The delusion of innovation in videogames
- Posted October 29th, 2012 at 07:38 EDT by Dane Smith
- 10 Comments
When the first videos of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale launched, some negative comparisons to it being a Smash Brothers clone immediately began. It got me thinking, why is it so bad that All-Stars is similar to Smash Brothers? It wasn't until the release of Resident Evil 6 that it confirmed to me that a terrible trend has formed in gaming, both inside and outside of western media and fandom. We, as a gaming community, ask for something but we don’t know what we are asking for. We ask for innovation but don’t actually know what innovation really means. We want our cake and the ability to be able to eat it too.
The word innovation is defined by the dictionary as “something new or different introduced.” There is nothing special about the word, and all the word means is ‘something new’. But why do gamers of this console generation eat up that word like it was the be-all and end-all of gaming? Numerous websites write reviews and commentaries using that word like it could make or break a game, that it’s worth is solely dependent on it. But at the same time they fall within an inherent hypocrisy generated by the word, for everything new is technically and strictly innovative. Yes, that is not the spirit of the meaning, but the spirit has become so corrupted through overuse this generation that it has made people delusional for a holy grail that cannot be accomplished. Let us rewind back to the early 1990s.
PlayStation All-Stars may be similar in some ways to Smash Bros, but so what?
Everyone will agree that the SNES/Genesis era of gaming was a golden age of competition and innovation for video games. New titles and products were being put on the market at an incredible rate, so much so that old-school magazines didn't have enough pages to preview and review them all. But that generation of games was also the most cloned generation out of any. Nintendo and Sega were held aloft by their stranglehold over exclusivity. Want to make a series for us? It can only be for us and not the other guy. Sports games aside, almost all of the great games from that era are platform specific, and companies would be forced to create new IPs. This is where the disconnect between spirit and strictness comes about.
Final Fight was a hit for the SNES but it was exclusive to that system. What does Sega do? It makes Streets of Rage. Looking at the two games play in split-screen, can you name what is ‘new’ or ‘different’ about the two series? The games are both side-scrolling beat em’ ups, have multiple characters, the same basic attack animations, and take place in random locations. Aside from the character models and music, what is ‘innovative’ about either game? They are both essentially the same game but are different enough to be considered unique. Even two multi-platform games like Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat are essentially the same game. The differences between them are cosmetic, but both are two of the greatest fighting franchises in the history of the medium.
Dining out on the same Dynasty Warriors formula for years
So what about All-Stars and Smash Brothers? Both look the same, have the same kind of combat system, same multitude of characters taken from multiple game series, and one is obviously inspired from the other. What is the problem? If Streets of Rage copying Final Fight, Mortal Kombat copying Street Fighter II, Silent Hill copying Resident Evil, and so on through previous generations was okay and praised, why has it suddenly become a bad thing in this generation? No one cared in those days because the demographic just wanted fun games, but more importantly the gaming media was different.
The power of the media in 1994, as a random example, compared to 2012 is on a different stratosphere. Game Players, Game Pro, EGM, and maybe a few other magazines were where people got their big news and information about games from. Now, with the rise of the internet and anyone being able to make a website, everyone and anyone can be a mouth piece for any topic, ... (continued on next page)
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honomaru
- 9:27am EDT - October 29th, 2012
- 1
Wow PSU, I can honestly say this is the first time I've ever read an article ANYWHERE that made me completely change my mind on a position I had before. I was one of those people that chastised All Stars for "ripping off" SSB, but I've actually never really thought of it this way. You are absolutely right when you imply that gamers of late have a sort of love affair with innovation. I'm definitely one of them to an extent. However, I HAVE sometimes wondered things like "Why can't the sequel of a game literally have the exact same graphics, same engine, same artistic style same controls etc etc as its predecessor? Can't we just accept titles whose sole purpose is literally just to advance the story? Why won't we allow that? I mean heII, we'd probably get games in a much more timely manner and developers could focus more on things pertaining to the actual narrative." I mean this idea would, I think, sound so far fetched to the average gamer who is conditioned to expect "drastic improvements" it probably looks like I was being sarcastic there. I think it is largely due to us being spoiled by developers. I mean TECHNICALLY we have no direct say in the matter as it is ultimately up to them. Be that as it may, i doubt many of us would vote against "innovation". The process is sort of like a revolving door.
