Below is a list of games that I have studied in order to get an idea of immersion tactics that are utilized on multiple platforms. The purpose of this research is to find and apply video game immersion aspects to holographic display interactivity, i.e. the holo-comic. I researched and studied over 100 games. The platforms that were utilized included Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, mobile IOS apps, Playstation 1, 2, 3 and 4, PC, Oculus Rift, Oculus Go, Gameboy Advanced and Nintendo Switch. From these platforms and the one hundred games, I selected items that ranged from self-proclaimed minor immersion ratings of 1 to major immersion ratings of 10. I left out games that were completely non-immersive, which I didn’t think was possible, but turns out, it is possible. The games are listed in no particular order.
GAME RESEARCH:
MERCENARY SAGA-
The fact that inventory and strategic skill is taken into effect is by far the most immersive aspect of this game. Not only that, but the story is fun to read and quite engaging on its own. The narrative is a bit too slow but it is steady and fairly climatic. Customization of the characters, and the addition of more characters joining your squadron is a major plus when it comes to immersion as well. The characters class can be upgraded, which offers new skills and the equipment and accessories are also available for upgrade as you progress and earn gold. The sound is despicable however, which doesn’t help with engagement. Strategy, customization, narrative and variation give this game an immersion rating of 6.5.
WITCHER
This game is made for immersion. The story line is vast and non-linear, which I find to be one of the most valuable ways to produce immersion. With that said, there is still an overarching narrative that displaces the open map non-linear “sub-missions”. This is good, because it ties everything together. The characters are conceptually strong and a history is found within their guise before you learn about them. My only critique is the unnecessary usage of erotic tangents that play a role in the narrative. They are completely unnecessary but perhaps that is a selling tactic for them. I found the graphics to be great, although I don’t think that should be the main focus for a study on immersion. Nonetheless, it certainly helps that the visuals are stunning. The villains and mythological creatures that were made for the game are also impeccable and needed for the type of immersion they created. In this way, one might concluded that there are many different genres of immersion, something I will definitely touch on within my paper. My interest did not last as long as I thought it would however, It just felt like a weak but different version of Skyrim. With the open world narrative, the impeccable visuals, the deep connection to the characters and customizations I give this game an immersion rating of 7.
FINAL FANTASY III
The game that started the RPG movement. A fantastic and colorful place to play, with a decent amount of customization for its time. Weapons, magic and everything that comes with it, are great features for a game of its time. Unfortunately, as I traversed the land, I found myself constantly in battle, to the point of annoyance. I need less monster battles, it was way to repetitive and there wasn’t enough variety in general, which is understandable given the technology at the time. But I am not rating time, and I won’t give any game the benefit of the doubt. Although revolutionary and somewhat fun, I have sadly given FFIII an immersion rating of 4.
CHRONOTRIGGER
Much like FFIII, it is an RPG and is innovative. There are less battles and a bit more variance in dialogue making it a lot more pleasant and less annoying than FFIII. It is a fairly open world, but with cute shops and circus missions. The mechanics play a big role in the immersion as well, as they are smooth and fun. The inventory, customization and collection aspects are also engaging. Game play didn’t last long however, as I eventually became bored. Immersion rating of 5.
ROBOTRON
Although the game is simple, the shooting mechanics are intuitive, and fun. At first, it seems to lack variety and strategy, but that changes as one progresses. The most satisfaction comes from the shooting up, down, right, left and being chased, which is an immersion tactic I underestimated until playing this game. Being chased truly plays a powerful role in engagement. The differing robots are also entertaining. Lots of control in movement, despite the crude nature of the old technology never got old. Robotron received an immersion rating of 6.5.
JOUST
This game is not easy. Which immediately makes you want to turn the console off, but I gave it a chance. Timing, a tactic I also overlooked in regards to engagement, is crucial. The placement of your attack is therefore even more crucial. This level of difficulty, straight away, Has deterred me greatly. Although I am obsessed with challenges, I despise challenges that don’t give me a chance due to crap mechanics. If Robotron can make good mechanics for its time than certainly joust could have done the same. It is disappointing. I gave this an immersion rating of 1.5. Sorry Joust lovers….
