Thoughts on 'Hyper-realistic gaming'

Edge Magazine – Nov 2007

Biffovision (Grumble Feature Enabled) author -Mr Biffo

Quoting Terry Pratchett to say

‘Fantasy is an exercise bicycle for the mind. It might not take you anywhere, but it tones up the muscles that can.’

Although not a fan of Pratchett he was lamenting the loss of creativity in games in the pursuit of greater and greater levels of realism in. In essence all games are in some way fantasy although not in the

‘dragons/elves/ breaking-into-peoples-cottages-to-smash-their-vases sense of the word, but in the more general sense of being transported to somewhere that isn’t real.’

‘The more real our gameworlds become, the more mundane we risk them becoming.’

I don’t think this is an argument that is exclusive to videogames, painting was forced to some extent to re-invent itself and its methods of conveying ideas with the advent of photography, it was no longer required to represent the world with as much realism as possible. Some would argue that this gave painting a ‘shot in the arm’ and forced the medium down routes that may have otherwise never been taken. However for games at least there are some genres that by definition will always strive for greater realism, for example the ‘Gran Tourismo’ series relies on recreating real world racetracks and cars as accurately as possible, does this make it a better game then say ‘Burnout’ which takes a far more unrealistic line on the driving experience? Also surely there must be a stage at which a simulator game, whether that be driving, football or wargame, becomes so realistic that by definition it could only be played successfully played by the top F1 drivers, professional footballers and soldiers. At that stage Biffo hopes that;

‘…once they’ve decoded the genome of realistic physics and animation then all of that will take a backseat to the fantasy.’

Of course there are bigger questions to answer, what is reality? for example. Maybe if we do ever get to the stage where games are photo-realistic and played with VR helmets and some sort of sensory suit so that games become a reality of sorts, then of course it all comes down to smell. Yeah you read it right, the last sense to be recreated in entertainment, so maybe they invent some sort or olfactory generator. Could people spend their entire lives in a game? And then later would that be the idea? Matrix anyone?

Shadow Of The Colossus- SPOILER- Do NOT read if you haven't played it and are planning to!

This game has to be one of the best I've ever played, it's combination of amazing artwork/atmospheric lighting and a whole new way to face 'boss' encounters makes it somewhat revolutionary. In essence the 'boss' encounters are traditional platform play, the revolutionary aspect comes with the strategy needed to do this on an ever moving target who's trying to shake you off. No 'trash' mobs or mindless killing, just 16 colossi each with different weaknesses to discover and exploit. From fights that take place in the water and can be as much about trying not to drown as anything else, to encounters that involve enticing flying creatures to swoop down so you can then get carried off to carry on the battle in mid-flight.





The first image shows the place that acts as a hub for your adventures, It is where the first interactive scene starts and where you return to after killing each colossus. And also is the resting place what you can only assume to be your 'love', who is your characters motivation for killing/freeing the colossi. Although this is a bit of a gray area as the introduction scene just shows you ferrying her unconscious form to this spot and a benevolent form seemingly coming from a hole in the domed ceiling telling you to kill the colossi to free her. So without any real knowledge of why, you set off to do the bidding of a being whose agenda you are totally unaware of.




Using a combination of strategies you have to reach the the top of the above colossus' head, whilst he tries to stomp you and hit you with his sword in equal measure. I did feel quite a lot of pity for these guys as the game went on, I almost felt like I was slaughtering over sized teddy-bears who whilst not being entirely benevolent, seemed to bit a bit to stupid to really be perceived as evil, but as you travel the landscape you notice a marked lack of any other inhabitants, save for the occasional bird or lizard, I began to see them as more an unwitting bain to life, leading a cursed almost automaton existence simply attacking anything that moves. In that sense I did almost feel as if I was doing something good, as it turns out you don't really seem to have done anything that black and white.

Once you kill the final colossus the last black shadow surrounds your unconscious body/corpse this happens every time you kill one by the way and you become possessed by what appears to be the true colossus, a kind of shadow demon. As this is happening a band of men have arrived at the starting chamber and our more than a little angry that someone has taken 'the sword' and has been using it kill the colossi, maybe implying that their 'Brotherhood' were responsible for the creation of the colossi in the first place, they try to kill your character and in doing so release the true demon they flee the temple barring your escape and in doing so suck the 'shadow demon juju' out of you and trap you and your newly awakened girlfriend in the valley (the map the game takes place within). You are then revealed to have changed into a baby with horns.

'Ico' a game released by the same game company in 2001 features a boy with horns who is trying to escape from a castle which he has been trapped in. I'm looking forward to playing it and finding out if Colossus is indeed the prequel to that. The scene at the end seems to show life returning to the valley whilst at the same time being condemned by the leader of the Brotherhood as now being uninhabitable. So the game itself even after completion leaves the idea of what is right and wrong a little ambiguous, much like the real world.

On a technical note there were some small annoyances, such as the way in which the horse either walked, cantered or galloped. As well as the ever moving cinematic third person view style that seemed to hinder the game-play and ability to accurately control your character at times. But thats about it, otherwise I found it to be a beautifully realized game that showed a better way to make a game, I only hope that more people will take this torch and continue to run with it.

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