I think another thing is that with "innovation" comes glory. That might be the most obvious reason. Imagine if Naughty Dog had made every Uncharted like the 1st one and only changed the locations. Would you still have a great game without all the crazy new scene dynamics like the train sequence in the beginning, or sliding down that collapsing building? I think so. But it probably wouldn't have gotten as much attention at its e3 showing, which most likely played a large role in its great sales. The same could be said of many other games. On another note I think it'd probably be seen by some if not many as laziness on part of developers to not make drastic changes with each iteration of their games. Also as far as console exclusives go, I think Sony and Microsoft in particular kind of coerce companies like ND and Bioware to keep trying to push the boundaries of each system with their games in order to show that their system is capable of superceding the other guy's system. This is usually I think why exclusive games look the best and have the most "innovative" ideas. Anyway, these exclusive games raise the bar and in turn influence what all the multiplatforms have to look like in order to keep from falling behind in the grand scheme of things.
This article helped me realize a somewhat sad truth that possibly even holds the gaming medium back as a whole . We are obsessed with our idea of innovation. It forces us to cry foul on replicas, consider mechanics outdated after just a few titles, and I think it ultimately makes gaming into a sort of "fad-driven" quirk rather an important medium. When casual viewers (basically anyone who isnt a film critic) go to see a movie sequel, more times than not we don't go in there with the desire to be swept off our feet by new directions in the cinematography, lighting, make up on the actors, special effects, or any other visual improvements to the sets or w/e (im not a film major lol). It's a gross generalization but most of the time we go for the story. There are exceptions to this, like summer blockbuster action movies and the like, but that is a SINGLE element that doesn't define the whole medium of film.
Anyway I kinda went off on a crazy tangent there, but overall, excellent article PSU. Very thought provoking, and in this case persuasive. Stuff like this reminds me why I always have and will continue to come here every day even though I vehemently oppose you guys every now and then. lol
Please excuse typos, im at work so this was written over a period of two hours in between free gaps. No time to proofread haha. -
Sean Matyas
- 11:49am EDT - October 29th, 2012
- 2
Great read Lasombra, that is exactly the stuff I have been saying for awhile now. Glad you found a nice new home here :D
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jenkem_addict88 |
jenkem_addict88- 1:50pm EDT - October 29th, 2012
- 3
very well presented dude. great job!
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AdamMosh
- 4:54pm EDT - October 29th, 2012
- 5
innovation is part of SONY that's why I have a PS3, Heavy Rain is a good example of that and it's not just about technology it's about trying something new, God Of War 3 with titan gameplay and best graphics I've ever seen, Infamous the ONLY open world game I really enjoyed, Uncharted the best third person shooter, etc. And the future looks better with GOW Ascension, Beyond and The Last Of US.
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- 10:56pm EDT - October 29th, 2012
- 6
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knucklesandwhich |
sackboygundam- 11:56pm EDT - October 29th, 2012
- 7
Does innovation relies on who did it first?
Does innovation relies on who did it first?
I agree that this "innovation" word was misused & blown way up out of proportion specially by Nintendo (who ironically was sued for patent infringement on many counts because many ) and as a result brainwashed many kid's minds in the U.S.
http://gigaom.com/2008/08/20/hillcrest-labs-says-nintendos-wii-infringing-patents/
But you should have also justified your point by defining the negative side of the equation- the words "rip off, copy, clone, etc. to perfect your point.
You must also make an article about the words "originality", "Inspiration" & "homage" in video games.
My two cents.
