Gameplay Journal #5

Glitches come in many forms whether they are unintentional or made by others, but they have something in common amongst them all, which is they change the course of a game. The definition I have for what a glitch is the following as noted in the “Glitch Studies Manifesto” by Rosa Menkman, “[The] ‘new’ form of ‘conservative glitch art’ or ‘hot glitch art’ focuses more on design and end products than on the procedural and political breaking of flows”(342). Meaning that the glitches have become more of a art style than gameplay changer. Glitches you see nowadays are more so to add a sort of enhancement to the game in an entertaining manner. There are even groups that specialize in glitches that will add filters, models, or change any existing visual style of the game. These glitches are to make games to sort of an movie even if they are already.

The glitch I am highlighting, in particular, is in the PS4 Spiderman game which turns the camera into a mirroring follow. As Spiderman swings the camera follows the character while also mirror over and over giving it sort of a comic movie feel. While is does make the game harder to play this does give it an extra stylistic feel, where every moment is like a comic strip hitting you. Somewhat following what Menkman said where the glitches don’t hinder how the game is played, but they do add more art to them. It reminds me of the Ultimate Spiderman game where the entirely of the game was built with the essence of comics in mind. Gives the game a better feel for those who ae truly into the comic and yearn for that to come in game form.