Artistic Games

[TheIr0nMike]

If you had to give examples of games that are artistic, what are some that you would choose?

This can be any game as long as it's available to the market (i.e. no games that haven't been released yet). I'd also like give some reasons why you believe this.

Spoiler: Example

Flower: A simple yet deep game that takes place in a beautiful dreamscape that can also be frightening. While it has a heavy pro-ecofriendly message, it delivers it very subversively and uses it towards it's advantage.

I'd like to remind you that this could be ANY game. If you think Modern Warfare 2 or whatever the newest Sonic game is has some artistic merit, say why.

EDIT: The explaining why is kind of the point of the thread. It's, more or less, so we can actually argue why games are art rather than just saying "you have to play it". Think of it like a school assignment about video games.

 

[repeating integers]

Homeworld.

It's beautiful, visually. It tells its story very well and is filled with emotion. The gameplay is amazingly innovative and fun in almost every department. The music is wonderful.

And all this from a game soon to turn 12 years old... my heart weeps.

 

[Geekosaurus]

Force Unleashed was fairly arty. I can't speak for TFU2 though. They're not quite as artistic as the stunning artwork that gets produced for it, but they try.

 

[Beryl77]

Journey [http://www.gamesradar.com/ps3/journey/news/first-trailer-for-journey-is-as-striking-as-it-is-enigmatic/a-20101210104244182060/g-20100618144114292078]
If it's going to be as good as Flower, then it might become one of my most favorite games.

 

[Griphphin]

Obligatory Shadow of the Colossus (spelled Colossus right this time ) post.

 

[strum4h]

Okami anyone? It should be self explanatory.

 

[BreakfastMan]

killer7. Dark, violent, absurd, and an amazingly wonderful game. One of the best things I have ever played, and the best "Art" game I have ever played. It is the "Eraser Head" of the video game world.

 

[theSovietConnection]

I tend to view Bioshock as an excellent example in my opinion. Hopefully Infinite will bring more of the same feelings Bioshock did the first time through.

 

[Best of the 3]

I always thought that the little flash The company of myself [http://www.kongregate.com/games/2DArray/the-company-of-myself] was quite an arty game. Maybe in a sort of poetic way. The simple style in art yet a deep(ish) story work well together.

 

[Sexbad]

Cryostasis.

It's my favorite game ever made. It's a game whose gameplay is focused on not the shooting that takes place on the surface, but rather piecing together the story. This story is told through a variety of means (symbolic and literal) and is (seriously) the best story I have ever experienced. Ever.

Not just in games, but out of all stories I've played, heard, read, seen, etc etc.

 

[warm slurm]

Shenmue, obvs.

 

[GundamSentinel]

From my own experience:

Shadow of the Colossus - This game goes far beyond simply gameplay and visuals.
Okami - As a game maybe not necessarily a piece of art, the the visuals beg to differ.
Flower - Artistic expression as pure as it comes.
Black & White - I've always felt this was something more than just a game, but I could never quite put my finger on it.
Homeworld - The atmosphere and emotion are far beyond what one would expect of a sterile space RTS.

 

[Wayneguard]

Ico is definitely up there. Also, there's a new game coming out for wii called Lost in Shadow. I don't know much about it but its got a cool, artsy style to it.

 

[LaughingAtlas]

It kindof depends on what you consider "art," the exact word I used to describe the combat in assassin's creed, which has only improved since the first game, I think. (run-on) Then again, if you don't enjoy skillful swordplay, it's probably just a bunch of holding the block button and standing there like a tard, which I guess isn't museum-worthy.
Some would say the visceral head explosions of the VATS aiming system are art, some would say the same of the lush, green, landscape of Oblivi-err, cyrodill. Oblivion itself looked nice too. Some of the olde zelda games might count just for decorating some of their enemies and dungeons.

Being that Flower was already said, I'd go with the Assassin's Creed games. Those featuring Ezio even have real artworks in them, and if that crap passes, I demand a place for eviscerating 4 armed guards in a matter of seconds.

 

[Continuity]

That I've played recently, machinarium stands out, so does bioshock, and cryostasis

 

[subject_87]

VVVVVV could be considered 'artistic', and definitely Portal.

 

[Truly-A-Lie]

I think there's a wider range than people give games credit for. There's anything by thatgamecompany obviously, with Journey looking to continue their tradition of beautiful and surreal experiences.

Then you have Heavy Rain, a game that's sole intention is to make you care and consider some truly difficult questions and reflect on yourself (and I'd say the game is art. It may be presented like a film, but then aren't good films also artistic?)

Then when you take into account the old paintings you see often to do with religious imagery or old wars, those things were intricately detailed, grand and awe inspiring but also showed some truly horrific images some times. I can think of one (don't know the name of it though) that shows the four horsemen riding over corpses on a battlefield. Then take those qualities into account and consider God of War. As refined a combat system as I've ever seen in an action/adventure, and even in its eye-ripping, decapitating gore and excess it stills fits this idea of art almost perfectly. Graphically and otherwise.

LittleBigPlanet's every screenshot stirs up feelings of childhood and innocence, while seeing a Sackboy dressed as a Chimera slapping people in the face creates conflicting imagery. And to some extent LittleBigPlanet just sums up the value of creating in its entirety, whether you're making a big calculator or an "artsy" painting.

 

[starwarsgeek]

Whenever this topic comes up, the same names get dropped repeatedly. So I'm going to give a couple games that I never see mentioned in these discussions


Mad World--story spoilers

Spoiler

The story takes place in a brutal game in which many people fight to the death and gain extra points for the brutality of their kills. It features two villains
--one who believes the destruction could have great meaning behind it. He is ultimately wrong.
--The other really has no reason to be involved directly. His motivation to be there is that the violence is fun.

My interpretation: An M-rated game attacking the idea that an M-rating makes something more mature.

Super Mario Galaxy 2:
The level design is amazing. The imagination put into this game caused me to just stop and wonder how they came up with these ideas on several occasions (Especially the fire/ice galaxy when, in a flash, the lethal lake of lave that surrounded you is frozen and you can safely walk--or ice scate--accross it, the swamp that folds around you as your block moves forward leading you to a pop-up house to collect the star, and that stuff that would cause gaps in the floor or walls that would destroy a scrolling platform).

 

[Popadoo]

I think if we released more artistic games, such as Ico and SotC, the gaming industry might be taken seriously, instead of viewed as simply put, toys.

 

[Heart of Darkness]

[insert rant on why people are going about art games in the wrong way]

OT: Minecraft is probably one of the best examples of an art game on the market because it's one of the most interactive experiences that has ever been released.