Emily Sidler Game Journal

[Professor Sidler]

Name of Game: Shrek Super Party
Game author (If known) : Unknown
Game Studio: Mass Media

Original Platform & control mechanism: Playstation 2/Playstation 2 controller

Control mechanism you used:XBox/XBox controller

Describe Gameplay and mechanics:
The Gameplay reminds me a lot of Mario Party where you play as different characters competing in challenges to win the game and ultimately get the character’s ‘wish’ granted. Points are determined by the amount of bugs a player gets in each challenge, similar to how in Mario Party you collect coins and stars. In Shrek Super Party, there are multiple areas from the movie that you can find challenges in, including the Dragon’s Keep, Windmill, Swamp, Castle and Farm. Each area has challenges unique to the area, such as the Keep has a bridge with lava you have to cross over to get points. Characters will take turn moving spaces, which will determine what kind of challenges the players will compete in. The challenges are all vastly different-from things like running across a bridge from the Dragon to competing in wrestling ring in the castle area to squash knights into the mud.


Describe strengths & weaknesses of art & design
I think the biggest strength of this game comes from the variety and humor of the mini games. Very similar to the Mario Party games, the challenges and mini games require a variety of tasks in order to complete. Some examples are running across a bridge from a dragon, matching boxes of hidden treasures, trying to squash guards in a muddy wrestling ring, throwing onions at each other, trying to toss rats into a well, climbing vines to catch fireflies, ect. One of the games in particular that makes me laugh is a game where you play a frog trying to catch fireflies, and the game feels very similar to Hungry Hungry Hippos in terms of layout and gameplay. I think the biggest weakness of this game is definitely in the art. The characters come across as flat and having blank stares, the personalities lacking from their portrayal in the movie. The movie also is a lot more saturated and detailed compared to the game. In all, from an artistic standpoint the game just seemed to be made hastily in order to make more money by being based off the movie.


what made it fun?
Playing this game now, the best way I can describe the gameplay is controlled chaos. The challenges are incredibly fun with their variety and humor, some even in my opinion a little more fun and challenging than the mini games in the Mario Party series. There are a lot of games like the one where you are in a wrestling ring trying to mow down knights on a barrel where you end up just trying to bounce off the ropes super fast and end up laughing hysterically as you smash into other players. I think there’s so much variety in the challenges that it ends up being a game that could be played over and over again. But looking at it now, the moments in between the challenges where your character moves or trades bugs just ends up being boring and lifeless. I think putting the camera so close to the characters does them a disservice, because their blank stares, lack of commentary and overall designs takes you out of the fun of the game. It might have been amusing and unnoticeable to a younger me, but now when I look at it compared to games like Sly Cooper and Jak and Daxter, I know the capabilities of studios to put humor and charm into the characters in Playstation 2 games. In the end, I think Shrek Super Party has some brilliant and really fun ideas with the challenges, but the rest of the game just seems to be lacking.


Now that you’ve played it, Why would this game be considered influential? How does it fit into the evolution of games?
I think this game could have been a lot more influential had the design quality been up to par with some of the other games that came out for the PS2. There was a lot of great games that showed character and humor through character design, animation and voice acting, and unfortunately Shrek Super Party lacked in those departments. I think the challenges were super fun and different, but I haven’t seen challenges like them very much in games like the Mario Party series to believe that they really served as an influence or inspiration. I was disappointed when I found out that the game did not do well in the market, but I also believe that half of marketing is in how the game is portrayed, and compared to other games that were coming out the game just didn’t look as appealing. I hope that eventually Mario Party branches out to add some fun mini games similar to some of the ones in Shrek Super Party, but I think because of the lack of humor and character in the design we will not see a sequel to Shrek Super Party. (Unlike all of the sequels we’re seeing to the movie.)


How would you rate this game (1-5 Stars (5 stars good))
I would give it a 3. Fond memories, fun challenges. A lot lacking when you compare it to other games that came out at around that time.

