Since the very first video game around 50 years ago there has always been controversy over whether or not games are just a violence-inducing waste of effort, eating up vital time that could be put to reading books or enjoying other “real art”. This has been argued by Roger Ebert (a popular American film critic), who claimed in a heavily opposed article that games could never be art (he later apologised for making such a rash generalisation). On the other hand, Guillermo Del Toro, one of the most acclaimed directors of the past decade, has strongly argued in favour of video games. He says: “it’s a medium that gains no respect among the intelligentsia. They say, ‘Oh, video games….’ And most people that complain about video games have never even played them.”
In my opinion, games are no different from films or books, and a lot of the time can create a mire immersive experience than either. It’s simply another evolution in storytelling. We began by telling stories through word of mouth, then we used books, then films came around and now we have games. Games can blend the expression of music, the aesthetics of film and the interaction of the gamer. Games cannot be ignored as a new artistic medium. They may not be fully developed yet; however, one must bear in mind that it was years before film was recognised as a formidable cultural force, with masterworks comparable to art of any other medium. I think the proof of my argument can be shown by the sheer number of people playing games at the moment, and the numbers should only grow from here. Games are offering an opportunity for developers to express themselves in a way that no other art form can and it is time for enthusiasts of other artistic mediums to recTognize this. I am not saying that you should never read books or watch films again, only to accept that games are here to stay and are not just another means to. Squander time.
I recommend Bioshock 1 or 2, Flower and Shadow of the Colossus to those who are more interested in playing a game that is slightly more high-brow than your average Call of Duty or Gears of War.
In my opinion, games are no different from films or books, and a lot of the time can create a mire immersive experience than either. It’s simply another evolution in storytelling. We began by telling stories through word of mouth, then we used books, then films came around and now we have games. Games can blend the expression of music, the aesthetics of film and the interaction of the gamer. Games cannot be ignored as a new artistic medium. They may not be fully developed yet; however, one must bear in mind that it was years before film was recognised as a formidable cultural force, with masterworks comparable to art of any other medium. I think the proof of my argument can be shown by the sheer number of people playing games at the moment, and the numbers should only grow from here. Games are offering an opportunity for developers to express themselves in a way that no other art form can and it is time for enthusiasts of other artistic mediums to recTognize this. I am not saying that you should never read books or watch films again, only to accept that games are here to stay and are not just another means to. Squander time.
I recommend Bioshock 1 or 2, Flower and Shadow of the Colossus to those who are more interested in playing a game that is slightly more high-brow than your average Call of Duty or Gears of War.