SINI STAR
Thrilling Asteroids-like game. Difficult but offers enough control to be fun unlike Joust. Shooting is nice. Vacuum of space movement is on point. With that said, it lacks dimension in many ways. Also, more variety in the game play and narrative would have been nice. Elements of engagement include the game mechanics, a good balance of control and no control, and the characters, unlike the narrative and general game play had a good amount of variety. Strategy also played a roll but it was limited by means of chance. Also, I wish the collectibles were larger, I got confused many times. The audio is fun too, corny but entertaining. The Boss is AWESOME though! I give this an immersion rating of 4.5.
PAC-ATTACK
Essentially, it is Tetris with Pac-man. Fun but simple, it is best played with two players for a better and more immersive experience. The fact that it is only engaging with others has lowered its immersion rating. Nonetheless, time, Strategy, and general quick wit is what gives this game a 4 on the immersion rank.
BAMBUZAL
A game where you trigger bombs to strategically move to a location. Apparently you are able to move bombs but I was unable to figure it out. Overall it isn’t user friendly. The variety amidst the levels is cool though and definitely engaging when paired with the funny character. The strategy is nice but it is practically impossible to conquer. Immersion rating = 1.
BATTLE TOAD and DOUBLE DRAGON
Great mechanics but can be tedious. Regardless, it is easy to jump right in and start gaining victories. The boxes one picks up along the game play offer great variety and the level is always changing, which is surprising. However, it is lacking a bit of repetition to keep things grounded. Immersion rating of 2 is granted.
BS KAIZOU CHOUJIN SHUB
Very fun 2D shooter. It is a street fighter style platformer but with more of a cartoon graphic. Tons of items to grab which is awesome and keeps things intriguing. Also the narrative is extremely visual and adds a great level of appeal and engagement. An immersion rating of 5 is appropriate.
CONTRA III
Essentially Contra III is almost exactly like BS KAIZOU. I grant it the same rating of 5.
AKANOID
This game is so unexpectedly amazing!! It is so simple, yet it offers a proper amount of variety with the weapons you are able to gain throughout it. Essentially you are just knocking blocks out and avoiding aliens and wizards by scrolling back and forth. As the game progresses things get harder but more interesting and increasingly strategic. It can be played with two people, but it isn’t needed. The immersion factor is just as grand if you are competing against your own score. So much fun and somehow they placed a narrative into it. The audio isn’t too bad either. Love it! Immersion rating is definitely at a 7.
DESERT STRIKE RETURN…
Nice story. Great flight mechanics for the period. The game mechanics made this game extra engaging, as they are surprisingly good. Never thought I would say this about a game, but the pause menu is really well done and actually fun to be in as it has elaborate maps and strange status menus to play with. In addition, and innovative for the period, they went all out on the HUD, making it fun to look at but cohesive to the game, complete with fuel and armor ratings, but it is only visible in the pause menu which is unfortunate. I give this one a rating of 5.
