Is there a correct way to play video games?

Summer 2049. A terrible-looking man huddled on a shelf in an abandoned building. He was grabbing a long rusty pipe. A creepy voice demands that he accept the bargain: power in exchange for his soul.

“Take it away,” the voice said, “save your daughter…”

You will see that man talk about his daughter later because she coughs repeatedly and you will see the pain of the parents watching the child suffer. When he assures her that the monsters around her will not hurt her, you will see a father trying his best to rest assured to his frightened daughter in real danger. There was an intensity in his voice as he roared at his enemy to stay away from her. You feel a special parental fear and heartbrokenness when he begs someone to help them while holding her.

Summer 2053. A little boy huddled on a shelf in an abandoned building. He was grabbing a long rusty pipe. A creepy voice demands that he accept the bargain: power in exchange for…unsayed things to protect…someone has nothing to say. You don't feel as dangerous as your father's edge when the boy stands up to fight the towering monsters. You will feel the vulnerability of the young man on his head. Its voice was low and almost pleading when he told the monster to stay away from his sister. There was despair when he screamed for help, but also worried that someone was too young to deal with the situation.

The first of these scenarios is from the 2010 NIER in English, while the second is from the 2021 NIER. The author director of Nier Yoko Taro made two versions of the game in 2010: a protagonist is a boy trying to save his sister, and a father trying to save his daughter. The latter (known in Japan as Nier Gestalt) was reportedly produced because the US Square Enix marketing team believes that Western audiences Will not respond Give the little boy the main role. When Nier finally reissues in new form in 2021 Nier Replicant Ver.1.22474487139…), Tarot decided to go to the English-speaking area with the boy protagonist this time. Now, the modern English version only provides us with young protagonists.

When players discuss today's game, there are often no considerations on the differences in this version. Yes, the main characters are different, but most of the game is the same. They claim that this is not important.

Isn't it?

How do these two gaming experiences be the same? Emotional quality and perspectives are significantly different and elicit different reactions. Critic Dia Lacina is one of those who are sensitive Discussed the bad habits of this issueAnd, in that piece, I decided to watch the openings of the two versions of the game and compare them. They certainly made a big difference to me.

There are many other classic games that are being reshaped or remade in recent years. The Shadow of the Colossus, “Silent Mountains 2”, “Resident Evil”, “Metal Gear Solid 3”, “Suikoden I and ii” and “Final Fantasy Tactics” are just pointing to the few. Sometimes I wonder if there is enough appreciation between players, because how different the new experience is from the original, especially given that the fame and historical significance of the game usually come from these originals.

Movie fans will consider the difference between Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings drama and the extended version, or the master layoffs at Wong Kar-wai (critic David Ehrlich) Argument If you've only seen the American version of that movie, you haven't actually seen it yet). Readers will debate the best translations of Dostoevsky or Hugo. On the other hand, gamers seem more likely to ignore changes in areas such as narrative and artistic direction, even in games that focus on storytelling.

Let's take a look at Final Fantasy VII. This is one of the most famous video games in history, so I wouldn't be surprised if there were a lot of players who had experienced it. But what exactly did they go through?

Maybe you played FFVII on the original PlayStation in 1997, which was released in 1997. Maybe you played it while on the same console in the US and Europe, so you experienced the localized version, which also includes new game features. Maybe you played the 1998 Eidos PC version that reveals the character's mouth. Are you using new features like mod or character booster in modern versions of the game? Maybe you even play FFVII through the abridged crisis on your phone.

What is fascinating is the difference between these classic versions. For example, the initial version of Japan’s FFVII reportedly lacks a special flashback scene that triggers when you head to the Nibelheim Mansion basement at the end of the game. This scene is one of the most memorable scenes in the story, giving players a very special and moving glimpse of Zack Fair, a major character in the narrative that will later become even more important to the series.

