With L.A. Noire being the first video game ever to be featured at the Tribeca Film Festival this year, a lot of people were wondering if this is the time that video games could finally be accepted as art. Video games have come a long way since the days of the Atari 2800 with the gameplay, graphics, and storytelling much like how the film industry evolved from short films to being longer in length and having sound. Because of this, we have seen much more complex storylines and visual styles that have enhanced our experience. Though it may seem like the logical progression to become art, I actually believe it would be counterintuitive.

The reason that I say this is because traditional forms of art such as film and paintings have a fundamental different difference from video games. That kind of art is a passive experience, as opposed to video games, which are an active experience. What I mean by this is that traditional art doesn't require any input from the spectator whatsoever. No matter what you do, the work of art will be what it is. What will differ is your interpretation of that art, but that happens after the fact. Mona Lisa will continue to look the same, and Bonnie and Clyde will still get shot down in the end. 

With video games, it's a much different experience. You are the one who puts the wheels of the game in motion when playing Gran Turismo 5 or saving the Planet from Sephiroth in Final Fantasy VII. The bottom line is the story will not go on until you make it go on. Some games have a very rigid storyline that leave very little room for branching plots, and then there are games like Mass Effect and Heavy Rain where you have a huge influence over the story. But no matter what, you are the catalyst that makes it all happen.

Because the gamer is actually involved in the game, the emotional impact is much greater in my opinion. People become attached to characters and begin developing pseudo relationships with them, whether it be the protagonist or a secondary character. Also, one has to invest a lot of time, strategy, and care into whatever the main objective is in the game. Traditional art requires no real investment besides the money you pay to buy it or to go to a museum. So when a character dies like Aeris or you finally make it past the final boss, there is a huge emotional release. It's true that film and music can have an emotional effect on people as well, but I think video games have potential to be at a much different level.

This isn't to say that the visual styles of a game don't make an impact because they do. The tone and feel in every environment will play a part in how the gamer reacts to their surroundings. Games should continue to evolve in that sense and perhaps borrow elements from different genres of film in order to enhance the experience. But ultimately, I believe the art behind video games lies in the reactions the gamers get after playing through them. It's that catharsis one has after beating a game, or a reaction they have to a pivotal moment in the plot. What the industry should focus on is how to make the overall experience more impactful. I believe this is something traditional art will never achieve, so why bother being associated with it? Let video games have their own unique place so that film and music can be on the outside, feeling jealous. 

About the Author

Brett Juchniewicz

Writer

Brett Juchniewicz graduated from Rowan University in 2008 with a B.A. in Radio/TV/Film. He has interned at CBS 3 Eyewitness News in Philadelphia and has worked for NFL Films in New Jersey. Besides his career in television, he is a contributor over at TheGamerBuzz. He loves playing video games on his PS3 in his spare time as well as play some guitar.