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As many people have stated recently, “originality is dead”.
I however believe that originality is not completely dead, but merely changed its name to “innovation”.
For me, an original game is one that either creates a whole new genre or has a specific niche in the market (i.e a one off game like “International Curling 2002”).
Innovation however, is taking an already established gaming concept such as platformer or shoot em up, and adding fresh new touches that might add to the gaming experience. More so are the technical innovations that are coming along with the invention of every new next-gen console. Mostly now, new genres aren’t being born; existing genres are evolving.
Take Rez for example, great game, but not entirely original. Although it does have a pretty unique visual style akin to wire frame games of yesteryear, the concept or story is similar to Tron. The basic gameplay mechanics are very similar to Lylat Wars on the N64. You control the cursor and must aim that cursor onto the enemies and shoot. The use of music in Rez is the innovative thing; we had already seen Endorfun, the puzzle game that had trance like music and supposedly sent the player subliminal messages, but Rez immerses the player to an even greater extent, as his or her actions have a greater effect on the music. Although the idea of “context sensitive” music had been seen years before in Mario Kart on the SNES, which had more tense music on the last lap increasing the stress on the player, it was a very fresh gaming experience none the less, and certainly an innovation on the usual shoot em up game.
The use of “Bullet-time” in Max Payne was not wholly original as it had been seen in almost every other Hong Kong action flick, but the use of it in a game was an innovation on the regular unoriginal shoot em up genre. The idea had already been in Perfect Dark, but it turned what would have been a bog standard game into quite an innovative title as Max was diving around like a John Woo hero.
Burnout was a very fresh game in the bursting racing game genre. The use of great context sensitive music (like Mario Kart) on the last lap to increase the pressure was great plus there was the energy boost, gained through dangerous and risky driving. The use of an energy boost is not original I know, but the fact that the player was actually rewarded for taking risks was a nice and innovative idea.
The new TOCA game contains the innovative idea of adding characters and a story to a racing game. There had already been characters in Ridge Racer 4, but not to the extent of this new game, with a potentially good career mode and hopefully some emotion, it could be a nice innovation.
MSR had its original “Kudos” system to reward players with good driving (the opposite to Burnout!) and an innovation on the usual racing game format.
With its epic gameplay, the Gran Turismo simulation mode hadn’t been seen in a racer before or since, and gave gamers a completely new perspective on racing games by innovating.
Shenmue contained probably the most clichéd story ever, about avenging a dead father, but Sega innovated the old rpg and adventure game genre to turn it into an amazingly realised and epic adventure. The often mundane realism has yet to be surpassed in a game of this type.
Medal of Honor Allied Assault is not that original, a WWII Half-Life clone with all the usual weapons. However, the developers created such great AI routines for the CPU controlled soldiers, experiences like the fantastic Omaha Beach level and gameplay involving you being disguised as the enemy in enemy held territory. The player felt that they were playing a really fresh game (unlike the pretty stale format of Wolfenstein).
Super Monkey Ball takes the simple maze game like seen in Marble Madness, includes truckloads of diverse mini-games and the idea of monkeys in “Gladiator style atlaspheres” and it is turned into a innovative game.
In Operation Flashpoint, at one stage you are in the middle of a forest in the pitch-black without your trusty night-vision goggles. Only knowledge of the star formations in the sky will guide you to your goal (your in-game note book helps), a clever and unique gameplay feature.
So although the above games may not be completely original, they do contain innovative ideas or features that make them stand out from the usual average dross.
There are some games that I believe are original:
Grand Theft Auto 3 is defiantly original. The use of gangster style underworld characters was not new, but the hugely detailed and populated cities, crammed full of things to see hadn’t really been seen to that extent. The use of the radio to provide the soundtrack was not a new idea as it featured in previous GTA games and MSR, but the developers innovated it, adding hilarious chat stations, 80’s style stations and even classical music.
The Sims was amazingly original. SimCity gave us the chance to help thousands of sims, but to control the destiny of a single family was great.
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time & Majora’s Mask both contained loads of new ideas and puzzles, most notably involving time travelling and mask switching gameplay.
So whilst we are not seeing as many completely original games these days, I do think that developers are innovating on those genres, adding slight improvements to existing styles of games such as MSR's "Kudos" system. Hopefully they can continue to serve up innovative gaming treats to us hungry gamers.
Will we ever see many more truly original titles, or is only going to be just slight innovation from now on?
I however believe that originality is not completely dead, but merely changed its name to “innovation”.
For me, an original game is one that either creates a whole new genre or has a specific niche in the market (i.e a one off game like “International Curling 2002”).
Innovation however, is taking an already established gaming concept such as platformer or shoot em up, and adding fresh new touches that might add to the gaming experience. More so are the technical innovations that are coming along with the invention of every new next-gen console. Mostly now, new genres aren’t being born; existing genres are evolving.
