ACTION-ADVENTURE

VIDEO GAMES
AN ESSAY BY GEORGIA SCANNELL

ACTION ADVENTURE AS A GENRE:

ction Adventure is one of the most expansive genres in Video Gaming.

As can be expected, there are a number of codes and conventions that
make the form as popular and broad as it is. Like with any media
product, these individual items help with the development of something
far bigger, and diverse.
The product of two genres, the developer will implement characteristics from the
respective types to create a hybrid which is as mentally stimulating as it is
exciting to control. As such, the emphasis will be on the physicality of the
characters through tasks such as free-running, climbing, shooting and the like, as
in a pure action game, alongside puzzles, a potentially complex storyline
intriguing characters, inventory systems, dialogue etc. as found in its adventure
counterpart.
Numerous sub-categories fall under this umbrella, meaning that it encompasses
a multitude of titles, and styles of gameplay. These are inclusive of first and third
person A/As and sandbox, stealth and (some) survival horror games. This
demonstrates just how varied the content can be in a product of this nature, as
well
as
ACTIONproviding
us
ADVENT
with
an
URE
understanding
of just how
SURVIVA
FIRST/TH broad this form
SANDBO
STEALTH
L
IRD
is. This proves
X
HORROR
PERSON just
exciting
and unpredictable this medium can be.
As a combination of exploration, quizzing and fast paced activity, 2013s Tomb
Raider is a prime example. Fulfilling the eponymous role, it is the players task to
locate items/places and defeat enemies with objects which have been collected
on the journey, i.e. arrows for the bow, bullets for guns etc. These elements help
to create a truly immersive experience in how we must consider every
movement and whether it will help or hinder our survival. Knowing that we must
preserve ammunition, or avoid conflict, helps increase the level of tension whilst
igniting our own humanistic instincts.
The often detailed story arcs allow us to get to know the characters and what has
led to their current position through small snippets of conversation, flashbacks
and so on. This not only aids our comprehension of their mannerisms and why
they behave the way they do, but helps to shape our opinions on them and
whether or not they deserve the presumably distressing scenario which they are
faced with. This expansion on the cast and their situation helps evoke an
emotional reaction in us when something negative occurs, or a positive
resolution is reached. In contrast, games such as Call of Duty which consist of
unadulterated action more than anything else place the focus on being as battleorientated as possible, with the campaign being simplistic to the degree that the
recurring task is to kill the opposition.
When taking note of IGNs Best Action Adventure releases of 2015, we can
identify several trends which present themselves throughout the various

products. Primarily, the settings are largely dark and ominous, where threats can
manifest in themselves in any number of ways, from a person to a creature, to
the environment itself. This makes play unpredictable and fresh; if we do not
know what it is that is attacking us, we are thrown into a realm of uncertainty. At
the same time, this reflects the subject matter; Batman: Arkham Knight (2015)
uses antagonists in the form of twisted villains to show the depravity of mankind
and the depths that they can sink to. Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015), on the
other hand, pits us against morally skewed humans and nature. This conveys
that we are not invincible, and not in control; the violent weather is representing
the ideology that the most dangerous things are those we cannot restrain.
In addition, the colour schemes are largely dark and absent of brightness. This is
a suggestion of the subject matter, atmosphere, emotions and the fact that
those involved have likely been deprived of a theoretical light and have been
cast into a chasm absent of hope or escape; they are despondent and
dangerous, with no telling to the lengths that they will go to. Assassins Creed:
Syndicate and its predecessor Unity portray this through the use of pathetic
fallacy. The dark clouds, and eventual rain in the impoverished neighbourhoods,
in England and Paris respectively, correspond with the feelings of helplessness
and fear. Whilst the precipitation in the former is randomly generated, the
Kingdom of Beggars mission in the latter illustrates this incredibly well.
This is not always the case, however. Grand Theft Auto V and Just Cause offset
the aggression against aesthetically appealing and attractive locations, i.e. Los
Santos. This may be satirical in how it implies that the most beautiful of places,
and even people, possess the ugliest of truths. In the case of Just Cause 2, the
mechanic of causing as much chaos as can be, whilst playing as a US Agent,
could be parodying the said countrys reputation for responding to events with
violence, effectively destroying aspects of their society. Likewise, GTA V subtly
criticises what some do for fame, wealth and adoration, alongside the
shallowness that has seemingly taken over them.
The crimson of the blood is symbolic of the anger consuming the character and
the ferocity that deaths are committed with; it is a figurative example of
someone seeing red, and what they feel when they perceive a target to be a
threat. The splatter displays the intensity of the attacks, and just how
remorseless the perpetrator can be. The lack of excretion of internal fluid could
be a sign of respect, and that they are not seen to warrant such a fuss as to
make to grand display of their death.
The characters are largely believable/relatable, despite their unrealistic
situations. This helps to make them aspirational for the user; it is unlikely, but
there is the slightest of chances that this could become a reality for them. Geralt
of Rivia, for instance, appears to be the antithesis of this assumption based upon
his unworldly abilities, but on closer inspection we can acknowledge that he is
not so different; he has the same desires, feelings and longings, and has reasons
for being outwardly cold. Likewise, because some of his responses and
relationships are based around our choices, we are able to shape him, and
identify parts of ourselves in his behaviour.
The lead protagonists will conventionally be a young, Caucasian, middle class
male with stereotypical good-looks. Jason Brody from Far Cry 3, for example,
epitomises this with his all-American appearance and group of friends, before he

