video game analysis essay

Video Game Design and Development

Encouragement, advice, and support for aspiring game designers.

How To Perform Video Game Critical Analysis

With so many video games on the market, an avid gamer may have a hard time choosing one to play. They could do the trial-and-error method and download or purchase multiple options, but they would be wasting a lot of time and money.

Video game critical analysis helps gamers pick the best options based on their interests and preferences. This way, they don’t need to try multiple games until they find the best one or waste their money on something they may not like.

Game analysis is crucial in the industry. But how do you go about making one?

What Is Game Analysis?

Game analysis is an unbiased evaluation of a video game to provide audiences with critical insight into the content.

It is helpful for all types of gamers, but especially to newbies, as it would help them understand the role of the player and the game’s goal and core story.

Many people play video games because they are fun. They are a means to escape the real world. Video games allow them to explore a virtual world where they can do things that are impossible in real life.

Thoughtful, thorough game analysis makes this virtual world more accessible and easier to understand for people who want to dip their toes in video games.

What Is Critical Analysis of Any Game?

Critical analysis is an impartial deep dive into any type of media, including video games. It goes beyond shallow interpretations or comments—it explains how the game is played and the elements that make it worth investing in.

And this type of deep-dive analysis isn’t just for gamers. They are also for designers who want to know if they have successfully executed the game’s objectives.

If the critic understood the game the way the designer intended, it will be reflected in the critical analysis. If not, the designers will know which parts of the digital product must be improved.

Analysis helps developers improve on storytelling and gaming elements for future games. They can boost certain features to become even more entertaining and attract wider audiences.

How To Do a Critical Analysis of a Video Game

Reviewers may talk about the entertainment value and how fun it is to play.

In contrast, critical analysis dissects the parts of the game and explains, in an unbiased manner, why each is good or bad. Arguments must be supported by clear evidence.

Here are the basic steps in creating a video game analysis:

Determine Your Objective

Why are you writing a video game critical analysis? It’s a question that only you can answer, and it will impact how you write the critique. Some may do it because it’s their job, while others have to do it for a class project.

Professional critics do it to help their audience decide whether they should purchase or download a game.

Such an analysis will also help video game designers understand what went right or wrong with their game. An outsider’s point of view is always helpful in making things better.

Knowing your objective means knowing your audience. It will make it easier for you to find the right voice when writing your analysis.

Play the Game Multiple Times

No one can critique a video game unless they have firsthand experience playing it—ideally, multiple times, which leads to a comprehensive grasp of all its elements. Take notes while playing the game.

Be meticulous and observe everything about the game, from the characters to the dialogue, overall storyline, design activities, levels, difficulty, music, and even the color palettes.

Don’t start writing your analysis until you are confident that you have truly understood and mastered the game.

Write the Draft of Your Game Analysis

Now that you have all the information you need, you can begin writing the video game analysis.

First, describe the basics of the game: the characters, storyline, and the developers.

Second, you must establish the following:

• Audience – Who is the game designed for? It may be helpful to point out the age range and interests of the target market.
• Goal – What is the player trying to accomplish in the game? Explain the point of the game and why the developers have worked on this project for so long.
• Resources – Enumerate a player’s collaterals in the game. These are the resources that players have control over.
• Decisions – Explain the decisions players must make while playing the game. You must be as thorough as possible.

Third, get into the player-game relationship. Explain the rules and the sequence of events in the video game. It is also important to touch on what advantages the player can use and the pitfalls they should avoid.

Finally, describe the overall experience of playing. This evaluation must be as unbiased as possible and deliver an in-depth take on the video game. Dig into how video games affect critical thinking as players deal with complex situations in the virtual world.

It can help to delve into parallels with the real world. More often than not, video games reflect current society, with elements of fantasy or fiction to be more exciting and adventurous.

Review and Finalize Critical Analysis

Read your draft, edit, and finalize. The final output must be useful to gamers and designers to improve the video gaming industry as a whole.

