When we dive into the digital worlds of video games, we are presented with intricate architectural environments. These virtual spaces do more than just provide backgrounds for gameplay. The design of buildings, streets, and entire cities influences player emotions, behaviors, and drives the storyline forward.
As someone who specializes in architecture, I am intrigued by how video games utilize architecture to convey messages. Virtual worlds in video games often draw inspiration from real-world architectural concepts.
The rules governing games are entirely detached from our physical reality: we can walk through solid walls as if they were air. However, the way players interpret and play the game is different. For example, when a player sees a door in a game, they assume it can be opened or that it leads somewhere. Players need a familiar architectural reference point to understand the game, which is why many game environments resemble real-world architecture in some way.
Video game architecture comes in various forms. From historically accurate cities like those in Assassin’s Creed to the modern Japan depicted in Like a Dragon. Imaginative interpretations of architecture range from the ancient Chinese landscapes in Black Myth: Wukong to the futuristic urban sprawl of Cyberpunk 2077.
Unconventional architectural landscapes are less common as they can be harder to relate to. These designs push the boundaries of traditional architectural forms in terms of size, shape, or materials, often defying the laws of physics. Examples of this can be found in experimental indie games like Manifold Garden or NaissanceE.
Similar to real-world architecture, game architecture must also function effectively. While there are no physical construction costs, there are limitations based on the number of polygons and textures that can be used to create buildings. There are no building codes to abide by, but distances and pathways must follow the rules coded into the game.
For instance, in Assassin’s Creed II, the protagonist navigates and climbs buildings in 15th-century Florence. The architectural reconstruction is relatively accurate, allowing players to orient themselves in the real Florence if they’ve played the game. However, certain adjustments were made for technical and gameplay purposes.
The entire city and its buildings are scaled down noticeably to shorten distances for traversal and jumping. While not as expansive as the real Florence, taking half an hour to cross it on foot would feel like an eternity in the context of the game.
Environmental storytelling
In addition to shaping gameplay, architecture in video games plays a crucial role in storytelling through environments, known as environmental storytelling. Unlike traditional storytelling methods involving dialogue or cutscenes, environmental storytelling allows the world itself to convey plot points and themes.
In games, the design of spaces can provide hints about a game’s backstory, themes, or the emotions players should experience at particular moments. For example, in the cyberpunk game Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, oppressive corporations dominate the world. To depict this narrative, their buildings are designed as imposing monolithic structures that tower over the future skyline of Prague.
Some games rely solely on their environments to tell their stories, as seen in Manifold Garden, a puzzle game by artist William Chyr. Players are immersed in a world where space repeats in all directions, and falling objects reappear from the top, including the player. Inspired by M.C Escher’s visionary artwork like Relativity, where staircases defy gravity, Chyr also drew inspiration from real architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Tadao Ando. Architectural elements are strategically used to guide players in this surreal world, such as strategically placed windows to maintain orientation.
Successful implementation of these elements involves seamlessly integrating them into the game world and setting, without being too overt. In Mirror’s Edge, a game set in a modern metropolis dominated by white skyscrapers, primary colors on key structural elements indicate directions and interactable objects, like red pipes or doors. This guides players efficiently without disrupting the game’s aesthetics.
When clues or hints become too obvious, players often react negatively. For instance, recent games like Resident Evil 4 Remake and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth received criticism for placing yellow paint on essential objects. This was seen as too blatant by many players, as highlighted in public discussions.
Game architecture must strike a delicate balance between creating engaging environments, aiding gameplay, and avoiding excessive intrusion. As games progress, the role of architecture will remain central in designing digital environments that captivate, challenge, and inspire players.
