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[Jon Neu]

That’s right fellow gaffers, I have the opinion that videogames, as a medium, are better than movies.

Why? Well, pretty easy to explain. In movies you are only a passive actor, you can only watch and think. You don’t have any say, you just sit and watch the story.

In videogames, you have to play, you have to solve a puzzle, kill the enemies or found an item to unravel the next sequence in the story. So when you progress through the story, you actually feel that you earned it and that makes you enjoy it even more (RDR2 comes to mind).

Obviously the script level of videogames isn’t at the level of the best movies (yet). But that’s just a matter of time (I’m NOT looking at you, Cuckmann).

Videogames don’t have limits to the imagination of their creators (ask Kojimbo) and with the advent of VR, the immersion it’s going to be unprecedented.

What do you all think?

Inb4: Ok boomer.

 

[Danjin44]

mmmmmm I enjoy movies for different reason and enjoy games for different reason, same with Books/comics and music. For me none of them are better or worst from each other.

 

[Jon Neu]

mmmmmm I enjoy movies for different reason and enjoy games for different reason, same with Books/comics and music. For me none of them are better or worst from each other.

Books are a clear different medium in which your imagination plays a much more greater role.

But videogames are basically interactive movies at this point, therefore are potentially better than movies.

Even real movie actors are starting to take an interest in participating in videogames because they are starting to see that videogames can also be artistic and have quality narratives.

 

[Nankatsu]

Well I'll agree that videogames is the medium that better blends many types of art, yes.

However I still considerer each and every type of entertainment on its own. And I think it needs to stay that way.

 

[deriks]

We live in a world that have both, so yay

 

[JordanN]

The writing in a lot of games is very embarrassing.

It's an apple to orange comparison since they both have different objectives. You don't really watch a movie like Saving Private Ryan and ask yourself "dude, why can't I control his gun"? It's suppose to be a documentary/retelling of past events.

Yes, I can play a WW2 game but if a developer tries and recreates the same thing, you just end up with an on-rails simulator that is completely scripted.

Videogames don’t have limits to the imagination of their creators (ask Kojimbo)

You've never seen a Pixar movie? Or any cartoon for that matter? Hell, in some ways it's the complete opposite.
There's no way all the dudebro shooters of the past decade are "imaginative". Generic marine goes to the middle east and shoots stuff isn't really inventive.

 

[JareBear: Remastered]

Hmmm I dunno man. I love videogames but I LOVE movies.

If I had to pick one over the other...it would be a difficult choice

 

[Danjin44]

Books are a clear different medium in which your imagination plays a much more greater role.

But videogames are basically interactive movies at this point, therefore are potentially better than movies.

Even real movie actors are starting to take an interest in participating in videogames because they are starting to see that videogames can also be artistic and have quality narratives.

Well not really, there are movies like Parasite and Arrival that can’t turn in to games same way games like NieR and ICO/Shadow of the Colossus can’t turn in to movies. Movies will always give me different experience than playing games.

 

[phil_t98]

Do you get a lot of walking simulation in movies?

 

[JordanN]

Books are a clear different medium in which your imagination plays a much more greater role.

But videogames are basically interactive movies at this point, therefore are potentially better than movies.

Even real movie actors are starting to take an interest in participating in videogames because they are starting to see that videogames can also be artistic and have quality narratives.

You say this like it's a good thing, but I actually hate spending $60 just to be left with barebone gameplay because the developers spent more time on cinematics.

Why even call it a game anymore and not just a polished tech demo?

Let movies be movies. Future games wont be enjoyable if we're just paying an upfront cost to watch them.

 

[Jon Neu]

The writing in a lot of games is very embarrassing.

It’s getting better and better by the minute.

And let’s not pretend the writing in the vast majority of movies isn’t embarassing too.

Well not really, there are movies like Parasite and Arrival that can’t turn in to games same way games like NieR and ICO/Shadow of the Colossus can’t turn in to movies. Movies will always give me different experience than playing games.

You can turn any movie into a videogame.

And Nier it’s literally based on a miriad of anime cliches.

 

[Danjin44]

Nier it’s literally based on a miriad of anime cliches.

Have you played NieR? That twist and final ending both Gestalt and Automata is not something you can do in anime or movies, it can only be done in video games.

 

[JordanN]

It’s getting better and better by the minute.

And let’s not pretend the writing in the vast majority of movies isn’t embarassing too.

