The (D)evolution of Gaming?

It’s incredible how far gaming has come. The technology involved in video game design has grown immensely over the decades, and now we’re able to experience games that feature visual effects and audio which are on par with other popular media, such as film. Comparing the games of today with, say, titles released two generations ago, is like comparing the Middle Ages and now- they’re almost entirely different.

But has gaming truly evolved? Sure, it’s changed- but to evolve means to improve, or to become more advanced. Now, when it comes to graphics and audio, I think it’s a no-brainer, as there’s clearly been a great deal of progression. But what about gameplay and game design? Have these grown to make their ancestors look primitive and less worth playing?

I can certainly think of a few things that developers have achieved in the past decade or so- improving how saving games functions in-game, for one. Go back two generations and you found yourself having to either complete a level or stage before you could save, go to a specific set of locations in the game world, or- in the best case scenario- pause the game and select save. Auto-save has removed the tedious, annoying problem of having to locate a save point. If you go back to an older title such as The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, where you have to find one of those darn owl statues before you can switch the power off, you soon realize how frustrating it is, even though it might not have seemed so back in 2000. Auto-save has also eased gaming-related frustration in another way, too- no longer must you to start over from the beginning of a level/area when you die or fail. For me, nothing was more frustrating than getting towards the end of a mission in Goldeneye 007 on 00 Agent difficulty, only to then have some Russian shoot me in the back and send me all the way back to the start! The incredible thing is, if you go back another generation or two, you find yourself having to write down passwords or, in many instances, having to complete the game in a single sitting! It’s no wonder we all played games for too long as a kid!

But has auto-save taken away some of the challenge? Part of what made games like Goldeneye so tough on its harder difficulty settings was the fact that you had to do an almost perfect run. Mistakes were actually costly, whereas now you kick off about two feet away from where you died. It’s less frustrating, but has the difficulty been dumbed down too much? By this, I mean that you’re a lot more willing to take risks knowing that death isn’t too much of a hindrance. If this weren’t the case, you’d likely be more cautious and would plan your approach to the level.

Another aspect of gaming that appears to have allowed for an easier run through a game lies in the game design. Everything is so darn linear nowadays! 8-bit and 16-bit gaming, for the most part, was a very linear affair, but once we hit the 32-bit and 64-bit era, 3D gaming gave us some freedom at long last! No longer were we destined to move Mario from left to right. Exploration, especially in many Nintendo platformers, was quite crucial. Nowadays, when you play the likes of Gears of War or Modern Warfare 2, all you essentially do is move from A to B, albeit in a very action-packed, fun way. Even Super Mario Galaxy 2, released to universal acclaim, is a simple case of going from star to star, ensuring that you don’t die on the way.

Open world games such as Grand Theft Auto obviously allow for exploration, but even this is a dumbed-down experience in today’s gaming environment. Open the map screen, select where you want to go, and next thing you know, a Sat-Nav is guiding you there. I was playing Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon earlier today and I actually had to open my map, figure out where north and south were, and orienteer my way to the next area. Was it a bit of a bother? Well, yes, but at least it required a small amount of brain power! Linear romps through 3D worlds may look great, but are they truly challenging us?

It’s just a small observation, but I think it’s an important one. Where are games heading next? We’ve seen the recent revival of the 2D side-scroller, such as New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Little Big Planet, welcomed back with loving arms by cash-ladened customers, and it appears that this revival is going to last for some time. Do we really want our games to reach the point that they’re so simple that the challenge lies only in how good your aim or timing is?

A simple game is sometimes the best type of game. Series such as Super Mario prove this time and time again. But that doesn’t mean that it should become the norm. A game that makes you think is probably a game that provides a clever, original experience, and original experiences are incredibly hard to come by in today’s over-saturated market.

Games: Gears of War, Goldeneye, Mario, Modern Warfare, Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon, Platforms: Nintendo, Genres: Compilation, Publishers: Activision, Nintendo, Developers: Epic, Infinity Ward, Nintendo, Rareware