Every year video games are becoming more advanced as higher budgets and one-ups-man-ship is delivering new game experiences that I never thought I'd see. This year, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, is a great example of what video games should be like. It has a great story, fun gameplay, terrific voice acting and beautiful visuals. Video game reviewers and critics from around the world are heralding it as the game that is bridging the gap between film and video games because it has so many similarities to film. Another example is Mass Effect 2, due out tomorrow, which reviewers are saying is the Avatar of video games and is again blurring the line between video games and movies.
The entire evolution of video games has been to look more realistic (or "beautiful"), to engage players with real story lines and to create an immersive experience that sucks the player into that world. For some reason, video game developers are resigning themselves to simply being in the shadow of films. They are striving to be considered equals of the Avatars or the Dark Knights and in doing this are creating games that are becoming more movie than game. I actually loved Uncharted 2 and am incredibly excited about Mass Effect 2, however I'm not so sure if I'm all that happy with this shift away from gameplay and toward simply watching.
Video game developers should realize that they do not need to be in the shadow of the movie industry when games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's first week sales are outselling most movies' entire box office numbers.
I don't know what this really means for video games in the next few years however I hope the trend to emulate the big screen slows down in the near future. If I want to watch a movie then I'll do just that. If I want to play a game, then just let me play a game.
good point mike. i guess thats why they get actors like ray liotta to do the voices of game characters.
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