NextGen game. Everyone has heard the expression, it’s THE new thing! It’s the future! etc. etc. etc.

Now… I must say I have been disappointed by the so-called NextGen games that has come out so far. Cause I thought NextGen games called for innovation…. Or am I the one misunderstanding something here?

For example, take Bioshock, which is advertised to be a NextGen Game. What is Bioshock? To me it was a casual version of System Shock 2 with better graphics and a cool enough story to keep me hooked. What’s so NextGen about that? System Shock 2 had a great story too, and I was more hooked to that game than I ever will be with Bioshock.
And the better graphics.. Sure! Bioshock had lovely graphics, but my problem here is that it had TOO nice graphics. It was too perfect and glossy, though very nice as Eye-candy. But eye-candy isn’t really NextGen now is it?

The problem with todays so-called NextGen games is that they are most often old recipes with better ingredients. There is so little innovation nowadays, that after playing an AAA FPS or RTS or any genre, the next game you try in the same genre is gonna be a clone with a twist.
Sure, a good story helps to get players hooked, but 90% of the time they will sit with a feeling they’ve played this game before.

So, what do I want from a NextGen title?
I want innovation. I want something that comes out of my monitor, rattle my brains around and make me go WOW!!!
Natural Motion[^] has done that. They have made a NextGen character behavior system called euphoria. Which is based on DMS(Dynamic Motion Synthesis).
As they have written on their own site: “Based on Oxford University research, Dynamic Motion Synthesis creates high-quality 3D character animation in real time by combining artificial intelligence, biomechanics, and dynamics simulation.”
Check out the IGN preview of the new Indiana Jones game[^] to get a good description about what euphoria adds to the game experience.
That’s something that made me go WOW!! And that’s just from reading a preview.
Star Wars: Force Unleashed[^] will also have euphoria implemented, and I already drool just from seeing the teasers @ Gametrailers.com.
Enough advertisement of Natural Motion’s euphoria :p

What I’m saying is that better graphics isn’t the future anymore! We have come to a point where there’s no need for better graphics, it’s time to start thinking new ways of making fun and innovative game play.

The sad part here is that the real innovators today are the Indie Game developers. Cause they don’t have so much to lose by experimentation. While the big companies HAVE to go mainstream to make sure their game will bring in enough money.
The game industry is suffering from the same as Hollywood.

For a deeper dive into this subject, check out Steve Gaynor’s blog[^] about Game Noir. Very interesting read about today’s Game Industry and why they are afraid of innovation in their AAA titles.

I’m just happy that LucasArts have come back to the Innovation part of the Industry with the new Indiana Jones and Star Wars games.
A shame they’re only for consoles and not PC..