Through the developmental history of gaming, there have been many advances in the style and visual presentation of the video game. Chief among these ideas is the idea of narrative, giving life to the game via a central plot and developed characters. Currently, the narrative in gaming has been developed effectively into a derivative cinematic style, yet this method is severely limited. Narration within the industry remains superficial, with interesting plot but little substance. Current developers like Shigeru Miyamoto, Hinorobu Sakaguchi, Hideo Kojima have clearly demonstrated a mastery of the narrative within the medium, but while the works of the great masters are certainly respectable, what happens when the level of story, thought, and artistic development are brought to a deeper level? Surely we are aware of a certain division of labor within the literary and even cinematic realms. In literature there are works of non-fiction written wholly to captivate and entertain an audience; however, there also exists a canon of literary works which are deep, thematic, profound, and highly respected as "academic" works. In cinema the same principle exists, with Hollywood creating movies of differing intellectual or artistic levels. Of course, it is simple to realize that the gaming culture remains in its infancy, barely stretching back thirty years, while the literary genre has existed for centuries. At what point do we as a sub-culture begin to analyze the past and develop the distinction between what is entertainment and what is more closely related to these works of substance? Much effort has been made to emulate the power of narrative and cinematic elements in gaming, and refining these elements so that there is a new idea of symbolism, allegory, and literary elements, can spark a new age of enlightenment in gaming. Imagine a world where video games exist on a new level of cultural influence, where instead of being assaulted as being every form of gratuitous they are lauded for their evocative and powerful themes and beautiful style.
With the advent of the current generation of gaming, there is a reinforced emphasis on the overall production value of a work. Graphics, mechanics, interface, immersion are all aspects of design which are taking high priorities in current development trends. This, in turn, leads to a game which is action driven and borrows heavily from Hollywood-styled cinematics. The levels of visual complexity and stimulation is able to engage the experienced gamer, yet players not accustomed to such an acute visual and mental barrage of information are overwhelmed. Just as the first fully 3-D games were intimidating to those casual gamers who were accustomed to simpler, two-dimensional platforming, such technical intensity limits the accessibility of current games to inexperienced gamers. This creates an issue when trying to appeal to new individuals to introduce to gaming. Therefore, in order to make a game with truly widespread cultural acceptance and influence one must first make it easy for those without a longstanding background in gaming to play. Controls should remain simplistic, or perhaps use a slower, less reflex based style of game mechanic. By not intimidating amateurs they are then allowed to focus on key elements of narrative and/or visual artistry. Yet, simultaneously, how does one present such elements while avoiding losing the interest of the audience through slow pacing or monotony? The answer lies in the game’s intrinsic ability to engage the attention through interaction. Surely gaming, is just as capable, if not more so than any other form of artistic medium of creating the type of story which an audience can become engaged with. Give a skilled writer a pen and paper and the world and characters he crafts are likable, dynamic, and above all engaging. This is present in all artistic forms, however, in what other medium is the audience more able to develop attachment to a character than gaming? The level of interactivity in games is beautifully adapted for this type of storytelling; however it is an idea which is significantly underdeveloped. Truly this medium offers arguably the highest potential of artistic expression through its combination of multiple forms of expression. As has been stated, several game development firms have explored the potential for cinematic expression. But there is no reason that exploration cannot be done into literary, musical, and interactive expressions.
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