How do we categorise games like dear ester, gone home and depression quest?

[TheRiddler]

A couple options:

-"Art Game": Similar to the idea of an "art film". Only problem is that it's vague. Is Journey an art game? If yes, are Bioshock and Spec Ops: The Line?

-"Minimalist Game": I rather like this one. Games in this genre would be those that're sparse, with relatively little momentary engagement.

-"Choose Your Own Adventure Game": You know, like the books. Applies specifically to games like The Walking Dead and Depression Quest. Where the only means of interaction with the game is a series of multiple-choices.

With the "art game" category (though I think the term arthouse is more apt), I would argue Bioshock and Spec Ops: The Line wouldn't be classified as such since they're more akin to blockbusters that have a well written script. They still have fairly complex (well, compared to Gone Home and Dear Ester) gameplay and are made by fairly high profile commercial developers rather than a more independent market that is usually associated with such a genre. Journey kind of straddles the line a bit, but I could see an argument to define it as such. It would probably fit its own subcategory though since it has a fairly minimalistic story and instead uses unique gameplay and visuals to draw the player in.

I'd also have a fair amount of reservation placing TWD in the same category as Depression Quest. While the later episodes have been fairly bare, TWD does have some unique gameplay in the form of puzzles. It's actually a gripe I have with Telltale as of late, they've been slowly moving away from their traditional adventure game roots. Depression Quest on the other hand really does nothing beyond your average text-based game you can find multitudes of on the internet. The only thing that has earned it attention is the subject matter rather than any technical aspect.

On the first point about Bioshock and Spec Ops, I get where you're coming from. But, to use the film analogy again, I think there's a pretty significant line to be drawn between an "art film" and an "independent film". And by this analogy, I feel that Bioshock and SO:TL are art games to the same extent that, say, Inception was an art film.

And on the second point, I really just meant that the choices you make are the primary means of interaction with the game, puzzles or not. I get that TWD has more interesting mechanics and aesthetics if you look closely, but I think my point on them sharing this one characteristic still stands.

 

[Lunar Templar]

well, my knee jerk thought is 'boring and not worth a second glance.' but that's hardly fair, and 'walking simulator' while apt, also not really fair ether, so, I'm not really sure.

I'm tempted to say put them in the same category as point and clicks, but, not sure that really works ether. This is kinda one of those 'what is a genera' questions that get batted around a lot but has no clear answer right now.

 

[TheRiddler]

A couple options:

-"Art Game": Similar to the idea of an "art film". Only problem is that it's vague. Is Journey an art game? If yes, are Bioshock and Spec Ops: The Line?

-"Minimalist Game": I rather like this one. Games in this genre would be those that're sparse, with relatively little momentary engagement.

-"Choose Your Own Adventure Game": You know, like the books. Applies specifically to games like The Walking Dead and Depression Quest. Where the only means of interaction with the game is a series of multiple-choices.

Snip.

On the first point about Bioshock and Spec Ops, I get where you're coming from. But, to use the film analogy again, I think there's a pretty significant line to be drawn between an "art film" and an "independent film". And by this analogy, I feel that Bioshock and SO:TL are art games to the same extent that, say, Inception was an art film.

Again, while Inception may be a film that is critically acclaimed, that does not qualify it as an "art film". Of course, all films and games are technically art, it's just that an "art film" is a specific term used to describe a certain type of movie.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_film

Inception is, like Bioshock and Spec Ops: The Line, a fairly conventional Hollywood film albeit one that is considered to have better writing that most. It's basically just your average Hollywood Oscar movie.

Fair enough. To be honest, this was the first time I'd looked for a formal definition of an art film, and by Wikipedia's standards, you're in the right. Learn something new every day, I guess.