Perhaps one of humanity’s most endearing qualities is the unique
capability to express ourselves through a cleverly crafted narrative. A
well forged story is quite possibly the epitome of art: they take us
places we could never go , Thrust us into emotional states we would
never seek, and manage to endow us with seemingly esoteric knowledge we
may never have fathomed. Irregardless of how new the medium is,
storytelling manages to infiltrate every venue that serves as a host to
human expressionism, and the gaming industry is no different.
Storytelling in video games is not a new concept, but given the
relative youth of gaming the progression of narratives is impressive.
One may even be so bold as to compare it to human growth. Human
adolescence tends to concentrate most of it’s efforts towards
competition -through sports, grades, looks, popularity- as we age we
begin to look for a deeper understanding of ourselves and our place in
the universe the same could be said about the medium of gaming. Our
parents knew it as, well, a game; However, in less than a generation it
has grown from a way to earn the highest score to a way to convey a less
tangible, yet more profound, message. Simply put, we’ve transitioned
from being ” players” to being witnesses as well as becoming students.
In the interest of perspective consider how generation x felt
after playing “Asteroids” for a day; Now compare that experience to a
more recent game, say… ”Mass Effect”( bar the ending or extended cut
DLC) while “Asteroids” gave me a competitive outlet, “Mass Effect” made
me contemplate the value of diversity and even question the definition
of life itself. While technology has made games more enjoyable to play
and more aesthetically pleasing; the true testament of advancement lies
withing their ability to make us think as well as feel which is a trait
truly indicative of art.
Personally, I’ve enjoyed this growth and look forward to watching
it progress throughout the next few years. Given enough time we may
look upon games in the same manner we view a Shakespearean tragedy or a
visual masterpiece. But with the addition of red eyes and sore thumbs.
- Ron
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