[Professor Sidler]

Name of Game: Halo Infinite
Game author (If known)
Game Studio: 343 Industries

Original Platform & control mechanism: Xbox One/PC

Control mechanism you used: PC Laptop
Would the experience have been different using the original? How? No, it was originally created to be played well with both XBox and PC

Describe Gameplay and mechanics:
Halo is a first person game where you play as Master Chief and explored the open world of Zeta Halo, fighting multiple enemies with a mix of vehicles and weapons. The different types of weapons or objects you find can help give Master Chief new abilities, such as the ability to grapple across an area, pull yourself towards foes or get over rough terrain. There are also different types of guns that have different shot capabilities and ranges. The idea of the game is to access new parts of the world through defeating all enemies in a section to be able to capture a base, and then use that base as a point of fast travel. The Multiplayer section of the game also includes a storyline along with several gameplay styles such as capture the flag, deathmatch and the standard 4 vs 4 variants.


Describe strengths & weaknesses of art & design:
I think the biggest strength of this game is the ability to immerse the character into the world and make the storyline believable. I’ve played a mix of first person games where I often felt like the storyline was trying to imply that you had free control over the character, but was often forcing you to do something instead, which sometimes took out the feeling of actually being the character. The design has a great customization of feeling like you are in a sci-fi movie with lighting and realistic assets, while still having some characters like Weapon’s persona that allow for a little bit of play with the character design to help fit the story more. I also liked the use of camera, where most of the time you would be in first person but in some story moments, the camera might change slightly to show an interaction between chief and another character.


what made it fun?
I had heard a lot about Halo Infinite when it first came out, but I’ve never been a big first person shooter type of gamer. Some of the games I remember playing as a first person shooter (aside from occasionally arcade games) are games from the 1990s/early 2000s such as Counter-Strike and 007, but even those were games that my dad bought that he later on let me play. I’ve tried games like Overwatch but found the game mechanics and roles hard to adapt to as a first time player. What I personally really enjoyed about Halo Infinite is the gradual learning curve into working with different weapons and abilities, which allowed me to enjoy the story while also gradually getting into the gameplay. I found the elements of the game such as lighting, scene setup and animation of both the character and camera really immersed the player into the world and made them actually feel like they were the one running around as Masterchief. The camerawork during cutscenes especially made them feel more handheld and organic. There were also audio elements built into the game like volume of characters/sound effects depending on where you were that made playing the game with headphones really entertaining and immersive. I also enjoyed the interaction that you had with the character named Weapon while you were running around in the single player campaign, adding a level of comradery to the gameplay.


Now that you’ve played it, Why would this game be considered influential? How does it fit into the evolution of games?
I think this game falls into the same realm of Influence as the Mario series in that it’s been remade over time but the essence of the game and characters has always remained the same, proving that video game fans will go back to characters and games that they know and love over and over again. Also upon reading more about the game itself, I found out that the game release was actually delayed in August 2020 because of negative feedback from critics, reviewers and Halo fans. I think this was close to kind of a pivotal time where pre-releases had become important for games and even critical in ensuring success, unlike older games where once the game was released, there wasn’t any room for improvement or changes, especially thinking back to Arcade games where if they didn’t do well in a trade show, it was a huge loss for the game studio. I also think these pre-releases of games became a great way for smaller studios to make money and gain fans. I think fans have come to really appreciate pre-releases and having studios like 343 Industries that listened to comments and adjusted the game I think gives fans a lot of confidence that their opinions matter and planned ahead. I think the Industry has also come a really long way in terms of story with first person shooter games, from more simple multi-player or task-driven games to now having games that follow a storyline and immerse the player in the world.

How would you rate this game (1-5 Stars (5 stars good))
4.7, I'm still not a big FPS gamer but this is easily one of the most entertaining and visually stunning ones I've played!

