"Shadow of the Colossus director praises creative journey of Katamari Damacy's new game, noting its departure from traditional gameplay mechanics"
In the world of video game development, the pursuit of new and innovative gameplay mechanics has long been a driving force. However, Fumito Ueda, the director behind the critically acclaimed Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, believes that this era may be coming to an end.
Ueda recently had a conversation with Keita Takahashi, the creator of Katamari Damacy, about Takahashi's latest game, To a T. During their discussion, Ueda declared that "the age of gameplay mechanics has already passed". This statement came as a surprise, but Ueda clarified that he was thinking about the current trend of games revitalizing existing mechanical frameworks through interesting themes, stories, or visual styles.
Ueda praised To a T for not relying on unique or complicated gameplay mechanics. Instead, the game immerses players in an unusual concept: assuming the role of a teenager stuck in a T-pose and navigating everyday life via interactive scenes. Ueda's reaction to learning about the game's lack of special mechanics was simply, “That’s great!”.
This sentiment reflects Ueda's design philosophy, which emphasizes emotional resonance and immersive experience over revolutionary gameplay mechanics. Ueda's approach suggests a shift towards valuing the refinement of familiar mechanics combined with strong artistic vision, rather than trying to constantly invent new gameplay systems as a sign of a game's worth.
Rick Lane, a games journalist with a passion for first-person shooters and immersive sims, found To a T worth struggling through the gameplay for the fabulous story contained within its five-hour duration. In his review, Lane described the game as having a surprising, humorous story with a nice message at its core. Despite the game's awkward camera at times, Lane believed that the game's unique concept and emotional journey made it a worthwhile experience.
Lane, who was games editor of Custom PC magazine and associated website bit-tech.net between 2013 and 2022, has been writing for publications like Edge, Eurogamer, the Guardian, and PC Gamer, in addition to his work for Custom PC magazine. His favorite games growing up include Quake, Thief, Half-Life, and Deus Ex, reflecting his affinity for complex and immersive games.
Keita Takahashi, who spoke at GamesCom LATAM and expressed his enthusiasm for the game's unusual concept, seems to share Ueda's perspective on game design. In a conversation prior to their discussion, Ueda had contacted Takahashi to ask how to play To a T, to which Takahashi responded that the game doesn't have any special mechanics.
In conclusion, Ueda's perspective on gameplay mechanics, as expressed in his conversation with Takahashi about To a T, is that the era of innovating new gameplay mechanics with every game has largely ended. Ueda encourages emphasis on deeper expression through existing mechanics enhanced by artistic and experiential elements, a philosophy that resonates with his own design philosophy and the design of To a T.
- Ueda's discussion with Takahashi about To a T revealed his belief that "the age of gameplay mechanics has already passed," indicating a shift away from constant invention towards refinement and artistic expression.
- Reflecting this perspective, Rick Lane, a games journalist with a passion for immersive games, found To a T to be worth playing for its surprising, humorous story and emotional journey, despite its awkward camera.
- Keita Takahashi, the creator of Katamari Damacy, shares this perspective on game design, as evidenced by his response to Ueda's query about how to play To a T, stating that the game doesn't have any special mechanics.
- Moreover, in the realm of entertainment, which encompasses technology, movies, and TV, this shift in game design could signal a broader trend towards valuing refinement and artistic vision over constant innovation.
