Game feel refers to design characteristics in games that trigger sensory or emotional stimulation. Game design analyst, Mark Brown, refers to game feel as a game’s “juiciness,” as it adds flavor to the gameplay. Classic examples include flashing lights, loud music, sharp visuals, controller vibrations, and lively gameplay. Alone, these characteristics help enhance a game’s quality by adding intensity and gravity to the gaming experience. Their true impact emerges, however, when combined. The interaction of these game feel elements creates memorable, meaningful, and satisfying experiences for the player. This review will analyze several standout uses of game feel so that their additive effects on gameplay can be better savored. (Minor spoiler warning.)
Game feel in boss battles
The added impact of game feel elements help elevate boss battles to greater intensities. Pokemon Sword and Shield exemplifies such in their gym battles. In previous Pokemon games, gym battles were an exciting, yet mostly standard affair. Developers for Pokemon sword and shield aimed to redefine that standard. Taking inspiration from soccer stadiums, gym battles now occur in colosseum-like arenas with thousands of cheering spectators. The vast open space enables Sword and Shield’s new main gameplay addition: dynamaxing. With dynamaxing, pokemon become giant, gain access to new moves, and increase their health. As a result, battles become viscerally intense with an emphasis on causing as much damage as possible when dynamaxed while additionally surviving the opponent’s dynamaxed pokemon. Gym leaders always dynamax their strongest pokemon, prompting the crowd to rhythmically cheer, as if the player were in a realistic world cup match. The music of these battles is a blend of pop and electric to help keep the battle’s atmosphere hype. It also features three phases to align with the battle’s progression. From all of these elements, gym battles in Pokemon Sword and Shield are the most exciting in the series to date.
Marvel’s Spider-Man incorporates many similar elements in its final boss battle against Doc Ock. In the story thus far, Dr. Ocktavius has been a significant friend and mentor to Peter, teaching him how to use his intelligence for scientific discovery in prosthetics research. Thus, the battle that emerges between Spider-Man and Doc Ock is more tragic than antagonistic. A brief warning screen alerts the player that the final battle will soon begin, thus mentally preparing the player for an epic conclusion. This final phase in this battle has Spider-Man and Doc Ock fight on the side of a skyscraper, far above the New York streets. One camera shot specifically prepares the player for an epic conclusion: it features Spider-Man finding the strength to fight his lost friend as explosions color the sky overhead. Heroic music swells as characters yell well voice-acted lines of sadness, anger, and betrayal, such as, “You were my hero!” and “We were going to change the world!” Visual flare also demands the player’s attention, as rain beautifully falls from above and Doc Ock’s arms spark wildly. Brief cinematic moments keep combat intense, as one of Doc Ock’s claws continuously snaps closely to the camera. Sound effects compliment this drama by including distant police sirens and gritty punch sound effects. All of these elements - music, battle location, dialogue, plot significance, visual flare, and sound effects - earn this final boss battle’s significance and enjoyment, despite this phase’s simple gameplay of just dodging and punching.
Other boss battles use similar stylistic elements of game feel while also incorporating game feel into their gameplay. For example, the Vah Ruta battle from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild infuses its gameplay with game feel to enthrall the player with engaging gameplay. Vah Ruta is a water-themed dungeon with an external defense mechanism of shooting ice blocks at intruders. While deflecting these giant ice blocks, Prince Sidon swims Link around Vah Ruta to look for an opening. Once all of the ice blocks are shot down, Sidon rushes Link toward the beast and up a waterfall so that Link may shoot Vah Ruta with shock arrows while midair. The scope of this battle is huge, requiring a large portion of the map. Vah Ruta is designed as a massive mechanical elephant. As a result, sound effects of the elephant’s roars and cries echo during the fight. Dramatic music accompanies this battle, and a torrential downpour assists the boss’s water-themed dangers. Despite these game feel elements, it is the riveting gameplay that captivates the player. The act of rapidly swimming around missiles, rushing up a waterfall, and shooting a giant beast is inherently engaging. This mission requires the player to intertwine a new sequence of previously learned skills, which is a challenging and gripping task. To ease the cognitive burden of this mission, Prince Sidon offers helpful advice, such as, “Ready those shock arrows.” As a result, the player can relish the fun, rather than miss it due to split second strategizing. Gameplay is the most important component of games, and by adding game feel to its Vah Ruta boss battle, Breath of the Wild’s gameplay is wonderfully satisfying.