is forced to realise the brutality required to

survive the Island he is stranded on, and
save those he loves. This provides a new
dimension to him in how it shows that he is
not as self-absorbed like we may imagine,
but will do anything to protect the ones he
cares for.
Like with most genres, there will be a hero
and villain(s), so to speak. In most cases,
there will a number of others that the
player will have to defeat in order to reach
the central antagonist. In Assassins Creed:
Syndicate, for example, one must kill a
number of other high-ranking members of
the Templar Order, as well as taking London
back from The Blighters, before reaching
Jason Brody from Far Cry 4
Crawford Starrick. As the enemies tend to
increase in difficulty the further one
progresses, it helps to challenge the player
and reflect the fact that the story is reaching
its climax, and is set to become not only very
precarious for their welfare, but undeniably
thrilling. Furthermore, this causes us to
question the morality of the situations we are
in; very rarely is a character a thoroughly
good/bad individual. In turn this helps to
provide a level of contrast and intrigue-we have (at least) two characters who are
diametrically opposed to one another in direct competition. When we couple this
with the occasionally questionable acts we must undertake, it is indicative of the
fine-and unclear-line between these two differing persuasions, and how easy it is
to cross this border.
Non-diegetic sound is a familiar occurrence in Action-Adventure games. This aids
in the creation of ambience and mood, helping to dictate the intensity and type
of situation we have found ourselves in. Skyrim, for instance, has a fully
orchestrated score with some songs sung in the language of dragons. This can
disassociate the player from the action in the sense that it reminds them that
this is a fantasy. It can be argued that this is beneficial in how it allows us to truly
appreciate the product for what it is by becoming so embroiled in the fictitious
land; if we are so taken in by everything that we are encountering, we cannot
enjoy the graphics or the sheer creativity and so on.

PORTRAYAL OF ACTION-ADVENTURE:

eing one of the largest genres in the industry, an incalculable number

of games are released on a regular and these are each received
differently, be it for their controversial nature or playability. Grand
Theft Auto, the go-to bad example, has been criticised for its
misogynistic representation of women. To an extent this is accurate; it
seems to be a very dated notion to portray females as objects used for sexual
gratification and as status symbols, and they are more than capable of more
than they are being shown as doing. On the other hand, the series is designed to

