You might remember a while back we posted an article covering 10 shots that completely killed the magic of cinema, where we pulled back the curtain, got rid of the smoke and mirrors and saw filmmaking in its most clinical, purely technical terms. Now we're doing the same for gaming, by confronting those video game moments that, either intentionally or not, completely destroyed our immersion and reminded us that, in fact, we were playing a game. We've got a wide variety of illusion-smashing moments, be it weird, disturbing glitches, crass attempts by developers to make more money (and at the same time pull us completely out of the game world), intentionally fourth wall-breaking moments that nevertheless severed out connection to the game, and one truly messed up moment that made us want to curl up in a ball and cry a lot. At its best, there's no medium like gaming: whether we're playing an adrenaline-infused game of FIFA or losing ourselves in a vast world, the meticulous engineering that goes into these games is nothing short of magic...except when the facade slips and, even for just a moment, completely ruins our engagement with this digitally-rendered world. What about your own experiences with immersion-breaking moments in video games? Let us know in the comments below!
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.