ZELDA BREATH OF THE WILD
If you haven’t played this, you got some work to do brothers/sisters. The aesthetics of the game are simple yet thrilling. They went very deep into textures to make up for excess mesh and collider items. The mechanics are astounding as well, Multiple actions per button given the situation is extremely intuitive and smooth. The character is easy to control and vaillains are difficult but manageable most of the time. As you progress the villains progress too. Teleportation is inventive and precise. The FPS is super smooth and the story is engaging albeit vast and sometimes tedious. It definitely belongs to open world immersion. In this world, you are in total control most of the time, which allows you to be completely encased within the character. A form of personal dissociation occurs after about an hour of play, and you don’t feel like you wasted too much time playing it, as there are many puzzles and mind games that challenge your wit and cunning. Something about this game is very human as well… Which I have never experienced before. Perhaps its the story or the fact that your character gets cold and or hot in certain situations, forcing you to change his clothing? Another reason could be that he is capable of getting struck by lightning, and you are practically forced to find refuge and create a fire in order to sleep at night, other wise you are overtaken and outnumbered by monsters, as that’s when they are most active. This Zelda series is super psychological in this regard, which begs the question, is this yet another new genre of immersion? There is a plethora of tools to make, things to find, things to eat, and things to play with. The level of variation among villains is vast which definitely prevents boredom. Another aspect of the game that separates it from other open world games and the Zelda’s before it are the intricate shrines. These shrines are super puzzles that one has to figure out and in doing so, you are actually training yourself. The game trains you and teaches you, which adds to the psychological attachment to the character immensely. This game has mastered self projection like nothing before it, and not much can beat it at the moment. The sound is great too, I love the different music that goes from high to low, and the simple interaction audio is stunning. Plus you can glide off giant towers, amazing!!! The immersion is placed at 9.5.
FORTNITE
Great open world mash up of mine craft and Unreal tournament. I was engaged, as I was able to make cool buildings, traps, and other items, but It isn’t really as good as everyone says. It can be fun with friends but there isn’t much other than building and fighting. With that said, the strategy aspect is huge which makes it super fun… I kind of wish that I was in control of more people though for some reason. It lacks the feel of battle, which is what I expect from these games. Immersion rating 7.
VR MINE CRAFT
It is just like mine craft on the pc or on your switch, but its worse. Mainly due to it being a prototype. You get sick after 20 minutes and have to take the head set off… Immersion =2.
MINE CRAFT
Amazing game. It should not be in VR unless its on the quest, that I will accept. Everyone knows this game, There is so much variety, and you can do pretty much everything. A true connection forms with the player as well, due to the fact that you are literally creating and living with him. Psychological aspects are also prominent in this game. One must feed his or her character and make sure not to get to damaged to prevent respawn. Although this may be fixed in settings, I truly hate how the days are so short. Much like Zelda, the monsters are more prominent at night and it gets frustrating sometimes. Nonetheless, it is a classic and a truly immersive game given its open world and blocky aesthetic. The sound is terrible, but fits the style. I give this one an immersion rating of 7.5.
SUPERHOT
SOO MUCH FUNNN!!! The immersion qualities found in this piece stem from many factors. Most of all, they come from time. Time moves only when you move in this game, which is revolutionary. There is deep satisfaction in the shattering of opponents as well, something about the glass sound that is really enticing. Another thing, who doesn’t love the color red, all great and horrible things come from red. It is the ideal aesthetic for the game. I found that the levels, although sometimes small, they were perfect in every regard, being both minimal and complex in all the right places. A good variety of weapons and game mechanics also makes for fantastic engagement. I rate this one at 7.5 because eventually it just gets old.
THE GRAND THEFT AUTO SERIES
I know I probably shouldn’t pile them all together like this, but they all stem from the same premise. Gang bangers, criminals, mafia, and dirty individuals. This series is impeccable. The scum of the earth coming to power is a beautiful thing. Shooting humans is unfortunately also very satisfying. This terrible deed is in itself is a deep psychological engagement. Plus you have the power to create any act of crime that you want within an open realm of city frolic. An unfettered immersion to a world of sin never felt so nice, but it does get old… I stopped playing them after Grand theft auto 3. But I did try all the rest, nothing really changed, its all the same. Oh well. I give this innovative series an immersion rating of 7.
ROCKET LEAGUE
This may be subjective, but I am obsessed with this one. Wait, it is always subjective, never mind. You haven’t lived until you have played this game. Soccer (football…) is great and kind of fun but when you play as a car that has nitro and can do back flips and fly around with the nitro if strategically done correctly, holy macaroni!!! To top it off you are playing against the world and can form your own team, I love it. It has many different types of game play…. Chaos= 4 vs 4, standard 3 vs 3 or 2 vs 2 or 1 vs 1. Perhaps the most engaging part of this game is that you can always get better. And for the first time in video game history, flying with cars has become an art form. No other game has done such a ridiculous but beautiful thing. Much like Zelda, the game is training you in an indirect way, but without the open world… Now an open world rocket league? Interesting thought. Suffice it to say, with customization, impeccable game mechanics, a community to back it up, and flying soccer cars, who wouldn’t love this! Immersion rating of 9.5.