Take Rez for example, great game, but not entirely original. Although it does have a pretty unique visual style akin to wire frame games of yesteryear, the concept or story is similar to Tron. The basic gameplay mechanics are very similar to Lylat Wars on the N64. You control the cursor and must aim that cursor onto the enemies and shoot. The use of music in Rez is the innovative thing; we had already seen Endorfun, the puzzle game that had trance like music and supposedly sent the player subliminal messages, but Rez immerses the player to an even greater extent, as his or her actions have a greater effect on the music. Although the idea of “context sensitive” music had been seen years before in Mario Kart on the SNES, which had more tense music on the last lap increasing the stress on the player, it was a very fresh gaming experience none the less, and certainly an innovation on the usual shoot em up game.
The use of “Bullet-time” in Max Payne was not wholly original as it had been seen in almost every other Hong Kong action flick, but the use of it in a game was an innovation on the regular unoriginal shoot em up genre. The idea had already been in Perfect Dark, but it turned what would have been a bog standard game into quite an innovative title as Max was diving around like a John Woo hero.
Burnout was a very fresh game in the bursting racing game genre. The use of great context sensitive music (like Mario Kart) on the last lap to increase the pressure was great plus there was the energy boost, gained through dangerous and risky driving. The use of an energy boost is not original I know, but the fact that the player was actually rewarded for taking risks was a nice and innovative idea.
The new TOCA game contains the innovative idea of adding characters and a story to a racing game. There had already been characters in Ridge Racer 4, but not to the extent of this new game, with a potentially good career mode and hopefully some emotion, it could be a nice innovation.
MSR had its original “Kudos” system to reward players with good driving (the opposite to Burnout!) and an innovation on the usual racing game format.
With its epic gameplay, the Gran Turismo simulation mode hadn’t been seen in a racer before or since, and gave gamers a completely new perspective on racing games by innovating.
Shenmue contained probably the most clichéd story ever, about avenging a dead father, but Sega innovated the old rpg and adventure game genre to turn it into an amazingly realised and epic adventure. The often mundane realism has yet to be surpassed in a game of this type.
Medal of Honor Allied Assault is not that original, a WWII Half-Life clone with all the usual weapons. However, the developers created such great AI routines for the CPU controlled soldiers, experiences like the fantastic Omaha Beach level and gameplay involving you being disguised as the enemy in enemy held territory. The player felt that they were playing a really fresh game (unlike the pretty stale format of Wolfenstein).
Super Monkey Ball takes the simple maze game like seen in Marble Madness, includes truckloads of diverse mini-games and the idea of monkeys in “Gladiator style atlaspheres” and it is turned into a innovative game.
In Operation Flashpoint, at one stage you are in the middle of a forest in the pitch-black without your trusty night-vision goggles. Only knowledge of the star formations in the sky will guide you to your goal (your in-game note book helps), a clever and unique gameplay feature.
So although the above games may not be completely original, they do contain innovative ideas or features that make them stand out from the usual average dross.
There are some games that I believe are original:
Grand Theft Auto 3 is defiantly original. The use of gangster style underworld characters was not new, but the hugely detailed and populated cities, crammed full of things to see hadn’t really been seen to that extent. The use of the radio to provide the soundtrack was not a new idea as it featured in previous GTA games and MSR, but the developers innovated it, adding hilarious chat stations, 80’s style stations and even classical music.
The Sims was amazingly original. SimCity gave us the chance to help thousands of sims, but to control the destiny of a single family was great.
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time & Majora’s Mask both contained loads of new ideas and puzzles, most notably involving time travelling and mask switching gameplay.
So whilst we are not seeing as many completely original games these days, I do think that developers are innovating on those genres, adding slight improvements to existing styles of games such as MSR's "Kudos" system. Hopefully they can continue to serve up innovative gaming treats to us hungry gamers.
Will we ever see many more truly original titles, or is only going to be just slight innovation from now on?
I agree with this great post!
All genres of gaming that could possibly be good, except maybe a few others out there somewhere, are being used already, especially 1st Person Shooters and Racers.
Nice post!
All genres of gaming that could possibly be good, except maybe a few others out there somewhere, are being used already, especially 1st Person Shooters and Racers.
Nice post!
Mind you, Ghostbusters did indeed suck on the Speccy (no pun intended - honest!) ;)
Bleeders wrote:
> Hmmm, but wasn't Ghostbusters on the Spectrum the first to the "light and suck" marriage?
possibly!!:)
> Hmmm, but wasn't Ghostbusters on the Spectrum the first to the "light and suck" marriage?
possibly!!:)
Hmmm, but wasn't Ghostbusters on the Spectrum the first to the "light and suck" marriage?
