Introduction#
It has been a long time since I sat down to play a game. During the National Day holiday, I stayed at home and experienced "Sky: Children of the Light," which reminded me of many games I played in the past, prompting me to write this article. Due to my academic background, I studied some psychology during my undergraduate education in education, and my master's degree was in Chinese philosophy. Therefore, this article will delve into the value and impact of games, with less focus on gameplay, interactive experience, and design aesthetics. The main perspective will be an aesthetic appreciation of the artistic style of "Sky: Children of the Light," an analysis of its core gameplay from a psychological standpoint, an interpretation of its Zen-like social interactions from a hermeneutic perspective, and a conclusion based on the core values of existentialism. While starting with "Sky: Children of the Light," the analysis will extend beyond just this game. In summary, the overall structure of the article forms a "four-in-one" analysis of the ninth art.
Artistic Style: Imagery, Freedom, Aesthetic Value#
Imagery#
Imagery is the essence of "beauty" in aesthetics, the ontology of beauty itself. In the evolution of aesthetics, if there is a concept that focuses on aesthetics itself, it is imagery. The bizarre landscapes in "Sky: Children of the Light" are like the fictional cities in Italo Calvino's "Invisible Cities," reflecting the interplay between reality and the imaginary cities in our minds, cycling through each other, resembling a journey of the soul, pondering as it traverses various cities.
Imagery consists of "meaning" and "form," where "meaning" refers to poetic essence, and "form" encompasses not only the concrete but also the imaginative. Let's first examine the "form." Imagination symbolizes assumption and freedom; only with assumptions can emotions be free. Conversely, if the scenes in "Sky: Children of the Light" accurately reflected life, devoid of glowing butterflies, floating jellyfish, the mythical Kunpeng soaring like the sea, and cities suspended in the air, and were merely confined to objects that exist in real life, then without imagination, emotions would lack freedom and poetry. Thus, we say that the refinement of art lies in the delicacy of emotions, associations, and language. As the ninth art, "Sky: Children of the Light" exquisitely embodies this artistic refinement.
If imagination is the soul of aesthetics, then poetic essence is the realm of aesthetics. Within imagery, there exists not only extremely refined "forms" but also uniquely profound "meanings." The so-called poetic realm is not merely the construction among clusters of imagery but is the extension and development of imagery along the threads of meaning, capable of expressing poetic realms.
Taking the rainforest in "Sky: Children of the Light" as an example, the overall imagery includes gentle rain, deep woods, subtle light, trickling streams, and chirping birds. Beyond the overall beauty, these clusters of imagery also possess latent beauty, subtly revealing the profound and dark, "without a single word, capturing all the charm."
Unfortunately, I find myself at a loss for words, borrowing a quote from Sikong Tu: "The scenery of poets is like the warm sun over Lantian, where good jade produces mist; it can be seen but cannot be placed before one's eyes. The imagery beyond imagery, the scenery beyond scenery, is not easy to discuss." (From Sikong Tu's "Letter to Jipu") "Imagery beyond imagery" and "scenery beyond scenery" refer to the latent, implicit meanings; the brilliance of the poetic realm often lies in the inexhaustible blanks of language, which must be personally experienced by the subject to be appreciated.
Thus, we can discover that this imagery is a synthesis of the generalized object and the specific emotional state of the subject, a unity of the two. From the perspective of objective objects, this is a discovery; from the perspective of subjective emotions, this is an experience, an epiphany; from the creation of imagery symbols, this is a renewal. The purpose of imagery is not to express the object but to express the emotional state of the subject.
This is "meaning," this is poetic essence. In Heidegger's definition, poetic essence is, in fact, creation. This creation is different from what we usually refer to; it is facing your surrounding world in a suitable state, and this world will bloom with meaning for you.
Freedom#
We just mentioned that imagery is the essence of "beauty," and freedom is the purpose of "beauty." It can be said that all systems in "Sky: Children of the Light" serve this purpose, and the freedom in "Sky: Children of the Light" is manifested in the freedom of imagination and gameplay.
Earlier, we discussed that assumption is imagination, and the freedom of imagination is the lifeblood of art, reflected in the open-ended ancestral stories and background settings. You need to follow the fragmented memories of the ancestors to liberate their souls, and throughout the process, there are no textual introductions, prompting one to imagine what they experienced in life and what emotions they felt. When you see an ancestor kneeling in the rain, you can't help but stop to hold an umbrella for them. Therefore, what story this ancestor tells is not important; what matters is that this romantic narrative style brings you an emotional experience. In contrast, if one passively reacts to a real story, it would be too idealistic, emotions would be too unfree, rationality would suppress emotions, and it would lose its impact.
