So, yes, this is something I have been wanting to do (or start doing, since I’ll never finish it) as a project for a long time. Once upon a time, I theorized that once I started the project, I would start a dedicated thread for it as I have done in the past with some of my projects. But this thread is basically perfect for it, so I’ll just use this thread. Other people post lengthy reviews here, so it makes sense for me to do so as well. So, I proudly present:
Absolute Knave Plays Through the History of Video Games
*I will be using this bullet point format for my posts in this series. At least, I think I will be. That could change. This format is one I used to use a lot. If you knew me in Lit, you’ll probably remember my Journey Through the EU thread and some years ago, I did a similar Every Batman Story Ever Written project in the Amph.
*I don’t really have a concrete reason for why I do some reviews in a standard paragraph format and why I do some in this bullet point format. It kind of depends on whether I’m trying to really give an overview of the work as a whole or if I’m going to be trying to kind of give my impressions kind of in the moment as I go through a work. So I think I’ll be doing the latter here.
*So, I’ll just shill for the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die. It inspired me to start this journey.
*I know there are still some cranks out there arguing about video games not being “art,” but I’m firmly in the other camp with the right thinking people. I’ve played through some games and seen my fair share of video game playthroughs and there’s simply no arguing with the fact that today’s games feature graphics to rival those of feature films and intricate storytelling to rival that of novels or lengthy television series. Of course, a lot of them suck too; I’m not saying you can pick up any random game at Wal-Mart and have the experience of War & Peace or whatever.
*That’s where a book like this comes in handy and seems very interesting to me. And by starting at the beginning and moving forward, this doesn’t just become an exploration of a series of games, it becomes a history of the industry, of technology itself in some ways.
*We’ll trace games from their rudimentary beginnings up to their modern forms and see where the true art lies. A modern game may look great and come with all the trimmings, but maybe an 8-bit game hits closer to the true emotional catharsis of art.
*God, what a douche-bag thing to say.
*No, seriously though, we’ll see what games measure up to the level of art, which ones are merely good times of entertainment and which ones just flat out suck.
*At the same time, I’m sure anyone reading these reviews will experience some scratching of their nostalgic itches. And we’ll get to see a classic underdog story play out: how a guy whipping off some lines of code in his spare time turns into one of the largest entertainment industries in the world.
*Anyway, I’m looking forward to it. And I hope you are too. So I just wanted to kind of do this intro post before I actually start with a game. So I’ll have the first review up soon. Join me then as we take a little trip on The Oregon Trail!