Studio 1 Related Works Week 12

Dead Space 2

Dead Space 2 is a sci-fi survival horror game. Interestingly, its interfaces are almost entirely diegtic; even traditional UI elements such as player health are represented in game, ie. health is shown as a light bar on the spine of the player character's suit. This was a conscious choice during development, in an effort to immerse the player more fully in the game - particularly important for a horror game in order to sustain tension and immersion. 

Journey

I am once again inspired by Journey - however this time, specifically for the way it handles its "scarf" mechanic in the game. Although there is no health in the traditional sense (you cannot die, and there is certainly no UI), the scarf length is influenced by collectables throughout the game (collecting fragments will lengthen it), and shortens upon contact with enemies. A longer scarf allows the player to fly higher in the air, enabling them to reach more locations and explore the level more fully. This is a novel as not only does it serve as a kind of health analogue, but it is also entirely non-diegetic, and ties in with the player's mechanical abilities. It even helps to visualise a sense of progression: the scarf lengthens as the game goes on, and as does the player's feeling of power and control: when the player loses health with the appearance of enemies, it is the opportunity for a "low" point in the game: if the player sustains enough damage, their scarf becomes as short as when they started, and they must work to lengthen it again.