WE PREVIOUSLY LOOKED AT ….

CAN VIDEO GAMES BE

POETRY?

Prof. Q

ROMANTICISM: A QUICK REVIEW

Response to major events of the time. Focus on imagination and originality. Art must come from imagination with

little artificial rules. Romantic Genius - An artist who was

able to produce his own original work through this process of "creation from nothingness.

To be derivative is the worst sin. Nature is key. There is a “Spirit” – some “greater

force”. Protagonist / narrative voice is the

author. Spirit of rebellion against traditional

literary forms.

THEMES EXPLORED BY ROMANTICISM POETS

Nature Rebellion / Revolution Creativity Egalitarianism Memory Power of the mind Individualism / Identity Morality (intrinsic vs.

imposed) Journey Cyclical history

...BUT A BIT ABOUT POETRY… Poetry is a form of literary art which

uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language—such as phono-aesthetics, sound symbolism, and meter—to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, the prosaic meaning.

SO… CAN GAMES BE POETRY OR HAVE POETIC QUALITIES?

SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS (2005)

Journey - The spare lines, soft focus and contemplative silences.

Nature - Eerie natural beauty.

Morality - The brutal deaths of ancient and stately creatures at our own hands.

Memory – References to Ico.

Key question: What are the ethical limits of love?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNFQ4QpKD5M

JOURNEY (2012) Nature - A sense of smallness and wonder. Egalitarianism - An emotional connection

between ‘the player’ and the anonymous players they meet along the way.

Creativity - Chen wanted to create a game that moved beyond the "typical defeat/kill/win mentality" of most video games.

Easily Accessible - The game was made to feel intuitive to the player, so they can explore and feel a sense of wonder without direct instructions.

The Spirit - A "non-denominational religious experience" that, with the addition of another player, moves beyond metaphors and becomes a "pilgrimage" to the player (Christian Donlan).

Identity - The goal is to get to the mountaintop, but the experience is discovering who you are, what this place is, and what is your purpose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mF8KkDiIdk

WALDEN, A GAME (2013?)

Nature - wants to mimic the meditative outdoor life described in Thoreau’s best-known work

Identity - reflection and insight play an important role in the player experience

Nature and Self - focus on the deeper meaning behind events that transpire in the world.

Creativity? – New genre vs. adaptation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZEQilshSA0

DEAR ESTHER (2012) Nature – landscape exploration

links to story.

Identity - “A deserted island… a lost man… memories of a fatal crash… a book written by a dying explorer.”

Creativity - Rather than traditional game-play the focus here is on exploration.

Journey - Fragments of story are randomly uncovered when exploring the various locations of the island, making every each journey a unique experience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7RDnW0AD70

THE UNFINISHED SWAN (2012)

Creativity – Unique game mechanics

Memory - A remembering of what happened

Identity – Your discovery of the self and where you came from

Journey – Exploring the unknown Cyclical story – The king did as

you did, and so will whoever comes next

Shift in Focus – “The story, which at first seemed like a charming Disney-like fairytale, actually is bleak and almost disturbing, like a non-charming, 18th century fairytale. The gameplay becomes dark too…as in difficult to see.” (Carol Pinchefsky, Forbes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFfteZaAXq4

UNFINISHED SWAN LIKE BLAKE’S HOLY THURSDAYS?

SONGS OF INNOCENCE‘Twas on a Holy Thursday, their innocent faces clean,The children walking two and two, in red and blue and green,Grey headed beadles walk’d before, with wands as white as snow,Till into the high dome of Paul's they like Thames’ waters flow.

Oh what a multitude they seem’d, these flowers of London town!Seated in companies they sit with radiance all their own.The hum of multitudes was there, but multitudes of lambs,Thousands of little boys and girls raising their innocent hands.

Now like a mighty wind they raise to heaven the voice of song,Or like harmonious thunderings the seats of Heaven among.Beneath them sit the aged men, wise guardians of the poor;Then cherish pity, lest you drive an angel from your door.

SONGS OF EXPERIENCE

Is this a holy thing to seeIn a rich and fruitful land,Babes reduced to misery,Fed with cold and usurous hand?

Is that trembling cry a song?Can it be a song of joy?And so many children poor?It is a land of poverty!

And their sun does never shine,And their fields are bleak and bare,And their ways are filled with thorns:It is eternal winter there.

For where'er the sun does shine,And where'er the rain does fall,Babes should never hunger there,Nor poverty the mind appall.

FLOWER (2009) Nature Creativity

Poetry is “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility” (William Wordsworth)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Smnb6H15Ks

THESE GAMES FOCUS ON PLAY….

…BUT WHAT ABOUT GAMES WHERE TEXT IS MEANING?

TODAY I DIE (2009) Play of words. Text gives

meaning to play.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLJocwrCdYw

DISCUSSION Can games be poetry? Can they be

poetic?