The Death Mechanic – A Necessary Evil?

Video games are becoming more and more immersive. Thanks to technological leaps and a stronger emphasis on the medium as an interactive art form, video games are able to tell stories richer and more vibrant than any two hour movie. Unfortunately, there is one mechanic that is not shown enough respect, and that mechanic is death. A mechanic that can single-handedly contradict the vision of a creator, and is something we as gamers have come to accept and, ironically, cannot live without. But there is hope. Recent releases such as Heavy Rain, Dark Souls and Journey illustrate how death and/or failure can be used as meaningful learning tools to drive a much more personal tale. Death is a strong feature, and one that should be looked at more closely if we hope to take advantage of everything that games have to offer.