Games Exploration: The Darksiders Theory

So, I started playing through Darksiders recently, and it’s caused me to think a lot about exploration in video games. I’ve never been one to seek out every area, item, or powerup in a game. I’m not really much of a completionist. For the most part, I like to play a game without a list of goals in mind. It’s more fun for me to just discover a world as I come across it, stick to the task at hand, and occasionally veer off the intended path when something peeks my interest.

But, for some reason, when I play Darksiders, I’m perfectly content with wandering around for the sake of wandering around. You know, like when you’re fifteen, at a family reunion, and you and your cousins stumble into a patch of woods behind the neighbor’s house. You’re not really accomplishing anything by discovering what was always there, but it’s way more fun than anything else you’ll do that day.

Maybe I can chalk it up to maturity. Maybe I’m becoming more patient with games; more willing to take a moment to chill out, explore a well-crafted world, and not be so concerned  with making progress. But, I think it’s more than that.

I think it’s the little things. Like, the fact that Darksiders does an amazing job of masking load times. Sure, occasionally you’ll have to deal with an unusually long passageway before a boss fight. But, I’d rather dash boost my way down a hallway, then be forced out of the experience and offered a “Helpful Hint” load screen in return. Maybe that seems nit-picky, but the absence of loading screens goes a long way for me when it comes to being immersed in a video game world.

Darksiders also does a great job of throwing you little in-game rewards for traveling off the beaten path. Keyword: in-game. I’m not talking about achievements here. Eff achievements, man. I’m talking about real-ass items that have an effect on your character and the way he interacts with the world.

Also, there are just some straight-up super well-designed areas in this game. I think it says a lot about a game if discovering a hidden cave or underwater passage has me more excited than THE GIANT FLAMING HORSE I’M RIDING.

So, I’m excited to finish Darksiders. I think I’m about halfway through (8 hours or so). There’s a lot more I could say about this game, but I really am amazed at how immersed I feel within the world. If you decided to play it, stick it out for the first few hours or so. It doesn’t have the most interesting opener. But, once the world opens up, throws you a few upgrades, and gives a taste of some of its mechanics/puzzles, you’ll start to realize what a great game Darksiders is.

Original Post Date - 11/9/10

This was posted 1 year ago. It has 3 notes.
  1. mattbrooker posted this