"Final Fight was a hit for the SNES but it was exclusive to that system. What does Sega do? It makes Streets of Rage. Looking at the two games play in split-screen, can you name what is ‘new’ or ‘different’ about the two series? The games are both side-scrolling beat em’ ups, have multiple characters, the same basic attack animations, and take place in random locations. Aside from the character models and music, what is ‘innovative’ about either game? They are both essentially the same game but are different enough to be considered unique."
If Streets of Rage copying Final Fight,...."
Please take no offense but your data is very, very, very wrong!
If you do your research on gaming history Streets of Rage or Bare Knuckle is actually a reskinned variation of Golden Axe not a Final Fight clone as many Westerners especially Nintendo fans would like many to believe. (Yes this misinformation from Nintendo fans has been going on since the dawn of time.)
SOR is the same 1989 Golden Axe formula BUT in brawler form & not hack n slash. Proof is because SOR enemy placement, "magic" is basically Golden Axe. GA was inspired by '82 Conan movie not Final Fight.
How can Sega be impressed by Final Fight when Golden Axe's development began 1 year before Final Fight was even announced publicly?
The thing was Final Fight & Streets of Rage was "inspired" by the success & popularity of Double Dragon arcade games.
They may be in the same genre but they have totally different origins.
And the funny thing is Capcom made the game for the arcades. And fans defended it like it was made by Nintendo and as an exclusive game. But when an arcade perfect version of Final Fight appeared on Sega CD they were furious.
The same goes for Virtua Fighter & Tekken.
To stop this mass media misinformation journalist & bloggers need to make sure their writings are backed up by accurate data, facts & information to prevent this chaos from ever happening over & over again.
That is objective journalism.
Your points & intentions are right but you need more accurate data for irrefutable proof.
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Lasombra |
MelegantPrime- 6:09am EDT - October 30th, 2012
- 8
I respect your comments, and thank you for posting, knucklesandwhich, but I believe you misunderstood the point I was trying to make when I compared Final Fight and Streets of Rage.Final Fight was a success for the SNES but it was 'exclusive'. The only thing Sega can do is copy it if they want to make Final Fight for the Sega.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWpVqEP0ac4 (Final Fight)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3YbN-K2zL8 (Streets of Rage)I don't talk about Golden Axe because it has a different kind of game dynamic than those two games. That is fine if SoR looks like a reskinned version of Golden Axe but they play differently from each other, while SoR and Final Fight play the same. That was the point I was trying to make. If I play Streets of Rage I do not suffer any penalty from it being a new game. I am already used to how the game works because it looks and works almost exactly like Final Fight, and vice versa. The weapons can be used the same way, the item drops are the same, there is the same style of fighting, and the enemies health bars all work the same (or in the case of Game 1 only the boss because SoR1 didn't have generic enemy health bars.) There is only enough difference that the makers of Streets of Rage will not get sued for making an 'exact clone'. It is just 95% cloned.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQF8a6tNAVkComparing the two games in question with Golden Axe, they play a lot different from each other and look a lot different from each other.I used Final Fight vs. Streets of Rage because they are exactly the same situation as Smash Brothers vs. Playstation All-Stars. The thesis of my article was "why now is it bad that we can't copy it other, but back then it was great?" So that extra info you gave about Double Dragon, Bare Knuckle and Golden Axe was not needed because it did not apply to the topic. Streets of Rage and Final Fight are clones of each other as they look and play the same, while Golden Axe looks and plays differently from those two.Again, I appreciate the feedback and the idea. The article worked as it got people to discuss a heated topic in a respectful and intelligent manner. -
Alpha2
- 9:45am EDT - October 30th, 2012
- 9
Applause for being almost literally the first to finally point this out. It's Perhaps the best article I've read on the site this year. It has gotten far too trendy to hate on something just because it has Sony's name on it. Or simply ignore or despise one thing while at the same time clapping like a trained monkey for other things. Specifically in this case the "smash" style which has been used by WAY more developers than just Nintendo and Sony.
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Richard Haig
- 1:14am EDT - October 31st, 2012
- 10
Innovation, my beef with this new Sony Smash bros. isn't that it copies Smash, its that it doesn't make full use of the system.
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