Albeit, on a less visually impressive scale...;)
Albeit, on a less visually impressive scale...;)
Luigi's Mansion is another example. It could have been just an average adventure in a haunted house, but Nintendo merged the brilliant and clever use of light in Luigi's torch with the sucking power of the vacuum cleaner. The perfect marriage of light & suck as never seen before innovates on the usual adventure game.
That was a very intelligent topic. I support pretty much everything you say; I just wish games designers would 'innovate' a bit more frequently.
great post! I agree with you, I think we have reached a stage where there aren't going to be any new genres, because all the successful ones are being used. Instead developers will have to think up ways to advance those genres, like MSR. I think that developers should try and advance a genre rather than copy it
As many people have stated recently, “originality is dead”.
I however believe that originality is not completely dead, but merely changed its name to “innovation”.
For me, an original game is one that either creates a whole new genre or has a specific niche in the market (i.e a one off game like “International Curling 2002”).
Innovation however, is taking an already established gaming concept such as platformer or shoot em up, and adding fresh new touches that might add to the gaming experience. More so are the technical innovations that are coming along with the invention of every new next-gen console. Mostly now, new genres aren’t being born; existing genres are evolving.
Take Rez for example, great game, but not entirely original. Although it does have a pretty unique visual style akin to wire frame games of yesteryear, the concept or story is similar to Tron. The basic gameplay mechanics are very similar to Lylat Wars on the N64. You control the cursor and must aim that cursor onto the enemies and shoot. The use of music in Rez is the innovative thing; we had already seen Endorfun, the puzzle game that had trance like music and supposedly sent the player subliminal messages, but Rez immerses the player to an even greater extent, as his or her actions have a greater effect on the music. Although the idea of “context sensitive” music had been seen years before in Mario Kart on the SNES, which had more tense music on the last lap increasing the stress on the player, it was a very fresh gaming experience none the less, and certainly an innovation on the usual shoot em up game.
The use of “Bullet-time” in Max Payne was not wholly original as it had been seen in almost every other Hong Kong action flick, but the use of it in a game was an innovation on the regular unoriginal shoot em up genre. The idea had already been in Perfect Dark, but it turned what would have been a bog standard game into quite an innovative title as Max was diving around like a John Woo hero.
Burnout was a very fresh game in the bursting racing game genre. The use of great context sensitive music (like Mario Kart) on the last lap to increase the pressure was great plus there was the energy boost, gained through dangerous and risky driving. The use of an energy boost is not original I know, but the fact that the player was actually rewarded for taking risks was a nice and innovative idea.
The new TOCA game contains the innovative idea of adding characters and a story to a racing game. There had already been characters in Ridge Racer 4, but not to the extent of this new game, with a potentially good career mode and hopefully some emotion, it could be a nice innovation.
MSR had its original “Kudos” system to reward players with good driving (the opposite to Burnout!) and an innovation on the usual racing game format.
With its epic gameplay, the Gran Turismo simulation mode hadn’t been seen in a racer before or since, and gave gamers a completely new perspective on racing games by innovating.
Shenmue contained probably the most clichéd story ever, about avenging a dead father, but Sega innovated the old rpg and adventure game genre to turn it into an amazingly realised and epic adventure. The often mundane realism has yet to be surpassed in a game of this type.
Medal of Honor Allied Assault is not that original, a WWII Half-Life clone with all the usual weapons. However, the developers created such great AI routines for the CPU controlled soldiers, experiences like the fantastic Omaha Beach level and gameplay involving you being disguised as the enemy in enemy held territory. The player felt that they were playing a really fresh game (unlike the pretty stale format of Wolfenstein).
Super Monkey Ball takes the simple maze game like seen in Marble Madness, includes truckloads of diverse mini-games and the idea of monkeys in “Gladiator style atlaspheres” and it is turned into a innovative game.
In Operation Flashpoint, at one stage you are in the middle of a forest in the pitch-black without your trusty night-vision goggles. Only knowledge of the star formations in the sky will guide you to your goal (your in-game note book helps), a clever and unique gameplay feature.
So although the above games may not be completely original, they do contain innovative ideas or features that make them stand out from the usual average dross.
There are some games that I believe are original:
Grand Theft Auto 3 is defiantly original. The use of gangster style underworld characters was not new, but the hugely detailed and populated cities, crammed full of things to see hadn’t really been seen to that extent. The use of the radio to provide the soundtrack was not a new idea as it featured in previous GTA games and MSR, but the developers innovated it, adding hilarious chat stations, 80’s style stations and even classical music.
The Sims was amazingly original. SimCity gave us the chance to help thousands of sims, but to control the destiny of a single family was great.