Game feel in regular gameplay
The previous examples noted how gameplay can assist boss battles, which are specific moments of short and intense fun. However, game feel elements can also be infused into a game’s entirety. In its five-minute bursts of fun, Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 uses game feel to turn regular Pac-Man gameplay into an exhilarating rush. Same as the original Pac-Man, each map in this game offers an arrangement of pellets to eat as quickly as possible while avoiding the ghosts. Game feel, however, differentiates Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 from the original Pac-Man. First, the five minute timer keeps gameplay quick, thus intensifying each second. During this short time, EDM blares and some ghosts bop to the beat. Pellets flash to the music in synchronicity, and the stage’s neon walls visually pop against the mostly black background. At the end of each minute or when the player progresses to a new map, the controller vibrates and emits a satisfying sound. The game also rewards strong gameplay with short cutscenes of Pac-Man gobbling dozens of ghosts in a long chain. These cutscenes offer a mesmerizing cognitive break. Classic sound effects of gobbling ghosts or eating pellets are also sharp and satisfying. Amazingly, the player rarely notices all of these factors while playing because each session is so quick and engaging. Such subtlety is the goal of game feel mechanics: to enhance the player’s experience without him/her even knowing.
Of course, subtlety is not always desired. DOOM 2016 openly savors its over-the-top, gore-based combat. Each fight rewards active movement and aggressive playstyles, making the player feel like a hunter. Enemy kills are bloody and grotesque, with chunks of flesh flying off upon each hit. The game’s guns are unapologetically big and loud, and each offers a unique method to blow enemies to pieces. Additionally, a red color palette sets a fittingly demonic atmosphere over most of the game’s settings, and loud metal music wails during each fight. The combat’s fast-paced nature gives gameplay a frantic feel, requiring the player’s full concentration and effort. The ultimate moments of game feel occur during glory kills. These short moments of graphic, up-close destruction reward the player with health and ammo. They also pause the fighting so that the player may fully absorb each glory kill’s brutality. Every battle features these intense and horrific game feel elements, thus making DOOM’s gameplay uniquely violent.
All of the previous examples illustrated how game feel elements are used to craft high-octane moments of gripping tension. But game feel elements can also add to a calm and peaceful atmosphere. Enter Animal Crossing: City Folk. The Animal Crossing series is one of the most therapeutically relaxing gaming franchises to date. There are no real enemies, except from the occasional swarm of bees. There are no hard deadlines to meet. There are no expectations of how to play; instead, the player is free to engage the game as he/she chooses. Relaxing music always plays, with each hour featuring a different song to chill gameplay. The setting is a fairly nature-based town, and nature typically engenders feelings of calm and quiet. Additionally, sound effects create intimately satisfying experiences. For example, the character’s steps create different sounds on stone, sand, grass, etc. Fish biting a snare create a simple “bloop” noise, and watering flowers rewards the player with an enchanting “shhhh” sound effect. These noises collectively create a hushed, yet rich experience for the player to savor. Weather visually creates calming vibes, with sunny weather featuring blue skies and rainy weather conveying soft tranquility. Only peaceful weather takes place, not dangerous storms or natural disasters. Neighbors are cute animals with expressive faces. These friendly characters further perpetuate the game’s harmless nature. All of these elements create a unique feeling of calmness which motivates the player to return daily.
Conclusion
Whatever their specific purpose, elements of game feel ultimately intend to enhance gameplay by making it connect with the player on a deeper, more emotional level. It should be noted, though, that an abundance of well designed game feel elements do not completely exclude the need for well designed core gameplay. Even when presented well with game effective feel elements, garbage core gameplay is still garbage. Conversely, game feel elements can shine even brighter with strong core gameplay to create meaningful player experiences. Thus, designers should continue to utilize game feel elements to further convey their games’ intended messages to the player.
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