Are Video Games Art?

Warm up

...

First name and class:

1. What games did you play as a child?


2. What games do you like to play nowadays?


3. Which platform do you prefer and why: a PC, a gaming console (like Xbox or PlayStation), phone, or board game?
Roskapostituksen esto
Valitse mikä tahansa numero, joka on suurempi kuin 2.

My favorite video game

One of my favorite video games is called The Secret of Monkey Island. It's a classic point-and-click game from 1990, and it's about Guybrush Threepwood and his quest to become a pirate. I would still highly recommend it, especially if you want to find out what old school graphic adventure games were like. It's quite funny, too.

...

What about your favorite video/computer/mobile/board/card game? (If you don't have one, write about a game you know about. If you are totally unfamiliar with games, do a Google search about the most interesting video games and find something, well... interesting!)

My name:


• What does its world look like (in as much detail as possible - what colors? what kinds of landscapes? Is it hopeful, dreamy, dystopian, deceptive?)


• What does the world sound like? Is there music? What kinds of sound effects or soundscapes (= "sound landscapes")?


• Who is the main character and what is their goal?


• Would this game also work as a movie? Why or why not?


• Is this game a piece of art or just entertainment? What's the difference?
Consider:
• what kind of a story does the game tell?
• what kinds of feelings does it deal with?
• what does it look like, visually?
• what kinds of emotions does it stir up in the player?

Roskapostituksen esto
Valitse mikä tahansa numero, joka on suurempi kuin 2.

Feedback

Do you still remember the words?

1. demise =



2. rudimentary =




3. imbued with =




4. observer =






Tick all that apply.








Other comments:

Roskapostituksen esto
Valitse mikä tahansa numero, joka on suurempi kuin 2.

What if I'm done?

Want to read more about this topic?

Here's a list of video games that have been considered pieces of art. Have you played any of them?

The Smithsonian American Art Museum held an exhibition called The Art of Video Games. Watch the video.

Here's one of the most famous American film critics, Robert Ebert, arguing that video games can never be art.