Download the Video Game Critical Analysis Template Here

There are many reasons people play video games. They want to escape real life for a while, and video games are incredibly entertaining and engaging. Critical analysis of video games can help improve the industry and ensure that more and better video games are in the pipeline to entertain as many people as possible.

Popular Posts

About Dustin Tyler

Initially focused on web dev, Dustin was introduced to game design by a friend after college and was immediately attracted to the combination of technical skill and creativity required to make an awesome game.

He’s utilized his web dev skills and desire to help others by creating a resource where expert game designers can share what they’ve learned with the next generation of aspiring game makers.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

• How to Use Animation Storyboards
• What is Cel Shading & How to Use It?
• The Role of Computer Science in Video Games
• How to Start Keyframing in Animation
• Cite this Website
• California Consumer Privacy Act
• Editorial Guidelines

• Game Design Education
• Game Design Careers
• Game Engines
• Learn Skills
• Ask an Expert
• Graphic Design
• Free Mini-Courses
• Our GameMaker Course

Send us mail:

Lake House Media 7910 4TH ST N STE 300 ST. PETERSBURG, FL 33702

Screen Rant

10 best youtubers for gaming video essays, according to reddit.

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

10 “Rotten” Disney Animated Movies That Are Actually Great

Will ferrell’s 10 funniest characters, ranked, 10 comedy sequels that are just as good as the original.

Although video games can be mindless fun at times, some of the biggest releases of the later half of this year have included The Last of Us: Part 1 and the upcoming God of War: Ragnarök , titles that serve to highlight video games as an art form to rival traditional media. When it comes to what makes games like these work, YouTube has any gaming enthusiast covered.

From essayists who focus on the storytelling element of video games like Jacob Geller to ones that go in-depth to take apart the mechanical side of creating video games like Game Maker's Toolkit or even GDC, these are the channels that Reddit thinks fans should be checking out.

When most people think of video essays, they tend to think of channels where a single person presents their thoughts on a variety of topics but GDC is a little different. The name stands for Game Developers Conference and the YouTube channel presents clips and full talks from professionals.

Redditor rebilax13 comments that you can "never go wrong with GDC" as you get to "hear from the industry themselves." Whilst analysis from an outsider is always interesting, there's something about hearing developers, artists, and producers talk about their own methods of bringing video games to life that's uniquely insightful.

Writing On Games

Focusing on game design and what makes video game narratives so powerful , Writing on Games presents video game essays and reviews in a sharp and engaging style that has won the channel many fans over the years. That includes Redditor Party_McFly710 who rates them as a top channel when it comes to "general story analysis" for video games.

Whilst the channel isn't afraid to criticize games for their shortcomings, a lot of their videos involve going in-depth and taking apart exactly why highly-rated games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild , Elden Ring , and The Last of Us are so effective. Even better, Writing on Games generally draws attention to small details and game elements that most people would never pick up on.

Matthewmatosis

Well-researched, well-edited, and interesting video essays often take a lot of time to put together, which is why they aren't always easy to find. For those who don't mind infrequent uploads, Matthewmatosis provides just that, presenting videos that very obviously have a ton of thought and time put into them.

Redditor GhettoRussianSpy says they "wholeheartedly recommend" the channel and calls it "thought-provoking." Whereas some channels attempt to make videos about the most relevant game to ensure views, it's obvious that Matthewmatosis simply pursues whatever interests him at that time, presenting a fascinating dissection of Death Stranding nearly a year after Hideo Kojima's divisive title was released.

For retrospectives on awesome older video games , there are few channels that do so as effectively and entertainingly as Raycevick. Redditor Malix82 recommends the channel for "lengthy deconstructions" of exactly how and why a game once "made waves" or came to be perceived the way it is.

With his "... x Years Later" series, which includes "Metro Exodus... 3 Years Later" and "Need for Speed: Most Wanted... 13 Years Later," Raycevick uses the advantage of hindsight to look at games from a different perspective to usual and sometimes even challenge people's perceptions. Along with covering a wide range of games from different periods, Raycevick offers something for everyone.