[Professor Sidler]

Game: Baldur's Gate


Developer & Publisher: Larian Studios


Music Designer: Borislav Slavov


What is your favorite game soundtrack and why?
Coming from a theatre and choir background, I REALLY appreciate when game studios try to go above and beyond immersing a player into the world with music. I think Larian could have easily gone overboard with their use of both vocals and full orchestra when making the soundtrack for this game, but I think they also really paid attention to volume and where music needed to help drive the story verses being just a background ambiance. There's also one tune that carries on through most of the songs as the theme, and they make a point to make it more prominent in songs like the main themes and more subtle in songs like the City songs. It was clear when vocals drove more of the songs, for example in Raphael's Final Act, Raphael himself sings because that is the kind of egotistical, self-admiring character he is. But the song doesn't feel out of place because there are parts of the song that tie back into the others. Overall, the soundtrack was nominated and won several awards and has been having orchestra showings since the game's release.


How would you rate this game (1-5 Stars (5 stars good))

5 out of 5!!

[Professor Sidler]

Game author (If known): Phil Fish
Game Studio: Polytron Corporation

Original Platform & control mechanism: XBox 360

Control mechanism you used: Laptop and Mouse
Would the experience have been different using the original? How?
I think the game developers did a great job of adapting the game for multiple platforms, so the game was still an enjoyable experience

Describe Gameplay and mechanics
The game is about a character that is supposedly 2D living in a 2D world until he finds a red fez that turns the world into a three-dimensional space. Each sort of platform or ‘world’ is created by cube-like structures that can be rotated up to four times, each side revealing new paths that the character can use to get through the level. The two basic goals of the game is to figure out puzzles by rotating around the cube-like spaces and collecting cubes and cube pieces. You can use certain cubes to unlock areas and eventually help prevent the collapse of the world. There are characters you can interact with throughout the world and some objects help you interact with the world and get through the puzzles. The main mechanics of the game are running, jumping and climbing in order to explore the worlds.


Describe strengths & weaknesses of art & design
I think the beauty of this game comes from it’s use of color and 3D Design. Even in the 2D spaces, the color theory and design is vibrant and appealing. The way they use shading on certain objects adds a level of dimension to them using darker shades to give shadows and depth. This makes the game even more stunning when you get the ability to rotate the world in 3D and you see not just different sides, but different perspectives of the entire worlds. I think this is something that current gamers take for granted because in games like Sims we see the 3D world and can rotate around it constantly. But because Fez is made using pixel art and sprites, the 3D aspect of the worlds becomes much more vibrant and dimensional. I think having a contrast between seeing the 2D spaces and the 3D also makes us as players be more appreciative of the 3D aspects as well.


what made it fun?
I think the most fun part of this game was running around the worlds and getting to rotate around them, watching how certain elements like the characters continued to move and interact even when you rotated to a new angle. I’m a big fan of games where there are puzzles, and this game was a great combination of exploration and getting to solve puzzles to not just get cubes but also get to find treasure maps and access new areas. I also love the character animation and addition of side characters in the game, the animation being simple but appealing with little additions like follow through and overlap on the bow of a character or addition an anticipation to the jumps of a cat. I personally love open world games and getting to explore multiple areas, and Fez has that general concept of an open world while still keeping the charm of a 2D game. I think one of the most fun parts about the game is the idea that Phil Fish doesn’t just use the three dimensional aspect to give the player a glimpse of the world, but actively shows off the 3D worlds rotating slowly and using 3D to really create a wow factor for the player.


Now that you’ve played it, Why would this game be considered influential? How does it fit into the evolution of games?
After watching ‘Indie Game: The Movie’, I have a lot of respect and sympathy for Indie Game developers. It seems like there is a lot of stress and anxiety revolving around just wanting to create your own games, and I think people who don’t create games attack developers without knowing the work and time that goes into creating the game.


How would you rate this game (1-5 Stars (5 stars good))
5 stars!