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time & Majora’s Mask both contained loads of new ideas and puzzles, most notably involving time travelling and mask switching gameplay.
So whilst we are not seeing as many completely original games these days, I do think that developers are innovating on those genres, adding slight improvements to existing styles of games such as MSR's "Kudos" system. Hopefully they can continue to serve up innovative gaming treats to us hungry gamers.
Will we ever see many more truly original titles, or is only going to be just slight innovation from now on?
I however believe that originality is not completely dead, but merely changed its name to “innovation”.
For me, an original game is one that either creates a whole new genre or has a specific niche in the market (i.e a one off game like “International Curling 2002”).
Innovation however, is taking an already established gaming concept such as platformer or shoot em up, and adding fresh new touches that might add to the gaming experience. More so are the technical innovations that are coming along with the invention of every new next-gen console. Mostly now, new genres aren’t being born; existing genres are evolving.
Take Rez for example, great game, but not entirely original. Although it does have a pretty unique visual style akin to wire frame games of yesteryear, the concept or story is similar to Tron. The basic gameplay mechanics are very similar to Lylat Wars on the N64. You control the cursor and must aim that cursor onto the enemies and shoot. The use of music in Rez is the innovative thing; we had already seen Endorfun, the puzzle game that had trance like music and supposedly sent the player subliminal messages, but Rez immerses the player to an even greater extent, as his or her actions have a greater effect on the music. Although the idea of “context sensitive” music had been seen years before in Mario Kart on the SNES, which had more tense music on the last lap increasing the stress on the player, it was a very fresh gaming experience none the less, and certainly an innovation on the usual shoot em up game.
The use of “Bullet-time” in Max Payne was not wholly original as it had been seen in almost every other Hong Kong action flick, but the use of it in a game was an innovation on the regular unoriginal shoot em up genre. The idea had already been in Perfect Dark, but it turned what would have been a bog standard game into quite an innovative title as Max was diving around like a John Woo hero.
Burnout was a very fresh game in the bursting racing game genre. The use of great context sensitive music (like Mario Kart) on the last lap to increase the pressure was great plus there was the energy boost, gained through dangerous and risky driving. The use of an energy boost is not original I know, but the fact that the player was actually rewarded for taking risks was a nice and innovative idea.
The new TOCA game contains the innovative idea of adding characters and a story to a racing game. There had already been characters in Ridge Racer 4, but not to the extent of this new game, with a potentially good career mode and hopefully some emotion, it could be a nice innovation.
MSR had its original “Kudos” system to reward players with good driving (the opposite to Burnout!) and an innovation on the usual racing game format.
With its epic gameplay, the Gran Turismo simulation mode hadn’t been seen in a racer before or since, and gave gamers a completely new perspective on racing games by innovating.
Shenmue contained probably the most clichéd story ever, about avenging a dead father, but Sega innovated the old rpg and adventure game genre to turn it into an amazingly realised and epic adventure. The often mundane realism has yet to be surpassed in a game of this type.
Medal of Honor Allied Assault is not that original, a WWII Half-Life clone with all the usual weapons. However, the developers created such great AI routines for the CPU controlled soldiers, experiences like the fantastic Omaha Beach level and gameplay involving you being disguised as the enemy in enemy held territory. The player felt that they were playing a really fresh game (unlike the pretty stale format of Wolfenstein).
Super Monkey Ball takes the simple maze game like seen in Marble Madness, includes truckloads of diverse mini-games and the idea of monkeys in “Gladiator style atlaspheres” and it is turned into a innovative game.
In Operation Flashpoint, at one stage you are in the middle of a forest in the pitch-black without your trusty night-vision goggles. Only knowledge of the star formations in the sky will guide you to your goal (your in-game note book helps), a clever and unique gameplay feature.
So although the above games may not be completely original, they do contain innovative ideas or features that make them stand out from the usual average dross.
There are some games that I believe are original:
Grand Theft Auto 3 is defiantly original. The use of gangster style underworld characters was not new, but the hugely detailed and populated cities, crammed full of things to see hadn’t really been seen to that extent. The use of the radio to provide the soundtrack was not a new idea as it featured in previous GTA games and MSR, but the developers innovated it, adding hilarious chat stations, 80’s style stations and even classical music.
The Sims was amazingly original. SimCity gave us the chance to help thousands of sims, but to control the destiny of a single family was great.
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time & Majora’s Mask both contained loads of new ideas and puzzles, most notably involving time travelling and mask switching gameplay.
So whilst we are not seeing as many completely original games these days, I do think that developers are innovating on those genres, adding slight improvements to existing styles of games such as MSR's "Kudos" system. Hopefully they can continue to serve up innovative gaming treats to us hungry gamers.
Will we ever see many more truly original titles, or is only going to be just slight innovation from now on?