A few years ago, "Mountain" took the freedom of imagination to the extreme; one could say that the significance of this game lies in imagination and the player themselves. When a screw falls from the mountain, it means different things to different people; each of us lives in our own cognition. Therefore, only when you can calm down to think, to imagine, and to place yourself in an independent state can "Mountain" exist relying on the appearance of any object, and you will discover the fun within. When it influences our concepts and emotions, its significance arises. The unspoken stories in "Sky: Children of the Light" are similar; the story is merely a medium for conveying emotional experiences. The truth about the ancestors is not important; what truly moves you is the emotional experience the story brings. This is the unique charm that the freedom of imagination bestows upon the story.
In addition to the freedom of imagination, "Sky: Children of the Light" also offers strong freedom in gameplay. The game design lacks a main storyline, does not require defeating monsters to level up, and features almost zero beginner tutorials, leaving many new players feeling lost during their first playthrough. Players who want to experience immediate gratification upon opening the game are bound to be disappointed. However, the game controls are simple, with only two buttons for moving and flying, making the gameplay more free. You can aimlessly explore the twilight of the encounter, practice music on the rainbow bridge of Morning Island, sit quietly listening to the rain in the pink sea of the rainforest, set off fireworks in the Thousand Birds City of Valley of Dawn, or count stars on the bench in the Forbidden Pavilion... The freedom of gameplay grants players a sense of freedom in their journey, motivating them to explore more unknown landscapes, which is the driving force behind my enjoyment of this game.
However, I personally believe that this freedom in gameplay could be improved, at least by adding appropriate beginner tutorials and enhancing users' exploratory desires. For example, "Animal Crossing: New Horizons" integrates collecting elements and main storyline tasks throughout the game, while the similarly high-freedom "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" also advances player exploration with a somewhat vague main quest (saving the princess).
Otherwise, it is easy to see players abandoning "Sky: Children of the Light" shortly after starting, lacking motivation to play, which leads to a lack of understanding of the game, further diminishing exploratory motivation and falling into a vicious cycle. It must be said that this is a drawback of excessive freedom without a main storyline. However, from a non-commercial perspective, it has little impact on sincere players.
Aesthetic Value#
Imagery is the ontology of "beauty," freedom is the purpose of "beauty," and the discussion of the relationship between "beauty" and "goodness" is the value significance of "beauty." In fact, the initial aesthetics were born alongside ethics, with early ethics focusing on the natural connection between "beauty" and "goodness." From the perspective of game design, the importance of aesthetic value remains paramount.
In the world of "Sky: Children of the Light," kindness is everywhere. During my gameplay, I particularly loved the candlesticks in the corners of the world, as they allow you to see messages from other adorable players, and these kind messages are worth pausing for.
In the game, before you lift a candle to illuminate a passerby, you cannot see their form; to you, they are just a small black figure. However, to light them up, both parties must willingly bring their candles together, illuminating both. This small candlelight can replenish energy for both, so on dangerous maps, you often see two or three small figures silently and gently lighting each other, sharing a bit of strength to take flight. You might find yourself in the grave soil, knocked down by a ghost dragon, or caught in a storm, desperately needing light to replenish energy. When you pull out a candle and look around, there will always be adorable players coming to light you up, and your light can warm others. This mutual act of kindness, sharing love and warmth with the world.
Similarly, there are special maps in "Sky: Children of the Light" that require help from others to enter, such as those needing eight players to carry a star, doors that require four players to open, or hidden maps that require players wearing special colored capes to hold hands to enter. No matter where you encounter difficulties, as long as you lift a candle and call out, quietly waiting, someone will come to help you. I remember a time climbing the mountain on the Sacred Island when I was still a newbie, with not enough wing energy, and after an hour of trying, I couldn't reach the top, always falling halfway. So, I tried calling out a few times, and a cute player bounced over to help me. At the top of the mountain, I saw a different view. At that moment, I realized that what mattered was not the scenery on the journey but the people who walked with you, making your world so different. The player's heart trembles slightly for that fleeting emotional connection.
This is the value of beauty—kindness and warmth.
Similarly, in Jenova Chen's award-winning "Journey," there is a similar aesthetic value. In the game, players take on the role of a red-cloaked pilgrim, wandering aimlessly and struggling in the desert. Suddenly, you notice a character in a white robe beside you, not an NPC, but a player playing the game with you somewhere on Earth.
