Webinar on ‘Videogame Critique and Appreciation’

The Department of Languages conducted a webinar on ‘Videogame Critique and Appreciation’ on the 25th of February 2023 at 2 PM via the Zoom online platform. The session was rendered by Mr Aaron George, a faculty member of the Department of Languages and a researcher on the topic. The webinar was part one of a planned series on videogame critique and was open to students and faculty from both within and without CHRIST University. A total of 30 participants attended the event. The participants were a mix of faculty, students and PhD scholars who were interested in the topic. The session began at 2 PM and went on till 3:30 PM.

Prof. Aaron began the session by outlining the history of video games and how the industry has become what it is today. The session took a look at the very first video games ever made and how they were initially digital recreations of already existing games. Rapidly developing technology allowed for more sophisticated games to be made, taking advantage of the more advanced technology. Videogames then became a common household item and eventually blossomed into a large industry. Prof. Aaron explained that the modern games industry is more profitable than both the movie and music industries combined.

After covering the history of gaming, Prof. Aaron then began the main focus of the session: an analysis of six different games of varying genres. This was done to show the participants how one should engage in the analysis and appreciation of games. The games covered included 3 Western games and 3 Eastern games. They were Final Fantasy 7 (the original and the remake), Cyberpunk 2077, Total War: Warhammer 3, Dota 2, Elden Ring, and Persona 5 Royal.

 The speaker covered the various design philosophies behind each game to better illustrate the creative process behind the creation and development of a game and how each game necessitates a different approach. Each game also had a typical analysis conducted, looking at the themes, characters and plot. The speaker made it clear thatmany of the same theories used to analyze films can very easily be applied to games as well since they were both audio-visual media. Prof. Aaron concluded by illustrating how games have evolved over the past 60 years and how much it continues to grow.

The talk ended at 3:30 PM and was followed immediately by a Question and Answer session. Several of the participants had questions about the usage of games as educational tools and how they can be implemented in the classroom. The speaker gave examples of how game companies are already entering the education sector as well. A few participants also had questions about whether games can be a viable research topic for the purpose of research. The speaker provided the participants with his email ID so that the participants will be able to connect with him at any time later on. Overall, the session went smoothly and the feedback from the participants was largely positive.

OUTCOMES OF THE EVENT

Through this course, the participants were able to:

1. Understand games as storytelling devices.

2. Acquire a deep understanding of the philosophy that drives game development.

3. Create in-depth reviews of games and their components.

4. Find inspiration to fuel future research on the subject.