Taylor
Breslin interviews author Nick Suttner about his book Shadow of the Colossus, available now from Boss Fight Books.
**
Taylor
Breslin: You describe the experience of playing Shadow of the Colossus with
such care and feeling. What aspects of the game do you think make it such an
effective emotional experience for the player? Are there any other games that
have produced a similar reaction/attachment for you?
Nick
Suttner: Thanks very much for saying so! I think Team Ico’s games are so
emotionally affecting in large part due to the subtlety with which they
approach their narratives. The overt story elements are minimal (even lonely at
times), and instead of asking the player to care about the tale that they’re
weaving, they simply ask the player to be curious to fill in the gaps with an
imagined history or wonder themselves what the relationships between their
characters are. I feel that the best videogames are about mystery and discovery,
and Team Ico’s games have that in mind constantly and holistically. The only
other games that have produced a similar reaction at times would be Journey and
Flower from thatgamecompany, experiences also focused on mystery and
wonderment, with a similar naturalist beauty at their core.
TB:
How did the experience of doing such in-depth research and critical evaluation
of the game impact your impression of it, if at all? Was it strange to come at
a game you love from the angle of a book-length study?
NS:
Surprisingly it was never really strange for me. I’ve always felt like I had so
much to say about SotC since it informs my relationship to videogames so much,
so writing the book was as much a matter of extracting it from my brain and
organizing it, as anything. Replaying it with a critical eye made me appreciate
it more than ever though, it’s just so different from any other game or
entertainment experience. I’m really glad that taking a somewhat academic
approach towards the experience didn’t taint my love for it, or I might have
had to stop in the middle!
TB:
Do you think Shadow of the Colossus changed players’ expectations for
games, in terms of visual design, gameplay, or the emotional payoff of a story?
If so, do you think these expectations have had an effect on industry trends
since its release?
NS:
I think (their first game) Ico had an influence on telling stories through
gameplay rather than cutscenes, helping creators express themselves through the
interaction that is so fundamental to the medium of games. I don’t think SotC
has had as much of an influence on the industry, oddly enough; it may have furthered
some of the takeaways from Ico, but SotC is so singular and coherent that I can
understand why it’s difficult to extract any one element and build off of it. I
think it’s certainly been inspiring to many though, and if anything has
encouraged some creators to approach their projects more fearlessly, to skip over
elements that are too complex and favor minimalism and mystery instead perhaps an
appropriate legacy for SotC, if a less obvious one.
TB:
What are some things you hope to accomplish with your writing on games in the
future? What do you see for the future of writing on games in general?
NS:
I really like the idea of deeply exploring and engaging with a single game or
franchise, as the Boss Fight Books series has. The press and media around games
is often so news-driven and dilettantish, especially now being driven so much
by YouTube and streamers. I think a counterculture to that is important, taking
our time more slowly along the way with games that deserve it, and discussing
the artistry behind them. If I’m able to dedicate the time and resources to more
games writing, I’d like to contribute further to that cause.
**
Purchase
Shadow of the Colossus HERE.
Read
a review of Shadow of the Colossus
HERE.
Visit
Nick Suttner HERE.
Interviewer
bio: Taylor Breslin lives in
Pittsburgh. She tweets @taylorbreslin
