I write about the atmosphere felt in video games. Atmosphere here refers to "a certain feeling that is naturally created by a place or the people in it." (Selection Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary). Suppose you visit a library. The library is quiet and all the visitors are reading or studying. I also try to be quiet and solemn while I am in the library. I would feel uncomfortable if I heard talking. There is an atmosphere of serious and positive appreciation of quietness, reading and study in the library that overwhelms us (1).
A similar place in terms of silence is a cemetery. In cemeteries, one should not only appreciate the silence, but also try to show respect for the dead. Suppose you enter a cemetery in the daytime and there is no one there but you. Like a library, there is a solemn atmosphere in a cemetery without the presence of living strangers. Compared to the atmosphere of a library, the two are in agreement in terms of their appreciation of silence, but differ in terms of respect and fear for the dead in their graves (2).
From these two examples, it can be said that there is a wide variety of atmospheres and that they are related to emotions and moods. Atmospheres are not only encountered in 'real' places. It can also be encountered when playing video games.
In this article, we would like to delve into atmosphere in video games. The game we will focus on is Detroit Become Human, which was released as a PlayStation 4 game in 2018 (3). I would like to elaborate on a particular scene in this game to describe the atmosphere in video games. Please note that the author has never played this game. The content from here on is written after watching the video game.
The game begins with a scene where a runaway domestic work android takes a child hostage and has a stand-off with the police force in an apartment building. The player controls a police android, named Connor. When you enter the living room, armed police officers are already in position, watching the robot and the girl on the roof balcony. The room is dimly lit, there are signs of gunfire everywhere, and the bodies of the officer shot dead by the android and the girl's father lie there.
Connor (the player) is given a brief situation briefing by the captain and then searches the room for clues to convince him of the murderer. He enters the room leading to the roof balcony. And one of the policemen falls to the ground with the sound of a gunshot. The sound of a police helicopter rings out from above the building. Blood is found on an object the girl may have dropped, suggesting that a hostage may have been injured. Through a gap in the window, an android can be seen standing with a gun in one hand, holding the girl in the other. Background music 'Hostage' plays during this scene, amplifying the tension.
So far I have described the facts of the scene, but now it is time to describe the atmosphere. First, the policemen. When you enter the room, there are five or six armed policemen. They are not only skilled in their individual movements, but also act in a well-organised group. Their objective is, of course, to rescue the girl. There is already a tense atmosphere at this stage. First of all, there is an atmosphere of serious and positive evaluation of the rescue of the girl. In addition, the policemen and Connor are acting in the course of their duties, so there is the tension that is typical of a responsible, difficult and dangerous task. They are not simply rescuing a girl; they have to do it as part of their duties.
The tension is not constant in this scene, but changes. As the room is searched, events such as the discovery of the victim's body, the officer who is shot and the arrival of the police helicopter increase the tension. It culminates in the final scene when a bullet hits Connor in the arm as he steps out onto the balcony.
In summary, the scene has a tense atmosphere, which also changes with increasing degrees of tension. So you encounter atmosphere not only in 'real' life, but also in video games.
I would like to add a few final points. First of all, we have used Detroit Become Human as a case study, but you may encounter atmosphere in other games as well. However, we do not know if atmosphere is even the essence of a video game. This is because it is possible that there could be games that have no atmosphere, where the player never encounters the atmosphere.
The atmosphere the player perceives in a game is of course different from what he or she perceives in real life. The player can end the game and go back to their life without any stress. However, this would not be the case if they actually encountered a situation like the one described here. Compared to games, everyday life tends to be boring. People may want to escape from this for a while and live the emotions and moods they don't experience everyday by playing games.
(1) This description is based on Lester Embry, 'Phenomenology you can use', (p 181). (2) Other moods that are associated with place and yet appreciate quietness include. In hospital waiting rooms, people are expected to wait their turn in a quiet and well-mannered manner, and apart from children, adults have a natural habit of doing so. There is also an atmosphere of waiting quietly for one's turn at the counter of a government office or bank. Conversely, there are places and atmospheres where it is acceptable to make noise while following certain etiquette, such as outdoor live music. (3) Wikipedia describes the game as follows. 'The game genre is action adventure game. There are three protagonists, with each character controlled by Kara, Connor and Marcus. The scenario changes in various ways depending on the player's actions and choices. Sometimes the main characters die, but the story progresses as is, so there is no concept of game over. The actions of one character can also affect the likability of other characters towards the protagonist, the scenario and even life and death, and the story branches are so varied that the game is labelled an 'open scenario adventure'." (Detroit Become Human - from Wikipedia)