[Professor Sidler]

Name of Game: Gardenscapes
Game author (If known)
Game Studio: Playrix

Original Platform & control mechanism:Android/Iphone/Ipad

Control mechanism you used: Ipad
Would the experience have been different using the original? How?
No

Describe Gameplay and mechanics
The gameplay of Gardenscapes is pretty simple, with the main gameplay being to match colors and shapes to each other in a group of three or more to eliminate them, similar to CandyCrush and other mobile games. Matching items in groups of four or more in certain patterns can lead to powerups such as bombs, rockets and dynamite that can take out entire sections or rows of items. The goal of each level is different, some levels asking you to collect a certain numbers of a specific item while others ask you to use a certain amount of powerups. Certain obstacles such as water or rocks can keep you from making matches until you destroy them or figure out how to get around them. The main driving factor of the game for most people though is the storyline and decorative aspect, as you work with your butler through an old garden restoring it to it’s former glory.


Describe strengths & weaknesses of art & design
The biggest strength of this game in my opinion is the options they give you to customize each area of the garden. They usually give you three different choices for each part of the garden that you unlock, everything from furniture, to buildings, to décor and plants. The design of each works well whether you decide to match everything in a section of the garden or choose something a little different for each area. In addition there are other characters you can unlock and reveal, and different storylines that follow each section of the garden as you unlock them. I think the biggest weakness of this game though comes from the amount of content that they have pushed over time. Now when you open the app, there are several side quests and stories that either are on a time limit or cost money to advance in, when most players like myself just want to get to the main point of the game.


what made it fun?
This game is literally my go-to anytime I find myself taking a flight or needing something to pass the time while I only have my phone on me. I so seldomly play it that every time I open the app, it gives me the congratulatory ‘Welcome Back’ package of items. So far my favorite, and probably the most addicting part of the game is watching the puzzles light up with fireworks when you complete a level, seeing your point count rise and knowing you’re closer to unlocking another part of the garden/story. I can see how the game makes money, as often you will get so close to beating a level and lose with just one or two turns left, making you want to play the level again for the chance to win even if it means spending money. It makes me wonder if games like Gardenscapes play into the same mentality as games like casino games or arcade games, with the temptation of winning and unlocking something new being a driving factor in why people spend money. I tried Candy Crush back when it first came out and wasn’t entertained by the story the same way I was with Gardenscapes, being able to unlock different parts of the story and also unlock different areas and buildings of the garden with different themes. A side perk that I think might play into it as well is the idea of a tiny butler breaking the fourth wall and talking to you, all the while helping you to rebuild your garden and mansion. I think there’s a tiny part of all of us that would love to have a tiny butler checking in on us and helping us with tasks throughout the day.


Now that you’ve played it, Why would this game be considered influential? How does it fit into the evolution of games?
I think mobile games in general have had a huge impact on the gaming industry because almost everybody plays them. While PC or console games are usually played by someone who plays games regularly, the mobile game industry caters towards every kind of person, whether you like puzzles, board games or more classic games. There have even been board like Risk that have been adapted to a mobile game so that people can play it without even getting out the board or finding other players! I think Gardenscapes has followed a few other games in becoming a successful kind of puzzle game that rewards players with story and being able to design something in the game. Its also the kind of game that can be played for hours as you try to unlock new points of the story or try to open a new area of the garden. There are also prompts like timed powerups that only let you use them for a certain amount of time, which can also pull players to spend more time on the game to get the most out of the limited powerup. Games like Candy Crush and Gardenscapes have become so popular that the Industry is constantly trying to make new versions of the same concept, such as Gordon Ramsey’s Chef Blast which has the same gameplay style, but just using creating recipes as the new target goal. The rush to promote the game and get it popular led Gordon Ramsey to create a promotional video, promising someone who played the game and got a certain amount of points the chance to dine at one of his restaurants. To me, that’s crazy! But I think games like Candy Crush and Gardenscapes really exposed the industry to just how much money can be made with that style of mobile game.


How would you rate this game (1-5 Stars (5 stars good))
4.5 stars! Stop adding so many tasks!