Noah Caldwell-Gervais

There are plenty of channels that offer extremely long-form and comprehensive video essays on games but very few go to the extremes of Noah Caldwell-Gervais whose "Thorough Look" series has episodes that break the 5-hour mark. It's not just quantity he provides though as, according to Redditor Frittenbudenpapst , "His analysis, critique and description of games is just stellar."

"Whilst his almost-exclusive use of gameplay footage might not appeal to those who like more flashy and visually engaging video essays, it helps him to effectively capture the feel of the games he talks about and that's something his fans appreciate. This is especially true as he often talks about games where the atmosphere is one of the most important elements.

Tongue-in-cheek humor and sharp critiques go hand-in-hand in Whitelight's video essays, which often take on critically-lauded or critically-panned games and offer an interesting take. Whilst it's not a channel for fans who like their video essays to be completely serious, there are good reasons why Redditors like BrandalfFTW consider him one of "the best."

For example, despite taking a more humorous approach to the YouTube format , Whitelight's critiques tend to be fairly balanced, taking into account arguments for and against the games he takes on. Whilst no viewer is likely to agree with all of his opinions, that's a part of the charm of Whitelight's channel.

Though Hbomberguy takes on everything from politics and conspiracy theories to TV shows, some of his most popular and most compelling videos are those where he simply discusses video games. Redditor AMtheVile is one fan who says they "really like" his video game content.

Though his approach to video games can be divisive, often taking extreme stances on beloved video game franchises like The Elder Scrolls and the Fallout series and presenting his views in an over-the-top, impassioned way, the level of effort he puts into making his videos well-researched and visually interesting is something anyone can appreciate.

With the description on YouTube reading simply "Insightful gaming videos," Ahoy manages to perfectly capture why fans love the channel's video essays so much. Although not exclusively about video games, with many historical videos as well, their visually striking and perfectly composed video game essays easily rival that of completely game-focused channels.

That's why Redditor GustavGarlicBread calls them "amazing" at what they do, adding that they have "extremely clean editing, and original music to top it all off." Whilst this means uploads are infrequent, each essay has so much originality that they're more than worth the wait.

Game Maker's Toolkit

Presented by British video game journalist and game developer Mark Brown, Game Maker's Toolkit aims to deliver exactly what the channel name promises which is to help with the viewer's understanding of how games are made. Though this technical approach of drawing attention to how games are crafted is great for budding game developers, it's also fascinating as a fan of games too.

One of those fans is Redditor nas1992 who comments that the channel is their "favorite" when it comes to gaming video essays. Rather than focusing on a specific game in each video, Brown nearly always dedicates each one to a particular, and usually small, aspect of game design, providing a much more technical perspective.

Jacob Geller

Though he does consider specific elements of game design in his gaming video essays, the unique appeal of Jacob Geller's YouTube channel is that they often provide deep and interesting reflections on the thematic story elements of great games. For fans of the story-telling side of video game creation, there are few better than Geller.

Redditor Frosch90 recommends the channel for anyone "into a more intellectual and "artsy" approach to games." Taking in a variety of sources that go far beyond what most YouTube video essays consider, Geller's approach is just as thorough as those on the more technical side of video games which helps make each one a treat to watch.

NEXT: 10 Best YouTube Channels For Film Video Essays, According To Reddit

HOW A GAME LIVES: THE ANNOTATED ESSAYS OF JACOB GELLER

Jacob geller.

Over his illustrious career, Jacob Geller has written and produced a sprawling collection of video essays. Deftly interweaving video game analysis with complex narratives about art, politics, and history, Geller’s work positions games as vital tools for understanding each other and ourselves.

How a Game Lives re-examines ten of Geller’s most iconic essays accompanied by his brand-new commentary, afterwords on each piece by some of the industry’s best writers, and stunning original artwork by Kilian Eng and other exceptional artists.

With videos like “Who’s Afraid of Modern Art”, “Every Zelda is the Darkest Zelda”, and “The Legacy of the Haunted House”, Geller has taught audiences how to think about the art that’s affected them. How a Game Lives immortalises those works and more, and provides boundless insight into the construction, philosophy, and afterlife of each essay.

