Monument Valley (2014)

Today, video games are an important form of artistic expression the world over.

From games that recreate the childlike wonder in discovering magic and delight in the world -- like "Super Mario Brothers" -- to those that explore the hopelessness of losing a child -- as in "That Dragon, Cancer" -- video games are capable of expressing the full breadth of human experience.

At a time when technology is no longer a significant limitation, game developers often create deliberate constraints -- such as limited color palettes or controls, or abstract depictions -- out of artistic choice to enhance the narrative and emotion.

Key examples of this are the minimal aesthetic in "Thomas was Alone", which creates an emotional connection with geometric shapes, and the silhouetted universe that unnerves the player in "Limbo."

Because video games demand our attention and effort to truly engage with them, it's easy for those who don't play to be dismissive of them. Movies may last two hours, a book may take three days to read, but some video games need 40 or 50 hours of dedication to fully unpack their tale.

The stories that reflect our world, reveal our aspirations, question societal norms, challenge our own morality, or simply exist to bring people together, are expressed through so many of these games.

If we choose to let ourselves engage, video games will reveal themselves not just as a dominant art form for the 21st century, but one of the most important art forms in the history of mankind.

Limbo (2010)

True or false, according to the text above?

1. Games can deal with a wide range of human emotions.
The text doesn't say this.
This is what the text claims.

2. Since technology is so advanced, game designers sometimes deliberately (=on purpose) make the games simpler, either in terms of graphics or gameplay.
The text doesn't say this.
This is what the text claims.

3. Many people don't understand why games could be art, because they think games are too violent.
The text doesn't say this.
This is what the text claims.

4. Books are superior to games as an art form.
The text doesn't say this.
This is what the text claims.

5. Games can challenge our beliefs about what is "normal" or make us re-think our world.
The text doesn't say this.
This is what the text claims.

Fill in the synonyms.

require - commitment - mirror - negative - aspirations - limitations - planned

1. Game developers often create deliberate constraints.


2. Video games demand our attention and effort.


3. It's easy for non-players to be dismissive of them.


4. Some video games need 40 or 50 hours of dedication.


5. Games include stories that reflect our world.


6. These stories can also reveal our hopes and dreams.