Videogames - Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Language

Analyse the game cover for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (above).

1) How does the cover communicate the genre of the game?

The game is an action/sci fi game which is communicated through a number of ways. The gun that the character has may signify this genre. The costume of the character and the faded creature in the background may suggest the sci fi genre.


2) What does the cover suggest regarding gameplay and audience pleasures?
Diversion is surely one of the audience pleasures as its  futuristic and unrealistic. Furthermore, the game is played in first person, allowing the gamer to be able to fit into their shoes.


3) Does the cover sexualise the character of Samus Aran? Why/why not?

The cover does not sexualise the character as the character is covered in armour and the helmet hides her identity. 


Trailer analysis

Watch the trailer for the game:




1) What do you notice about genre?
The use of weapons show the action genre and the use of 'alienated' music makes it fit the sci fi genre.


2) How is the character introduced? Is Samus Aran obviously female?
The character is introduced as a strong character that is able to hold a fight herself and come on top. She is heroic and skillful. The character also shows signs of being a female due to a few features. One of these is the figure of the character. Even though she is covered in armour, her waist is abnormally thin which makes it a bit more obvious that she is a female.


3) How can we apply Steve Neale’s genre theory that discusses “repetition and difference”?
The use of the conventions of the sci fi genre can be the repetition aspect of the theory and the difference would be the use of a female protagonist instead of a male protagonist.

Gameplay analysis

Watch the following gameplay clips again:

1) What does the gameplay for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes involve?

Head up display allows the player to be able to experience a more realistic adventure through the game rather than it being a third person game. We see much of a faster paced gaming and more checking boxes that make sense to the gamer or people who know the game only.

2) Write an analysis of the media language choices in the construction of the game: e.g. genre, narrative, mise-en-scene, camera shots etc.

Metroid uses a list of convetional aspects to the sci fi genre including the use of a spaceship, futuristic costumes and a typical colour scheme. 

3) Analyse the clips for audience pleasures, applying audience theory and considering media effects.

• Realism
• Diversion
• Personal identity
• Pleasure of intellectualism

Audience

Research the audience for Nintendo and specifically the Metroid franchise, including Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. You may wish to start with the following pages:

Reddit discussion of why people play Metroid

Giant Bomb forum: Who exactly is Nintendo’s demographics?

Reset Era: Nintendo’s audience getting older

1) Who might the target audience be for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, based on your research? Discuss demographics and psychographics.

Demographics - Mainly young males ages between 15 to 25.

Psycographics - Exploreres, Strugglers and Mainstreamers

2) How has Nintendo’s audience changed since the original Metroid game in 1986?

Nintendo has kept the same target audience from 1986 to present day. They still target families.

3) What audience pleasures are offered by Metroid Prime 2: Echoes or the wider Metroid franchise?

Diversion is surely one of the audience pleasures as the first person experience allows the user to experience the life of Samus through her own eyes. It brings them out of reality and puts them into the game for the period of the game session.

4) What effects might Metroid have on audiences? Apply media effects theories (e.g. Bandura’s social learning theory, Gerbner’s cultivation theory). 

Since the earlier versions of Metroid showed Samus to be a reward at the end of the game. This may have carried over making audiences believe that women are a reward and to view them as sex symbols.

Read this Gamesparks feature on gaming demographics and answer the following questions:

1) Who is considered to be the stereotypical gamer?

Younger male players

2) What has changed this?

Games are increasing on the platforms able to play it on hence making the age and gender changes between then and now.

3) What role do women play in the videogames market? Quote statistics from the article here.

"Women own more consoles than men. It said around 42 percent of women said they had either an Xbox or PlayStation in comparison to 37 percent of men"

4) Why are older gamers becoming a particularly important market for videogames producers? How can you link this to the Metroid franchise?

Game developers make newer games by using older gamers as a base layout for the game. By taking their thoughts, they start the creation of the game.

5) What does the article suggest regarding audience pleasures and expectations for different generations of gamer?