[Professor Sidler]

Name of Game: The Last Guardian
Game author (If known): Fumito Ueda
Game Studio: Japan Studio/ GenDesign

Original Platform & control mechanism: Playstation 4

Control mechanism you used: Playstation 4

Describe Gameplay and mechanics:
In The Last Gaurdian, the player controls a small boy who wakes up next to a large creature named Trico. After removing Trico’s chains and a spear in his side, the creature befriends the boy and the player can call to the creature and command him to do certain things like jump or come to the boy. The game is a mix of puzzles and exploration which must be completed with a sense of teamwork between the boy and Trico. Trico can reach certain areas and defend the boy from enemies while the boy can feed Trico, do things like pull levels and carry objects and reach smaller areas. The boy can carry a shield or a mirror which allows him to later on be able to direct a beam of light in the direction that he wants Trico to shoot lightning from his tail. In the end, through solving puzzles and exploration, they find more to the backstory of Trico and the boy and eventually return the boy to his village.


Describe strengths & weaknesses of art & design
I think the best part of this game in terms of design is the AI created for Trico. The creature moves realistically and has certain animalistic behaviors similar to a cat in that it perks it’s ears up when it hears a sound, looks at areas it wants to explore and has the capability to ignore calls at first if it is distracted. It also will wander off on it’s own occasionally, finding new areas if the boy does not call it for a certain amount of time. In addition, Trico will also cower and hide when it encounters something it fears, or lunge forward and protect the boy if it encounters something it feels will take the boy from it. In terms of design, the game is beautiful with vibrant lighting and settings. I think the interesting part of the design is the boy feels very 2D compared to Trico and the world because of the more flat shading.

what made it fun?
I watched a playthrough of this when it first came out and just had to buy the game myself to feel the connection and experience. The camerawork of this game is STUNNING because everything is from a third person view at the height of the boy, which makes you as the player feel like you’re actually walking around with this giant creature and seeing Trico from the boy’s perspective. As the game continues, the mannerisms of Trico endear the creature to the player and I found myself often turning to look at Trico and wanting to check where it was looking or following it into random areas as it wandered, treating it almost like another player. The game does a great job of being more of an open world concept while using certain story elements to direct you in the path to progress the story, often using puzzles and paths to give you clues as to where to look next. Despite that the game can feel slow at times because you are trying to lead Trico around, it’s highly entertaining to see the obstacles they created specifically for him and the boy. For example, there’s one area where you have to cross a cavern, and while the boy can press against the wall and hang from chains to cross along the side, Trico has to jump across rather precarious pillars of rocks to get across. There were often times that my heart would leap into my chest watching Trico perch on one of the pillars, silently praying that the pillar wouldn’t fall. In the end, I read that a lot of players enjoyed the connection between Wander and his horse Argo in Fumito’s previous game The Shadow of the Colossus and he wanted to recreate that same connection between the player and an NPC, and I think he did an amazing job with that in The Last Guardian.


Now that you’ve played it, Why would this game be considered influential? How does it fit into the evolution of games?
I think this game is considered more influential because of the connection that players can make with an NPC character. I think one of the interesting things about games over time is not just the need for storytelling, but the need for connection with characters. I think a lot of people can argue that games have become a way to connection with imagination, storytelling and characters in the same ways that people who play D&D create connections through creating characters and stories where they meet and develop relationships with other characters. I think nowadays with technology as well, it has been harder for players and people in general to create connections in real life, so interacting with characters in game can give that same feel of having a friend or a companion without all of the stress of having to get to know people or portray yourself a certain way as you do in real life. There is a community in gaming, but sometimes it can be toxic or unwelcoming because gamers can be rude or unpleasant when they have the option to hide behind a keyboard or a headset. So I think games where you meet, interact and feel for even the NPCS kind of taps into every person’s need for a human connection. In the case with Trico though, I read that a lot of gamers felt a connection to the large creature almost like a pet or a child because Trico has those rather endearing animal qualities but also acts somewhat adolescent and naïve, wandering off or cowering when it doesn’t understand something. I thought it was interesting too when I read that the entire game was made with key animation instead of mocap so the team could catch more subtleties and movements of animals and put it into Trico, making the character more convincing.


