Summary

• Release Year: 2015
• Genres: Adventure, Indie
• Platforms: Linux, Mac, PC (Microsoft Windows)
• Developers: Everything Unlimited Ltd.
• Publishers: Everything Unlimited Ltd.

The Beginner’s Guide: A Journey into the Heart of Game Design

The Beginner’s Guide is a 2015 metafictional game by Davey Wreden, creator of The Stanley Parable. It is a deeply personal and introspective work that explores the nature of game design, creativity, and the relationship between artist and audience.

The game takes the form of a guided tour through the unfinished and often bizarre games of Coda, a friend of Wreden’s. As the player explores these games, Wreden provides commentary and interpretations, offering insights into Coda’s creative process and the struggles he faces as a game designer.

The Beginner’s Guide is a challenging and thought-provoking game that asks players to question their own assumptions about games and the people who make them. It is a must-play for anyone interested in the art of game design or the creative process in general.

The Creative Process

The Beginner’s Guide offers a unique glimpse into the creative process of a game designer. As Wreden guides the player through Coda’s games, he shares his own thoughts and experiences as a game designer, offering insights into the challenges and rewards of creating interactive experiences.

One of the most striking things about The Beginner’s Guide is its emphasis on the iterative nature of game design. Coda’s games are often unfinished and full of bugs, but Wreden argues that this is an essential part of the creative process. By allowing the player to see the sausage being made, so to speak, The Beginner’s Guide demystifies the process of game design and shows that it is not always a linear or straightforward journey.

The Relationship Between Artist and Audience

The Beginner’s Guide also explores the complex relationship between artist and audience. Wreden argues that games are not simply products to be consumed but rather personal expressions of the artist’s inner world. As such, they are open to interpretation and can mean different things to different people.

This is evident in the way that Wreden interprets Coda’s games. He sees them as reflections of Coda’s own struggles with depression and anxiety. However, he also acknowledges that these interpretations are his own and that Coda may have had different intentions when creating the games.

The Beginner’s Guide challenges the traditional notion of the artist as a genius who creates works of art that are above interpretation. Instead, it suggests that art is a collaborative process between artist and audience, and that the meaning of a work of art is constantly being negotiated and renegotiated.

The Nature of Games

The Beginner’s Guide also raises questions about the nature of games themselves. Wreden argues that games are not simply about winning or losing but can be used to explore complex emotions and ideas. He points to Coda’s games as examples of this, as they often deal with themes of loneliness, isolation, and the search for meaning.

The Beginner’s Guide challenges the traditional definition of a game and suggests that games can be much more than just entertainment. They can be used to educate, to provoke thought, and to change the way we see the world.

Conclusion

The Beginner’s Guide is a unique and thought-provoking game that explores the nature of game design, creativity, and the relationship between artist and audience. It is a must-play for anyone interested in these topics or in the art of game design in general.

The game is available on Steam, GOG, and the Humble Store.

Review Score

9/10

Art

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