Competitive environments are favoured by younger audiences compared to older audiences.

Industries

Read this Destructoid blog on the Metroid franchise. Answer the following:

1) Why has Metroid never quite fitted with the Nintendo brand?

Although Nintendo was aimed at families, Metroid is aimed at a much niche group of people.

2) What franchises have overtaken Metroid in the sci-fi hyper-realism genre in recent years?

Halo and Mass effect.

3) Why does the writer link old boy bands from the music industry to the Metroid franchise? Do you agree with this reading of the brand?

The idea of growing out of something is key to the link with old boy bands. With old boy bands, their popularity decreases when the audiences get older and 'grow out of it'.

4) What is an ‘AAA’ or ‘triple-A game’ in the videogames industry?

When a game is extremely successful, it is noted down as a triple A game.

5) Do you think there will be further Metroid games featuring Samus Aran? Should there be?

Metroid is no longer a popular game, remaking it may seem like a waste of money and time so I don't think that there will be able sort of new game for it. I think now is an era of evolution for everyone and games featuring female protagonist surely need to step up.


Representation

Read this BBC3 feature on Samus Aran and answer the questions below:

1) What was notable about the original Metroid game in 1986?

The introduction of a female protagonist.

2) What were the inspirations behind the gameplay and construction of Metroid?

Zelda and Mario bros

3) Why are the endings to the original Metroid considered controversial?

The character ends up taking off her armour and being shown in revealing outfits for the eyes of the audiences.

4) What reaction do you think the reveal of Samus Aran in a bikini would have got when the game was first released in 1986? Have attitudes towards women changed?

Back then, it wouldn't have been such a huge issue but for people in current days, it becomes much more of an issue where a lot of controversy would surround the matter.

5) How have later versions of the Metroid franchise sexualised the character of Samus Aran?

Samus's body proportions were highly emphasised upon in the later games showing an incredibly thin waist which did not match any of the other parts of her body.

6) How can we apply Liesbet van Zoonen’s work to Samus Aran and Metroid?

Zoonen says that gender is constructed through the media which in this case may be true as Metroid defined the 'perfect' female and set standards for what females should look like.

7) What did Brianna Wu suggest regarding the character of Samus Aran?

Some people like Wu believe that Samus is a transgender character.

8) Do you see Samus Aran as a feminist icon or simply another exploited female character?

Samus Aran is a mixture of the 2 as she is a strong female protagonist yet she is still being conformed to stereotypes and still sexualised for the audiences pleasures.


Read this Houston Press feature on Samus Aran and entitled male gamers. Answer the following questions:

1) What does Anita Sarkeesian suggest regarding Samus Aran?

She says that the reavling outfit of Samus is a reward for the audiences of Metroid.

2) Why does Brianna Wu (and others) suggest Samus Aran may be transgender?

"When interviewed for the official Super Metroid strategy guide and asked to share unknown trivia about the hunter, Hirofumi Matsuoka, who worked on her original design, said Samus was a “newhalf”, a somewhat vulgar term that is close to the English term “shemale.” I’ve seen some fans argue that this refers to Samus having blood from the alien Chozo race in her veins, but Wu and McGrody also mention how Samus was originally portrayed to be 6’3” and more muscled in her appearance."


3) Why is Samus Aran useful for male gamers trying to argue videogames are not sexist?

Samus is a female who is the protagonist in the game. This is traditionally played by a male but the use of a female can allow male gamers to argue this matter.

4) Why are Lara Croft, Zelda and Peach not ideal examples to argue for female equality in videogames?

"Lara Croft will always be haunted by her cartoonish, sexual appearance in early games, Zelda and Peach are damsels too often, and the anti-feminist crowd is hesitant to use Chell since Portal 2 is a feminist masterpiece."


5) What does the ‘SJW’ in ‘SJW-gender politics’ refer to?

Social Justice Warrior.