What about English localization? As translator and critic Tim Rogers details in his video series, there are some particularly interesting changes in English A dialogue that can be said to change the emotional state of Aerith and Zack's relationship. Or should I say Aeris, a name many of us recall from playing the original Western distribution, but now outdated? Meanwhile, the PC version of the game has a mouth on the character model, which changes the feeling of certain scenes. When Sephiroth opened her mouth strangely, Aerith died, and when Sephiroth stood on her, it had less impact on me, as if she was performing in an opera house. Maybe you just skipped FFVII and did a remake because that's also Final Fantasy VII, right?

If you've played the FFVII remake game, you've experienced a different story than the original one. This is a topic of debate in the fanatic (whether the remake is the same as the original story) and there is no simple answer. While it does cover the main events, it does so when adding new things, taking other things away and changing the execution of the old scene. Suddenly, opponent Sephiroth appears in a part of the story, and he never appears in the original work. Although Yoshori Kitase wants him to be like Spielberg in the original chin – very common – not stressed in the FFVII remake.

You can even play Sephiroth briefly in Rebirth, while in the original version he keeps you very far away: an unshakable, terrible character. It is unimaginable to control him. Zack is a man with almost no original, and now it is even more prominent, and we see him even temporarily joining forces with the cloud to hit Sephiroth. Even without story changes, visual, music, direction, gameplay, and adding sound performance differences will make a completely different experience.

However, it is worth noting how players will sweep these changes under the carpet. Basically, it's still the same story, and they often shrugged. Others will not be able to regard the remake as a replacement for the original, but As Carolyn Petit pointed outthat makes no sense.

Different translations also change the feeling of the work; it's something that is often discussed in literature and movies, but not that much in video games (outside some professional websites or social media accounts). In one of the most important (albeit optional) scenes in Final Fantasy VI, for example, Celes abandons the cliff. In Super Nintendo's original English version (as the place where Final Fantasy III was released), she did it after hearing stories about how others took a “leap of faith” to restore the spirit. However, in the updated, more faithful English translation, it is engraved into darkness. Neither version will inevitably be different, even for the translator Clyde Mandelin points out In his comparison, some players in 1996 still view the old version as grim.

The visual direction of the scene alone can change the way the work occurs. this The difference between the original Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 2 remake Immediately striking, something Others Already written. As many have observed, the fog in the original overwhelms the point where you can’t clearly indicate the face of the character, giving the scene a unique sense of uneasiness. Atmospheric differences follow The shadow of the Colossus. The luxury setting in PlayStation's original Resident Evil looks very different than the luxury home in the GameCube remake. The former may encounter that simplicity in an old empty hotel, while the latter is darker, Gothic, like where Dracula might live. It turned out to look more terrible because it was closer to home, like a place I might have been to before.

These are official changes, but the game becomes more complex when you recall the way the media is intertwined with the modification. Modifications are so common that especially part of the core of PC games that many players will download and use them to “improve” the game in many ways without much caring about how this experience with visual, audio and interactive changes their experience. People will use tomato sauce at will to improve the taste of their food. mods will make the game look “clearer”, “fix” translations to make it more accurate or add cut content. You are told that they will greatly enhance your experience with the game. But, what kind of game are you playing?

Maybe there is no definite version of the game. Perhaps there are a lot of factors to consider for the medium, even if the tool you use to play something – it's a keyboard and mouse or console controller – can greatly change your experience. How to play text-based games like disco Elysium, It can feel more like reading when you play a book on a handheld system?

I don't believe in starting a “right” way to play games – but I do believe in approaching your gaming experience with consciousness and thought. It may be more taxable than the leisure approach many of us take, but it is also exciting because it makes us think about one of the powerful qualities of this medium: liquidity. When you stand before the tide of the game, choose carefully. Your favorite version may not be the one recommended by the public, or even the ones that the creators prefer. This is the best person for you for whatever reason.

Remakes, remakes, mods, etc are all good and even great, especially since it's hard to play older classics these days. It is worth celebrating all the classic versions we have, but it is also important to consider each version as a separate work. It's not just about focusing on which version is better or worse. This is more about reflecting on the fascinating differences in the classics of video game media.