Critical-Gaming: Sigma vs. Dragon Sword

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Sigma vs. Dragon Sword

1up's Shane Bettenhausen gave Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword for the Nintendo DS a favorable score because of of the game's tight controls, sharp visuals, and distinguished unique feel unique to the handheld machine. This DS game received an 83.1% average score on gamerankings.com while its "older brother" console counterpart, Ninja Gaiden: Black/Sigma, received a 94.0% score.

Comparing the two games was inevitable. Some have created expectations that are different and often times lower for handheld games These gamers believe that handheld games are inherently less deep and complex with shorter overall gameplay experiences, which are better suited for playing in small bursts. I don't believe any of these conditions are inherent to handheld games. The principles of game design can be applied to any game. The better we understand these principles, the more it becomes obvious that games are games no matter what system they're on.

Itagaki and the developers at Tecmo/Team Ninja set Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword up nicely to be compared to Sigma because the majority of animations, enemies, bosses, and locations are the same between the two games. Having beaten Ninja Gaiden: Sigma, jumping into Dragon Sword was like picking up right where I left off. As you can see, the two games appear to be nearly identical.

The bottom line: Ninja Gaiden Sigma is better for its combat and presentation, while Dragon Sword is the cleaner game due to the dual screen support and touch screen controls.

COMBAT

SPACE

Sigma has a strong sense of space in regard to enemy and player positioning within the fighting environment. The hitboxes for attacks are discernible making near hits and dodges accurate and exciting. The environments have vertical height and solid boundaries that allow Ryu Hayabusa (the player) to throw enemies into walls, wall kick, and run along extending the variety to every battle.
Dragon Sword's battles are cramped because everything has to fit on the touch screen. While a small screen isn't an issue in itself, the developers decided to display the game at a particular zoom level that shows off the animation in the game. This means the more detail you see in the character and enemy models, the less room there is on the screen for anything else. The player to enemy interaction through the creation and then violation of personal space is significantly lessened in Dragon Sword. In this game, attacking and moving are more closely integrated together blending spacing, attacking, and defending into a single often blurry action. Also, because the backgrounds are 2D, interpreting them as 3D space and then maneuvering around them using a 2D input can be quite difficult. This is why Dragon sword features so little "vertical geometry."

MOVES AND MECHANICS

Sigma has an exciting combat balance. The player is equipped with all the blocks, dodges, projectiles, attacks, grabs, and shield breakers they need to handle any situation. This makes battles furious. Decapitations, ground stabs, ultimate techniques, and ninpos give the battle a pace that accelerates as players encounter and take out each enemy. Each of these special moves can dispense with most enemies in one shot. The draw back in using them is in their set up and execution. Throw in a impressive assortment of weapons (DRAGON SWORD/PLAMSA SABRE MK II/TRUE DRAGON SWORD/NUNCHUKUS/VIGOORIAN FLAILS/LUNAR/DRAGON CLAW & TIGER FANG/DABILAHRO/KITETSU/WAR HAMMER/WOODEN SWORD/UNLABORED FLAWLESSNESS/DARK DRAGON BLADE) that feature pages of different moves that have all been flawlessly animated, and you have a great foundation for a battle system.
Dragon Sword only has one weapon. And the move list for attacks are paltry at best. It's not the DS's fault, and it's not due to the limitations of the touch screen. I think there wasn't a need to include more moves given the limited visual fidelity coupled with the lack of a strong sense of space. In other words, why have a ton of attack animations when you can hardly tell the difference between then. Furthermore, the enemies wouldn't respond to the move differences which would ultimately give the different moves the same function essentially turning them into the same move. What is most disappointing is that Dragon Sword doesn't have strong combat interplay to create a sense of acceleration. Enemies come in small groups and have little to counter Ryu's ninja assault. Simply slashing away not only puts up an offense, but a defense as well as Ryu automatically blocks when the stylus is on him. The combat strategies are so powerful and apparent, that there's little to learn. Furthermore, if the enemies don't challenge the player, then the freedom that is created only restricts the gameplay experience.

