10 Titles That Confirm Video Games Can Be Art

10. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Naughty Dog)

I know this one will appear controversial to many people. On the surface, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves appears to just be a well crafted action adventure game, which of course it is. But if you look deeper, you can see a game that perfects what it set out to do, which was to create a highly linear but insanely well paced thrilling adventure populated with well written characters and an exciting, logically structured story. Sure it may be silly, exaggerated, and, lets face it, unoriginal in its premise, but these aspects don€™t make it artless. Would anyone argue that the original Star Wars is not a work of art, despite meeting the exact same criteria? Of course not. Artistic quality lies not in the inspiration, but the execution, and Uncharted 2 is without a doubt a well executed game. It takes itself just serious enough to hit all the right dramatic notes without faltering while keeping things lighthearted and fast paced. However, don€™t think for a second that Uncharted 2 doesn€™t deal with some interesting themes. As the title suggests, the second chapter of the trilogy deals with a large cast of treasure hunters of various alliances, many of which may change without a moment€™s notice. Back stabbings are thrown in rapid succession multiple times, and each character has their own reasons for taking part in the chase. Some do it for love, others for power, while some do it because they just can€™t do anything else. Naughty Dog took the old saying €œHonor Among Thieves€ and made it the central theme of Uncharted 2. Sure, it€™s not exactly deep or explicitly presented, but it doesn€™t have to be. Amidst all the witty one-liners and absurd stunts lies genuine heart lacking in most of its competition across multiple mediums. Uncharted 2 may come off as mere fluff entertainment to some, but fluff has its artistic value just as much as anything else. Everything it does it does with so much creative energy it is impossible for me to not look at it as a work of art. You€™d be hard pressed to find a more consistently exhilarating, entertaining, and yes, artistically valuable action game than Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.