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Re:Video Games Can Never Be Art by bmalicoat on Saturday April 17, 2010 @12:56PM (#1273304)
Seems to me that as an outsider to gaming Ebert, whom I respect, misses out on many gaming opportunities. I'm not sure what lofty definition of art he is using but I've played games that run the entire emotional spectrum. Cinematic games like Uncharted 2, reflective games like Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, funny games like Monkey Island, 'art house' games like Braid, suspenseful games like Resident Evil. These games cover many systems over a long stretch of time, to expect a movie critic to keep up would be asking too much. But he should understand that this would be like me, a casual movie watcher, saying Citizen Kane is boring.
Re:Video Games Can Never Be Art by jimmyjim on Saturday April 17, 2010 @04:50PM (#1273684)
Shadow of the Colossus was indeed very artsy, but I think its prequel Ico was better by miles and miles. Also the perfect argument against Ebert's take on video games. A trailer of some sort: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FQ-0vqHAro

Really just a gesamtkunstwerk. The soundtrack, the choreography and the storyline really work well together. The game falls under a puzzle genre I believe.

Re:Video Games Can Never Be Art by bmalicoat on Saturday April 17, 2010 @07:57PM (#1273998)
I gotta be honest with you, I only upvoted you because you somehow managed to say gesamtkunstwerk in a casual way.
Re:Video Games Can Never Be Art by cgranade on Saturday April 17, 2010 @01:09PM (#1273323)
I agree wholeheartedly save for that I would have picked other examples for good suspenseful games, such as Silent Hill or Parasite Eve. More recently, I would add Heavy Rain to that list, though it's a completely different genre-- I've seldom seen a game that can evoke such powerful emotions.
Re:Video Games Can Never Be Art by bmalicoat on Saturday April 17, 2010 @01:25PM (#1273349)
Yea, I've heard Heavy Rain is pretty intense. Haven't had a chance to check it out yet that's why I didn't include it, but from what I've heard it is one of the best representatives of artful games.
Re:Video Games Can Never Be Art by lotharbot on Saturday April 17, 2010 @03:30PM (#1273570)
Another game worthy of consideration as art:

http://www.playauditorium.com

Re:Video Games Can Never Be Art by dustingetz on Saturday April 17, 2010 @04:51PM (#1273688)
why, because it's pretty?
Re:Video Games Can Never Be Art by lotharbot on Sunday April 18, 2010 @04:43PM (#1275463)
It is, in fact, pretty, appealing to the senses and possibly emotions. But it's not just the aesthetics that make it worthy of consideration as art.

The gameplay itself is creative; the player can solve levels in unintended ways. There are (sometimes surprising) interactions between various elements, and it is their arrangement that the game is based upon. The layout of various levels is subtly expressive; there's a sense in which the player is getting inside the level designer's head by playing their level (this is, IMO, an overlooked aspect of many video games. Level design is an expression of the designer's thoughts!)

There are some definitions of "art" this would not meet, and others that it would. At the very least, then, it's worthy of consideration.