Not many people would suspect that video games can be just as expressive as any piece of artwork or any creative work of literature. However, this is exactly the case, except games that are anything other than a creative expression are hard to find.
Tale of Tales is a Belgian PC game developer that is responsible for developing an interesting genre of games—they specialize in art games.
An art game is exactly what it sounds like—it is a piece of moving, interactive artwork.
Most of the games that Tale of Tales develop cost a little more than $10, but their one free game, an exploratory piece titled “The Endless Forest,” takes the concept of a MMO (massive multiplayer online) game and twists it to suit the genre better.
“The Endless Forest,” as a MMO, does include a social element—the world, an ever-expansive forest—is filled with players from all over the world.
However, there is one unique twist.
There are no traditional communication elements.
Most MMOs feature communication elements such as chat boxes and text bubbles, but “The Endless Forest” is void of those things.
In “The Endless Forest,” players assume the life of a deer.
The only way for players to communicate with one another is to use the simple (and sometimes complex) actions provided to them by the HUD bar at the bottom of the screen.
Players can convey their wants and emotions via non-responsive actions (e.g. rolling around, bleating and dancing) as well as through responsive actions (e.g nodding or shaking their head and rearing on their hind legs).
At first, the lack of a mainstream means of communicating with other players is overwhelming, but adjusting to the simple way of communication that “The Endless Forest” demands is not so difficult.
It allows for almost complete immersion into the game’s mystical environment.
What enhances the mysterious and strange environment that the players inhabit is its often-changing nature. At the drop of the hat, the “gods” (the developers, really) can decide to change the weather, the time of day and even the actual look of the forest itself.
This lends the game a very interactive and ever-changing feel.
Not many goal-less and expressive video games exist in the world right now, which is a true disappointment, but “The Endless Forest” is a shining example of what these games represent—the freedom to explore without the hindrance of taxing missions and the freedom to artistic expression.
While bizarre at times, “The Endless Forest” is a true gem and playing it is an opportunity that should not be missed by anyone.
By: Abby Ray