Video Games as a Form of Art

[BumblebeeCody*]

This actually where games differ. Some games like Bayonetta/Final Fantasy/Street Fighter have crap stories, ones that are non-existent or just quickly slapped on but it's the gameplay that keeps us playing. Games don't necessarily have to have a good story in order to be good other games Fighting Games/Racing/Puzzle/ (and some others) would be classed as failures. But like I said, games differ because they offer more than what films have, and what they offer is feedback based on the users interaction; which you can't do with other forms of media such as films or music.

Stories in games quite often are some additional BS developers put on but don't put as the primary focus due to how games are and how they different from films.

Perhaps I was a bit harsh in calling games failures if they don't reach us on an emotional level. And yes Fighters/Racers/Puzzles/Sports don't have stories but they can still be great. You are also right in saying that one of video games best features is feedback.

However, I don't believe that story and theme are just add-ons, something developers put in as an afterthought. I don't see it as a gimmick. While gameplay is the main focus, story and theme help sell the experience. What I am trying to get at is that there is much more to games than just the play part. In many adventure games, action games, RPGs, and others, there is a beginning, middle, and end. There is story. There is theme. There is mood. Story engages us, theme provokes discussion between us. It is deep.

That is what I am trying to get.

Completely agree.
But quite often games don't need a story in order to be good. There are plenty of games with meh stories added because the primary focus is gameplay.

Also, pretty much on the lines of what Gors said. I consider them more trans formative art but what is art nowadays anyway? What we're talking about is story telling as opposed to graphical beauty/visually appealing.

The definition of art seems to have been lost with gaming. Not that it seems important, I think it's now "gaming should be appreciated more than shrugged off".