Just as this article may cause you to create or modify your existing opinions on this matter, games may point out aspects of society which make you feel differently, or notice how clear some social undertones are from a different perspective. What I’m trying to say is that when you analyse a book or film, usually you discover that there are hidden messages which are running themes throughout the story. One example of this would be the recent film release, The Great Gatsby.
While it received fairly average reviews, I thought that the constant tension caused by the deception between the love triangle of Jay Gatsby, Daisy and Tom was the main reason why I didn’t fall asleep halfway through the film. The love triangle and the spectacularly colourful 1920s setting, of course. If you were to ask a film critique whether they thought this film was a piece of art, just like any other romantic drama, they would unarguably say ‘yes’. But what about a game?
Some games cause the player to experience an emotional rollercoaster which is just as immersive as any 2013 blockbuster, if not more. Take developer Naughty Dog’s latest offering, the critically acclaimed The Last of Us. Then compare it to any half-decent film or piece of visual media. The story in this game is absolutely stellar, and the way it is presented is far better than any recent narrative. The main character that you play as, Joel initially appears to be your stereotypical grizzled protagonist who wouldn’t show any emotion even if his life depended on it. To the player, he is a blank slate which they can project themselves on to. Suddenly, you’re burdened with a girl to take across the ravaged remains of the United States, and because you don’t know this person, Joel and the player feel exactly the same.
Throughout the story, you get to watch as the relationship between Joel and Ellie goes from two people being forced together into an almost father-daughter connection. As the story develops, your emotions almost mimic the on-screen actions perfectly. Did feel as much emotion in Man of Steel as I did in The Last of Us? Certainly not, because in the superhero action film, the only time you feel anything is during the destructive battles, and even then, it’s a case of, ‘wow, I bet it cost a lot for all the CGI stuff’.
While the narrative of The Last of Us nearly caused me to cry, the setting which the story is based in is equally amazing. The colours go from vibrant and eye-catching in the outside areas, to murky and rotten on the ruined indoor areas. Have a look at some of the concept drawings for this game, and I would definitely argue that video games such as this are essentially art.
Video games are also a new opportunity for artists. Whereas with music, the composer is limited to audio messages, and painters are limited to eye-catching visuals, games allow for pretty much all aspects of art. It is entirely possible for a game to have a stunning visual background, like Crysis 3 for example, while having an immersive story and an addictive and catchy soundtrack behind it all, like Hotline Miami. Games like the recently released Bioshock Infinite also allow for social undertones to eventually become evident to the player, making them realise the flaws of their own society, despite the game being set in an alternate 1912 universe.
Also, surely gaming would worthwhile art form in comparison to film, simply for the hopeful future it has. While the film and gaming industry are equally costly, films tend to stick to pre-defined and proven genres, as film producers would much rather make a film which they know will be a worthwhile investment. Because of this, the film market tends to be oversaturated with action films overflowing with explosions. In comparison, games tend to innovate. More innovation results in the production of better games.
Granted, there has been an outpour of ‘first person shooters’ over recent years, so it is arguable that the game industry suffers from some of the same issues. On top of this, critics are probably wary of considering games as art due to the old stereotypes attached to it. The idea of college nerds gazing into a computer screen for hours on end is probably a daunting idea for sophisticated reviewers to accept. Similarly, it may be hard for them to see acne-riddled programmers as artists.
However, gaming has matured extensively over its roughly 30-year lifespan. And just with any new idea, anyone with an ounce of maturity will be able to understand that society is wary of things which are new to it. Hopefully one day, people will take gaming seriously as a dedicated form of art. In my opinion, it isn’t a case of why society should do so, rather a case of why not? Surely it's time for games to be taken seriously...
