By James Dominic Flores
Contributor
In 2019, “Parasite” made waves across the world by bagging four awards at the 92nd Academy awards en route to being the first foreign film to win the Best Picture Oscar. Filipinos, receptive to Korean culture through K-pop and K-dramas likewise made it a point to see the movie with its strong social and political messages. The movie is perceived by many as a work of art for the modern era.
As society adapts with the advancement in technology, so too have video games. Conversations are had on whether or not esports should be accepted by the mainstream as another form of sports that entertain the masses. Similar to that light, there are a lot of strong conversations on whether video games can be classified as art.
Psychologically, it is normal for people to have strong opinions when the status quo is questioned, especially if it makes the said people uncomfortable. The narrative that video games are simple and childish simply does not hold up in today’s world.
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Art is evolving
Normally when “art” is mentioned, the first concepts that come to mind are paintings, sculptures, even architecture and engineering. As our society changed, it has been associated with music, books, and today, movies. Movies have become a creative outlet for directors and producers to tell stories and send messages that provokes thought and emotion to its target audience.
Parasite follows the stories of the Kim family: father Ki-taek, mother Chung-sook, and their children, son Ki-woo, and daughter, Ki-jung (a.k.a. “Jessica”) as they struggle to survive poverty. Each member of the Kim family weaved their way into the lives of the wealthy Park family, posing as unrelated service workers in order to survive.
In 2017, Nier: Automata, an action role-playing game released for the PlayStation 4 and
Windows, was released. The game saw critical acclaim, winning awards for game design and innovation, vocal performance, excellence in musical score, and best narrative from multiple award giving bodies.
The game will be released for the Nintendo Switch in 2022 which is a testament to the game’s longevity, making it accessible to multiple gamers. Nier: Automata follows the story of three androids; 2B, 9S, and A2 in their search for truth and meaning in their existence.
Parasite made its powerful point across through its slow-paced storytelling which highlighted how something simple and universal like the rain was a blessing for those who lived safely in their privileged homes while those who were less fortunate saw it as a calamity that could take what little they have left in their lives.
The musical score, setting, and direction of the movie heightened everyone’s emotions for the iconic reveal that the “ghost” of the Park household was actually the husband of the Park’s former maid, living in a secret bunker underneath the house.
As the movie picks up the pace, from the Kims almost getting caught, to the framing and shots of the climax where Ki-Jung is murdered during a birthday party for the Park’s only son and all deceptions were brought to light, the movie moved the Filipino audience to question society: What is privilege? Who really is to blame for these problems? All questions evoked by the strength of the art seen through a modern medium.
Video games as art
Nier: Automata presents a new medium for art to be expressed. While it is true that many different genres of games can serve different purposes -- from light puzzle games to kill time to esports titles which bring both entertainment and competition -- Nier: Automata is the type of game that seeks to have you, the player, serve as the consciousness of the main character. You decide where to go, what to do, what choices should be made, and how you interact with other characters.
It is this unique feature of games that allows the player to have more personal investment to the game. You are not simply watching or reading a character, rather, you are the character. You are the one walking through the serene ruins of a city, you are the one exploring the desert. Each decision you make matters in crafting your personal experience in the game, whether it is to act cold and uncaring to your allies, or a good Samaritan helping any and all friends and acquaintances you meet in the game. All these experiences framed and highlighted similarly by a beautiful musical score and stunning visual framing.
Unlike most games, Nier: Automata is designed for multiple play-throughs. In your first play of the game fresh from the box, you are 2B. You see events in the world through 2B’s eyes and experiences. After finishing the game and reloading it again, you now play as 9S in the same timeline as your first. In your third playthrough, you play as A2, capping off the perspectives of the three main characters. This would be equivalent to watching Parasite the second time, but this time through a first-person perspective of Ki-woo’s experiences. This allows the player to create an emotional connection with each character,understanding their motivations as they tell their stories.
Because of the unique experience that only a game can provide, the question presents itself: If movies can be considered a form of art through its many technicalities and its ability to bring out strong emotions and deep thoughts, what is stopping us from considering video games as a form of art, albeit in a different medium? What is art, and what does art mean to us? Perhaps just like the androids in the game, the answer is something we personally craft for ourselves forged by the summation of our experiences in life.
About the author: James Dominic Flores is Program Chair of the College of Arts and Sciences at San Sebastian College, specializing in psychology. He is also a competitive gamer specializing in fighting games.
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