I thought, if I really want to be a game designer, shouldn't I go play all the classic games that people have raved about for the last couple years? ( or more years than that, seeing as how I am poor:) So the latest games I have come to acquire and play are Sony's ICO and Shadow of the Colossus.
I started ICO about two days ago and already I am wowed by the unique design of the game. Yeah I know people said that like 5 or so years ago, but hey....o well. The simple point of the game is to guide the princess and yourself to safety, but the actual methods of doing so are very unique. I think the aspect of the game that stood out first to me was the simple act of the Ico (the hero....I think that's his name?) holding out his hand to the princess and she slowly lifts her arm and gently places her hand in his. This simple 2 second interaction between the characters speak so much about both their personalities. Although it is kind of funny that after they take hands, you can make Ico start running and the princess just gets whipped around as she follows him. But the way that Ico bends down to help her up a ledge, her pause when looking up at him and deciding to take his hand...these interactions speak louder than words. There aren't many times where they speak anyway and they talk in funky languages at that. I favor the interaction above speech in this game.
Interaction between characters is one of the most important things I consider when constructing my game designs. I'm still one of the firm believers that some type of story is needed in every game. It's also a way to get the player to give a crap about the world and story he's being plunged into. I want the player to be immersed in a new world, with new characters that they WANT to know more about. Perhaps we need to start making video games not like movies, but more like books:)
It's a great idea to play what people have claimed to be some of the greatest games out there. Its like trying to make cars, but not knowing what other models there are.
Ratings^