The Hypocrisy of Innovation

by Scott Forbes

It seems that more and more frequently I play a new game, thoroughly enjoy it, and then get gripped by the urge to see what others think about it. Thus, I find myself on any of a number of game review sites only to find that this game I loved is mocked, disparaged, or just generally hated. Now it's not uncommon to find an RPG that I like that others do not, or even vice versa. In fact, it's not my complaint that these games are not loved by all. However, I do find the most common reason for disliking a good game to be foolish, and at times even totally confounding. This is, namely, the fact that the game has no innovations; it's just not original enough. What, you may ask, is so wrong with wanting something original? Nothing, but I don't think it's really what you want.

In order to explain my point, I think it will be easiest to take examples from RPGs. Arguably the best, and undoubtedly the most popular RPG around is, of course, Final Fantasy. It's growing success in recent years has been addressed and if you are reading editorials on and RPG only gaming website, you are undoubtedly aware of it. However, one could also make an excellent argument for the lack of true originality in this series. Each new game has slight changes in story, gameplay, and music (I am ignoring graphics because it is solely a technological-dependent facet of games), but nothing totally original and new ever really seems to come up. Obviously, critics hone in on this, claiming it to be the major shortcoming of Final Fantasy. I don't argue that this happens, but then why has the game become so successful? Is it possibly because they have hit upon an excellent formula for the development of games. I say yes, and I like to call this formula the evolution of game development.

The evolution of game development is the idea that the best games, and the games we most desire to purchase and play, are those games that contain only the smallest innovations and changes, and nothing too drastic. We want to play a game that we feel comfortable with, but that is at the same time original. Hence why Final Fantasy is the perfect example. It makes only the smallest changes in each game, but these changes, over time, produce a whole new game. Just as in Biological evolution we see small changes creating entirely new species, so we see in games, or at least in good games. The first Final Fantasy, though bearing resemblance to a game like FFX, really is not even in the same ballpark when it comes to story, music, and overall gameplay. Thus, FFX is a whole new species of game when compared to the original FF. And we like it. In fact, as sales show, we love it. We love the fact that FFX is new, but not uncomfortably so when compared to its recent predecessors.

So, why then do we complain about a lack of innovation in games? Is it because we love the games that are released that have completely pushed the boundaries of the RPG experience? Actually, no. It is, in fact, these games that we dislike the most. We complain about their frustrating gameplay, odd storylines, and confusing...well...everything. Here another example will make my point more accessible: Unlimited SaGa. Talk about a game that was original. It had new everything. Nothing about it was like anything modern console RPGs had ever seen. And what did we think about it? Not too much. (Though, personally, I did enjoy the unique experience it offered, that is a story for another time). I have yet to hear of anyone buying or renting the game to their pleasure, unless of course you count the pleasure we all got out of watching the FFX-2 preview. Why, then, do we cry out for uniqueness and innovation when all we end up doing is complaining about how uncomfortable we are with the final product? In the end, the games that are praised for being exceptionally original are either disliked (Unlimited SaGa) or not really as original as you might think. Take Final Fantasy Tactics. Here's a game that is fun, new to the Final Fantasy name, but really just another strategy game with all the Final Fantasy stuff we are comfortable with.

At this point, you may be thinking that I am claiming that innovation in gaming is a bad thing. That is not my point in the least. I think game innovation is wonderful, and without it we could never push the limits of the genre to come out with something truly spectacular. Maybe the next SaGa will do this, maybe Final Fantasy XII will be something we have never seen before in any game, and blow us all out of the water.

In the end, my point is two-fold. One, we should try to be more consistent in our feelings toward game innovation. Let us respect the truly original games for what they are, and enjoy it if it's what we want from the gaming industry. If it isn't really what we want (which I think I have made a good argument for) then let's not pretend it is. Thus, for the games that aren't innovative enough, let's not pretend we wish they were like their innovative brothers who we like even less. My second point is that we should understand that in serial games such as with Final Fantasy, it is the evolution of the game and the genre as a whole that we love and desire, and not the huge leaps of change. So there you have it, and now let the stoning begin...