How would you rate this game (1-5 Stars (5 stars good))
5 stars! We need more games with a Trico!

[Professor Sidler]

Name of Game: Red Dead Redemption
Game author (If known)
Game Studio: Rockstar San Diego

Original Platform & control mechanism: XBox 360

Control mechanism you used:Playstation 3
Would the experience have been different using the original? How?
Slightly different just because of the different controller

Describe Gameplay and mechanics
The Game is considered an action-adventure open world game where the player walks around as a character named John Marston. John Marston is a former outlaw trying to build a simple farm life for his family, but quickly finds his Outlaw past makes it harder for him than anticipated. The game is driven by missions that take you through the story, but there are also side missions that can get your rewards and help determine your ‘honor’ in the game; basically if you are bad or good and how others will react to you as a response. Players can mainly walk, run and use weapons in the game, but they can also ride horses, hide, drive wagons and collect items. While the game pushes for following the story to progress, with the open world concept you can easily almost roleplay your day to day with chores, side missions, interacting with NPCs and exploring.


Describe strengths & weaknesses of art & design
I came from a background where I played Red Dead Redemption 2 before playing the first Red Dead so there was obviously some qualities to the game that came as outdated. I think the biggest weakness was compared to the second game, the first game felt very stiff in it’s animation and while the game has some great design, the shadow quality lacked the same depth and realistic feel that the new game has. I think the other big weakness that a lot of people would agree on is that John Marston is not as likeable of a character as Arthur Morgan. While he is portrayed as an former outlaw who also struggles with his own morals, his personality comes across as rather flat and players don’t get as much of an opportunity to see him as an individual with likes and dislikes.


what made it fun?
Initially when I started to play this game, I had to put it down and come back to it with a determination to keep playing. The storyline at the beginning just paled in comparison to the second game and felt slow, with John Marston trying to set up his farm life. In comparison, Red Dead Redemption 2 starts in the middle of a winter storm, with Arthur and Dutch riding to find shelter. Once I got past the slow beginning and older design, I found the game to be mostly enjoyable for the same reasons I enjoyed Red Dead Redemption 2-getting to explore the world and do side missions. But sadly I found myself liking most of the NPCs more than John Marston simply because they seemed to have more personality. I think a lot of people went back to play this game after Red Dead Redemption 2 because it is a continuation of the story, otherwise I think a lot of people would have skipped out on playing it if they hadn’t already.


Now that you’ve played it, Why would this game be considered influential? How does it fit into the evolution of games?
I think Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2 are both testaments to really good story and character development. I’ve never been a gamer that really likes shooting games, but the open world concept and connection you build with these characters and NPCs really shows how players love a good character and want to see their story develop. There were a lot of things you can see both from a design and a story perspective that Rockstar improved in their games. The animation overall felt smoother and more realistic. The environments had more interaction and simulation. But mainly, Rockstar took the feedback from players and developed a really well-rounded character in Arthur Morgan. They showed him doing things like sketching, contemplating death, helping others against his better judgement and pondering decisions because it helped the player connect with him and root for him. It also made it harder for players to choose the dishonor route and turn Arthur into a villain character. In comparison, John didn’t seem to have many interests or emotional struggles, so many players had a harder time connecting with him. Arthur also developed close friendships and even helped a former love interest in his story. Aside from his wife and son, John didn’t seem to care about interacting with many of the NPCs on a deeper level. The concept of an open world western game was also so appealing to many players that Rockstar Games created an online version of Red Dead Redemption where you could create your own character and accept quests as one of several different roles from tradesman to bounty hunter. In the end, I am so incredibly excited to see where the Red Dead Redemption series goes from this point as from a design and story perspective, they just seem to be getting better.


How would you rate this game (1-5 Stars (5 stars good))
3.5, it was great for the first game and I can tell Rockstar learned a lot from it.