Shadow of the Colossus Director Flattered by Art Label

[Logan Westbrook]

Shadow of the Colossus Director Flattered by Art Label

Shadow of the Colossus director Fumito Ueda is happy that so many people think his game is art, even if he isn't entirely sure why.

Shadow of the Colossus [http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Colossus-Playstation-2/dp/B0009I6S0O/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1285603365&sr=1-1] is pretty much the poster-child for the "games as art" discussion, and invariably gets wheeled out as an example when someone takes a pop at videogames' artistic merits, such as the comments [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100062-Ebert-Re-Emphasizes-That-Games-Will-Never-Be-Art] made by Roger Ebert earlier in the year. Uedo said that he was happy and flattered that people thought of the game in that way, but thought that he could have done more to earn the praise.

Ueda was humble about the praise for Shadow of the Colossus, and said that in his opinion there were games that are much better examples of art. He said that in Japan, the idea of art was something that was uncommon or unique. Because of this, he was reluctant to actually name any of the titles he considered more artistic, for fear of detracting from their uniqueness. He also expressed curiosity about exactly which part of SotC people considered to be art. He felt that the game could have been more artistic, but that because it was a game, the possibilities for artistic expression had been "subdued."

Shadow of the Colossus is being re-released as one half of a Team ICO double bill on the PS3 in spring next year. Team ICO's next game, The Last Guardian [http://www.amazon.com/Last-Guardian-Playstation-3/dp/B002BSA18K/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1285603419&sr=1-1] is scheduled to be released in late 2011.

Source: PlayStation Blog [http://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/09/24/team-ico-talks-fumito-ueda-on-the-last-guardian-shadow-of-the-colossus] via VG247 [http://www.vg247.com/2010/09/24/ueda-flattered-shadow-of-the-colossus-is-considered-art-by-many/]


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[Mezzo.]

It's all in the main character's purpose I think.

Little guy, lost the love of his life, goes on to fight things greater than himself in the promise that she'll come back to life. Told in an extravagant way.

I'd talk about the ending here too, but it's better to experience that for one's self.

 

[Evilsanta]

I havent played the the game.But i really want to everybody i have asked tells me it is really good. Damn cant wait for that release to the PS3.

 

[icyneesan]

Personally I think Shadow of the Colossus is BETTER then most pieces of art. Granted my experience in the arts is very week, I still enjoyed SotC much more then anything I've seen in a Museum/Art Show

 

[Swifteye]

Artist are always like this. It's honestly quite universeral I tell my friends all the time that there art looks good. And it does but they always say it could have been more than that if they only did X. It's actually quite disapointing to hear them say that. Always selling them selves short.

 

[Mezzo.]

Artist are always like this. It's honestly quite universeral I tell my friends all the time that there art looks good. And it does but they always say it could have been more than that if they only did X. It's actually quite disapointing to hear them say that. Always selling them selves short.

Well, it's because they want to look for improvement in themselves. Nothing wrong with that. There is always "Better" to go after.

 

[Jonny49]

I'll be picking up the remake when it comes out, never played the original.

 

[SnipErlite]

Ahhh SoTC is awesome. It's just.....brilliant.

Could have done more? Well yeah he COULD have I suppose...I mean it's possible...but really, the game is incredible as it is

 

[Sigmund Av Volsung]

What is actually weird, is the fact that this game costs £28.00 @ cex on the PS2.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Ooh, stop being so modest Ueda.

It only makes me love you more.

 

[Flamma Man]

Man, he sounds like a swell guy.

 

[snow]

Is this "games as art" discussion really that big of a thing? I mean I've honestly only ever heard about it from here (and seen the discussion beaten to death... Here.)

To me it seems like some guy who was ignorant on the subject said ignorant things and now the whole community has their panties in a twist even though the comment was made several months ago.

Yes, let's throw up our favorite titles in exclamation of art!.. Seriously... I love games as much as the next guy but... Really?

We had to have 2-3 escapist videos about it and many forum posts because some guy decided to share his flawed opinion? That doesn't make sense...

Now on the other hand, the whole thing that's taking place in California, yeah that is something we should be talking about, for that actually poses some threat to the hobby. That guys opinion does not, and the simple fact that the "Games as art" discussion still exists makes me question how sensitive the entire community really is.

Anyways, Kudos to Fumito Ueda none the less, it always feels good to hear good things about a project you're working on.

