I've been thinking lately that while I never know what to write in here, I always have some contradictory feelings about what I've read. So I thought that maybe today I would let out both sides of my brain, in one post (hence the title). Today's experiment: Genre's in Games. I guess I'll call my argumentative side my Devil, and it's opposing view my Human, because I don't think I have an Angel up there. First up, here's Devil!
Devil: Why do we really need Genre's in Video Games in the first place? I mean, really who do they help? Scholars never apply them right, or over react (I'm looking at you Mr. "Halo is the best EVAR!1!"), and "journalists" always bitch about how a game gives in to its genre tropes, or is a "typical" example of that Genre, unless it is the next big teat for them to suck on. Then, it is always "pleasantly accessible" or "immediately playable" or some other trash. Amazing how that works. Reminds me of how ESPN treats the Yankees or Red Socks. Also, I notice lately that developers are constantly crossing genres anyway, just so they can say it is special. I mean seriously, what's next a Sonic platformer/racer/shooter/puzzle/RPG? And then there are things like Ico or Shadow of the Colossus. I mean, what the hell genre are they, Adventure? Kinda, but without puzzles really, more like platformers maybe. or RPG's. or... you get my drift. I need to go away now before we get in trouble, or worse BORE you.
Human: Um, excuse me, but I use genre's, mainly to help me decide what games I might be interested in. I mean, if I like FPS', then I would like to know that Gears of War is not an FPS, or that Borderlands is. When someone says they played a JRPG, I can easily understand that the hero has spiky hair for no good reason, while the latest Racer likely doesn't even have a character avatar (apart from the car). Genre's also make it easier for those outside of the Game culture to access it. After all, if your Grandma goes in and asks for a "Halo Game", you're probably getting your second copy of Halo 3, rather than a new FPS. Do genre's prevent this? No, but they at least provide tools for the uninitiated to maneuver around in the culture, albeit in fits and spurts. Genre's help everyone identify game characteristics and mechanics included in a game, especially when listed as a "element of", rather than a true crossover.
In the end, I guess I feel that Genre's are as useful to a person as that person want's them to be.
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Genre's are useful but after awhile its get kind of tedious to try to categorize all of games that cross genres like they do. I have to agree with the Devil side though, because given what genre the game is in, you already know what to expect. With a FPS you are just going to get a run-and-gun type thing in my eyes. Or something along the lines of Gears or War or Halo.
ReplyDeleteBut you are right. THey are only use as useful as somebody wants them to be. Otherwise people just buy what they want to buy based on the trailers and screenshots and etc.
When it comes right down to it, I'm in the same boat. I see both sides of the argument. It makes to keep genres around because they help people gather information about the game they may want to buy. Nn the other hand, games can be so hard to define within the limits of genre because games can do so many different things at once. I like that you see both sides of the debate. :)
ReplyDeleteI like your dual point in this and I think I would have to side more with Devil than human. Advertising teams are very fickle when they categorize games. Plus they don't even follow their own rules half the time, they say game A and B are both FPS but these games are complete opposites.
ReplyDeleteHuman does have a point though in that genres work for people that don't really know the culture of games.
I can see why you had opposing views on this topic because you are right in both cases.