This column contains full story spoilers for Brothers, so if you haven’t had a chance to play it yet, don’t read on. Also, go play it. You’ll thank me later.
Last time, I discussed fundamental game mechanics that help certain games stand out when they might not otherwise. Gunpoint was the prime example, with its excellent jumping mechanic laying the groundwork for the rest of the game’s brilliant design. Sometimes, however, this singular mechanic can not only help a game stand out, but make its story more impactful as a result.
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When you think of traditional platformers, you most likely think of games designed with tight controls and level design created specifically to test your abilities. The game might have a distinct style or pleasant visuals, but those are far from the elements that are focused on the most. Puppeteer, the new game from Sony’s Japan Studio, wants to change that. Focusing less on spectacular gameplay and more on presenting a world full color and imagination, Puppeteer tends to value style over its gameplay hooks, for better or worse.
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In From Pixels to Polygons, we examine classic game franchises that have survived the long transition from the 8- or 16-bit era to the current console generation.
Few games inspire an entire genre the same way Nintendo’s classic Metroid series did. Quite a few games these days are described as Metroidvanias, a weird amalgamation of two once entirely different series (which is now considered the best way to describe an entire subgenre), but Metroid is where it all began. The series has changed drastically over the years, but at its core has remained fundamentally the same, for better or worse. Here’s a look at the history of everyone’s favorite bounty hunter, Samus Aran, and her many intergalactic adventures.
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Games are a compilation of many different elements carefully pieced together to make a whole, cohesive experience. At least, that’s how it usually goes. Often times some parts will be stronger than others, which is when it becomes clear on which mechanics or design ideas the developer focused the most. Maybe the story fell by the wayside as a result, or the visuals leave something to be desired, but the gameplay itself is fun. Other times you’ll be left with a game with different pieces that work well on their own, but don’t gel together quite as well as one would hope.
There are those rare occasions, however, when one element both shines above the rest and manages to make the rest of the game seem that much more exciting and well-designed as a result. The other parts are serviceable, but they wouldn’t work without that singular piece of the puzzle that keeps it all from falling apart (or at least losing its luster). READ MORE
I moved recently, which gave me the opportunity to look through my old valuables. I say valuables, but these things are more like “junk that told a story:” an old action figure my uncle gave me, a cheap ring that represents an old relationship or even a scrap of a paper I thought I threw away laying out my plans for a weekend gathering with friends. If you live in a place for long enough, that place will begin to gather more than dust; it will gather memories. The first game from the Fullbright Company, Gone Home, gives you the opportunity to examine the lives of a family by simply letting you explore their home. As a result, it spins a meaningful yarn that pushes the art of storytelling in games forward. READ MORE
