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Many games don't get the recognition they deserve, whether it be critically or commercially. I believe such a game is Rez. The way the colour-soaked psychedelic visuals, trancy hardbeat music, sumptuous sound fx and the clever use of vibration combines to make a memorable gaming experience is something truly special and most importantly - original. For me, Rez is like a finger pointing to a new genre. It is the kind of game that allowed me to experience virtual realms which my imagination had not yet imagined.
But this post isn't about Rez, it's about classic and innovative games that don't seem to get the respect and recognition they deserve.
Everytime I look at the videogame sales charts what do I see? FIFA Soccer, Tony Hawks, Resident Evil, Star Wars games, etc, yet all the time I hear gamers crying out for "original titles", but when such games appear on the gaming scene only a small number of people seem to buy them and their sales figures are generally low.
I don't think I'm alone when I say that I've just had enough of standard formula games which do everything well but which don't even attempt to break new ground. Recently I've found myself yearning for games that take a chance with new and daring gameplay and graphical ideas. But where are they? Am I missing something?
The current trend in the gaming industry is for "realism", and this is fine up to a point. But when the obsession with realism moves into the realm of gameplay, I have to draw the line. Graphical realism is one thing, but gameplay realism is something rather silly. Gaming is surely first and foremost about escapicism, and gameplay which limits the player to so-called realistic dimensions is in my opinion most definately a bad thing. Also there seems to be hardly any innovation in the zone of graphical originality; I can only think of Rez and Jet Set Radio that buck this trend amongst recent releases.
I must say that I HAVE played some great games recently, but I also must say that I have NOT played very many games which I could label as "original" or "innovative". I just hope that the many developers out-there have been influenced by games like Rez, and hopefully we will see in the coming months and years more games that "take a chance on originality".
Games which are truly innovative are like rainbows - they only appear every now and then. I think if we care about the future of the industry we owe it to ourselves to take the time to stop and appreciate their wondrous colours and form. Let's make sure that future original games don't remain "rainbows in the dark".
But this post isn't about Rez, it's about classic and innovative games that don't seem to get the respect and recognition they deserve.
Everytime I look at the videogame sales charts what do I see? FIFA Soccer, Tony Hawks, Resident Evil, Star Wars games, etc, yet all the time I hear gamers crying out for "original titles", but when such games appear on the gaming scene only a small number of people seem to buy them and their sales figures are generally low.
I don't think I'm alone when I say that I've just had enough of standard formula games which do everything well but which don't even attempt to break new ground. Recently I've found myself yearning for games that take a chance with new and daring gameplay and graphical ideas. But where are they? Am I missing something?
The current trend in the gaming industry is for "realism", and this is fine up to a point. But when the obsession with realism moves into the realm of gameplay, I have to draw the line. Graphical realism is one thing, but gameplay realism is something rather silly. Gaming is surely first and foremost about escapicism, and gameplay which limits the player to so-called realistic dimensions is in my opinion most definately a bad thing. Also there seems to be hardly any innovation in the zone of graphical originality; I can only think of Rez and Jet Set Radio that buck this trend amongst recent releases.
I must say that I HAVE played some great games recently, but I also must say that I have NOT played very many games which I could label as "original" or "innovative". I just hope that the many developers out-there have been influenced by games like Rez, and hopefully we will see in the coming months and years more games that "take a chance on originality".
Games which are truly innovative are like rainbows - they only appear every now and then. I think if we care about the future of the industry we owe it to ourselves to take the time to stop and appreciate their wondrous colours and form. Let's make sure that future original games don't remain "rainbows in the dark".
Thanks all. Phew, can't believe I won!
Well done with the GAD!
Congrat on the GAD mate. I thought I had a chance but this is a well deserved win.
:)
:)
Silent85 wrote:
> Good post there mate worthy of a GAD but Although while playing the
> demo and banging to the beats I was actually moving to them would be
> great in a nightclub. Dont you feel as if its got potential to be
> something just a little bit more?
*
I do. I would love to see SEGA do a sequel to Rez and introduce adventure elements and a more detailed story, but at the same time keeping the surreal atmosphere of the original.
> Good post there mate worthy of a GAD but Although while playing the
> demo and banging to the beats I was actually moving to them would be
> great in a nightclub. Dont you feel as if its got potential to be
> something just a little bit more?
*
I do. I would love to see SEGA do a sequel to Rez and introduce adventure elements and a more detailed story, but at the same time keeping the surreal atmosphere of the original.
Rez. What a wonderful game. Still playing as much today as I was when it first came out.
Is it a rainbow in the dark? No, just a rainbow.
Is it a rainbow in the dark? No, just a rainbow.
As long as there are people to witness games like this and spend their money, there will be people ready to make them.
I think that Nintendo seem to encourage these types of games to their platforms, somehow. I'm not sure what it is, probably that Nintendo themselves are not afraid to produce new and original material.
