Top 5 Video Games as Art

 Well, part of my reasoning with adding MW3 to the list was the fact that even the most mundane plots have a direct parallel with modern filmmaking.  I don't really like the series, but looking at it from an analytical perspective does show some sort of an attempt at a deep narrative and that's worth something.

JRPGs are cool, but they tend to compare more to novels.  They're about arbitrary numbers going up so you can see a cutscene.  That's a totally acceptable method but part of my theme was the belief that interactivity is what makes video games a unique artistic medium.

Shadow of the Collosus felt the same to me.  It's a pretty game, but there isn't really that much to look at other than themes of predestination also evident in games like Bioshock (what with the whole "would you kindly" thing).  I take the same issue with a lot of Japanese art games, as they just tend towards either minimalism or hyperviolent irony (I'm looking at you, Suda51).

I originally just listed Bioware's repertoire for the Mass Effect entry, but decided to hone it to one game.  I think their titles show the importance of a static plot with the player imprinting their personality on the narrative.  Also because the New Times audience is more likely to know what the ME series is.

Also I really don't like Skyrim or any of the Bethesda Fallout titles as it seems like they lose the open world ideal.  The point of an open-world game is that I'm moving from place to place and having an effect, and the only thing that changes after I kill a marauding horde of barbarians attacking a town is I don't get the dialogue option to stop the barbarians from attacking the town anymore.

In hindsight, I should've said something about how budgets actually limits the game's ability to allow the player to function creatively.  Thanks for your thoughts!

Seriously.  MW3 is fun, but it doesn't even deserve an Honorable Mention here.  It hits the least bases when talking about "Art".  The graphics are incredible; check-mark.  The game-play is crisp and well-formulated; check-mark.  The music is good enough lol; check-mark.  The plot is poor, at best, but it is interesting how this game imitates reality, more specifically realistic and modern fatal conflicts; check-mark.  That's all though...  As I said an RPG (a true RPG not this Mass Effect bullshit) desperately needs to be here somewhere.  A quality RPG hits all the bases (except arguably gameplay because the gamplay of a classical turn-based RPG can be pretty dull depending if tactics need-be employed).  The major bases being literary allusions, realistic parallels, philosophical plot agendas, [sometimes] the best music in gaming (very biased, I know, but once the plot of a game is good, the music is glorified and proportionally inflated in value depending on how well-made the musical compositions are.  A simple exception would be Final Fantasy games with Uematsu--a genius and master of composition I'd profess), extremely appealing emotionally.

I love both action and story heavy games, but they must be GOOD.  And, these days, it doesn't seem like a lot of these games deserve my $60, plus the absurd console prices and $40 controllers, or more.

For example, I played WoW arena fairly seriously for about 2years, which has absolutely no appeal to my emotions.  It is purely an injection of adrenaline to the dome and an overall thrill to compete.  It is exhilerating, period, not much art there other than my personal techniques employed against my opponents.  The game itself, more specifically PvP Arenas, is NOT an art form, nor is most/all of WoW's end-game content.  Yeah im done here im ranting to a blank audience or probably one that doesn't know wtf im saying.

That's an interesting point.  The idea of just wandering around a virtual world and appreciating its fake fauna is a trip by itself.