PUBLICATION DETAILS

Authors/Narrators: #JacobGeller

Publishers: #LostInCult (Lost In Cult)

Languages: #English

Format: #Hardcover #eBook #Paperback

Accessibility: N/A

Year: #Year2024

Genres: #Essays #GameStudies

Public Figures:

#CallOfDuty (Call of Duty)

#Returnal (Returnal)

#Zelda (The Legend of Zelda)

• Non-Fiction

Related Posts

GUN GUN PIXIES LIMITED EDITION ARTBOOK

SHIREN THE WANDERER LIMITED EDITION ART BOOK

PAC-MAN: THE ULTIMATE KEY TO WINNING

The “Medal of Honor” Video Game Analysis Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Identifying the controversy, lessons from the controversies, video games as value moderators, influence of games on behavior and personality development, games compared to national interests, the effect of video games on people.

Medal of Honor is a first-person fighter video game franchise. DreamWorks Interactive created the first game, which was distributed by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation. The gameplay focuses on the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), an American surveillance organization during the Second World War.

The game is set to depict the Afghanistan invention in 2002 and the battle between the U.S. military and the Taliban. The Coalition and the Opposing Forces are the two conflicting forces in the game. The Coalition uses M16A4, M4A1, M21, AT4, and M9 pistols, whereas the Opposing Forces utilize AK-47, AKS-74U, SVD, RPG-7, and Tariq pistols, which are comparable to those used by the Taliban (Mirrlees, 2019). Due to the close resemblance of the game to the Afghanistan war, the game has sparked a controversy that depicts society as a critical element whose interest should be considered in the game settings and role play.

Video games, whether single or multi-player, are meant to educate, critic, and reinforce some values in society. When they fail to meet the socially accepted codes and expectations of a group of people, they can be described as controversial. The “Medal of Honor” game features the first-line combat operations in a manner that has sparked controversies among the U.S. population. According to Chapman and Linderoth (2015), the game sparked a major controversy among the American military and the families of men and women who played sacrificial roles in the Afghanistan war. This is attributed to the game’s feature that allows a player to take the role of the Taliban and fight with the American soldiers. Although the game ends in victory for the U.S. military, the fact that Americans can choose to play the roles of their enemy is controversial.

Games reflect certain attributes in society and evoke different feelings and perspectives in society. In contrast to most other types of entertainment, video games may bring people together from diverse backgrounds and ideologies. When people participate in any type of gameplay, they are encouraged to adopt a point of view that they are not used to (Costa et al., 2018). Gaming has evolved to include authentic, collaborative play that brings people together from all classes. This fosters new relationships and promotes stronger communities. As video games have grown in complexity, richness, and depth, so too have the communities who enjoy them, and those communities are only growing in inclusiveness and accessibility (Burgess & Matamoros-Fernández, 2016). Through these new relationships, gamers are able to put themselves in the shoes of others, which promotes empathy and compassion among the player community. In “Medal of Honor,” society’s criticism of the characters, setting, and theme of the play reveal several attributes of its perception of video games.

Patriotism, honor, and respect are some of the values expected of every member of society. For the love of their nation and the commitment to global peace and harmony, the U.S. Military launched an attack in Afghanistan to fight the Taliban and neutralize their influence over the country. They expected that every American would honor their sacrifices on the battlefield. The game “Medal of Honor” violates this requirement by having a game setting that allows users to decide whether to play as the Coalition or Taliban (Chapman & Linderoth, 2015). The Taliban aspect reminds the American heroes of the challenges they faced on the battlefield. The situation is worsened by having Americans stake the role of the enemy who killed the military, inflicting pain on the entire force and their loved ones. This controversy led to several complaints and criticism, which led to the name change from Taliban to opposing forces.

