1. Bioshock (Irrational Games)
A man chooses; a slave obeys. A sudden airplane crash. A mysterious lighthouse in the middle of the Atlantic. A singular vision of paradise. These are the opening moments of Bioshock, and they have been seared into the brains of many gamers ever since they graced our screens 5 years ago. Suddenly you are introduced to Rapture, a seemingly beautiful underwater utopia founded by the ambitious Andrew Ryan on the principles of individual freedom. But when you actually explore within, you discover that all its beauty is superficial, and inside there is only the unrestrained ugliness of man. Bioshock is one of those games that every professed gamer should play at some point, and anyone who has played it will tell you that. Considered a masterpiece within the medium and one of the best examples of their artistic potential,
Bioshock presents players with a unique setting, a disturbing atmosphere, compelling gameplay, stunning visuals, superb art design, and a fascinatingly deep story that asks profound philosophical and moral questions. It is what happens when game designers set out to do more than just entertain, but at the same time never forget that that is what it is supposed to do. The result is a game that is as entertaining as it is thought provoking. Its story gives players ideas and themes to think about while they fire bees from their hands. The fact that those two ideas can come together and still work is a testament to the power of video games. It knows it is a game, first and foremost, and uses the tools at its disposal to create a work of art only possible in the medium of video games. I could go on about how the game is actually a criticism of Ayn Rands (Andrew Ryan?) objectivist philosophy, or its use of Biblical symbolism (ADAM), or even how the twist at the end can actually be seen as a commentary on the relationship between game and gamer. But why should I when you should just experience it for yourself? If you havent played
Bioshock yet, do so immediately. You wont regret it, and youll experience one of gamings crowning artistic achievements. There you have it, 10 games that demonstrate the artistic power of video games. Again, this list is compiled of only those games I have actually played, so if there is a game you feel is a piece of art, please feel free to let me know in the comments below, and thank you for reading!