The Case For Surrealism In Games

[wraggster]

An editorial at PikiGeek takes the position that gaming's trend toward realism can be detrimental (http://geek.pikimal.com/2011/08/10/editorial-an-argument-for-surrealism-in-games/) in many situations, with the quest for graphical precision supplanting creativity and uniqueness. Quoting:"The problem I find most troubling with realism in games is that video games are inherently unrealistic. By definition, even, video games must adhere to some sense of absurdity. In Uncharted, no matter how realistic and convincing the characters and environments may be, the fact is that Nathan Drake can take a hell of a lot of damage, and is a little too good with every gun known to man. In Call of Duty, if realism is such a coveted aspect of the series, why does your character only bleed out of his eyes, and why is damage rarely permanent? The 'game' part of these games keeps them from being truly realistic, and in turn makes them even less believable. Characters like Link, or even Master Chief, are believable in even the most absurd situations, as the worlds that they belong to don't try to conform to the world that we live in."

http://games.slashdot.org/story/11/08/11/0556232/The-Case-For-Surrealism-In-Games