During the journey, they will take care of you meticulously, help you find map collectibles, and take you to the best photo spots. You will walk together through desolate deserts, tread through quiet castles, and support each other through snowstorms toward the pilgrimage's end. You have no verbal communication or physical interaction, yet you witness the mutual care of humanity. Many white-robed players will draw a heart in the snow for you when they take you to the end. The sound of the wind and snow remains, but how romantic it is.
You may also encounter unique white-robed figures, who are mentors in this world, like angels, and they are often more willing to lend a helping hand. Countless players who have played this game return to replay it, and during the replay, you become the white-robed figure. As a white-robed figure, you guide new players through a segment of the journey and revisit the scenery you once walked with the white-robed figure who helped you when you were still in red. Such pilgrimage, such inheritance.
Whether in "Sky: Children of the Light" or "Journey," both express love and respect for this world through a romantic and reflective lens.
Core Gameplay: Empathy, Need, Behaviorism#
Empathy#
Unlike "Journey," "Sky: Children of the Light" makes "encounters" much easier. Along the journey, players can see various black passersby, and before both parties lift their candles to illuminate each other, they cannot even see each other's faces. After both light each other up, they still cannot chat; they can only perform some actions and emit simple sounds. In this stage of communication where words cannot be used, empathy is most easily generated.
Empathy refers to the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, encompassing emotional self-control, perspective-taking, listening skills, and expressing respect, all related to emotional intelligence. Because players cannot communicate verbally, they must invest effort to listen, think, and understand each other's feelings and expressions, entering each other's inner worlds, keenly perceiving changes in the significance of each other's experiences, and responding appropriately with understanding.
In addition, there is also empathy in the scenic imagery; the seven major maps in "Sky: Children of the Light"—Morning Island, Cloud Valley, Cloud Forest, Valley of Dawn, Grave Soil, Forbidden Pavilion, and Eye of Eden—each possess unique aesthetic characteristics, ensuring that at least one aligns with the player's mood during gameplay. Online, we refer to content that sparks interest and preference as "pokes," and "poking the heart" is a vivid metaphor. Certain images, certain imagery, and certain scenarios can evoke physiological reactions in the audience, like an electric shock or a wave of sadness; once such profound and intense feedback is experienced, players will inevitably fall in love with the game. From then on, it generates stickiness.
Need#
If we say that "empathy" is the initial cause of player stickiness, then "being needed" is the core of players experiencing the value of the game. Every individual is a being that is needed, and "Sky: Children of the Light" reflects this "need" in its social gameplay and world setting.
First, in social gameplay, as mentioned earlier, players' sparks can illuminate each other and provide energy, giving each player's small light a value of existence. We will analyze this in depth in the chapter dedicated to social aspects later; for now, let's look at the currency system related to gameplay. The currency in "Sky: Children of the Light" can be divided into three categories: candles, refined candles, and hearts. The difference between ordinary candles and refined candles is that the former can be easily collected during regular gameplay, while the latter is a special reward given to players after completing the game, used to unlock higher-level actions and outfits. However, like coins in other games, both are currencies provided by the system for players to purchase or exchange items offered by NPCs. The gameplay of hearts, however, is unique; the main way to obtain hearts is through mutual gifting between players—if I give you a certain number of candles, you can receive a heart. Hearts serve the same purpose as the other two currencies, allowing players to purchase items from ancestors, but the unlocking of ancestor items follows a tree structure, making all three currencies equally important and indispensable for players.
The design of hearts encourages every player to actively make friends because each player is also a being that others need.
Secondly, in terms of world setting, the game emphasizes the value of each player. The character you play, the Child of Light, needs to find the small light beings and ancestors scattered throughout the world, liberating the souls of the ancestors and preserving the small light beings you painstakingly collect until the final level. In the last level, Eye of Eden, you find yourself in a hellish situation, needing to avoid various dangers from all directions, exerting all your strength to gradually share your light with the petrified small black figures. In the end, as the Child of Light, you also exhaust your life source and become petrified. At that moment, you realize that those petrified small black figures in the storm are, like you, also Children of Light who have given their life light.
"Sky: Children of the Light" once reinforced this sense of being needed during its second test; to enter the Eye of the Storm, players needed to travel in pairs, and at the entrance, one player had to sacrifice all their light wings for the other to be allowed to enter the map. Later, perhaps the developers thought this requirement was too harsh, so it was removed in the official version.
After the game ends, although you gain a new life, the light wings that symbolize ability revert to the same number as a newbie, and you must replay the game because you know that in the darkness of the Eye of the Storm, many petrified Children of Light are still waiting for you to rescue them. This journey is a cycle of redemption and being redeemed. Just like in "Journey," after the pilgrimage, you return to the starting point of birth, fully aware that it will repeat endlessly, yet you cannot help but walk toward the mountain top time and again.
