Obviously the title is a bit ridiculous: I make games for a living and so to not play games and be up to date on what’s going would be pretentious and blind in a young industry such as ours. The standards are changed every month and with every game that is released and new ideas are being introduced. To not see what the competition is up to would be to stand and take the punch instead of fighting back.
But let’s look at the facts. The last game that I played on my own (a quick glance at my Gamertag will see that I’ve been playing Monkey Island 2 with the kids) was Red Dead Redemption. I haven’t picked up another game since I finished it over a month ago. I also haven’t wished to play a game since that date, despite having a very large backlog of games to start and some to finish. I’ve been playing the soundtrack repeatedly. My trip through the BC/Alberta mountains was nothing but that fantastic score.
What is it about the game? Is it that it was so polished that despite the various bugs it was a feat of perfection that I am in awe of? Is it the fact that it’s an open world game in a world that has been overlooked by so many games in the past? Was it the very natural and compelling gameplay?
Some of these things contributed, yes. But the reason why I have not gone back to it is because I don’t think that there will be any other game that will transport me and move me and really, envelop me as much as this game did. And because of this lofty place I hold this game I have been avoiding all others because I feel that I’ll just be setting myself up for disappointment. I don’t think any other game, at least for the moment, will teleport me into a world so absolutely like this game did. And for those who have been reading my blog for some time know, that, more than anything, is what gaming is about to me.
I’ve been stewing about what it is about this game that has enraptured me so and I’m still there, occasionally lost in thought thinking about what the significant thing is that grasped me about Red Dead Redemption. I don’t think it’s one thing, I think it’s many, and it’s not something that can be glossed over in one article.
So consider this the introduction of many articles to come about Red Dead Redemption. In the meantime I recommend that you pick it up and play it, or take the time to finish it if you haven’t yet. Me? I’m going to go throw on the soundtrack, grab a bourbon and think on it some more.
Shut Up and Play This: Was Red Dead Redemption my last Game?
– August 9, 2010Posted in: Games
Well, that’s really the promise of this industry isn’t it? “Video games” _should_ be able to create an experience that transcends the simple observation of a story in way that books or movies can’t by actually engaging the viewer (sic) in the telling.
I haven’t played RDR yet, but it’s on my list & I will likely get to it next. Thx for the reinforcement.
All games should, but so many don’t. Even Dead Space…as good as it is doesn’t really transport you (as noted in my article on Horror Games)
I should also add that a quick glance at my gamertag shows that I’ve been playing a lot of games with the kids, not just Monkey Island.
Just thinking about your Dead Space reference. You say you werent transported, but i dont think its fair to base it solely on the game itself. For instance, how close you stand to the screen and how much noise there is in the background can affect that. Then there is also the amount a person is concentrating, and how well they play the game…whether they are playing in one sitting, so many factors like these to consider. There is a state of consciousness called being ‘in the zone’, where you almost have a bullet time moment. I can recall having a moment like that in Guitar Hero World Tour on the Zakk Wylde battle. I know this comment is a bit late, but i just read your Gamasutra post on horror games and i feel its appropriate.