Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Two things I am happy about
A mini-update to point to two things:
The Path
You're either onboard the 'video games are art' train, or you are not. I definitely am.
Also, if you are aware of the work of the Brothers Grimm, you know that original versions of many of the faerie tales that have come down to us from the European tradition differ from their modern interpretations. In a word, they have been Disneyfied. The sorrowful overtones and barely-veiled allusions to physical assault, sexuality, and fear of illness have been lost.
I am proud to present a project that combines these two interests, THE PATH by Tale of Tales Games. This game uses the story of Little Red Riding Hood as a frame to hang a whole off-balance mobile of symbols. Since you are playing one of six different versions of Red, with an age spread from about five to eighteenish, femeninity and growth are two themes that get a lot of exploration.
The game aims at a lot of targets and hits most of them. It is atmospheric, creepy, poignant, challenging, and sad, and the best money I've spent on a game in a year.
Video reviews (the first one, from The Escapist, is very good)
Robert De Niro's gift to the University of Texas at Austin
The video says it all. There's also a story on the New York Times site today.
De Niro Collection at the University of Texas
Labels: faerie tales, fairy tales, girl, girls, little red riding hood, woman, women
Errrrr, no you're not. I don't beleive Video Games are art but I do beleive some video games can be art. Just because one person puts graffiti on a building and it gets called art does not mean all graffiti is art.
I have not played 'the path' but I generally play indie games more than mainstream releases because developers don't have to compromise their ideals and can work at whatever schedule they want until they decide it is done, not when the publishers set a release date. Does this mean all indie games are shining beacons of hope, no. You get buckets of crap just like any other product.
I will say Art is more likely to come from innovation (read: indie developers) than from tried and tested methods (read: publishers with established 'production lines').
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