I Appreciate Slow-Paced Video Games
Even if they can be frustrating
When I get home from work, one of the games I usually turn to is Rocket League. It’s familiar to me by now — easy to get into and a mindless burst of action that’s relaxing after a long day. One of the aspects of this game that I like the most is that it’s incredibly fast paced and engages me from the opening seconds to the close of each match.
The reason I bring up Rocket League is that I’ve also recently been playing a game that couldn’t be more different in Oxenfree. Released in 2016 by Night School Studio, this game is a conversation-heavy, plot-driven adventure that centers around a group of teenagers stuck on an island with some sort of supernatural presence. I’ve had the game on my Switch for a few months now, but have never started it up. On a plane for a few hours proved to be that time, and I blew through the (admittedly short) game quickly.
Oxenfree relies on strong writing, believable characters, and an interesting plot to engage players. Much like other “graphic novels” that this title is similar to, there’s no actually “gameplay” elements like attacking enemies or jumping over obstacles. Perhaps most importantly, it’s also slow-paced. There are long stretches that find characters simply walking across the screen in pursuit of the next objective that will move the story forward. And while Oxenfree is hardly unique in its pace or format, it helped remind me why I often enjoy slow-paced games, experiences that couldn’t be different from the rapid, sensory stimulation of something like Rocket League.
Oxenfree is a great game, but perhaps not a perfect one. The slow pace often drew remarks from reviewers, who sometimes critiqued its style. Kellie Plagge, writing for IGN, noted, “Oxenfree’s pacing is strangely inconsistent. Long walks from area to area make sense because they leave room for important conversations, but walking often dragged on too long. I sometimes felt like I didn’t have enough to do.” This is a worthy critique, but it’s also one of the reasons I enjoyed the game so much. Oxenfree moves at its own pace, forcing players to slow down along with it. It’s possible the game would have been slightly more enjoyable with a little more fine tuning, but I enjoy and admire the way it stubbornly sticks to its stylistic choices.
Red Dead Redemption 2 — one of the most anticipated games of the last five years — has also drawn comments about its slow pace since its release last week. In his review for Kotaku, Kirk Hamilton called the game, “defiantly slow-paced, exuberantly unfun, and wholly unconcerned with catering to the needs or wants of its players.” To a far greater degree than Oxenfree, Red Dead 2 forces players to adhere to its own rules and pace. Aiming, shooting, riding, and even moving are far more languorous than other contemporary games.
With both Oxenfree and Red Dead 2, slow pace forces players to spend more time admiring the art style, experiencing the writing, and soaking in the characters and world. One game ends after four or five hours; one easily extends into the 100s, but each title shares this attribute. Slow pacing allows the rest of the world to shine.
I often enjoy these slower experiences, but I think it’s worth pointing out that they really only succeed if everything else about the game is solid. For example, if Oxenfree’s dialog choices weren’t so carefully crafted, and if the characters weren’t so compelling, playing the game truly would be a slog. In addition, Kirk’s review of Red Dead 2 would be far less positive if the slow action took place against a weakly-crafted backdrop of plot and characters. In other words, more time to admire a game’s design and art only work if these attributes are good.
I’m drawn to these slower experiences often, and I’m glad they exist to counterbalance the bright action of games like Rocket League (or last year’s Super Mario Odyssey). My favorite game of all time — The Last of Us — is famously slow as well, and leans on the same writing and world-building of these other titles. Games are supposed to be fun, and some of the best ones lean on quick action and snappy inputs to engage their audiences. But the world of video games means many different things to many different people, and it’s nice to see other kinds of experiences shine in this world as well.