BROKEN MOVES

In Sigma, using ultimate techniques (UTs) and ninpo came at a price. Though UTs made Ryu invincible for a short period of time, the combo of moves have a limited range often only hitting a few enemies at a time. Pulling off a successful UT in the heat of battle requires planning and strategy. Ninpo, though spamable, safe, and powerful, are limited in the number of times they can be used.
In Dragon Sword, the basic level UT unleashes a flurry of attacks and homing energy scythes that seek out enemies practically doing the work for the player. Because these scythes stun the enemies, the player has an easy opportunity to do it again. And again. And again. I assume that making homing projectiles for the UTs was a way to remedy the DS screens limited scope while also making the game easier to pick up and play. Likewise, Some Ninpo spells home the enemies or bosses. These moves are so effective it's possible to beat some bosses in under 30 seconds without even aiming at them. Finally, the arrows have unlimited ammo. Now it's possible to shoot down bosses from a distance without engaging it at all with sword attacks. The way these moves are designed in Dragon Sword limit the already stunted combat design.

CLEANLINESS

ITEMS

Ninja Gaiden: Sigma is a game with a lot of clutter in its design. I commented before on how BioShock functions like an RPG by lending to an "attack-attack-heal" strategy due to its heal button, and Sigma suffers from the same problem. The menus based RPG style design with Sigma's item management adds to the general upkeep and clutter of the game.
In Dragon Sword, the gameplay has been streamlined. There are no more healing items to use, or any other kind of item. In this game, players survive by the skill of their sword and nothing else. This feature focused the gameplay on combat with little to distract the player. Though having unlimited arrows was a large contributing factor for Dragon Swords low difficulty, it nice not to have to search around for refills on ammunition.

LEVELS and PUZZLES

The puzzles in Sigma were little more than fetch quests, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. By keeping the puzzles to a minimum, the game can stay focused on the combat. Unfortunately, the poorly designed level-puzzles still distracted from the heart of the game occupying the players time and thoughts with repetitive navigation especially though needlessly complex stages.
Each level in Dragon Sword is fairly straightforward. The levels are designed with few turns and even fewer dead ends. Picking the wrong path sets the player back 30 seconds at the worst. With the map permanently displayed on the DS top screen, navigation is easy. At a glance, the possible routes can be seen, giving the player all the important information they need to complete the level with little stress.

CAMERA

The combat in Sigma suffered greatly because of its unruly and difficult camera. It's hard to fight what you can see. And in this game, there can be several gun wielding enemies far across the room, high above in sniping towards, or just out of sight behind you and off camera. Managing a hoard of ninja enemies, Ryu Hayabusa, and the camera in life or death battles is unnecessary. Furthermore, because of the wild nature of the camera, interpreting 3D space becomes more difficult. How far targets are to Ryu, how close projectiles are, or how to dodge attacks can become very frustrating.
In Dragon Sword the camera is tame. By using the touch screen to attack enemies with sword slashes or projectiles, everything on the screen can be interacted with accurately and intuitively. Enemies off the screen may be annoying like in Sigma. But as soon as they're visible, they can be taken out. Depending on the arrangement of enemies, hidden, off camera, the combat in Dragon Sword feels and functions like a 2D side scroller, 2D isometric, or a full 3D game. This kind of dynamic intuitive flexibility brings a level of clean design to Dragon Sword that Sigma just can't match.

Understanding the similarities and differences between these two games is a great way to not only understand differences in a console game and a DS game, but it gives us a chance to clear our thoughts and really see what the essence of a Ninja Gaiden game is. The jump form the PS3 to the DS is a huge one, yet many of my experiences between the games are the same. Personally, I'm a staunch supporter of clean game design and deep combat systems. However, at the end of the day, I'm leaning towards Sigma for my Gaiden of choice.

