Edge asks, "Why aren't games funny?"

April 7th, 2006, 20:51 Posted By: wraggster

Source Joystiq

Edge Magazine takes a look at comedy in games ... and comes up pretty short. With the exception of oft-cited titles like pretty much the entire early LucasArts gems (Secret of Monkey Island, Sam and Max, Day Of The Tentacle, and others) and the occasional Conker's Bad Fur Day or Bard's Tale, there isn't much gamers can point to.

They talk with Grumpy Gamer (and writer of the hysterical Secret of Monkey Island) Ron Gilbert who frames the problem this way: "I think games have spent a lot of time trying to be movies, but the thing about games is that they’re organic, that players can hopefully to do whatever they want, and if you can work humor into that, then that’s great.” So games like Secret of Monkey Island are passed over in favor of the occasional gag in Metal Gear Solid?

Hopefully gamers still crave the scripted comedy of the adventure classics. With fellow Lucas Arts alum Tim Shafer taking top honors in writing at GDC for Psychonauts, and a new Sam & Max adventure coming our way, there's at least a modicum of hope that gamers will embrace funny games.

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