SKYRIM
Yet another open world immersive experience. Maybe I am biased, but this is one of the best, but when Zelda Breath of the wild came out, it went down on my list in regards to open world genre. The old world aesthetic, coupled with strange races of reptile humans and elves one truly gets lost in the vast plenum of the world that is Skyrim. Much like these other open worlds you are training yourself and you level up constantly. Strategy comes with these power ups though which makes it that much more engaging. Dragons and witches, dungeons and castles, all play a role in defining the character, and the first person view is the best way to play, as you really feel like you are in the game. It is a love of mine, and It truly is one of the best. Also the audio is fantastic! Every shoreline and cliff gives off their own unique frequency. I give it a 9 on the immersion scale.
MARIO KART SERIES
Once again, I probably shouldn’t bunch them together, but I have played them all. I can truly say that each one is immersive in equal measure, as each game was uniquely different from the other but kept a similar aesthetic throughout its history. With the advent of Mario Kart 8 the game has changed a bit. Many aspects of other games are finding their way more and more into the Mario universe which keeps things interesting. The plethora of levels, and the remastering of them also kept things varied and unique, adding on to the engagement that much more. Nowadays, you can customize your cart as well as play as baby Luigi and others. What makes them fall short is that they are way more fun with multiplayer. I average all these classics at a 7.5 on the immersion scale. A classic beauty that never dies.
THE SUPER MARIO SERIES
Ever since I was a nine year old playing on the first Nintendo and gray brick game boy, super Mario was always the best game. From first to last, much like Mario kart, they kept the same premise throughout the series but added on to it each time, making it more complex and more strategic. Eventually the more open world based Super Mario came into being, which really took it to a whole new level. I will always love this classic, due to its consistent aesthetic, its iconic characters, its amazing game mechanics, and creative adventure. Narrative was always a key with this game too. Don’t forget the coin collection sound too, and the wild mushroom growth sound, amazing and entrancing. I give this series an 8 on the immersion graph.
MADEFIRE COMICS WITH OCULUS GO
These are some of the first VR comics on the market. It is also a platform that allows you to make your own comics, but I will never use it as that is not the future. Who the hell wants to wear a brick on their face? Well I did, and this is what I found when it came to immersive comics: It is really fun and fairly interactive, but not as interactive as it could be. There are moments however, that give pause, and pull one away from the illusion of self dissociation. This occured when pages or scenes switched. The music would stop sharply, then start back up. And sometimes the fade to black then into the scene was super crude and all around unnecessary. Just switch out the characters and panels for Christ sake!! No need to be so drastic! The flow was lost many times throughout the experience, and this happened with many of the comics or motion books as they call them. So I can firmly give this “new genre” a 4 on the immersion scale.
BATMAN REVENGE OF THE JOKER
Typical streetfighter platform game with great colorful moody graphics. There is definitely a fun weapon variation as well. It can be hard to get around the levels sometimes, as some of the mechanics fall short, and or don’t work when you want them too. The shooting is strange but manageable. The fighting/close combat is in need of some variation, it is very basic, only allowing one kick and one punch/weapon shoot at a time. I would give this an immersion rating of 5.
METROID
A lot more immersive than expected. Game play is very smooth and there is a ton of variation in regards to combat, villains, challenges, and the level itself. The sounds are also quite variable, and you can tell they concentrated on the interactive noises a lot. They definitely nailed it, superior quality in audio and aesthetic. There is a bit of an open world within this platform as well, which was unexpected. A low level narrative accompanies the game too which adds to immersion. I would say the top aspects for engagement are sound, combat variation, body manipulation, and the slight open world aspect. I give it a 6 for immersion.
