Picture of the Day: Perspective

Image Credit: robino

Before we can really get into the subject of video-games themselves, we need to take a step back and look at our own position as an audience to the medium. The construction of the audience's perspective is extremely important in any form of storytelling, especially if you want to create a certain tone or implement a specific type of reaction.

I believe that the image above can be used as a "reflection" of how our unique perspectives can be just as much of a crutch as a blessing. 

While the water is allowing us, as the audience, a "watered down" view of the true subject, the fact that it is a reflection means that it is skewed. Even though that is a fairly obvious statement, skewed perspectives generally make for the best plot twists in all mediums, especially video-games. 

The reason that video-game plot twists [*Spoilers*] have a greater impact on the player brings me back to the idea of how we view and interpret information given to us. Depending on the specific writing style and art direction, books and movies tend to feel as if you are hearing, second-hand, a story or watching it happen to someone else. 

With video-games, even though you are generally playing a character, having complete control gives you a more personal connection with the story. In the end, no one ever has a perfect view of something in any medium, because not only are we viewing it through the chosen perspective that the creators have set, but we must also work our way through our own biases and preconceptions of story, morality, etc. There is always more to the picture than what we see initially, it is simply up to us to be more open minded.

Now, I would love to hear from you guys. What were the craziest plot twists you have experienced in games or otherwise? Have you played any games that disappointed you with their lack of plot, simply because it set everything up for a big reveal and failed in its delivery? I absolutely love spoilers so feel free to take these topics wherever you want!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day and thanks so much for reading.

SS

Information about this blog

This blog is going to be my way of exploring and sharing the plots, themes and meanings within video-games, popular or well-loved, through a literature major's eyes. As a 20 year old English major with an almost border-line obsession with games that have great stories or messages, I feel that I am always arguing that gaming is not always childish.

As a kid growing up in West Virginia, I spent my time embarking on imagined quests in the woods with my friends and experiencing fantastic worlds through a tiny box in my living room.

While all of my other friends "grew out" of video-games, dedicating their time to playing at adulthood, I began to see a whole new side to what my childish mind had once seen as only magic. Persuading my neighbor to let me borrow each new Game Informer magazine subscription he got in the mail opened my eyes to the fact that adults can still enjoy and talk about video-games.

I want this blog to be a place where I can unload years of literary theory and terminology onto something I actually enjoy, gaming. However, even with my love for playing and discussing games, there will always be titles that I miss out on or overlook. 

Feel free to share your own experiences with games, scenes or settings that immersed you in their own world. Tell me about the games that you loved as a kid, suggest ones I should look at now or that you feel should have a bigger following. Whether you want to just read my posts or argue heatedly with me, I would love to discuss different games with you. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful day and thanks so much for reading.

SS