From the Archives: A Power Fantasy Without Violence

Excavating my work from the pre-Static Canvas era

n.b. these articles are copied directly from an old blog of mine, no editing has been done. Although there is nothing problematic here, some of the concepts, terms and use of language from these older pieces I might no longer use or agree with.

Ever since man first crawled out of the swamp the draw of power has been omnnipresent, circling us like vultures around a juicy carcass. Whether desired or not, it has fundamentally shaped the fabric of civilisation. A social hierarchy centred around ownership, ascension and the idea that with power comes greatness.

So it's no surprise that so many games seek to emulate a power fantasy. Whether that's fighting back against an oppressive regime or dominating a space through discourse and diplomacy, it feels good to be on top.

The problem is that these power fantasies in games have become inherently tied to violence. Dominion over the realm is almost always enforced by blade or bullet.

The player is set down on a wide open map, with little more than the flimsiest exposition for why all these nameless golems in matching uniforms deserve to have their lives snuffed out. And so they proceed, leaving a human stain on the landscape, marking their territory with blood and gunpowder. It’s all so very...colonial. While there is a good amount of cathartic joy to be found in simulated violence, it has been a crutch for the industry for decades now and it's starting to feel...problematic.

This is where Superflight comes in, a quietly brilliant offering that made me realise that a power fantasy needn't be exclusively violent.

Grizzly Games's hideously addictive minimalist flight sim snuck out during the mighty November mega launch window, in amongst some of the year's most anticipated titles. It's a small, relatively simple game that follows that age old mantra of easy to pick up, difficult to master. Your avatar is clad in a wingsuit, and you are falling from the sky. Laid out in front of you are a series of complex procedurally generated  landscapes and you have only one goal.

Don't crash.

The beauty of Superflight's premise is that it capitalises on a primal human instinct so well that it doesn't need to offer anything other than its central mechanic. No narrative drive, no antagonist. No castles to storm or kidnapped monarchs to rescue. No lands to conquer or lives to extinguish. Just you and your wingsuit, facing off against the forces of gravity and your own mortality.

So what makes Superflight a 'power fantasy' exactly?

I think that dominion and the power fantasy have been tied to violence so readily because it's always been presented as the most easily comprehendible means of interaction. It sets up a narrative drive to egg the player on, as well as offering instantly readable feedback for your actions.

It's easy to feel powerful with a giant sword in your hands or two machine guns, or a voice that can send your enemies flying, and while non-violent options have started to creep into a lot of games in recent years, they don't offer the same kind of feeling.

Ghosting an area in Deus Ex feels incredible in its own right, but it's predicated on the implication that you are out thwarting a powerful foe, and in many cases it becomes the optimal strategy as it keeps you out of harm's way. Crucially, there’s always a back up, whether that’s a silent takedown or a taser or a puff of smoke, there is still a sense that this all revolves around getting one over on someone else.

Superflight, and the games that preceded it, such as Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Guitar Hero, and to a lesser degree Mirror’s Edge, make you the player feel powerful through mastery rather than confrontation. Narrowly missing a piece of geometry in Superflight feels incredible, as though you have moulded the landscape at your whim, as much as pulling off the perfect skateboard grind, nailing Through the Fire and the Flames on Hard or navigating an entire obstacle course in one fluid motion.

I’m not saying that we should start cutting out the violence in other games in totality. I just wish we could better mesh these two worlds together, to give the player something to strive for that doesn’t involve taking something from someone else.