KIDICARUS
The simple act of flying, who would of thought it would be so powerful, and engaging. The platform itself, although simple in character, graphics and interaction, it brings you from small to large spaces with minor but important changes in colors and scenery. Sometimes the stars were yellow, pink, or green, which added a bit of curiosity to the overall game. These little changes and the diverse monsters that one comes across, actually make the game quite immersive. I give it a 6 on the scale.
DEFENDER I & II
Both are fun but not a lot of control in regards to game mechanics. The ship is virtually un-driveable. You can hardly see what you need to do as well, which definitely makes it less fun. Also, picking up items is difficult, and adds to stress and therefore kicks you out of self dissociation/immersion. I give it a 2.
BLUES BROTHERS
Audio is astounding!! Love the music and love the sound interactions. Extremely fun-kind of like Rayman but you have to have two players to play, otherwise it isn’t as fun and immersive. The fact that you can ride on your Elwood or Jake’s back is hilarious. 2D scroll platform that kicks ass and makes you laugh. Main points of immersion are found within the colors, the sound, the map variation, the villain variation, and the strange but fun game mechanics. I can easily give this a six on the immersion graph.
CACOMA KNIGHT IN BIZLAND
Putrid mechanics. Disgraceful. Don’t know where to start in the game, but it does have some lure to it with its aesthetic. But, like I said, garbage player control!! I give this crap a 1, even though I probably shouldn’t.
BIOMETAL
Basically, it is a better version of asteroids and defender. Insanely good handling. Tons of different weapons to collect and super fast paced. This game stands out as it is the only game besides sonic and a couple others that engage you when the character is moving so quick. Sometimes the pace gets annoying, but I find that to be true in all fast paced games. Dying is common in this game, so one should embrace the ephemeral nature of it. It isn’t easy, but its fun to see how far one can get. The sound, the colors and the simple variance in villains and levels, give this game a high rating. I give this beauty a 6 for great, simple fast paced immersion.
BUBSY II
Much like Super Mario but a bit more fast pace. The character handles very well and the colors along with the general style are lovely. Amazingly fun character with varying levels. Egyptian robots are a plus. One thing that makes it challenging but strategic, is that you can only kill by jumping. This has an immersion rating of 4.5.
ASPHALT 8 (IOS)
When it comes to fast pace, Asphalt knocks it out of the park. This game is quicker than most games, including sonic. It is a realistic mobile racing game, at one point I was among the top 50 racers. I was truly obsessed with it. Now I don’t touch it, because I am scared of it, too addicting, like Rocket League. Immersion is created due to car customization, level ups, large selection of maps, a large community of opponents, and tons of nitro. Plus you drive real vehicles and real places which brings it back to real life a little bit, and as such, adds to the engagement psychologically. I have a lot to say about this one, but I will keep it short. I will add this however… The audio is fantastic! Whomever seeked out all those engine sounds and engine variations are a god. Enough has been said, I give it an 8.
8 BALL POOL (IOS)
Believe it or not, a bit of pool can be very immersive if one plays against the world. This app offers plenty of training and offline practice as well. The online community is huge, and it genuinely takes a large amount of skill, strategy and a nice pool stick to rise in the ranks. Like every other app they offer in app purchases, but, like Asphalt 8, they are unnecessary if you have patience. The top down realistic nature, coupled with strategy and skill give this game a 6 on the charts.
VIREXIAN (IOS)
A fast paced shoot em up alien space war inside of a strange place with living glowing bricks. It is marvelous. The game is well crafted, and the shooting variation among the weapons is superior to most mobile shooters. The top down nature of it brings you out of it a bit and that leads to a less engaging experience, but its beautifully crafted, and the fluctuating lights and colors really garner your attention. I give it a 5 on the graph.