parody societal pre/misconceptions such as the notion that there is still an

underbelly that is being used and abused by the more shady members of the
locale. As well as this, it has attained notoriety for its gratuitous and frequent
violence and the famed torture scene from the fifth instalment. Understandably,
many were offended and
disgusted by the very
nature of the mission, and
deemed
it
to
be
inappropriate
for
distribution on the market.
Whilst it is graphic to play,
and
uncomfortable
for
some to view, it is the
choice of the individual to
engage with the story
which is based in pure
fiction. Whilst inclusions
like this do not do any
Grand Theft Auto Vs Torture Scene.
favours for its reputation,
it does aid its popularity and its appeal to rebellious members of the youth.
Similarly, Hitman: Absolution attracted the attentions of the public for several
less than positive reasons. The trailer featuring The Saints (leather clad nuns
who act and dress in a less that Godly manner), was called sexist, excessively
violent and a reinforcement of the negative stereotypes that players of these
items must confront. Whilst it succeeded at conveying the vicious and
provocative
nature of the game, it did not bode with more
than a small
portion of the general public, with eyebrows
being
raised in almost all areas of society. As an avid
female gamer, the author of this document did find
this teaser to be uncomfortable viewing and found
the level of sexualisation to be unwarranted; as
much as media in general needs strong
heroines, their villainous counterparts need not
be dressed in PVC with an appearance fitting of
a
different type of film entirelywhy can they
not
wear jeans, t-shirts, suits? Why must they couple
killing
with such suggestiveness? On the other hand, it
demonstrates
the
deceptiveness
of
first
impressions and the fact that what we see is not always what
it
is; where we would anticipate innocent, God-Fearing young ladies, we
have trained murderers with an emphasis on their looks. It trains us to expect
the unexpected and know that nothing is as it seems in this world. The
accompanying Facebook app which permitted the user to identify and nominate
their friends for assassination, and was removed within a day. This cannot be
excused as easily as the content of the main product; this is an instance of the
lines between the enjoyment of play and distastefulness being blurred. This
alternate existence, these assumed identities, must remain separate from our
own. Play the game, but do not makes its realm ours.
Not all releases have been met with such heavy disapproval. Assassins Creed II
was praised for its stunningly real locations and interesting gameplay, whilst

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain was commended for graphics and stealth
elements. In addition, The Witcher 3 was lauded for its dark fantasy adventure,
set in a stunning world of blood and black magic. These aspects help to alleviate
the concerns placed on the genre; it is not completely bleak, nor is it all about
causing as much outrage as possible. Instead, it is set to portray that we can
create anything with modern technology and stories do not have just remain so,
but can become visual manifestations that we cannot only see and hear, but be a
part of. They have also heralded the new age of interactive media and shown
that the impossible-be it technological or fantastical-can, in fact, be
accomplished. It is simply unfortunate that this perspective is not as widely
publicised.
This authors investigations have found that the typical age rating for games in
the action-adventure genre is 15 and over, suggesting that this helps to shape
the target audience. The violence and explicit language is what contributes to
this classification, not unlike in cinema. In turn, this leads to the debate as to
whether the psychological development of the underage player is detrimentally
effected. Furthermore, as the casts tend to mostly consist of men, we can infer
that this gender will be the primary consumer of the products. This links back to
the notion that the characters are aspirational and an ideal version of an
individual.
Some do believe that the genre is just too large and attempts to incorporate too
much. There is a belief that developers should refine their ideas in order to make
it more individualistic and less as though it is attempting to encompass
everything that has made its parents so popular. This could prove beneficial as
something which is only an average Action Adventure game, could be a brilliant
Action game simply by removing lacklustre puzzle elements. This would also help
to make it easier to distinguish between games which just conform to the codes
and conventions and those which strongly adhere to these descriptors, hence
making it become a cleaner cut category, with more definitive boundaries.

DISTRIBUTION:
The most notable means of distribution is on a disk. Like a DVD, these are
inserted into the console where it is installed and can be enjoyed. These are
purchasable from any number of retailers from Tesco to Shop-To. This displays
the vast availability of the products and how diverse they must be; if these were
a niche market, they would not be sold in everyday supermarkets. Alternatively,
they can be downloaded via codes, and the XBOX Marketplace. This allows
players the upmost in flexibility when it comes to how one chooses to acquire
their games; someone with little space can merely download them over the
internet and store them directly to the hardrive, whereas an individual with a
poor broadband connection can buy a physical copy. Somewhat inevitably, the
largest consumption is on disc, with millions being sold every year.
Promotional material for these games, however, can present themselves in a
number of ways, leading to a great deal of cross media. TV Spots, for example,
raise awareness of the product, inform us of the price, the age rating and so on.
These are essential as the exposure being granted is insurmountable; how many
hours a day do we spend watching television, and how much of this period
consists of adverts? When we consider how many times we see the same
commercial, we realise just how powerful this tool is and how large an audience