This instance proves that society views video games as critical elements that can reinforce or limit the expression of societal values. The values in question here are patriotism and honor, which should be directed to the war heroes. In line with social expectations, Electronic Arts, the video game’s producer, was asked to pull down the Taliban part, to which it complied (Mirrlees, 2019). In a statement delivered by Mr. Goodrich, the executive producer, the move was taken to honor the heroes who “paid the ultimate sacrifice” during the war (Mirrlees, 2019). This controversy further ascertains that video games are not mere sources of entertainment but have a significant role in shaping values and teaching them to all members of society. At no point should a society’s values be violated, even in a video game.

Society is comprised of individuals with different life perspectives, personalities, and behaviors. In many cases, a person is bound to pick up a trait from their surroundings: people, events, and games. According to Bean et al. (2017), video gamers have been a significant and increasing part of our society for a long time. As the population of video gamers increases, so does the prevalence of social evils. War is one of the social issues that has affected individual nations and global interactions. The game “Medal of Honor” reveals the complexity of war and the advancement in warfare techniques and machines. Ouellette and Thompson (2017) show that people’s behavior can be altered by their attitudes and participation in video games. Therefore, the controversy raised on the “Medal of Honor” demonstrates that society believes it has a role to protect its people against moral erosion that could result from the game.

The impact of video games on behavior change has been going on for decades, with society and video gamers taking opposite sides. According to critics, video games, contrary to popular belief, do not promote violence or bad conduct (Bean et al., 2017). There have been many prejudices and unfounded assertions made about this aspect for years now. One of the most destructive allegations made by the media is that video games are to blame for acts of violence and criminal activity. The claims raised against the “Medal of Honor” prove that society holds the position that advocating for Taliban roles would promote violence and irate behavior among gamers.

Military combats are crucial operations whose details should be minimally revealed to the public. In the “Medal of Honor,” the characters chosen, locations displayed, and weapons used are characteristic of the real world (Chapman & Linderoth, 2015). They represent the actual weaponry used in the war, hinting at the secrets of battle. Since the purpose of the game was to entertain the public and demonstrate the skill and prowess of the American military, fictional places would have been a better choice.

The game exemplifies the popular military shooter genre in interactive media, which continues to be criticized. High-definition graphics are becoming more realistic, and game developers are attempting to provide the most authentic experiences imaginable. These games are now attempting to portray contemporary events and write stories about them. There is a higher level of sensitivity when dealing with current themes (Ouellette & Thompson, 2017). When compared to earlier World War II or Vietnam War games, though, most people would say that there isn’t the same amount of sensitivity.

A source of this controversy surrounds the battlefield tactics revealed in the game. Since these strategies are specific to the Afghanistan war, they must have come from an insider within the forces. According to Mirrlees (2019), the American Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) ordered the game to be banned from sale on its military bases since it violated core principles. In defense, the producers argued that representing the war on a video game was not different from noting it down in books. The decision made by the AAFES concerning the controversy reveals that video games are viewed as insignificant elements that should not interfere with national security in their portrayal of key social concepts. Although the game attracted millions of gamers globally, it threatened to wrongly highlight American military operations and therefore had to be stopped.

Although the “Medal of Honor” was set as a harmless game to highlight the Afghanistan war and the U.S. military’s victory, its impact on soldiers and their families were ignored. According to research done by Chapman and Linderoth (2015), maladaptive behavior, poor social skills, and loneliness are some of the negative impacts of video games. It is reported that while some people may benefit from video games through enhanced critical thinking and problem-solving skills, others may lose friends and become violent through addictive gaming (Bean et al., 2017). These harmful effects are important factors that led to the controversy in the “Medal of Honor.”

From the U.S. military’s perspective, the game would traumatize the soldiers and their families. The events described in the game, the locations, and the weaponry are elements with which the soldiers were too familiar. Again, the roles played by characters in the game represent the actual roles played by the American heroes who risked their lives daily on the battlefield. If the soldiers were to watch someone being killed by the Taliban characters in eth game, assuming that they played the role of the murdered character, they would be traumatized. After the war, the soldiers needed a warm welcome and time to recover from the shock of the bloodshed they witnessed on the ground. It follows that exposing them to a game showing some of the failures would harm their psychological well-being. Essentially, this controversy reveals that games are viewed as elements that could negatively affect people’s psychological, emotional, and mental well-being.

