Ask a Game Dev

NOVEMBER 1, 2023

I don't think that we'll ever see pre-rendered cutscenes go away permanently. As in-engine rendering improves, AAA games will likely move away from pre-rendered cutscenes but AAA games are far from the only games that use cutscenes and have engines that can render high quality cinematic visuals (e.g.

Cutscenes 40

Cutscenes Render Cinematics Engine 40

Game Refinery

NOVEMBER 30, 2023

To put you on the right track, we’ve taken a deep dive into four games that have delivered innovative storytelling in four subgenres: Merge Puzzle from the Casual category, and MMORPG, Action RPG, and 4X Strategy from the Mid-core category. Goddess of Victory: NIKKE features high-quality anime cutscenes.

Mobile Gaming 93

Mobile Gaming Mobile Mobile Games 93

Played with Fire

DECEMBER 4, 2021

Astronomical observatory simulator, manipulating telescope POV, rotating planets on lens display like dioramas or puzzle boxes, relaxing, immersive 360 experience in space, UX pillars: precision, real-time, comfortable distances, avoiding locomotion sickness. Poses & Suggestive shapes / animations (hand & object).

UX 52

UX Puzzle Animation Animation 52

Radiator Blog

OCTOBER 13, 2022

There's a Portal-like moment where you escape the puzzle. You can totally miss important conversations and scenes because you're stuck in the stairwell climbing animation at exactly the wrong time. Your cute animal cult will follow whatever "Doctrines" you declare. Pro-tip: play with a gamepad.) You talk but they don't listen.

Indy 52

Indy Film Games Puzzle 52

The Bottom Feeder

DECEMBER 15, 2021

It skips from action to pvp games to puzzles to boss fights with blinding speed. This leads to the most infamous scene in the game, where you try to destroy the daughter's beloved stuff animal to make her cry. It's really sharp and well-observed, and it isn't a cutscene. All killer, no filler. This is a really fun game.

Art 52

Art Writing Indy Fighting 52

Raph Koster

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

Highly narrative, intricate puzzles, and immersive storytelling. But it’s also visible in the Holodeck, or in anime like Sword Art Online (which was directly inspired by Ultima Online !). Breadcrumbs, dialogue trees, cutscenes, progression paths. Stuff that in many ways was quite a bit fancier than what WoW eventually did.

Sandbox 64

Sandbox Simulation Content Scripting 64

Radiator Blog

NOVEMBER 10, 2021

none of Dishonored's morality system and I think this is good, the "stealth puzzle = humane cage free assassination" philosophy has aged poorly imo 69% less stealth. where the main drawback is you're still vulnerable during the 2 second execution animation. but you can only safely do this if you have 50% or more health already.

Fighting 52

Fighting NPC Puzzle AI 52