it can reach. At the same time, it can help to build hype for a product, so to
speak. To elaborate, if we see exciting gameplay, it will make us want to explore
this title further and even look into buying or pre-ordering it.
Companion apps and variations for mobile devices are sometimes released in
addition to the main product. This helps make the game even more immersive in
the fact that we are not restricted to one platform when we play and can make
our journeys transcend the boundaries presented by our devices. Similarly, we
can check in on our characters wherever we are, ensuring that our game does
not end when we have finished on our consoles. This helps to further our interest
in the product as the iFruit app for GTA V demonstrates. Not only are we
permitted to manage in-game activities, we can train Chop the Dog, something
which proves to be rather popular. In turn, how he is treated here is reflected in
the game itself, providing us with the motivation to not only use these, but see
what effect they have on the main storyline.

THE CHANGING GENRE:

As has been observed already, action-adventure has evolved from its respective
parent genres, and it is this combination which has helped spawn many of our
best loved games.
ADVENTURE:
With the emphasis placed on puzzle solving in an interactive
framework, adventure games can also be graphic adventures
and/or point and click adventures. The plots of these have as much
variance as movies with the content ranging from horror to comedy.
Colossal Cave Adventure is argued to be the first product of this
genre, released in 1976-77 and it is agreed that this helped to
pioneer this category. The Walking Dead TellTale games series is a
modern example of this, with a plot hybridised with horror.
ACTION:
Conventionally challenging the players reflexes, hand-eye coordination and reaction times, action games can be coupled with
other categories such as First Person Shooters and platformers.
Typically, one will be able to upgrade their abilities and weapons
and collect HP/bonus lives with enemies often attacking in waves or
groups. Early examples could be Doom and Abuse, although these
do utilise aspects of other genres. First released in 1983, Elevator
Action could be the first product of this description and involved
infiltrating a 30 storey building stealing documents and shooting
enemies. Their present day equivalents include Call of Duty, Destiny
and Star Wars: Battlefront.
Released in 1973, Adventure was perhaps the earliest example of a true Action
Adventure game. Utilising a graphic display, the protagonist took the form of a
small square, with your sword being but an arrow, used to defeat your dragon
opponents. It contained several arguably revolutionary inclusions such as a
magnet which could attract items from across the screen, a bat who collected
objects before moving them to another area of the map and an Easter Egg in the
form of a hidden room containing the programmers name (Warren Robinett) in

pulsating letters. This was sign of things to come with these elements not only
presenting themselves in, but becoming a staple of, later games. GTA, for
instance, has countless secrets to discover.
This genre has changed drastically, evolved even, since its humble origins. No
longer are they 8bit, pixelated or polygonal (like the early Tomb Raider products),
but increasingly humanoid and realistic; people look like people and scenery is as
awe-inspiring as it is in actuality. Likewise, the plotlines are more developed and
engaging, with a plethora of avenues being investigate; these range from
relationships to their childhoods, to battles they must partake in. Most notably,
though, is the increase in blood, violence and gore. It is more of a challenge to
name a game today without one of these components than one that has. This
could be in response to our desire for controversy and horror as a source of
rebellion, and what is demanded by the target audience; players of these games
are not going to want an interactive version of a romance movie.
An example of this theorem could be Grand Theft Auto V in how it follows the
lives of three characters whose lives are intertwined with one another. The plot is
detailed in how it allows us to get to know the men, their backstories, how they
relate to one another and their characteristics. In addition, there is a prologue
scene which conveys the events leading to this point. This is a stark comparison
to a moveable square with no identifying features or information.
Likewise, we can see how Ice Palace for the Commodore 64 differs from
BioShock: Infinite. The former has you navigate through a honeycomb shaped
maze, engage in combat and escape from traps. The latter, on the other hand,
utilises the FPS play mechanism leading to more explicit violence, and debatably
more interesting gameplay. The top-down appearance of Ice Palace has been
adapted over the years so that we either become the character (first person
style) or see the details in those we are playing as (third person style). This
influences how we interact with our surroundings and others as we have different
perspectives and feelings in regards to them; if we adopt them as our secondary
personalities, it makes us more cautious as we do not wish to harm them or put
them in a potentially dangerous situation.
Within the gaming community, it is argued that we expect a lot from our
products, especially in terms of their presentation. In an age where we can see
just how impressive graphics can be, we do not anticipate second rate imagery.
In addition, we can be rather hesitant about purchasing a game with less
publicity and praise than some mainstream titles due to the expense incurred
when buying them. What we look for in our games is equally dependent on the
developer and the brand; we would expect the next Metal Gear Solid instalment
to have a great appearance and new features to refresh the stealth based play.
For instance, without the recent Star Wars reboot, and waxing nostalgic,
Battlefront would likely be criticised for its lack of content and generic shooter
nature.