The youth represent a large proportion of society, and their ability to take different characters is undoubtedly high. In society, criminals and terrorist organizations are led by individuals, sometimes the youth, who have learned some war tactics from video games. According to Costa et al. (2018), the media and gaming fields are two significant forces that have continued to shape characters in society. Since the Taliban were a group of terrorists, well-trained and fighting against a powerful American military, some youths may learn that they, too, could play a similar role in real life. Aggression and violence begin in the mind, which could be triggered by video games, and grow in a person until they materialize through active participation. In this case, society holds the view that young people would be psychologically affected by video games to the point that they could turn to terrorism to fulfill their roles. Video games are not viewed as mere entertainers but as tools with the potential to solve society’s challenges or inflict it a myriad of political, social, and economic problems.

In conclusion, video games have significantly impacted society’s values and motivated individuals to develop new perspectives on life. The game “Medal of Honor” was set to honor the men and women who took part in the Afghanistan war against the Taliban. Although the American military emerged victoriously, many soldiers died on the battlefield. The game was set to include the coalition fighting against an opposition force originally named the Taliban. These roles created a controversy among the American population, especially soldiers and their families. The controversy shows that society believes that video games significantly affect social values, impede psychological well-being, and should be insignificant compared to national interests. It is society’s role to protect its people and ensure that its core values are preserved. The pressure placed on the video game producers to change the Taliban name signifies that society was keen on correcting the apparent destruction caused by the video game. Although the game was developed to honor American war heroes, it created a controversy that limited its impact and exposed society’s different perspectives on video games.

Bean, A., Nielsen, R., van Rooij, A., & Ferguson, C. (2017). Video game addiction: The push to pathologize video games. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice , 48 (5), 378-389. Doi: 10.1037/pro0000150

Burgess, J., & Matamoros-Fernández, A. (2016). Mapping sociocultural controversies across digital media platforms: one week of #gamergate on Twitter, YouTube, and Tumblr. Communication Research and Practice , 2 (1), 79-96. Doi: 10.1080/22041451.2016.1155338

Chapman, A., & Linderoth, J. (2015). Exploring the Limits of Play: A Case Study of Representations of Nazism in Games. The Dark Side of Game Play , 137-153. Doi: 10.4324/9781315738680-9

Costa, C., Tyner, K., Henriques, S., & Sousa, C. (2018). Game Creation in Youth Media and Information Literacy Education. International Journal of Game-Based Learning , 8 (2), 1-13. Doi: 10.4018/ijgbl.2018040101

Mirrlees, T. (2019). 29. Medal of Honor. In How to Play Video Games (pp. 242-249). New York University Press.

Ouellette, M. A., & Thompson, J. C. (2017). The Post-9/11 Video Game: A Critical Examination . McFarland.

• Pokémon Go as a Pop Culture Phenomenon
• The Motivation of the Video Game Player
• The "Hacksaw Ridge" Movie Analysis
• Physicist Ralph A. Alpher and His Big Bang Theory
• How Swimming Can Improve Health
• Grand Theft Auto Is Good for You?
• “Dishonored” Game: Plot and Players
• Addiction to Online Gaming: A Review of Literature
• Impact of Video Games on Children and Adolescents
• Playing Video Games Can Help to Control Dreams
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, February 1). The “Medal of Honor” Video Game Analysis. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-medal-of-honor-video-game-analysis/

"The “Medal of Honor” Video Game Analysis." IvyPanda , 1 Feb. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/the-medal-of-honor-video-game-analysis/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'The “Medal of Honor” Video Game Analysis'. 1 February.

IvyPanda . 2023. "The “Medal of Honor” Video Game Analysis." February 1, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-medal-of-honor-video-game-analysis/.

1. IvyPanda . "The “Medal of Honor” Video Game Analysis." February 1, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-medal-of-honor-video-game-analysis/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The “Medal of Honor” Video Game Analysis." February 1, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-medal-of-honor-video-game-analysis/.