On Arty 2D Platformers
Little children, big heads: Yahtzee investigates some artistic 2D platformers.
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Little children, big heads: Yahtzee investigates some artistic 2D platformers.
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On Arty 2D Platformers
- Thread starter Yahtzee Croshaw
- Start date
The great thing about 2D arty platformers too, is, they are so simple, and easy to make...and depending how artsy you want to be, depends on how much content you actually add...
Im not a fan of them myself really, but, I do see why people try to make so many of them!
Im not a fan of them myself really, but, I do see why people try to make so many of them!
Did anyone else hear The Logical Song while reading this?Yahtzee said:
"We'd like to feel you're acceptable, respectable, oh presentable, a vegetable..."
Art games can be hit or miss. There are some art games that are charming and interesting, but the message seems lost or uncertain ("The Majesty of Colors" on Newgrounds for example). Others are too simple to be really survive in the world of the XBLA ("Pray for Good Fortune" on Newgrounds for example).
I think art games should stay small scale on free game sites. That way they can reach more people and people won't feel cheated for overly simple gameplay, subpar graphics, and short play time.
I think art games should stay small scale on free game sites. That way they can reach more people and people won't feel cheated for overly simple gameplay, subpar graphics, and short play time.
The Lucidity comments on the girl with no self preservation cracked me up.
Seemed like an interesting game, though.
PJ Winterbottom seemed like a game similar to the ones described. I loved the artistic asthetics, even if the game didn't draw me in.
Seemed like an interesting game, though.
PJ Winterbottom seemed like a game similar to the ones described. I loved the artistic asthetics, even if the game didn't draw me in.
I can totally agree with most of this article, but I wonder if Yahtzee took a look at some of the free 2d platformers available all over the internet. Some of my favourite platforming games i've just found on Newgrounds or on Armour Games.
Lots of them are made purely as art (although sometimes its just pretentious to the point of wanted to smack the beret of the developers head) and involve some truly wonderful puzzle challenges. Like Limbo lots of them have a case of ending when the ideas run out but i still consider that to be a good thing. Nothing spoils food like stagnation...
Lots of them are made purely as art (although sometimes its just pretentious to the point of wanted to smack the beret of the developers head) and involve some truly wonderful puzzle challenges. Like Limbo lots of them have a case of ending when the ideas run out but i still consider that to be a good thing. Nothing spoils food like stagnation...
I laughed at the "...Or Hiroshima," and enjoyed the Cave Story review.
I'm not exactly an old gamer, I'm only 16, and the first videogame I can remember playing was Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on the Sega Genesis so I guess you could say I did partially grow up on the 2D platformer so nostalgia could play a part in the success of these games. I think gamers also appreciate indie developers or some guy who just made a game by himself, much, much more than they would a big game studio. It's like when you hear people say "These graphics suck," or "It's too linear," on big name titles. You will almost never hear them say that about one of these indie platformers.
I've only really played Braid, so I can't say too much from experience, I'm not usually the type that's all about these "artsy" indie games.
I definitely like these posts more than ZP for whatever reason.
I'm not exactly an old gamer, I'm only 16, and the first videogame I can remember playing was Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on the Sega Genesis so I guess you could say I did partially grow up on the 2D platformer so nostalgia could play a part in the success of these games. I think gamers also appreciate indie developers or some guy who just made a game by himself, much, much more than they would a big game studio. It's like when you hear people say "These graphics suck," or "It's too linear," on big name titles. You will almost never hear them say that about one of these indie platformers.
I've only really played Braid, so I can't say too much from experience, I'm not usually the type that's all about these "artsy" indie games.
I definitely like these posts more than ZP for whatever reason.
Hey Yahtzee, have you ever played Deadly Premonition.
http://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Premonition-Xbox-360/dp/B002WSR8BC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1281474340&sr=8-1
that's bargain price right there!
i know this is off-topic a little bit, but after playing the game i find it weird you've never mentioned it
http://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Premonition-Xbox-360/dp/B002WSR8BC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1281474340&sr=8-1
that's bargain price right there!
i know this is off-topic a little bit, but after playing the game i find it weird you've never mentioned it
Another "childhood innocence lost" game that I can think of is Heart of Darkness, where you play a boy who is running through a world that is, quite literally, trying to kill him while he quests to save his dog (his only friend) from the darkness and its evil.
It seems a little hard sometimes to divorce the subject of art from pretentiousness in 2d platformers nowadays, especially in more indie titles. Seems like video games have entered that adolescent age that music was and still to a large degree is in. It's all hip and stuff to like the small guy because he or she drones on about some abstract concept. It's also sad to see that like the music industry, we're now getting flooded with games like this.
