CRITICAL///PATH

[James]

http://criticalpathproject.com/trailer/index.html

I assume this is going to be a game design insight project.

[James]

Updated.

http://criticalpathproject.com/

Have a look. A lot of big names there.

[James]

http://criticalpathproject.com/?v=38451972

[Tantalus]

http://criticalpathproject.com/?v=50858919

Great insight from a lot of them, but I would suggest that video games are at risk of going in the complete opposite direction. A lot of indie games share the same 8-bit inspired art style and bitchip music for nothing other than nostalgia of games they played when they were too dumb to differentiate between good and poor quality. Not only that, but the gameplay suffers immensely too, many indie games are based around one very simplistic mechanic with NO challenge whatsoever; to make it seem like an 'art' 'game'.

Fez is the perfect example of this. The art style is not inspired, it's blocky, basic and colourful...but not interesting at all. The music is nothing like 8 bit songs of old: it's trying to be all airy to give the game a pseudo-mystical feel; when in reality it sounds like a lazy pretentious five minute fuck-around on flash-bases software. Yet the worst part is the gameplay, there is none. Fez is literally platforming for a few hours with no opposition and no challenge. Because of its gimmicky perspective change mechanic, it no longer becomes a puzzle of how one is going to succeed, it becomes tedium; homework almost. In the game, you learn how to change perspective, then zoom around the four possible perspectives until you find one that shows platforms; fucking GREAT.
It also doesn't help that the creator is a pretentious hipster arsehole.

The indie market needs to take lessons from Bastion. Not only is the art style unique and considerate (as in they took time to think about it), but there is actual challenge in the later stages, and encouraged experimentation with weapons and tonics. Bastion actually took me by surprise, I did not expect it to be that much of a rewarding experience.