NARRATIVES:
Typically, most modern narratives follow Tzvetan Todorovs narrative theory of
equilibrium, although they may not all observe it:
1

A STATE OF EQUILIBRIUM IS PRESENT

2 THIS STATE OF PEACE IS DISRUPTED

3 THERE IS A REALISATION THAT THE EQUILIBRIUM HAS BEEN
DISRUPTED
4 AN EFFORT TO REPAIR THIS DAMAGE
5 A NEW EQUILIBRIUM IS INSTATED
This can be applied to 2013s Tomb Raider game perfectly:
1 LARA CROFT BEGINS HER EXPEDITION ON THE SHIP
ENDURANCE.
2 THE BOAT IS SHIPWRECKED IN A FREAK STORM.
3 LARA AWAKES IN CAPTIVITY AND, ON EVENTUALLY
ESCAPING, REALISES HER BEST FRIEND (SAM) HAS BEEN
KIDNAPPED AS A SACRIFICE.
4 ALTHOUGH SEVERAL OF HER TEAM DIES, SHE FIGHTS
THROUGH VARIOUS ENEMIES TO REACH SAM.
5 HAVING SAVED SAM AND THE REMAINDER OF HER TEAM,
THEY ESCAPE THE ISLAND AND TRAVEL HOME ON A
CARGO SHIP.
This is notably different to Colossal Cave Adventure and Ice Palace where the
plot is addressed but not explored to such an extent as in present day outputs.
This could be due in part to the fact that we are able to investigate our locations
more and are given more scope to familiarise ourselves with the characters and
the story. The format seen above is positive in how it ensures that the ideas
develop, do not stay at a constant intensity throughout and encourages diversity
in missions. Moreover, we are given an ultimate, solid goal to work towards.
Non-linear story arcs do present themselves on occasion, although not
commonly. These help to help the player realise their own destiny, so to speak,
as there are often a number of playable missions at any one time and one is
encouraged to take the time to observe their surroundings and uncover all that
can be by roaming through an open world. This makes the pace of progression
more leisurely as we can choose when to do what and there is no definitive end,
other than to the main campaign. In contrast, linear games push the player in
the correct direction by having one task directly follow another, allowing little
room for investigation outside of the story. This is good at making sure the game
is completed and that the user does not lose track of the plot; in a horror game,
this could prove useful as it may help to escalate the tension and hurry the
person to the climatic scenes.
Regardless of the type of narrative being used, it is essential that it makes sense,
or is explained, for the retention of the audiences focus. If there is constant time
jumping and an endless array of characters, the users will understandably lose
interest and divert their fascinations to another product. The more
straightforward of these two forms can demonstrate how the character may only
look forwards and continue the fight against the oppressive forces that are so
problematic. In a sense, it demonstrates the pragmatic approach that the

protagonist possesses; they must only move into the future, whilst keeping their
wits-and sanity-about them.
The non-linear concept can convey the fragmented state of mind that is obtained
by the character. It can help display that they do not fully comprehend the
scenario, or may simply suggest the sheer size of the issue (through the large
open-worlds and ability to progress when one chooses). Furthermore, if the
individual is experiencing psychosis, we are able to build empathy with them and
better understand what they are going through. In turn, this makes the game
more personal and truly injects us into the play; this is no longer a stranger we
are placing in unfortunate events, but someone we have grown to recognise and
care about.
How the story is told, be it in the first or third person, can influence how we feel
whilst playing, as discussed previously. For a game such as The Legend of Zelda,
whilst we do wish to protect Link and keep him from trouble, we are able to stand
back and observe the occurrences without being completely involved in the
event and the emotions, so to speak. When shown through the first person,
however, we are wherever the plot takes us, we are the ones who must face a
hulking monster from our worst nightmares. From engaging with the product, we
input ourselves into the most dire of places and situations. Within a matter of
moments, we are transported from a comfortable existence to having to defend
ourselves, and potentially the world, against unimaginable threats.