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Updated Critical-Glossary

All + All -

Critical-Glossary

+ - Alphabetical
- + - abstract mechanic
  - Some gameplay mechanics are completely artificial, meaning they do not make logical sense based on the form of the game. When such mechanics are privileged within a game's design, we tend to label these games as being "arcade" like. I describe these gameplay mechanics as being abstract.
    ~ see article
- + - accordion level design
  - Folded level design that folds back and forth at multiple creases that creates a pattern either in the types of creaes or a patten of some concerte nature.
    ~ see article
- + - asynchronous time (async)
  - It is a design innovation that applies to games that are played in real time. By taking the progression of real time and breaking it down in specific contextual ways, a new level of game design can be reached. This is the essence of asynchronous time, or async.
    ~ see article
- + - clean design
  - Following form fits function and relatively simple gameplay that is layered for effect.
  - ~ see article
- + - cluttered design
  - Design elements/choices that create more negative space than actual space. Also, design elements that ignore form fits function.
    ~ see article
- + - conceptual variation
  - adding or subtracting a different elements than what was modified in the previous step.
  - ~ see article
- + - counterpoint
  - In music, Counterpoint is the writing of musical lines that sound different on their own, but harmonize when played together. How the melody of a song interacts with the other lines is the focus of Counterpoint.
    Counterpoint, in gaming, is a word for the way gameplay develops past optimization by layering interactive elements into a single gameplay experience. When each layer influcences, interacts, and enhances the functions/gameplay of each other layer the gameplay emerges into a medium of expression that reflects the individuality of a player and the dynamics that reflect the complexity of the world we live in.
    ~ see article
- + - crease
  - The point at which a level folds upon itself.
  - ~ see article
- + - diminishing trend
  - A diminishing trend is one where game elements are either added or subtracted that reduce the amount of consequences and allow for mechanics to be executed less precisely.
    ~ see article
- + - direct (mechanics)
  - A measure of how the changes in the method of input are paralleled with the action in the game according to the form of the mechanic. If you quickly press the green button on your controller, does the game quickly press the button on the screen? If you hold the button on your controller, is the button on the screen held down as well?
    ~ see article
- + - distinct section
  - When a section contains an individual gameplay idea that isn't significantly and directly related to another section, then that section is considered a distinct section.
    ~ see article
- + - dynamic (mechanics)
  - An measure of how the game world responds to the action. According to the form of the game world and the mechanic, does the world react realistically? What is the extent of the properties of the mechanic? Are the reactions to the mechanic special cases or can the resulting actions continue to effect the game world?
    ~ see article
- + - elements
  - Any variable element in a videogame.
    