6) How can we apply Gerbner’s Cultivation theory to representations of women in videogames as discussed in the article? How might this lead to ‘entitled male gamers’? 

Gerbner believes that audiences are swayed more easily when they are told the same information over and over again. This may link to Metroid since the sexualised character may result in audiences believing that women are sex symbols and are a guaranteed reward.

7) Does the videogame industry have a problem with gender? Provide evidence for your argument.

I don't think that there is a direct problem with gender but I do believe that due to some of the old stereotypes and already set expectations, it has lead to a a more male dominated environment compared to a more female dominated environment. An example to go with this would be a game such as mobile legends or league of legends. League having highly skilled male players such Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok and Song "Smeb" Kyung-ho compared to one of the only female rosters in League Vaevictis who lost 52-2 in the LCL. Even though there are female palyers, very little make it to the top where they play professional. This lack may be argued unfair or may be argued as not being skilled enough. Skills make up performance and in the videogame industry, this is applied very much with precision. On the other hand, being a team game also means teamwork is required.

Videogames: Tomb Raider Anniversary

1) How does the cover communicate the genre of the game?

• The use of slanted serif font is an intertextual reference of 'Star Wars' where the genre of star wars is sci fi action, it may be a link to the genre of the game.
• Lara Croft is in a powerful stance with 2 guns in her hands. This may signify action due to the use of the guns.
• The gold glow from the background may suggest riches and treasure or reward which is typical of an adventure game.

2) How does the pose and costume of the character appeal to primarily male audiences?

• Lara Crofts outfit is very revealing and this may link to the male gaze and show how the game is being appealed to male audiences.
• Another way is the way the lighting is set. The lighting emphasises on certain female body parts making it more sexualised and more appealing to the male eye.

3) How might the cover be read as empowering for female gamers?

• There is only one cover image for the game cover and it is a solo portrait which may suggest female empowerment as there is so no male character.
• Lara Croft is also starting directly at the audience, with this, it may suggest that she is brave and not the traditionally 'weak' female character.

Gameplay analysis

1) What does the gameplay for Tomb Raider Anniversary involve?

• The gameplay is a third person control where the player controls every movement the character does.
• The game also includes a lot of realistic sounds but not as realistic graphics in certain areas such as the lack of injuries to the character after everything she does.

2) Write an analysis of the media language choices in the construction of the game: e.g. genre, narrative, mise-en-scene, camera shots etc.

• Throughout the game, the lighting on Lara Croft is highlighted whereas the surroundings are dimmed out and are not focused upon until Lara gets there.

3) Analyse the clips for audience pleasures, applying audience theory and considering media effects.

• Blumler and Katz - Diversion, Personal Identity and Personal Relationships
• Erotic pleasures (grunting sounds)

Representations

1) Note the statistics in the opening paragraph.

• Covering  more than 1100 magazine covers
• Selling over 58 mil games worldwide

2) How does the article describe the cultural change in society and the media since the early 00s?

• The article is about the change of female equality over time and has a link to the #MeToo movements about female empowerment and unity. This links the the media and its coverage of the #MeToo.

3) How was the original 1996 Lara Croft received by audiences and critics?

•  Lara Croft was seen as strong and smart and a role model figure.
• Critics said she was sexually ambiguous.

4) What did the 2013 re-launch do differently – and how successful was it?

• Her short shorts changed into camo trousers which took about the sexualisation of the character.

5) How is ‘woke Lara’ defined in the conclusion of the feature?

• As a very determined and courageous character
• She is also a feminist icon to many people
  

Now read this feature – Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft: feminist or femme fatale?

1) Why is Lara Croft considered a “polarising figure among gamers”?

• Some believe that she is not empowering but acts as a sex symbol

2) How did the limitations of game construction in the 1990s help to establish the way female characters were animated?

• What made the difference between male and female were the accentuation of the female body features.

3) Why were Lara Croft’s physical attributes emphasised in the original games?

