The immersion of a video game

You know you’re playing a good game when you’re sucked into the world created by its developers. Games that truly captivate and make you feel different emotions are few and far between, as there needs to be the perfect balance between many elements, such as graphics, level design, sound and more.

BioShock is a critically acclaimed classic among video games because of its extremely well-made atmosphere. Many games explore a dystopian theme, but none so far have captured the essence of a 1940s New York City built at the bottom of the ocean.

Our most recent podcast with BioShock’s music composer reveals that he purposefully made the game’s iconic music score eerily unique, and he was truly challenged in making something that has never been done before.

Five game insights we think will pique your interest!

If we’re talking about a movie-like experience in a video game, then Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding might be what you’re looking for. Made by one of the most famous video game creators of all time and with a star-studded cast (like Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Lea Seydoux, Lindsay Wagner and more), it has stunning graphics and a compelling story.

All Legend of Zelda games have their specific atmosphere that makes them memorable, but among them, Majora’s Mask tops the list in terms of unsettling and eerie. Unlike others before or after it, it projects a darker setting that is hostile and oppressive, making for a more frantic scramble of an adventure.

To all car fans and racing enthusiasts out there, there’s a truly immersive driving experience tailored for you all: Gran Turismo. Complete with licensed racing brands, detailed racetracks and a genuine-feeling driving simulation, it is a beloved racing title that welcomes both racing game enthusiasts and casual players.

Want to explore space and pilot your own ship to different planets and explore them? Then Outer Wilds is what you need to play! While it doesn’t have hyper-realistic graphics or anything like that, the atmosphere and overall feel of the game will have you gravitating to this space exploration game. But as you keep exploring and playing, you’ll start to understand more and more about the planets and your entire solar system; something is definitely wrong.

There are video games that entertain, and there are those that go beyond and evoke deep emotion. A well-made game will always find a fan in someone, even if they don’t find immediate massive success. 

The atmosphere is always a key factor in great entertainment, not just in video games, but in other things as well like sports and film. Even if there aren’t any words spoken in a game or movie, the right colors, actions and music will convey the emotion you’re trying to evoke.

And to that, we share a quote that transcends time from Hans Christian Andersen, Danish author famous for writing fairy tales like The Little Mermaid:

“Where words fail, music speaks.”

September’s going to end soon, maybe we should wake up that guy from Green Day? Kidding aside, check out our latest YouTube video discussing game monetization! 

And if you want to learn more about what we’re up to at Hey, Good Game, you can find out more right here.

That’s all for this week. See you next Friday!

-The Hey, Good Game Team