       * player: character(s), cursor, avatar, HUD
       * level: non aggressive interactive (physical) pieces
       * enemy: hostile/aggressive forces
       * audio: sound effects, music
       * visual: non-interactive on screen elements
       * rumble: force feedback
    ~ see article
- + - elemental variation
  - see conceptual variation
- + - emergent structure
  - the coming together of a few rules in "unexpected" ways.
- + - expanded game idea
  - In counterpoint, If the player must combine secondary functions with primary functions to progress, then the game idea is considered to be expanded.
    ~ see article
- + - feminist criticism
  - Like Marxist criticism, the most successful Feminist critique of a game involves analyzing how the range of player functions that affect female characters directly or indirectly reveal the operations of patriarchy. When the player is encouraged or forced to play in a way that depicts men as strong, rational, protective and women as weak, emotional, submissive, and nurturing, then the game can be said to support and reinforce patriarchal genders roles and ideologies. Patriarchal values work to oppress women, and all feminist theory and criticism works to promote women‘s equality. A Feminist analysis can become more complex when finding examples of actions toward women if a game doesn’t feature any women or the game allows for limited interaction with women. Writing essays about such games often leads to finding evidence by absence. In other words, a Feminist critic’s central piece of evidence may be what can’t be done to women instead of what can.
- + - flow
  - How a game accelerates or creates forward momentum. This factor of gameplay isn't necessarily about speed. More specifically, it looks at how a game's interactions feed back into the player's options/experience like a snowball rolling down hill.
- + - folded level design
  - Level design that resuses a space with the second use containing an extra layer to the gameplay that builds on the knowledge and experiences established on the first layer.
    ~ see article
- + - form fits function
  - Form fits function is a powerful game design principle that has powered many of Nintendo's greatest games. Using familiar visuals, games can use their form to communicate to the player. If there is a ball resting on a tee and the player avatar has a golf club in their hands, they better be able to swing the club and hit the ball. Otherwise, why put such things in front of the player in the first place? Keeping the form true to the functions and limits of a game creates the cleanest most easily enjoyable experiences.
- + - function creates form
  - When a game's mechanics inspire, shape, and define the creation of ancillary parts of a game. ie. story, setting, premise, characters, music, audio
    ~ see essay
- + - game idea
  - The influence of a game element or group of game elements on a game's mechanics in a specific way.
  - ~ see article
- + - gimmick
  - A sometimes hidden innovation intended to attract attention and increase the unique value of a product or work. dictionary.com
- + - individual (mechanics)
  - A quality of a mechanic. Does the input yield the same action every time? Or can the input result in a variety of different actions?
    ~ see article
- + - interplay
  - Interplay is the back and forth encouragement of player mechanics between any two elements in a game. Put simply, interplay is where actions and elements in a game aren't means to an end, but fluid opportunities that invite the player to play around with the changing situation.
    ~ see article
- + - intuitive (mechanics)
  - A measure of the degree to which input method matches the form of the game. If there's a green button on the screen, and a green button on your game controller, the form of the game is liked to the input of pressing the green button on the controller.
    ~ see article
- + - linear variation
  - adding or subtracting a single game element or fixed group of elements in a specific arrangement.
  - ~ see article
- + - marxist criticism
  - Like Psychoanalytic criticism, Marxist criticism can seemingly critique a game by looking solely at a its fiction. However, both of these critical modes, in relation to videogames, achieve a deeper, more profound level of analysis when the elements of interactivity between the game and player are taken into consideration. Many Marxist critics of literature believe that film, literature, art, music, and other forms of entertainment such as videogames are the primary bearers of cultural ideologies. While we’re being entertaining by these medias, our defenses are lowered making us all the more susceptible to ideological programming. A Marxist critic of videogames looks for how a game supports or condems capitalist, imperialist, or classist values. Perhaps the best and most obvious place to look toward in games is the role and function of money. Some games represent money with actual U.S. dollars or some other form of real world currency. Others use fictional currency from bell, to gil, to star bits, or even points. What the player can purchase, how these items or services function, and how the money circulates within the game world all become important areas of analysis.
    ~ see essay
    ~ see example
- + - minimum difference
  - The smallest degree of change needed for a change to be significant for a particular mechanic. (minimum degree of difference)
    ~ see article
- + - momentum
  - is created when player mechanics layer and/or link into resulting states that create opportunities with a higher amount of risk/reward
- + - multi-element whole
  - emergent gameplay
- + - multi-fold level design
  - A level that is designed with multiple layers and creases that fold onto each other more than once.
  - ~ see article
- + - negative space
  - see static space.
- + - new classical criticism
  - "New Classical criticism focuses on identifying a game's primary function/action that sums up all of the player's actions, functions, and abilities into a single expression. This expression can be thought of as the interpretation of the game or what the gamer is actually doing when he/she plays. Sometimes the primary function can be encapsulated in a single word. For example, the primary function of the Super Mario platforming series is "jump". After the primary function is identified, the New Classical critic then looks at a game's formal elements to analyze how they promote the primary function. The formal elements include Sound, Music, Art style, Story, Graphics, level design, enemies, etc. Because the New Classical critic privileges interactivity over passivity (especially when focused into a limited number of rules and actions), such a critic is only concerned with how these elements shape the gameplay experience, and assumes that any formal element in a game is only meaningful when it supports the primary function and exists in a lower state of priority to that function. In other words, elements like story can't be more stressed and more important to a game than the gameplay. Even if a game is designed according to the conventions and assumptions of Western game design, it can still be critiqued in the Classical mode."
