Indie | Dear Keita

By Fraser McMillan

It’s true that “game” is, and has been for some time, an antiquated and inadequate descriptor for the modern interactive experience.

Then again, we’re stuck with it. For every non-game game out there, a dozen “gritty” first person shooters or “visceral” hack and slashers emerge from the pipeline, and the history behind the term is too long and detailed to shake off. Noby Noby Boy, as I’ve outlined previously, is the arch-non-game-game. It’s not a game in that there are virtually no rules besides the designed boundaries, but it is a game in that it’s played with a control pad and has what we can loosely define as (I’m aware Lewis dislikes the term, and I’m with him on that one) gameplay.

Since its release in February it’s a title to which I’ve returned on a semi-regular basis. Upon finishing the overblown-to-the-point-of-ridicule Uncharted 2: Among Thieves [Dan would disagree - Ed.], for example, I tapped the PS button and fired up Keita Takahashi’s masterpiece, letting out a sigh of relief as I lost myself in this world without any arbitrary barriers, irritating dialogue, explosions at five second intervals or dishearteningly tight scripting. Just messing around in this colourful sandpit – chewing on things, farting, chasing animals, hopping and tumbling around – afforded me all the joy and freedom I’d been searching for through the duration of Naughty Dog’s much lauded sequel.

I’m not here to knock Uncharted, though, I’m here to show some love to Takahashi. Gamasutra usually interview developers whose games are hitting the final stretch or have just been released, but this may be the first time they’ve chatted to someone because of a recently received playpark commission. Read Simon Parkin’s excellent piece here – maybe you’ll be compelled to write something as well.