May 03, 8:19 pm
So I’m kind of an artsy-fartsy.
I know. I know it’s not exactly something to brag about, but I’ve long ago given up even pretending I run with the fast and cool set. I love art. I love all kinds of art, and I’m the kind of person that believes anything can be art. Even people. Even video games. Most especially, I love what art can accomplish. It’s a communication of sorts, between the artist and the audience, and the myriad of things any particular piece can say is as varied as you and I.
So I’d like to take a moment to introduce you to some little pieces of art in the gaming world, games that push the envelope of what it really means to experience a new world, a new identity, and to use what you learn there to re-think even your own world and your own identity (One of the most important aspects of art, I believe). Of course, this is only the tip of the iceberg of what is out there in the world of what are commonly referred to as “experimental” games. Often simple to play, but not for the simple-minded, they always offer something deeper, for the curious and for those willing to dig a little more into what any one experience can offer. All of these games, except for one, were finalists in the 2010 Independent Games Festival, the organization that brought to the gaming world’s attention such gems as World of Goo, Castle Crashers, and Braid. The games I’ve chosen to showcase appeal to me because of their special intersections with artistic mediums and functions, and if they catch your fancy, have a look at the other finalists and winners at their website.
I’ll begin with one of my absolute favorites, the playable poetry of Today I Die. This flash game, created by the talented Daniel Benmergui, presents you with what seems like a suicide note. Through manipulating items in the environment and words in the poem, you can change the poem (and the gameworld itself) in surprising and meaningful ways. Described on the IGF site as “A game poem about the prison of worldviews, and salvation in playfulness,” this game rewards curiosity and those willing to explore the possibilities that the poem presents. You can try the game out for yourself here.
Winning in the categories of “Technical Excellence” and “Excellence in Visual Art” is Limbo, by PlayDead, described very simply as “Uncertain of his sister’s destiny, a boy enters LIMBO...” The perfect combination of a technically proficient gameworld and compelling artistic representation, the screenshots depict a dark landscape that is lonely and oppressive, as one would expect in such a place, yet poignant enough to make you want to explore it. Watching the teaser video I was instantly reminded of one of my favorite illustrators, Edward Gorey, who always managed to be dark and macabre and yet humorous and humanly touching.
You can check out the Limbo Video Teaser here. I am especially intrigued at the prospect of solving puzzles and exploring the world in the changing environments and rotating rooms that are depicted.
Finalists at the IGF are notorious for presenting games that offer novel experiences, or challenge the expectations that previous games set up. Closure is a game that challenges our perceptions of what is in dark spaces and how we use the dark. No longer something to avoid, in case the Kryll or ravenous zombies swoop out to devour you, the dark now represents a void to be manipulated. The dark is not just a hidden continuation of things you cannot see, but rather within the darkness, nothing exists at all. What is dark is therefore passable, and figuring out how to manipulate this concept (starting with orbs of light you carry) is how you puzzle your way through each level. Instead of ruining the fun by over-explaining it (like a horrible joke gone wrong), I invite you to give it a try yourself. Part of the enjoyment in this game, much like in Today I Die, is found in the exploration of the world and its mechanics, and the process of learning by failure and retrying becomes an experience in itself. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the sound effects are very well done (the game won “Excellence in Audio").
Finally, you can’t have art without political or social commentary. Italiani Brava Gente, created by the artist Antonio Riello, is actually not so much a game as a social commentary using the medium of games. For Riello, his gameworld is a place where “forbidden...obsessions are hidden,” and the hidden agenda for this particular piece is what Riello sees as growing xenophobia and intolerance in Italy (as reflected in the image of the menu screen below).
Although this last example is not part of the IGF like the others (it’s actually more a piece of art than a game), I include it because it is an insightful and slightly humorous example of the intersection of art and games. It is a video game more strictly as a piece of art.
And you just don’t get much more artsy-fartsy than that.