    ~ see essay
    ~ see essay 2
- + - open variation
  - Doesn't look at examples from the game, rather it focuses on arrangements and groupings that the researcher creates. Such an approach looks at possible scenarios than existing ones.
    ~ see article
- + - origami level design
  - A type of multi-fold level design where the creases and layers are so flexible and/or dynamic that considering the possibilities within a single level are interconnected and complex. Considering the shape created from a multi-fold level is similar to observing an origami figure.
    ~ see article
- + - primary mechanic
  - Whether a game is defined by an action or a group of actions, a small set of mechanics rests at the core of every game. This mechanic is the primary function.
    ~ see article
- + - psychoanalytic criticsm
  - For those who aren’t careful, a Psychoanalytic critique of a game appears to only be concerned with the fiction of a game and the relationship of the characters. Unless the game is Psychonauts, most games seem to have little to nothing to do with the human psyche. Neglecting how the game fiction and the gameplay (or game rules) come together to create the Psychological work in a game is a common pitfall. Another easy pitfall is to get wrapped up in Psychoanalyzing the developers of the game, or what may be infinitely more embarrassing, accidentally analyzing one’s own psychological state while trying to pass it off as an analysis of the game. Though it is true that the fiction of a game is an important part of any Psychoanalytic analysis, the gameplay is where the most profound sources of material because the interactivity of the game can influence and transform the player in more powerfully subtle ways than a passive medium.
    ~ see essay
    ~ see essay2
- + - quantification
  - Breaking down the range of possibilites for a game mechanic into distinct parts for the purpose of analysis.
    ~ see article
- + - refining trend
  - And finally, the refining trend is one that increases consequences that force the use of mechanics in a more precise manner by adding or subtracting game elements.
    ~ see article
- + - secondary mechanic(s)
  - The set of mechanics that do not make up the set of primary mechanics. These mechanics usually aid and help shape the primary mechanic.
- + - sections (sub-sections)
  - All games can be broken down into sub-sections or sections. Whether a game is broken down by rooms, loading sections, cut scenes, stages, levels, rounds, or turns, if a game has a mechanic that is repeated, then it can be divided into sections.
    ~ see article
- + - species
  - The 4 varying levels of counterpoint with the last being a combination of the previous three.
  - ~ see article
- + - static space
  - The static distance between player and objective. Can occur when a strategy is repeated without escalation.
- + - static trend
  - A static trend is where there is no change between sections, or when the changes are inconsequential because they fall short of meeting the minimum requirement for the quantified mechanic.
    ~ see article
- + - strict variation
  - Examines the exact way the game "levels" are arranged or grouped
  - ~ see article
- + - structuralism/deconstruction criticism
  - Structures are probably the most recognizable feature of videogames. Because structures create the foundation for the game rules and player to learn these rules, analyzing structure develops a clearer insight into how a game works at its core. We're all familiar with the structures of genre. Any gamer can instantly recognize a first person shooter like Halo from a puzzle game like Tetris. Each gaming genre has a certain look to it that is the result of the gameplay structures. Like with any genre, the degree to which the conventions are followed or deviated from varies greatly from game to game. Recognizing a game's structure is an acute way of talking about how a game works in or outside of its genre.
- + - suspension
  - In counterpoint, when a game element or game idea is offset form the established pattern of game ideas to create scenarios where the element/idea can carry over and influence other game ideas.
    ~ see article
- + - tertiary mechanic
  - Any mechanic that is contextual to external forces to the players natural state.
- + - translation
  - The rewording or paraphrasing a game idea into another medium (typically words).
- + - variation
  - how a game's elements influence the use of game mechanics over increasingly larger segments of the game
    ~ see article

...about Critical-Gaming

We have come to a point where how we talk about video games is insufficient in expressing how we feel and think about them. With each year comes increasingly complex games, yet we are still, for the most part, writing and talking about games on a shallow consumer level.

It is time to start thinking and writing critically about games. However, before we can do this, we must approach gaming from a critical mode or mindset. To do this, we must first understand of how the different parts of a game work together (game design). Unfortunately, many of the who have experience in this area spend their time making video games. Beyond that, the body of knowledge that does exist is scattered at best. For this reason, it is hard for a thorough understanding of game design and critique to become widespread.

I have started this blog in efforts to inform both gamers and non-gamers of the complexities of gaming and how it compares to any other art form (music, literature, movies). Using literary critical theory and music theory as a starting point, I have developed a comprehensive set of critical modes for video game critique. By writing in these critical modes, and by critiquing other video game reviews, I hope to raise our understanding and expectations of video game journalism, critique, and even video games themselves.

We already have a loose idea of what it means to be a core gamer. A casual gamer. And a hardcore gamer. I hope with the right mindset, we can become critical-gamers, who don't shun our fellow gamers for thinking deeply about games but embrace the change we wish to see in the world.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Sigma vs. Dragon Sword

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