EUCLIDEAN LAND (IOS)
A puzzle game where you have to warp the geometry so that you can conquer the area without being slaughtered. It is a grid system, and has the same aesthetics as Monument Valley. It is a great strategy game and I highly recommend it. The strategy keeps it engaging, and the variation of the levels and villains keep it entertaining. It falls short though when it comes to audio and for some reason that had a big impact for me. I give it a 3.
SMASH HIT (IOS)
A very simple set up and over all aesthetic. You aggregate balls by consistently attacking glass pyramids and diamonds. It goes on forever, I am unsure of if it has an ending. The sweet sound of glass breaking once again keeps me in love with it. I have played it on and off for six years now. I give it an immersion factor of 7.
GRANNY (IOS)
It is surprisingly scary. You have to escape a crazy bald grandmas house before she kills you, but you have to be extremely quiet. This horror brings out immersion in the most psychological way. The villain is truly terrifying, and her screech is just as creepy. If she hears you moving too much, she comes and kills you. But there are places to hide and puzzles to master in order to get out. Immersion level is a 6 but it gets old.
HIGHWAY (IOS)
Another fast paced game. You have to collect coins on an 8 bit motorcycle while avoiding traffic and going off jumps. It i simple and fast. Immersion rating is a 4.
PINBALL ARCADE (IOS)
Awesome and realistic pinball arcade on your phone or tablet. Play classic pinball games from the beginning of the arcade era. The variety of games to download are vast, which makes it innately immersive. Some games are more engaging then others, such as Twilight Zone. Overall, the graphics, the sounds from the original machines, and the choice of player views, makes it super engaging. I give this one a 7 on the immersion scale, I have been playing it for about seven years now.
AUTUMN DYNASTY WARLORDS (IOS)
This is one of my favorites. It involves an immense amount of strategy and skill. You are in command of an army and are trying to make allies or destroy and conquer territory. It is your decision. the immersive elements occur when you go onto the battlefield and you are given ways to fight. You produce your own soldiers and general infantry via the building of buildings and factories. I love making worlds and conquering them, this one lets you play omnipotent on your phone. A true saving grace when I was bored or depressed. I give this one an easy 8 for immersion because of its consistent aesthetic, tons of variation within the armies, and the strategic kill or be killed ideal.
ZOMBIE HIGHWAYS (IOS)
You simply get in a car and drive, while trying to fight off zombies that try and tip your car with their weight. The idea is to traverse difficult areas and preserve ammo. You are always trying to beat your last distance. It is fun and strategic, I give it a 4.5.
FTL (IOS)
A classic game that was brought to mobile devices a few years ago. This gorgeous strategy game is simply breathtaking. It is a top down and a platform all at once. Highly strategic, with characters that have different abilities. You must traverse the galaxy and perform missions while upgrading your ship. I give it an 8 easily. It is one of the best.
GALAXY ON FIRE (IOS)
Much like FTL it has strategy, but there is more of a narrative and the aesthetic is different. Plus you are in control of your ship. The audio, strategic elements, massive map, and general aura of space allow this game to be highly immersive. An 8 is a worthy number for this one.
BIO SHOCK SERIES
I know it isn’t fair to bunch these together, but they run off the same format. A gorgeous open world, either in the sky, on land, or under the sea. With the steam punk aesthetic, the impeccable game mechanics, it is hard to go wrong. I spent hours on this series. The graphics along with the narrative are truly breathtaking. Each boss you face is cooler than the last as well, and the disturbing, sometimes personal, sometimes political aspects of the motif are inspiring. Truly a magnificent series. I give it an easy 9 on the scale.
FALL OUT SERIES
Much like Bioshock. You can’t go wrong. Placed in post-apocalyptic cities, with deformed monsters in a radiation waste land. Variation of guns, narrative, monsters, and an open world place this series very high when it comes to immersion ranking. This game also plays with the first person perspective much like Bioshock and Skyrim, which adds to the self dissociation that is often coupled with flow psychology. Not only that but one develops a personal connection to the characters within all these games. I give this series a 9 as well.