Behaviorism#
In addition to "empathy" and "need," the focus of game psychology is to guide and design games based on behaviorist theory. Behaviorist psychologist John B. Watson believed that the unit of behavior is the basic "S-R" connection, where "S-R" breaks down human complex behavior into two parts: stimulus (S) and response (R). Unlike Pavlov's classical conditioning, Skinner's operant conditioning reinforces S by manipulating R, i.e., the "R-S" connection. Therefore, reward-based feedback can stimulate users to repeat corresponding behaviors more, while punishment-based feedback will reduce corresponding behaviors.
Based on this theory, the gameplay design of "Sky: Children of the Light" involves two types: collecting ancestors and limited items with a significant loss rate to reinforce players' candle collection; this gameplay stimulates players through loss. Daily limited candle collection, similar to a "harvest" sign-in mechanism, helps increase player stickiness; this gameplay stimulates players through rewards.
However, "Sky: Children of the Light" has weak commercialization, with only occasional limited outfits and no pay-to-win mechanics. Compared to games like "Genshin Impact" and "AFK Arena," which continuously exploit players' gambling mentality in hopes of getting five-star/legendary/SSR characters, "Sky: Children of the Light" does not induce players to spend excessively.
Additionally, the game's design must also consider players' frustration. In my experience, "Sky: Children of the Light" does not impose strong frustration on players, only manifesting in the aggressive ghost dragons in Grave Soil and the Eye of the Storm, where players lose the light wings they painstakingly collected after being attacked. However, this moderate pressure makes players cherish the kindness between people even more in difficult situations. Compared to games like "Sekiro" and "Dark Souls," which rely on "self-torturing" challenges, or "Hollow Knight," which requires constant practice to hone combat skills, the ghost dragons in "Sky: Children of the Light" are indeed much friendlier.
Let's also look at "Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout." This game, unlike "Sky: Children of the Light," reduces players' frustration through randomness, entertainment, and short duration. Compared to "League of Legends," where players may spend over half an hour in a serious ranked match only to lose, "Fall Guys" is much friendlier to players' mental state. Therefore, many streamers are willing to use this fun game as a seasoning for their live broadcasts.
"Animal Crossing: New Horizons," on the other hand, completely eliminates the element of "frustration" in game design; players do not face any penalties. For example, when a player is stung by a bee, villagers come to comfort them and provide medicine. Even when a player accidentally knocks down a balloon, they receive a "consolation prize." "Animal Crossing" adopts an approach of "everything you do is great," soothing players' disappointments and encouraging freedom, making this deserted island align more with players' perceptions of a "paradise." This existence, akin to a "praise group," is a unique aspect of game design, perfectly fitting the beauty of "Animal Crossing" as a utopia.
In summary, the gameplay design and behavioral patterns of "Sky: Children of the Light" are very friendly to players, with no competitive relationships or level divisions among players, nor does it induce players to engage in retaliatory spending. The scene design and gameplay system of "Sky: Children of the Light" always serve its core values.
Zen-like Social Interaction: Expression, Experience, Fusion of Perspectives#
Expression#
Communication is the only means of social interaction; without communication, the civilization of human society cannot be discussed. The process of expression and listening constitutes two-way communication, and the methods of communication vary greatly depending on the mode of expression, but the essence remains the exchange of information. However, modern communication, primarily through written and spoken language, has become increasingly fatigued and constrained, which in a sense corroborates Rousseau's statement: "The more we accumulate new knowledge, the more we lose the means to acquire the most important knowledge." (From Rousseau's "The Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men")
The means of expression in "Sky: Children of the Light" are extremely restrained; before adding friends, players can only emit sounds or perform actions to communicate with each other, much like two primitive people, stripping away the linguistic medium and expressing their emotions in the most natural way. This requires the listener to invest more effort to understand the expressor's emotions during two-way communication. Therefore, the restrained means of expression make it easier for the listener to reach the depths of the expressor's heart. But how can the listener understand the expressor's feelings? This is a process of "placing one's heart in another's," known as "pushing kindness," which means "to understand and appreciate what others do." If both parties can achieve normal communication in this situation, they are both adept at perceiving others' intentions and are willing to understand and help others.
Due to the limitations of human verbal symbols and the infinite richness of attributes of things, it is impossible to have absolutely precise expressions. Moreover, emotions and things are constantly changing and developing; all verbal expressions can only be a weary pursuit of the historical process of things. It can be observed that not only in "Sky: Children of the Light," but also in Chen Xinghan's other works, such as "Flower" and "Journey," the means of expression for characters are extremely restrained. Restricted expression does not limit players' freedom of imagination, thus forming this Zen-like social interaction.
