Genre 101 is a new series that looks at the past and present of a game genre to find lessons about what defines it. Each installment, Graham Russell brings in an expert “guest lecturer” to discuss significant and representative releases and topics. We start with the first-person shooter, and guest lecturer Andrew Passafiume.
Labyrinthine beginnings
Andrew Passafiume: Very few people talk about (or are aware of) what is considered by many to be the first “first-person shooter.” Catacomb 3-D, developed by id Software, technically isn’t a shooter in the traditional sense (you use magic instead of guns), yet it is the game that established the id formula and eventually led the company down the path to create the shooters we are more familiar with. While many people consider Wolfenstein 3D as the shooter that started it all, they often overlook Catacomb and how it essentially moved the industry towards the future of first-person shooters. READ MORE
There is something magical about a fairy tale, and it is clear that Starbreeze understands that. The world of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons could just as easily have been crafted by the Brothers Grimm: it’s lush,it’s full of life, it’s inhabited by strange (and sometimes terrible) creatures and it doesn’t pull any punches. READ MORE
Most multiplayer games are designed to be played in a single evening. This makes a lot of sense, as it can be a huge headache to organize multiple play gatherings, especially with the exact same configuration of players, and an experience that’s easier to get into generally has a much better chance of success.
If you go through the effort, though, longer multiplayer experiences can be truly memorable and magical in ways that one-off party play just can’t. READ MORE
The Tales series has developed a very dedicated, core following by sticking to what it knows. Not every franchise is Final Fantasy, reinventing itself with each new installment. Just as Dragon Quest, as much as it evolves, will be forever shaped by the mechanics of its NES days, Tales has embraced its roots in the late-’90s JRPG environment. READ MORE
When it the original game first released, Rise of the Triad was largely overlooked. It remains one of the most influential first-person shooters though, for the mechanics it pioneered: bigger and more complex environments, built-in mouse aiming and multiple protagonists. Many of these were made popular by the games that came after. READ MORE