STAR SOLDIER
Back to the classics. Flying around in a simple space ship never felt so nice. Simple graphics, but fairly fast pace. The audio isn’t too abrasive either and the explosions are enticing. Much of the mechanics are smooth as well. And the bosses look like busts from greek sculpture. Gorgeous simple and immersive due to the diversity of villains, landscape, speed variation, and power ups. I give this bad boy a 7 on the immersion scale.
ADVENTURES OF LOLO
Terrible game mechanics and control. It is deceitful. I had no idea as to what I had to do from the start of the game. There is a funny looking snail character though. All around crap game. I give it a 1.
NINJA
Thrilling mechanics and unexpected fun as you get to hang on to walls, which is extremely innovative for the period. Fighting my way through bad guys, exploring the scroll platform city, and collecting items along the way gave rise to good engagement. I give it a 5.5.
PUNCH OUT
Rudimentary but fun and humorous. It is certainly somewhat immersive, but I can see potential for it getting old as there is a lack of visual and audio variation. But the darn game is fun from the start. I give it a 5 on the graph.
STARTROPICS
Just because I think its funny, I included this trash game. I was unable to get past the main menu, I have never had this happen before haha… I give it a 0 for immersion.
BLAST MASTER
Not too bad, but not that immersive. The game play isn’t very good, and I don’t like that the visuals aren’t very descriptive of what’s dangerous and what isn’t. This in effect is crucial for any game, and I am unsure as to why they would create it this way. I give it a 1.
DRX MARIO
Essentially, it is a funny version of Tetris that uses pharmacological goods instead of colored blocks. It may have caused an addiction crisis but we will ignore that… Super fun, but lacks variation. I give it a 3.
KIRBY’S ADVENTURES
Great as expected and immersive due to level variety mixed with enough consistency and a clear end game. Bosses are fun, along with the colors and sound. The mechanics are simple, yet intuitive. Although the level of strategy is low. It still gives it a bump for immersion. Therefore I gave little pink Kirby a 5.
GHOSTS n’ GOBLINS
Probably one of the most entertaining NES games I have ever played. Super fun and somewhat simple. Basically you are in a spooky mansion/mountain and you have three hits, one hit strips you to underpants, the next strips you to bone and the third kills you. It is immersive due to the humor aspect, the large amount of variation in the characters and the level. Other aspects that increase engagement have to do with the fantastic color scheme, smooth mechanics and strategic elements. I give this an immersion factor of 6.5.
NBA JAM
One of my favorites to play at parties. You pick real life characters from your favorite basketball team and play against an opponent of your choosing. The game mechanics are actually simple and very innovative for its time. By far one of the simplest but best basket ball games ever created. The immersive elements come from the real life players and teams, the fun and competitive nature of the game, and the beautiful NBA aesthetic. I gave this one a 5.5, as it is a classic.
TONY HAWK PRO-SKATER SERIES
Once again, I probably shouldn’t create a group of them but in a way it is necessary and it makes sense. This run of games has a huge history and I played it for hours as a kid. When you play any of the games there is a perception of infinite tricks and variants. The special command is also pretty cool, as it is something to look forward to within the game. By far some of the most superior game mechanics for any of their times, and the character animation is impeccable. Each character is a real skater and each level is a real place, which adds to the engagement. As a childhood classic through and through, I give this series an easy 8.
DOOM
So enthralling. This game created a first person revolution. It never got old. The basic graphics are just enough to play with, and the grotesque creatures you come across make shooting that much more fun. The audio in itself is quite engrossing, given the strange sounds they had to master. A true classic once again. I give this guy a 7.
METAL GEAR SOLID
A sneaky and strategic third person shooter that never got old. Immersion comes from the story, the mechanics, the levels, and strange secrets you feel like you are learning that aren’t really there. The immersion factor on this one came at a number of 7.