It's going to come down to personal opinion but even mediocre movies are less cringy than most games.

It's because of our expectations. You don't need an incredible story to move millions of game copies. Something like Mario fighting a giant turtle makes complete sense in a game world. You don't have to know who these people are, you just play as them.

But something like this that tries to pass itself as serious would never make it in the movie world.

 

[DrScissorsMD]

Probably a dumb analogy, but that’s kind of like saying “driving a go kart is better than riding the tour bus”. Having control =/= a better experience, it’s entirely variable and subjective. Why even try to rank them.

 

[Jon Neu]

You say this like it's a good thing, but I actually hate spending $60 just to be left with barebone gameplay because the developers spent more time on cinematics.

Why even call it a game anymore and not just a polished tech demo?

Let movies be movies. Future games wont be enjoyable if we're just paying an upfront cost to watch them.

The cinematic meme it’s ok, but except for a very few titles, most cinematic videogames have plenty of gameplay.

And still you have choices, you can choose to play something like Detroit Human or something like God Of War or something like Ori or Cuphead.

Have you played NieR? That twist and final ending both Gestalt and Automata is not something you can do in anime or movies, it can only be done in video games.

You mean the different perspective endings? Already done in anime before Nier.

It's going to come down to personal opinion but even mediocre movies are less cringy than most games.

Lots of great movies have a cringy element too, that doesn’t mean they are bad.

I mean, all fantasy and superhero movies have it by default. And most of SciFi, action and romantic movies too.

 

[Danjin44]

ou mean the different perspective endings? Already done in anime before Nier.

**Spoiler**

Spoiler

If you think this can be done in anime or movies then I don't know what to tell you.

 

[Jon Neu]

**Spoiler**

Spoiler

If you think this can be done in anime or movies then I don't know what to tell you.

Apart from the interactive parts, I don’t see anything that hasn’t been done on anime before.

Spoiler

Existentialism, robots gaining conscience, a cycle that repeats and 4th wall breaking with a direct message to the player/audience.

All of them are anime cliches since Neon Genesis Evangelion aired and spawned a miriad of animes with similar themes.

 

[Danjin44]

Apart from the interactive parts, I don’t see anything that hasn’t been done on anime before.

Existentialism, robots gaining conscience, a cycle that repeats and 4th wall breaking with a direct message to the player/audience.

All of them are anime cliches since Neon Genesis Evangelion aired and spawned a miriad of animes with similar themes.

Okay from my understanding of this this thread, it’s about how we interact with stories in game that makes it different than movies. Lot of game’s stories are inspired by movies and books. It’s how we interact with stories that makes games different experience than movies.

 

[Fbh]

I tend to enjoy games more than movies, yeah.

Also yeah games are still far from the level of writing you get in the best movies. But they do offer unique narrative experiences through interaction which is something you don't get with movies...... and games with good stories have at least moved past the average big blockbuster movie.

 

[SentientStone]

I am the opposite, shifted mostly towards films, games require too much dedication due to their length and I am not into 'game games' much.
I am a mature, emotionally developed man who enjoy deep and meaningful narrative experiences such as lesbian taking revenge against Christian cults. lol

 

[ScarletSpider]

.

 

[Bakkus]

I agree. However, if you only play 'AAA' games like the majority of naysayers in this thread seems to do, then I can understand why you feel otherwise.

 

[Thugmatic]

I enjoy both but I can honestly say the memories I have of certain games definitely means more to me than what my favorite movies have made me feel.
Kind of hard to compare though because if you include multiplayer video games theres a whole social aspect that really isn't comparable to watching movies.

 

[Optimistic Gamer]

I'd neither give away Goodfellas nor Mafia 1.
This is apples and oranges.

We'd lose a lot if we gave away any one of those.

Let's discuss this once movie-grade acting/performance capture has become normal in video games.
Still, I think images of actual humans go way deeper than video game characters. (I know I know, 3DPD)

 

[German Hops]

There's no video game equivalent of Jurassic Park. I like videogames , but I'll still take a great movie.

 

[Damigos]

Being a NeoGAF member, i agree

 

[PianistaMacabro]

I think you have to expand your horizon regarding movies, this comparison doesn't work

 

[-Arcadia-]

This is so Why Not Both for me.

Sometimes I’m in the mood to participate. Sometimes I just want to relax and watch a story. A movie can’t help the former mood, and a game can’t help the latter.

Maybe it’s different for other people, but I have very distinctive needs from both.