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Let's talk about MERIHARI (メリハリ) AND IMMERSION IN GAMES using Ghost of Tsushima. /thread
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Ghost of Tsushima is a modern best-in-class for immersion and merihari. It might not be the most innovative game, but it has clear EXPERIENTIAL PILLARS that permeate the experience.
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Ghost of Tsushima is a modern best-in-class for immersion and merihari. It might not be the most innovative game, but it has clear EXPERIENTIAL PILLARS that permeate the experience.
Meditative. Zen. Contemplative. Calm. Empathetic.
If you caught yourself feeling any and all of these things, it's because Ghost of Tsushima made some intentional feature decisions that ladder up into this higher level experiential pillar of IMMERSION.
If you caught yourself feeling any and all of these things, it's because Ghost of Tsushima made some intentional feature decisions that ladder up into this higher level experiential pillar of IMMERSION.
Many of these seem SUPERFLUOUS TO GAMEPLAY and are likely why some players are complaining about the "lack of things to do". They don't necessarily give you direct XP or power. They are delivering SOFT VALUE, that adds up to the sum of a larger package. Let's take a look at some:
- Choosing 3 of 9 themes for your haiku writing
- Choosing 1 of 2 themes to contemplate in the hot spring
- Playing your flute to change the weather
- Being able to sheath your sword or bow gently
All minimal contribution to gameplay power, but ladder directly into IMMERSION. <3
- Choosing 1 of 2 themes to contemplate in the hot spring
- Playing your flute to change the weather
- Being able to sheath your sword or bow gently
All minimal contribution to gameplay power, but ladder directly into IMMERSION. <3
Next let's look at the concept of MERIHARI (メリハリ) in games.
Good merihari is variance, dynamism, the spice of life, the opposite of monotony and melancholy.
In games, this translates to a variety of gameplay loops or styles that provide good variance, and avoid stagnation.
Good merihari is variance, dynamism, the spice of life, the opposite of monotony and melancholy.
In games, this translates to a variety of gameplay loops or styles that provide good variance, and avoid stagnation.
Each of the above features are doing double-duty here
They break up the standard flow of play and have slight variance with choice making (haikus and hot springs) or provide a lens on top of other gameplay (weather can give different moods when attacking similar Mongol villages)
They break up the standard flow of play and have slight variance with choice making (haikus and hot springs) or provide a lens on top of other gameplay (weather can give different moods when attacking similar Mongol villages)
Is Ghost of Tsushima innovating with a ground breaking feature like Shadow of Mordor's 'Nemesis System'? No, it isn't.
But I think it IS a best-in-class execution of the softer, emotive parts of games, to elicit a feeling from the player and immerse them in an 'intangible vibe'.
But I think it IS a best-in-class execution of the softer, emotive parts of games, to elicit a feeling from the player and immerse them in an 'intangible vibe'.
