The answer to this question is undoubtedly the latter, as most movie based games aren\'t passable. Same can be said of most game based movies as well. Playing Assassins Creed and watching my roommate
Maybe with an influx of both, videogames will finally be accepted by the mainstream as both entertainment and art. Alot of people would disagree that videogames are a viable artform.
And the line blurs... movies/games - games/movies. I welcome the change. As a fan of both, having them draw near is exciting. Its been going on for a while now, to varying degrees, in more recent days: Stranglehold, Bioshock, Assassins Creed, Heavenly Sword, Mass Effect, I might even give a nod to Halo.
Stranglehold is a good example here to flesh out the topic. Ever see \"Hardboiled\"? Well its considered an action classic. John Woo, Hong Kong-Hollywood crossover legend, completely saw Strangleholds development from start to finish. Its a direct sequel to Hardboiled! Its got Chow Yun Fat restoring the role of Detective Tequila. Its as close to a movie as you get before you are actually watching a screen sans controller.
Big name directors, big name actors, epic/cinematic cutscenes, and graphics that get closer to photorealism seemingly more with every game, but is that enough? Are we there already?
I have yet to play Mass Effect, I got my copy here ready to rock, but I gotta pound through a couple of shitty games before that happens. Cars 2, anyone?
But, Mass Effect has an incredible system of dialog and emotion based response. Moreso than I have seen in most games ever. They really outdid themselves in terms of immerson. That said, the facial rendering still doesnt seem to be THERE, yet. Washed out, unreflexive expressions and stretched-out exaggerated mouth movements never seem to sell the farm to me, if you know what I mean. Graphically, do we still need time to bring certainty to a viable artform?
Opening my maibox the other day I was greeted to a most familiar symbol and charished icon of my childhood: GHOSTBUSTERS. I had seen the prototype videos of the Ghostbusters game earlier this year and had them snuffed shortly after, learning the rights had in fact, not been purchased, so it seemed the game wouldnt see the light of day. Much to my surprise, the videos generated enough hype that another company who had pretty much already been recreating their own Ghostbusters vision the whole, released details on a wholly new and totally offical game. Featuring the original cast, almost in its entire form, how far off is this from being a \"Ghostbusters 3?\" Ghostbusters fans have wanted a third film for a while, can you blame us? The first two movies we\'re rad as shit! Many have tried to copy, take influence and maybe imitate the genius comedic/horror/thriller formula to different levels of success but never the same. Leaves me wondering if the originators can even pull it off even with an army of critics and fans alike just over the horizon.
Theres more on the way. Dead Space, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, Grand Theft Auto, Lost Odessey.
Will we ever get there? Where the line is blurred so much we can\'t tell if its a video game, a movie, a game that plays like a movie or a movie that watches like a game.... ? Only time and technology will tell.
Maybe with an influx of both, videogames will finally be accepted by the mainstream as both entertainment and art. Alot of people would disagree that videogames are a viable artform.
And the line blurs... movies/games - games/movies. I welcome the change. As a fan of both, having them draw near is exciting. Its been going on for a while now, to varying degrees, in more recent days: Stranglehold, Bioshock, Assassins Creed, Heavenly Sword, Mass Effect, I might even give a nod to Halo.
Stranglehold is a good example here to flesh out the topic. Ever see \"Hardboiled\"? Well its considered an action classic. John Woo, Hong Kong-Hollywood crossover legend, completely saw Strangleholds development from start to finish. Its a direct sequel to Hardboiled! Its got Chow Yun Fat restoring the role of Detective Tequila. Its as close to a movie as you get before you are actually watching a screen sans controller.
Big name directors, big name actors, epic/cinematic cutscenes, and graphics that get closer to photorealism seemingly more with every game, but is that enough? Are we there already?
I have yet to play Mass Effect, I got my copy here ready to rock, but I gotta pound through a couple of shitty games before that happens. Cars 2, anyone?
But, Mass Effect has an incredible system of dialog and emotion based response. Moreso than I have seen in most games ever. They really outdid themselves in terms of immerson. That said, the facial rendering still doesnt seem to be THERE, yet. Washed out, unreflexive expressions and stretched-out exaggerated mouth movements never seem to sell the farm to me, if you know what I mean. Graphically, do we still need time to bring certainty to a viable artform?Opening my maibox the other day I was greeted to a most familiar symbol and charished icon of my childhood: GHOSTBUSTERS. I had seen the prototype videos of the Ghostbusters game earlier this year and had them snuffed shortly after, learning the rights had in fact, not been purchased, so it seemed the game wouldnt see the light of day. Much to my surprise, the videos generated enough hype that another company who had pretty much already been recreating their own Ghostbusters vision the whole, released details on a wholly new and totally offical game. Featuring the original cast, almost in its entire form, how far off is this from being a \"Ghostbusters 3?\" Ghostbusters fans have wanted a third film for a while, can you blame us? The first two movies we\'re rad as shit! Many have tried to copy, take influence and maybe imitate the genius comedic/horror/thriller formula to different levels of success but never the same. Leaves me wondering if the originators can even pull it off even with an army of critics and fans alike just over the horizon.
Theres more on the way. Dead Space, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, Grand Theft Auto, Lost Odessey.
Will we ever get there? Where the line is blurred so much we can\'t tell if its a video game, a movie, a game that plays like a movie or a movie that watches like a game.... ? Only time and technology will tell.
