Thursday, July 14, 2022
The Big Question
The
debate about whether visual novels are Video Games or
something else entirely has been a topic of discussion among many people. This is
especially now since their exposure to a more mainstream audience has
brought in new voices. Those who argue against visual novels' status
as video games point to a seeming lack of gameplay mechanics as proof
that they something entirely distinct from Video Games. However, is gameplay the single element which defines a video game? If visual novels
are not Video Games what are they?
What is a Video Game?
This
seemingly simple question is strangely difficult to answer. As
mentioned above some people would define a video game by the presence
of gameplay mechanics though this is equally vague since then we have
to define what even counts as a gameplay mechanic in the first place. If we look to define that we find it is equally unclear and we continue to be unable to clarify what should be included under the title of Video Game.
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| Many Visual Novels have other game elements mixed in. |
Instead let
us look to a dictionary to see how Video Games are defined from a
linguistic standpoint. The Cambridge English Dictionary says that a Video Game is “a game in which the player controls moving pictures
on a screen by pressing buttons”. This answer is even less clear
than the use of gameplay mechanics as a definition though they do share
the common feature of requiring inputs in order to be classified as a Video Game. However, that alone could mean that almost any program on
a computer could be considered a Video Game if you were to argue along those
lines since every one of them needs some kind of input to function.
 |
| There are certain stories which can only be told through visual novels. |
Ultimately
it is probably best to see the term video game as a simple marker
which differentiates it from traditional physical games like
board games and sports. In this light the great variety of games under
the banner of Video Games makes more sense as does the vagueness
surrounding its specific meaning. It is a simple catch-all for a new
medium of games.
Visual novels as Interactive Narratives
One
of the most common categories proposed as an alternative to Video Games for visual novels is Interactive Narratives (or some variant of
the term). This is used due to the emphasis visual novels place on
the story as their primary element of engagement. There is a certain
truth to this argument since without their narratives most visual
novels would not have anything left, so on the surface the term
Interactive Narrative might seem to fit them. However, let’s
examine this phrase more closely and see where the cracks begin to
show.
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| The narratives which can be told through games are countless. |
By
presenting Interactive Narratives as a separate category to exclude
visual novels from the title of Video Game there is the implicit notion that Video Games are
not Interactive Narratives since it is used as a term to
differentiate between visual novels and Video Games. This is obvious
not true as there are plenty of stories within the various genres of
video games, from RPGs like Mass Effect to FPSs like Call of Duty, and
they all allow differing levels of acting out the narrative presented
to the player. Beyond this there are the narratives inherent in the
act of playing a game, the little stories each session offers as we
overcome its challenges, for example Space Invaders has a simple
structure but each time you play it you create your own unique
narrative of success or failure. As such the choice to try and frame visual novels as solely Interactive Narratives makes little sense
since Video Games are inherently Interactive Narratives of differing
types.
Why Visual Novels being Video Games Matters
Now
we reached the big question, why does any of this arguing over the
meaning of words matter? The simple answer is that the title of Video
Game has a certain power and legitimacy to it and especially so to
those who are viewing visual novels from a position of ignorance of
the genre but a familiarity with other Video Games. These people will
see the marker of Video Game and be more willing to give visual
novels a chance since it has a known quantity to it and as a result
visual novels will have an easier time finding new audiences.
Obviously the Video Game title has negative connotations for those
unfamiliar with the medium since it has gained associations with
laziness, violence and moral corruption in the minds of certain people. However,
this trade off is worth it overall as it is unlikely you are going to
convince the latter group to accept visual novels.
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| Visual Novels have so much to offer to those who give them a chance. |
Overall,
names and categories are important for the success of a genre and a
medium more generally, especially in this digital age where there is
so much content to consume it can be overwhelming. By being seen as
Video Game, visual novels can find a form of acceptance and
recognition from players in a crowded market and spread the wonders
of this medium of games to new eyes. More sales means more games and
that is good for all of us.
