Credit Us With Some Intelligence
By sweep 20 Comments
As computer games become increasingly cinematic, it is sometimes easy to forget their simple beginnings.
The principle is one of being challenged by an interactive scenario, promoting reaction speed and mentally stimulating the solution to an abstract electronic puzzle. Convoluted as these principles may have become, the core elements of pressing the right buttons at the right time are retained throughout videogame history.As an animator I have become increasingly exposed to the subtleties that lie within the medium. John Lasseter, in a recent interview over his promotion to Head of both Pixar and Disney animation studio's, expressed deep irritation when prompted that animations were for children. As an animator, I sympathise and share in that frustration. You do not have to be a child to marvel at the creations in Wall*E or laugh at the jokes in Shrek. Animations are for everyone, and so are computer games. Computer games are for everyone.
So why do I find myself repeatedly exposed to mechanics that underwhelm and fail to engross. Why, in a game where you are expected to memorise and lethally execute 10 hit button mashing combinations are you then expected to solve a simple puzzle by tediously pushing blocks around. Credit us with some intelligence. Computer games may be universal but I am yet to find many that are not aimed at an audience of mentally handicapped orangutans.
I had a lot of fun playing Braid. You can enjoy the subtle ambience of the story at your own discression, but the game succeeds in stimulating a thought process and is perfectly married with an exemplary trial-and-improvement mechanic. Its a lethal combination of intellectual challenge and the solid execution of gameplay. Braid made me think about what the fuck was happening instead of simply running in guns blazing. The satisfaction of finishing Braid Puzzles easily outweighed the satisfaction of say... completing the Final Boss in Gears Of War 2.
I would like a game which doesnt immediately spoon feed me with every slice of information, doesnt provide me a bread-crumb trail towards my next objective, doesnt constantly remind me by intercom where I should or should not be. I dont want complete freedom within my gaming experience, but neither do I want every integral aspect of experimentation and exploration removed by developers who think the best way to progress a narrative is to direct you by jabbing with a pointy stick. I dont want the answer handed to me, I should be able to figure it out by myself and the reward would be all the sweeter as a consequence. If you are going to target a game at a mature audience then design it appropriately. Everyone likes a bit of mindless violence every now and again but not all the time. Its 2009. If someone somewhere can't figure out how to beat a puzzle - thats what guides are for. Welcome to the internet.
It is therefore nice to find a game that embraces mechanical logic in such an honest way. Drop7 is a game which I discovered by chance and have been hooked on ever since - which says a lot for its limited gameplay. Drop7 is, for want of a better explanation, tetris with numbers.
DONT CLICK AWAY FROM THIS BLOG, hear me out.
Drop7 is is 7x7 grid which slowly fills up with grey squares from the bottom. Once the grid fills up, its Game Over. You must drop single blocks from the top of the grid. Each block has a number. To get rid of the block, you must place it in a stack of blocks, the length of which must correspond to the number of any of the blocks within the stack. For example, if I have a stack with [5] [3] [6] [7] and I drop a [4] at the end, then the [5] will dissapear because there are now 5 numbers in the stack, then the [4], then the [3] - giving me a tripple chain score and MILLIONZ OF POINTZ!!
Sounds simple huh? Well to mix things up the game will drop blank blocks into the puzzle as well - which must be uncovered by removing two adjacent numbers. The game keeps going until you fail - but as you prgress through the levels the amount of drops you have to clear away your blocks is reduced.
The music to the game is an ambient electronic buzz that really reminded me of Mass Effect for some reason. When you clear away blocks there is a gentle chime in-time to the music and the notes escalate as your chain grows. It works really well, it sounds fantastic and makes creating huge chains really satisfying.
Thats it. Simple, entertaining, absorbing, stimulating. There is no time limit, you can take as long as you want to think about where you are going to drop your numbers. Its laid back and simple. After the madness of Burnout Paradise it's exactly what I needed.
Oh yeah, one more thing. Drop7 is an iPhone app. It cost me 56 pennies.
Thanks For Reading
Love Sweep