Heavy Rain

Heavy rain is a strange game, or isn't it? I mean is it a game? Sure it is, I've got a controller in my hands and I am pushing buttons to make things happen. But if you instantly switch from current popular games such as Modern Warfare 2, Bayonetta or Dante's Inferno to Heavy Rain, it feels like nothing less than a cold turkey: involvement is still key, but not based on over the top actions but on characters and plot. Still it is recognizable as a game: game mechanics are there (press a certain order of buttons to win a fight: anyone played God of War?), there are save points, and the characters move like they are still attached to a stick. But at the same time film techniques are prominent: framing, music, and character introduction is far less in your face and more appealing to emotions. There is a delicate pace and the flow is extremely tuned. It does remind me of a game like Ico, totally different in realism but also all about emotional player involvement. It is still one of my favourite games.

Tagged with: hypertext, games, interaction,

This is not a rabbithole!

Alternate reality gaming is a very interesting crossmedial concept. There are to this day some successes and some failures. There has yet to be found what the success factors are to make a successful ARG. Stef Wouters and Filip Fastenaekels were brought in to shed some light on the world of ARG. They are, amongst others, responsible for a very successful ARG for the Flemish Public television regarding the Flemish tv-soap “Emma”. Their findings on how to create an ARG were very insightful and inspiring.

Tagged with: alternate reality, crossmedia, games,