REPRESENTATIONS IN ACTION ADVENTURE GAMES:

In the genre, the majority of protagonists are male, reflecting the largest
proportion of the target audience. This makes the characters recognisable and
relatable to the players on an idealistic level; they can envision themselves in
the role, but will never become a muscle-bound hero. Like in the media in
general, there are certain stereotypes that the cast will most likely conform to:
o

THE JOKER WHO WILL USE COMEDY AS A MASK FOR HIS

MASCULINITY. THERE IS A CONCERN THAT THIS CONVEYS
THE BELIEF THAT MEN SHOULD NOT BE EMOTIONAL OR
SERIOUS.

THE JOCK MUST AVOID BEING SOFT, WILL FIGHT OTHER

CHARACTERS, WILL BE AGGRESSIVE AND WILL COMPROMISE
HIS
LONG-TERM
HEALTH.
BY
DISPLAYING
THESE
MANNERISMS, HE OFTEN WINS THE ADORATION OF WOMEN
AND IS IDOLISED BY OTHER MEN.

THE STRONG SILENT TYPE WHO IS SHOWN AS BEING

DECISIVE, IN CONTROL, IN CHARGE, SHOWING NO OR LITTLE
EMOTION AND BEING POPULAR WITH WOMEN.

THE BIG SHOT IS SHOWN WITH THE CHARACTERISTICS AND

POSSESSIONS THAT SOCIETY BELIEVES ARE VALUABLE AND
DESIRABLE.

THE ACTION HERO WILL BE STRONG BUT LESS LIKELY TO BE

SILENT. HE WILL BE EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE AND WILL
PARTAKE IN VIOLENT ACTS.

Females are seen on occasion, although they may be overly sexualised as way of
making them seem more appealing to the target audience; a male player would
much rather have an attractive woman as the central character than a morbidly
obese, speedo-clad man. Lollypop Chainsaw perfectly exemplifies this, with the
pro/antagonist Juliet Starling conforming to the all-American stereotype of blonde
hair, blue eyes and so on. Accompanying this is her risqu assortment of outfits
including the sexy rider suit and the sexy seashell bikini. Although arguably
exploitative of young women, it does convey females in a strong, powerful
position and not as the damsel in distress; surely the next logical step is to
provide them with less revealing costumes and ordinary clothing?
Saints Row IV, alongside an increasing number of games, allows for the creation
and customisation of characters of both sexes. There is usually the option to
adjust the weight, and (in some instances) the chest size. This puts the player in
control and allows them to make their virtual self in such a way that fulfils their
notion of a perfect avatar and does not impose those such as Juliet Starling on
the unassuming gamer. Typically, a wide range of outfits will be available for use,
with some being more bold than others. This is an improvement on the age
where we were forced to only play as pre-defined characters with little creative
expression on our part, or variety regarding which roles we can assume.
Through my own observations, I have noted that the games where one is in
control of designing their own characters have fewer discriminative inclination
than those which do not have this mechanic. For example, both my brother and I
played Sunset Overdrive and created male and female avatars respectively.
Neither of us could identify any variances in in dialogue (other than the sound of
the voice), abilities or skills. Additionally, as the clothing choices are independent
and left to the player to decide, no one was left cringing at what was presented
before them.
This element can boast further positives as if we not only like the character, but
can stand to look at them, we are more likely to dedicate our time and effort to
completing the game, and potentially replaying it. Likewise, by only using
extremely masculine males, or impossible representations of women, a
significant proportion of the audience could become alienated as they may feel
that their interests are not being fairly portrayed.