artsy games

[scrabface]

do you think a game can be art? or are there any games which max the artistic possibilities out? apart from that art is something individual and subjective, how can you transport an innovative idea through a game? and what does it need to make a game art?

I know it's about games, but because it's not about a specific game, I think it doesn't belong to Non-Oddworld Gaming in the first place.

[Disgruntled Intern]

Since story telling has been classified as an art for ages, and video games are relying more and more on just that, then, yes, I think a lot of video games can be called art.

That's not to say they can be called good art, though.

[Wings of Fire]

I don't believe I've ever heard an objective and satisfying description of what it means to be art.

[enchilado]

Neither have I, but I'd say that if some of the shit I've seen labelled as art is allowed to be then yes, video games can.

[scrabface]

Since story telling has been classified as an art for ages, and video games are relying more and more on just that, then, yes, I think a lot of video games can be called art.

That's not to say they can be called good art, though.

but if only those aspects are artistic, are they not only the sum of its parts?

[CrissCross]

i guess video gams can be a type of art

but only just

[Daxter King]

I feel as if games qualify as art. Red Dead Redemption is the best example I can think of.

[Wings of Fire]

Ico Ico Ico Ico Ico Ico Ico Ico

[DarkHoodness]

Don't forget Psychonauts. Or Beyond Good and Evil.

[scrabface]

I don't believe I've ever heard an objective and satisfying description of what it means to be art.

but I guess you experienced something what you call art.

the main difference between a game and a movie is the fact, that there is a user and he's involved in a story. he can, with great limits, change some aspects of the plot etc.

[Wings of Fire]

but I guess you experienced something what you call art.

Yeah, and as video games have always been my visual medium of choice, I would definitely say that they can be art.

[Disgruntled Intern]

I feel as if games qualify as art. Red Dead Redemption is the best example I can think of.

Fucking seriously? That game was horrible.

[Mr. Bungle]

What DI said.

Art is entirely subjective. So, yeah, of course video games can be labeled as art. Not all of it is good, but that's also subjective.

Best examples, to me, include:

Oddworld
most Rareware Nintendo-console games
Psychonauts
Shadow of the Colossus
Limbo (very much so)

and uh... others. Silent Hill.

[Wings of Fire]

Silent Hill 2 for certain.
Prince of Persia Sands of Time
Tsukihime
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Fatal Frame/Project Zero 2.

[Mr. Bungle]

Yeah, Majora's Mask, for sure. Goddammit, I should've mentioned that earlier. Best Zelda game.

[CrissCross]

The only zelda game i've played is phantom hourglass and i guess that could be art

[OANST]

Yeah. Ico. Shadow of the Colossus. Yeah.

[Manco]

Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, Oddworld, and don't forget Okami.

Basically any game can be art, it's just that some are more obviously pushing the boundaries.

Also: video games make use of a great many different artistic elements (graphical style, colour palette, sound and music, character design and interaction, storytelling, UI design, etc.) drawn together into a cohesive whole. If that isn't art, I don't know what is - especially since cinema does the exact same thing, but lacks any actual interactivity.

[Daxter King]

Fucking seriously? That game was horrible.

That game was amazing.

[Disgruntled Intern]

No it wasn't. The voice acting was crap, the main character was boring, the story was cliche and dull, and gameplay mechanics were wonky, plus it was just plain ugly.

Oh, wait. Rockstar made it. Nevermind.

[Daxter King]

If you think that Red Dead Redemption was so poor in all of those areas, then please tell me examples of games you think excel in them.

[Mr. Bungle]

I just thought the environment was pretty dull, and the gameplay wasn't exactly innovative or exciting. It wasn't terrible, but nothing amazing.

[Daxter King]

I thought it was one of the best looking games I've ever played.

[Phylum]

You're forgetting Braid.

[Disgruntled Intern]

If you think that Red Dead Redemption was so poor in all of those areas, then please tell me examples of games you think excel in them.

What, in all of them? Because that pretty much doesn't happen. The point is, Red Dead essentially failed in every category, whereas most games at least have some sort of redeeming quality.

[Daxter King]

I guess you could have an incorrect opinion about the story and characters, while at the same time I can sorta see someone not like the gameplay, but calling the game ugly is just untrue.

[CrissCross]

i havent got red dead redemption but it is pretty good

EDIT:what i mean is i've played it before but i don know much about the storyline

[Mr. Bungle]

Do you just like to read your own posts?

[enchilado]

You're forgetting Braid.

I downloaded the demo recently, it's amazing. It was running really slowly, unfortunately.


What about World of Goo?

[Nate]

the main difference between a game and a movie is the fact, that there is a user and he's involved in a story. he can, with great limits, change some aspects of the plot etc.

Why does that stop it from being art? Art doesn't have to be a static thing. Whatever happens in gameplay is part of the experience, whether it's the same for every player or not.


And to answer the original question; I think that all media have the potential for high art or low art. Movies have everything from arthouse to porn. Television has everything from drama to reality. Even dance has a range from ballet to pole-dancing. Games have a similar range, though I think the medium is much more focused on the lower end of the scale.

Many people seem to prefer to only label the upper end of the scale as 'art', rather than calling it all art and differentiating high art and low art. I'm not prepared to venture an opinion on that particular issue; as WoF said, it comes down to how you define art.