There has been a lot of fuss lately over the consideration of video games as a form of art. Of course video games often incorporate visual art, which is later manipulated by code, but I'm talking about social art. I tend to think of social art as the implicit conveyance of a message through catering to what entertains the human brain.
In the beginning of the video game era, it would be hard to argue that there was any message hidden within the incredibly simple mechanics. Take centipede for example (For those of you who don't know: http://www.atari.com/arcade/arcade/centipede); centipede is essentially a game about killing a centipede before it reaches your small snake-headed ship and destroys you. Now, of course that does imply that you are fighting for your survival, but it is mindless in every way possible. I'm sure someone somewhere has drawn some parallel from this to the extinction of the human race, and the most motivated of hippies can probably find some kind of animal cruelty here, but the plain and simple truth is that it means nothing. Centipede is just a game meant to entertain, it has about as much depth as any movie that Randy Couture has starred in. Although games have come a long way, many still follow Centipede's methodology: there is no time to explain why or how you are battling this creature, just do it, and enjoy doing it. The problem, and the root of all real controversy, are the games that do not follow this pattern.
There is so much controversy surrounding the fact that younger kids who have played violent video games are predisposed to violence themselves. I do not entirely disagree with this. Most of the most successful games are mindless, "Centipede style", where the consequences for your actions are negligible. The true gems are the ones that make you think. There are video games that make you treasure life so thoroughly you carry the message with you throughout the rest of your existence. It is harder for me to talk about this than to just show you. I will list a few examples of very powerful games that everyone needs to play. Let me restate that EVERYONE NEEDS TO PLAY THESE GAMES, I don't care if you approach them with skepticism, I don't care if you have a heart of stone, these will move you. The power of living the life of someone beset by a real human emotion will always outweigh the still portrait, it will always outweigh the well written essay, it is the most powerful form of simulated experience on this planet.
As for my list:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Hearts
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Hearts_II
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_X
If you have the patience to play through the whole Metal Gear series it will blow your mind.
These are priority recommendations, the list of greats is truly innumerable.
I would like to make the claim that video games are one of the most powerful forms of art possible. Looking at a painting can speak to the heart for sure, but dynamically living the lifestyle of the portrayed..that is a true gift, and something only technology could deliver. Just a few examples, and some of my favorite video games with meaning:
http://www.molleindustria.org/everydaythesamedream/everydaythesamedream.html
http://www.kongregate.com/games/2DArray/the-company-of-myself
Just play these things. I cannot speak more highly of any form of entertainment. Everydaythesamedream is a more philosophical game, and it is a social critique, whereas the company of myself is just heartbreaking and fantastic. If you are not moved by these games, it can only be that you have shut out the possibility of a video game invoking an emotional response, or you disagree with the message. This is a characteristic of all modern art, the ability to be interpreted.
Next to a human being, your best bet for true emotional connection is a video game. Skeptics will always exist, but I challenge anyone to play through my list of recommendations and still contest this blog.
I like the idea of video games being a form of social critique because you are able to be inside the art by playing the game. You can't do this with other forms of art.
ReplyDeleteThis is interesting. I wonder it more centipede-esque games have ever been over-interpreted as forms of art. I also wonder if people who interpret these games too deeply get the same effect you do from your list.
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