plants vs zombies

so there's a kind of plant theme going on for this weeks blogs! i've been trying to think of something that's related. i was having a hard time, till i came across something in a computer shop. it was a demo version of a computer game called 'plants vs zombies.' i played it for a bit, it was awesome!

on top of being fun it felt like there was a lot going on metaphorically. i had a giant rant planned about why it is relevent to be talking about a video game on an art blog, then i remembered caleb told us we were talking about art too much the other week so i wont bother, instead i'll just talk about the impact of the game.

it kind of felt more effective to me than the entire 'in the balance' exhibition in terms of creating environmental awareness. the game never directly says it has anything to do with the environment however. basically all you do is plant a bunch of plants in the ground who use their plat powers to stop zombies from eating you house or something. now i said i wouldnt try to rant about how this game is an art work... i will however say why it is more like an artwork than a lot of the work from in the balance.

long story short, despite the fact that the game involved plants fighting zombies, i came away from it feeling a willingness to fight for the environment. the cute little anthropomophic flowers sat on just the right part of the uncanny valley to make me love them, and dammit TOGETHER we fought to stop those zombies.
the beauty of this is that anyone could have gotten a completely different interpratation from playing. it didn't have to be about the environment for everyone. this is a quality i really appreciate in an artwork.

the video instillation from 'in the balance' i mentioned in my last blog though... no subtlty... painfully obvious... it was not an interesting work of art. maybe political works dont need to be sutble or interesting as long as they get the point across. and yeah i got their point. i already knew it though. everyone already knows it. so finally the feeling the work left me with... it made me feel like it was me AGAINST the environment.... this is not good.

so to round up:
plants vs zombies= fun, clever and creates the feeling we should be fighting TOGETHER with the environment

in the balance video insitillation= boring, obvious and makes you feel like fighting AGAINST the environment.


when it comes to plants, i think i want to be together with them, not against them. i reccomend this game!