Mind you, there are titles on the Playstation and it's big brother which have been innovative, such as Parappa the Rapper, so it isn't all doom and gloom on the other formats either. There is simply a trend at present for more realistic games or those from a genre that seems popular.
It used to be that movie tie-ins were the usual 'easy cash' target for the 8 and 16 bit machines, but this seems to have moved over and been replaced by 1st person games. That's not to say that they are bad, many are very good and Halo was one of the few reasons to get an Xbox at launch.
There has to be a mix of these to make it work.
I think that Nintendo seem to encourage these types of games to their platforms, somehow. I'm not sure what it is, probably that Nintendo themselves are not afraid to produce new and original material.
Mind you, there are titles on the Playstation and it's big brother which have been innovative, such as Parappa the Rapper, so it isn't all doom and gloom on the other formats either. There is simply a trend at present for more realistic games or those from a genre that seems popular.
It used to be that movie tie-ins were the usual 'easy cash' target for the 8 and 16 bit machines, but this seems to have moved over and been replaced by 1st person games. That's not to say that they are bad, many are very good and Halo was one of the few reasons to get an Xbox at launch.
There has to be a mix of these to make it work.
Nice post, but did you have to use such a cheesy metaphor at the end? ; )
But in fairness to tonty hawks, i think that's pretty original, at least the series as a whole is, if not no.s 2 and 3...
But in fairness to tonty hawks, i think that's pretty original, at least the series as a whole is, if not no.s 2 and 3...
Many games don't get the recognition they deserve, whether it be critically or commercially. I believe such a game is Rez. The way the colour-soaked psychedelic visuals, trancy hardbeat music, sumptuous sound fx and the clever use of vibration combines to make a memorable gaming experience is something truly special and most importantly - original. For me, Rez is like a finger pointing to a new genre. It is the kind of game that allowed me to experience virtual realms which my imagination had not yet imagined.
But this post isn't about Rez, it's about classic and innovative games that don't seem to get the respect and recognition they deserve.
Everytime I look at the videogame sales charts what do I see? FIFA Soccer, Tony Hawks, Resident Evil, Star Wars games, etc, yet all the time I hear gamers crying out for "original titles", but when such games appear on the gaming scene only a small number of people seem to buy them and their sales figures are generally low.
I don't think I'm alone when I say that I've just had enough of standard formula games which do everything well but which don't even attempt to break new ground. Recently I've found myself yearning for games that take a chance with new and daring gameplay and graphical ideas. But where are they? Am I missing something?
The current trend in the gaming industry is for "realism", and this is fine up to a point. But when the obsession with realism moves into the realm of gameplay, I have to draw the line. Graphical realism is one thing, but gameplay realism is something rather silly. Gaming is surely first and foremost about escapicism, and gameplay which limits the player to so-called realistic dimensions is in my opinion most definately a bad thing. Also there seems to be hardly any innovation in the zone of graphical originality; I can only think of Rez and Jet Set Radio that buck this trend amongst recent releases.
I must say that I HAVE played some great games recently, but I also must say that I have NOT played very many games which I could label as "original" or "innovative". I just hope that the many developers out-there have been influenced by games like Rez, and hopefully we will see in the coming months and years more games that "take a chance on originality".
Games which are truly innovative are like rainbows - they only appear every now and then. I think if we care about the future of the industry we owe it to ourselves to take the time to stop and appreciate their wondrous colours and form. Let's make sure that future original games don't remain "rainbows in the dark".
But this post isn't about Rez, it's about classic and innovative games that don't seem to get the respect and recognition they deserve.
Everytime I look at the videogame sales charts what do I see? FIFA Soccer, Tony Hawks, Resident Evil, Star Wars games, etc, yet all the time I hear gamers crying out for "original titles", but when such games appear on the gaming scene only a small number of people seem to buy them and their sales figures are generally low.
I don't think I'm alone when I say that I've just had enough of standard formula games which do everything well but which don't even attempt to break new ground. Recently I've found myself yearning for games that take a chance with new and daring gameplay and graphical ideas. But where are they? Am I missing something?
The current trend in the gaming industry is for "realism", and this is fine up to a point. But when the obsession with realism moves into the realm of gameplay, I have to draw the line. Graphical realism is one thing, but gameplay realism is something rather silly. Gaming is surely first and foremost about escapicism, and gameplay which limits the player to so-called realistic dimensions is in my opinion most definately a bad thing. Also there seems to be hardly any innovation in the zone of graphical originality; I can only think of Rez and Jet Set Radio that buck this trend amongst recent releases.
I must say that I HAVE played some great games recently, but I also must say that I have NOT played very many games which I could label as "original" or "innovative". I just hope that the many developers out-there have been influenced by games like Rez, and hopefully we will see in the coming months and years more games that "take a chance on originality".
Games which are truly innovative are like rainbows - they only appear every now and then. I think if we care about the future of the industry we owe it to ourselves to take the time to stop and appreciate their wondrous colours and form. Let's make sure that future original games don't remain "rainbows in the dark".