 

[Enigmers]

Shadow of the Colossus was, more than any other game, like playing a movie. Walking through a desolate, lonely world (or horseback riding), hanging on for dear life on a giant flying bird or a stone statue trying to shake you off; the game is probably the most "cinematic" that I've played.

I mean that in the most positive way possible.

 

[Altorin]

it's in the subdued artstyle, the elegant design, and like he figured - the "uniqueness" of its core concept.

There are very few games that you can just look at and say "this is art". Shadow of the Colossus there is no denying it.

 

[Blind Sight]

Is this "games as art" discussion really that big of a thing? I mean I've honestly only ever heard about it from here (and seen the discussion beaten to death... Here.)

To me it seems like some guy who was ignorant on the subject said ignorant things and now the whole community has their panties in a twist even though the comment was made several months ago.

Yes, let's throw up our favorite titles in exclamation of art!.. Seriously... I love games as much as the next guy but... Really?

We had to have 2-3 escapist videos about it and many forum posts because some guy decided to share his flawed opinion? That doesn't make sense...

Now on the other hand, the whole thing that's taking place in California, yeah that is something we should be talking about, for that actually poses some threat to the hobby. That guys opinion does not, and the simple fact that the "Games as art" discussion still exists makes me question how sensitive the entire community really is.

Anyways, Kudos to Fumito Ueda none the less, it always feels good to hear good things about a project you're working on.

Oh god, the 'games as art' debate is huge, every gaming site has someone talking about it, and every new gaming podcast pretty much starts off with 'games as art'. It's the cornerstone of the arguments between anti-gamers and gamers as well, because if it's considered an artform it'll be far more difficult to censor or subdue controversial subjects in games, which I am all for.

 

[Unrulyhandbag]

Is this "games as art" discussion really that big of a thing? I mean I've honestly only ever heard about it from here (and seen the discussion beaten to death... Here.)

To me it seems like some guy who was ignorant on the subject said ignorant things and now the whole community has their panties in a twist even though the comment was made several months ago.

Games are art threads and magazine discussions\opinion pieces have been around longer than SotC much less one art critics comments and turn up fairly frequently on most reasonable mature forums and publications. He just stirred the hive after it had settled for waiting for winter to pass.
After a few big poster children of games as art we just sat beck and waited for acceptance. The occasional indy coders abusing the term art game to mean anything hand drawn and none entertaining stirs a little snarking within the community every now and then. So to have a major art critic point and laugh at the medium was a bit upsetting.

you've never seen the discussion anywhere else? no problem, here's a couple of articles from a wide range of sources, some contemporary artists some games designers and a few others.

2000 [http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/085/085422p1.html] this ones IGN.

2001 [http://www.designersnotebook.com/Lectures/ArtForm/artform.htm] a game designer at a conference.

2002 [http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2002/9/10/72851/0039] another dev in an industry aimed article.

2005 [http://www.contempaesthetics.org/newvolume/pages/article.php?articleID=299] CA a peer reviewed journal focused on the study of aesthetics.

2006 [http://www.weeklygeekshow.com/2006/11/top_five_list_top_five_games_a.php?fbc_channel=1#%7B%22id%22%3A0%2C%22sc%22%3A%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fxd_receiver_v0.4.php%22%2C%22sf%22%3A%22loginStatus%22%2C%22sr%22%3A2%2C%22h%22%3A%22loginServer%22%2C%22sid%22%3A%220.067%22%2C%22t%22%3A0%7D%5B0%2C%22loginStatus%22%2C%22InitLogin%22%2C%7B%22baseDomain%22%3A%22weeklygeekshow.com%22%2C%22connectState%22%3A3%2C%22perms%22%3Anull%2C%22publicSessionData%22%3Anull%2C%22session%22%3Anull%2C%22settings%22%3A%7B%22inFacebook%22%3Afalse%2C%22locale%22%3A%22en_GB%22%7D%7D%2Cfalse%5D] a gamers view

2007 [http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20070316/ochalla_01.shtml] a fairly nice webazine article.

There is loads more but I think those are good enough to show you how the 'issue' has has been presented by various parties and what has got brought up over recent years.

edit: ninja'd by Blind Sight, that's what I get for poking around the interwebs.

 

[sneakypenguin]

Lol I do not understand why sotc is held up as art . It's a flawed piece of entertainment software that was held back by limited gameplay and an underpowered system.