which developed the sub-genre of first-person adventure games. While it's true that it was a shooter, Prime had many adventure aspects to it that gave it a truly seperate identity among other FPS. And, of course, the level of quality that Metroid games provide in both the 2D and 3D realm is truly excellent, and sets the bar for other adventures in both the 2D and 3D realm.
Gameplay has always been excellent in the Metroid games, both the main series and the Prime series. With the constant gaining of power-ups and enhancements, Metroid games always provided a sense of progression. But, it wasn't just the platforming and shooting that made Metroid games fantastic. Superb level design made traversing the areas of planets feel very engaging and never boring. Furthermore, combat was never so simple as simply shooting the alien creatures; strategy and thought had to be put into encounters, because enemies usually always had strengths to kill you, but weaknesses to exploit. This made combat in Metroid's very satisfying. The variety of enemies and bosses are incredible throughout the series, as everything is exploited to provide each boss with a unique touch; for example, Quadraxis' enormous size, Ridley's severe agression, the platforming element to the Kraid battles, or the distortion of gravity when fighting Nightmare.
You can't talk about Metroid without talking about the music. The original and Return of Samus had great themes, but sound director, Kenji Yamamoto, went all out on Super Metroid, providing a soundtrack that was both atmospheric and beautiful. His work would continue to impress throughout his work on the series. What is so truly excellent about the music in the Metroid series is how atmospheric it is. The theme of Norfair sounds like the erupting of lava, the gentle melody of the Phendrana Drifts sounds like the gentle falling of snow, and the eerie Sector 1 theme provides the feeling of isolation and fear. The music blends so well into the levels themselves that one tends to forget music is even playing, as it all just feels so natural.
Then, of course, we have the heroine of the series: Samus Aran. Up until Metroid: Other M, Samus has never spoken a word, yet we know Samus so well. Samus has shown us her strength, skill, maternal instincts, vengeance, and sadness to us; all without speaking a word. Nintendo must be praised for their ability to tell such a story without any dialouge. Well, it's less of a story, and more of a biography of Samus Aran that we are watching play out before us. Samus is alone in all of her adventures, thus making the experience that much more personal for the heroine. Something else I like about Samus is how despite being encased in armor, she still displays her femininity very well. It makes me very excited to know that Sakamoto plans to go even further into Samus' character with MOM.
The debate over which Metroid is the best is a debate that has raged on for well over a decade, and continues to this day. Super Metroid is a true legend of gaming, as it took the Metroid formula and executed it superbly; just looking at the title screen, and the player knew that they were in for a great experience. Metroid Fusion took the Super formula and enhanced it with more intelligent enemies, more diverse boss encounters, and added more of a narrative; a truly great successor. Metroid Prime took the Metroid series into 3D in the form of a FPS; and the result was nothing short of phenomenol. Prime took every aspect of Super and put it into the 3D realm; furthermore, Prime took every advantage of the 3D plane and used it in it's combat, platforming, and presentation. None of the games were slouches when it came to quality either.
Personally, I cannot choose a favorite out of the whole series, but splitting the series into the 3D and 2D realms, I'd have to go with the original Prime being the best 3D, and Fusion being the best 2D game. Yes, I said Fusion. It only beats Super by a hair, mainly due to Fusion's stellar boss battles. Combat has never been as satisfying in a Metroid than in Fusion, and that's including the Prime games.
Metroid games have influenced me in a large way throughout my life playing videogames. The main influence Metroid has on me would be the Metroid game's execution of it's presentation. When a game creates an atmospheric world, I always compare it to Metroid's worlds. I have never experienced such superbly executed worlds as I have with the Metroid games, because the Metroid developers understand that it isn't all in graphics and how detailed it is. It's about level design, art design, and how it is executed through the graphics and music, and how the player interacts with the world through gameplay. It is a complex process, and that is why so many games cast aside the complex process and just make the environments "pretty" and say that it was good. However, Nintendo always grasps the challenge and conquers it. Also, the Metroid Prime games changed the way I though about first-person shooters. In my opinon, the Prime games are the best executed FPS games to date. The way the first-person view is executed is incredible, from steam foggin up Samus' visor, or the relfection of Samus' eyes in the visor; it truly felt like the player was Samus. The controls were also very refined and worked perfectly without any clumsiness. Prime is truly a grand achievement in gaming, just as much as Super Metroid was. And, of course, the Metroid quality is some of the best you'll find in gaming, rivaled only by Team ICO's games.
So what can the modern market learn from the Metroid series? Modern videogames have come to gain too much of their identity from their production values. Relying on detailed graphics, extravagant cutscenes, and Hollywood caliber voice work and directing. While such merits aren't a bad thing, they are used far too often to mask a game's lack of identity in a market saturated by the same types of games. Games need to develop themselves to stand out among the crowd like games in the past did. Metroid did this by utilizing it's art direction and atmospheric design. Every aspect of a videogame should work towards the common goal of giving a game a sense of personality; everything from graphics, music, art design, and level design, and executing the gameplay so that the player becomes enthralled in the identity that all those different factors create. That is what every Metroid game does, and what modern games could learn from Nintendo and their legendary series.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)