Art Event 2

Post -Apocalyptic Boston in The Last of Us

For my second art event I attended the Video Game Gala of Doom, excited to see what possible creations my fellow St. Mary's students threw together. As an avid video gamer, I have always held great interest in the many genres and concepts created by others. For me, I see them as more than a mashing of buttons and flashing colors, many share incredible worlds and story arcs that are unable to be expressed/replicated in film or literature. For example in the recent game The Last of Us, audiences are thrown into a post-apocalyptic east coast. With a majority of the population ravaged by infection, players must make their way through the beautifully desolate ruins of a time long lost, navigating toppled skyscrapers and making life saving decisions in order to survive.

While I wasn't expecting a full scale three dimensional experience from any of the student projects, I was pleasantly surprised to see many witty and relatable concepts taken from real world simulation. For example, in Natty Boh Hunt, players must navigate areas of St. Mary's campus collecting beer cans and becoming more and more intoxicated. Photographs of the Greens townhouses make up the backdrop while a blurred screen and lack of gravity help simulate being drunk. The results are a fun and very unique take on a goofy St. Mary's tradition for Easter. Despite lacking some artistic talent, I enjoyed re-living the experience and give props to the creator for imagination.

Another game that held interesting qualities was Iron Dusk. Set in a beautifully composed ancient world, Iron Dusk tells the story of a man avenging the recent peril of his beloved village. The various colors are what make the experience memorable, bleak browns, grays, and blues are used to set the tone of the story while large sentry towers give the environment a rustic feel.  

With the development of Kick-starter and Steam, it has now been easier than ever for amateur developers to  fund and publish their works. After viewing the Video Game Gala of Doom, I hope its creators continue to create interactive worlds of imagination.