Hypnotic Devices, 2020

Barry Whittaker
Curator

Absurd, Abstract, Profound

Over the past hundred years, animation has grown from early technical experiments to mainstream entertainment and back to experimental forms, based on technological advancements. Though video games are younger, by comparison, their growth and evolution mirror this same arc of development. This program brings together a selection of 21st-century games, exploring the intersection between games and experimental animation. With easy access to powerful game-building software, an endless library of online tutorials, and the ubiquity of powerful computing devices, video games are no longer the domain of a select few. With time and patience, anyone can create a game. As access to games and game-design tools increases, the opportunity for experimentation and expression has given rise to new hybrid experiences, pushing the boundaries between what are traditionally known as video games or animation. The question is no longer, “can I make a game,” but “what else can I do with these tools?”

Pioneers of early games, experimental net art, and late-night animations have become touchstones for those bravely leading the way with humorous, non-representational, or expressive games. Abstraction, absurdity, new narratives, unorthodox game mechanics, and unexpected goals are all hallmarks of these new directions in gaming, creating video games, and hybrid digital experiences. The unpredictable, abstract, and personal are key features of many of these works. Where side-scrolling platformers and first-person shooting games were once the primary models for building games, independent developers and artists are moving forward boldly with personal expression and experimentation to reconsider how video games can evolve into new experiences.

Whether the absurdist humor of Noby Noby Boy, the philosophical journey of Everything, the moral dilemmas of Papers Please, or the surreal narrative exploration of She Dreams Elsewhere, these games all push the language of gaming into directions beyond the jump, shoot, and smash titles of yesterday. Virtual reality, mobile devices, and digital distribution have changed not only how games are made, but how we consume and consider them. Whether watching from a phone, a website, or an enormous LED screen in Downtown Denver, these games highlight how play and experimentation are propelling gaming in new and exciting directions.

Works Indluded:

Designer: Tale of Tales
Game: Endless Forest
Year: 2006

Designer: Keita Takahashi
Game: Noby Noby Boy
Year: 2009

Designer: Lucas Pope
Game: Papers Please
Year: 2013

Designer: David O’reilly
Game: Everything
Year: 2017

Designer: TJ Hughes
Game: Nour
Year: 2018

Designer: Paloma Dawkins
Game: Museum of Symmetry
Year: 2018

Designer: Studio Zevere
Game: She Dreams Elsewhere
Year: 2020

Designer: Studio Oleomingus
Game: Under A Porcelain Sun
Year: 2018

Designer: Adam Gryu
Game: A Short Hike
Year: 2019

Designer: Bear Warp
Game: Bluster Blunder
Year: 2019

Designer: Queen Bee Games
Game: Spinch
Year: 2020