• Since the company believed that the majority of the game audience were males, by emphasising on these physical attributes, it would appeal to them more.

4) How does Anita Sarkeesian describe Lara Croft?

• She describes Lara as a ''hypersexualised character that promotes the deep objectification of women''

5) Why has Lara Croft’s appearance and characterisation changed over time?

• In order to fit to the modern societal values and ideologies.

Industries

1) Why is Lara Croft such an iconic figure in the gaming industry?

• As a female character, there is already littel going for her. She ahs a female protagonist is one of the first female characters to have a whole movie and game frachise based off her making her so iconic in the gaming idustry.

2) What products and spin-offs have featured Lara Croft or the Tomb Raider brand?

• Movie franchises
• Magazine cover

3) Why might Lara Croft be considered a postmodern icon?

• Because she is able to do what 'real people' are able to do even though she herself is just a pixelated character from a game. This makes her a postmodern character.

4) Why is Tomb Raider Anniversary a 'case study in conglomerate ownership'?

• The current owner of Tomb Raider is Square Enix which is a huge conglomarate.

Videogames: Further feminist theory

1) What definitions are offered by the factsheet for ‘feminism ‘and ‘patriarchy’?

Feminism - The movement which aims for the quality for women.

Patriarchy - The dominance of males in the society.

2) Why did bell hooks publish her 1984 book ‘Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center’?

Due to the lack of diversity in the feminist community hence publishing the book 'Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center'.

3) What aspects of feminism and oppression are the focus for a lot of bell hooks’s work?

Sexual and ethnic oppression is the main focus on bell hooks' work.

4) What is intersectionality and what does hooks argue regarding this?

Intersectionality - the interconnected nature of social categorisations.

bell hooks' argues that the use of intersectionality is a must for social equality.

5) What did Liesbet van Zoonen conclude regarding the relationship between gender roles and the mass media?

van Zoonen said that there is a correlation between gender roles and the mass media. The mass media structures these gender roles through the content they put online.

6) Liesbet van Zoonen sees gender as socially constructed. What does this mean and which other media theorist we have studied does this link to?

Gender being socially constructed means that society has created guidelines to making people think they are a specific gender because of a list of criteria. Other theorist who look into this include Butler.

7) How do feminists view women’s lifestyle magazines in different ways? Which view do you agree with?

In the feminist community, there is a range of views about women's lifestyle magazines where some think that they suggest a typically feminine content about cooking, make up and beauty. On the other hand, some feminists find these magazines quite empowering for themselves.

8) In looking at the history of the colours pink and blue, van Zoonen suggests ideas gender ideas can evolve over time. Which other media theorist we have studied argues this and do you agree that gender roles are in a process of constant change? Can you suggest examples to support your view?

Another theorist that talks about this is David Guantlett who talks about how gender roles are dynamic (always changing). One example is our CSP 'The Maybelline Boss Life' advert.

9) What are the five aspects van Zoonen suggests are significant in determining the influence of the media?

• Commercial or public institution
• Genre
• What type of platform
• Target audience
• Does it affect audiences' daily lives

10) What other media theorist can be linked to van Zoonen’s readings of the media?

Zoonen says that the media shows that audiences know that gender construction occurs in current time where both women and men actively engage. A theorist that can be linked to this would be Stuart Hall of his theory of different readings. 

11) Van Zoonen discusses ‘transmission models of communication’. She suggests women are oppressed by the dominant culture and therefore take in representations that do not reflect their view of the world. What other theory and idea (that we have studied recently) can this be linked to?

One of the theorist that you can link this to s Stuart Hall where he talks about how women feel oppressed by the dominant 'culture' of society.

12) Finally, van Zoonen has built on the work of bell hooks by exploring power and feminism. She suggests that power is not a binary male/female issue but reflects the “multiplicity of relations of subordination”. How does this link to bell hooks views on feminism and intersectionality?

bell hooks' talk about interesctionaliy which is the common point of two forms of oppression.