TEKKEN 3
Another timeless classic. So many characters to choose from. The immersion comes from the varying levels, and the fact that you can fall off of some of them. It also stems from the great game mechanics during combat, and the wild specials that are individual to each fighter. Tekken was another love of mine for a long time. I give it a 6.
CRASH BANDICOUT
A wild runner with beautiful coin and item collection. The beauty of the game is that you had to think fast and run faster. Each level was consistent from the last but offered immense amounts of variation as you traversed through its jungle. The audio for water and trees came out great, and the character is so strange. A fox thing wearing pants? love it. The immersion factor came out to 5 as these games tend to get old for me.
GRAND TURISMO 2
Not only this game, but the entire series was quite nice. A lot of it was focused on realism from the cars to the courses. They even got the sound down for each car much like Asphalt 8. I give not only this game but the entire series an average of 6.5.
TWISTED METAL 2
One of my favorites on Playstation. This game utilized chaos in a very unique way, and it transformed the notion of car derby. Each character was a reaper of death and I loved the clown car! So many explosions, variations in weapons, and aesthetic. The levels were individual open maps that you could traverse too. This in itself helped add the immersion factor up to 7.5.
STREET FIGHTER ALPHA 3
Capcom out did themselves on this one. They took the original Street fighter series and made it ten times better, from the narrative to the game play. Even the aesthetic was altered a bit and gave rise to a plethora of variation amidst the game level. Truly hypnotic. I give it a 6 for immersion.
TOMB RAIDER
We all remember Lara. The game itself is both a puzzle and a shooter, and that is what makes it engaging. Each place went to gave rise to new miniature missions or hidden items. The game mechanics were quite smooth at the time as well. There is a bit of variation in the game play as well, from climbing, to jumping, etc… I will give this classic a 5.5.
NEED FOR SPEED HOT PURSUIT
This was the beginning of a new era for Need For Speed. The game didn’t have as much customization or general variety in the last game (payback). This one took care of that. A marvelous racer that focused on getting chased by cops and earning big bucks. The Tokyo course is still the best. The immersion factor landed at 6 due to the increase in variance, the fast pace nature, and the general customization that was involved during a fairly good narrative.
ROOMS SERIES (IOS)
This strategic puzzler was enchanting. Each time I thought I had solved something, I definitely did not. The graphics are so beautiful! The weird underlying narrative that ties everything together is just as gorgeous! Not to mention, Each room had its own unique conceptual design, and the amount of strategy that it takes to solve these puzzles really sucks you in. I’ll give Rooms a 7 easily.
STREETS OF RAGE
Much like Street Fighter, the immersion comes from progress and the pursuit of clearing stages before the given time runs out. The characters that you get to choose are well crafted, and for a 2D platformer its impressive. The levels themselves vary as well, which assists in engagement. I Would rate this one as a 6.
VECTOR MAN
This game had beautiful graphics for Sega Genesis. The handling was super smooth too, which coincided well with the humorous aura of blob like body. As you progress the monsters get harder and become more robotic. The variation of monsters is perfect and the level is gorgeous. But it never ends, and there are many levels to it that you could fall on to. The combat , the colors, the variation and the humorous protagonist added up to an immersion score of 5.5.
PHANTASY STAR II
The narrative is kind of good, and the colors are vibrant and moody throughout the game. This makes it more entrancing than it really is. There was too much dialogue straight away, and you had no control of the character, you just kept pressing one button. This was slightly immersive but mostly not. I give it a 2.5.
COMIX ZONE
By Far my favorite Sega Genesis game. The premise is intriguing and the overall narrative is both semi-non linear. Due to the level taking place inside of a comic book, the main character can jump to any panels that are connected to the panel he is in. Throughout the fighting and searching for exits to other panels of the comic, you have a dialogue with both the environment and the villains you are attacking. The person on his radio chimes in at particularly dangerous points in the game which enhances the engagement due to it following you. The colors, Sound, and overall aesthetic immerses you as well. each panel is its own composition that you are in charge of. Highly innovative for the period in game mechanics and interactivity. I give Comix Zone an 8.