During the Babel Tower event, God caused people to be unable to communicate by diversifying languages, leading to the disintegration of humanity. The meaning of language is not dictated by God but defined by its users, and the means of communication are not limited to language; countless other actions can bridge the distance between people. As expressed in "To the Moon": "The twinkling stars in the sky are lighthouses, each person is a lonely lighthouse, illuminating others while feeling warmth in the light of others." "To ignite the fire in others with your own fire, to discover the heart with your heart."—the social method of "Sky: Children of the Light" is a perfect interpretation of this poem.
Experience#
Dilthey's aesthetics of life consists of three parts: "expression," "experience," and "understanding." Among them, "expression" reveals the internal logical connection of the essence of social significance, disclosing the authenticity of human existence, while "experience" is the key to combining inner consciousness with external facts, the individual with society. Hans-Georg Gadamer, the founder of hermeneutic aesthetics, advocated studying traditional hermeneutics on the basis of phenomenological ontology. He believed that the temporality and practicality of "experience" highlight the combination of the realistic and historical significance of life; it is not only a psychological matter but also a matter of obtaining aesthetic significance.
As the ninth art, games lead players to recognize culture as an embodiment of life through the experience of the plot and understanding of empathy. To understand the various connections of human culture and social reality, players must delve deeper into the experience of various scenarios; only through this "experience" can they achieve "understanding." Therefore, players can understand the cultural ideas conveyed by the game setting through their gameplay experience, and this understanding provides a basis for systematically interpreting their experiences.
Players express their emotions and experience the kindness of others, leading them to understand the latent warmth in the world. They experience a world of love and warmth in "Sky: Children of the Light," and upon returning to reality, they will place greater importance on social relationships, wishing to bring this warmth into the real world.
Fusion of Perspectives#
"Fusion of horizons" is an important theory in Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics. Before discussing "fusion of horizons," we must first understand what "horizon" is. In simple terms, "horizon" (Horizont) refers to the content that a subject can see from a specific standpoint, limited by their particular situation. Therefore, the object problem depends on our standpoint. Zhuangzi had a similar viewpoint in "The Equality of Things": "One is born and dies, one dies and is born; one can and cannot, one cannot and can; one is and is not, one is not and is." Viewing objects from the standpoint of "is" (affirmative) or "is not" (negative) leads to different results, and everyone is limited by their standpoint, unable to escape ("Thus, the sage does not follow but illuminates the heavens, which is also due to this").
Similarly, Wang Yangming's famous saying: "Before seeing this flower, it is silent with you; when you come to see this flower, its colors become clear." Our subjective world exists independently of the objective world and impresses each other through some connection. For example, if there is a flower in the objective world, if you have not seen it, it does not exist in your subjective world. When you see this flower, it exists in your subjective world, taking on shape and color. Western hermeneutics also offers a fresh perspective: whether the world exists objectively is not important; the significance of the world's existence lies in being recognized; the existence of the object is determined by the gaze of the audience. "Unobserved things cannot prove their existence." In other words, everything that exists must rely on an observer to exist.
Just as a thousand people have a thousand Hamlets in their hearts, each person sees the flower differently based on their mood and perspective. This is because everyone has their independent subjective world, different psychological complexes, and different aesthetic perspectives. Therefore, what often determines a person's understanding of something is how that thing presents itself in their subjective world, rather than its objective appearance.
Moreover, this phenomenon arises because we can only grasp individual characteristics; we cannot grasp specific individuals. The so-called "logic" is an object under a concept; we categorize objects into properties and individuals. For example:
Fa: Confucius is a philosopher
In this proposition, "a" is the individual constant, representing Confucius; "F" is the predicate, describing a certain individual as a philosopher. We can see that we cannot grasp specific individuals; in all artistic expressions, we only grasp certain characteristics of individuals. The formation of a concept in our minds is the result of the fusion of countless horizons. The higher our standpoint, the broader our historical and cultural horizons, allowing us to correctly evaluate the significance of all things within the range of our vision according to size and distance.
In "Sky: Children of the Light," there is an interesting setting where each player has no nickname; your name is determined by how others name you. You might meet a companion while climbing the mountain, and you can call them a climber; or you might meet a musician in solitude, and you can call them a bard; or you might be saved by a kind person in danger, and you can call them a big shot. Similarly, your image is multifaceted; your persona is not as singular as in social media; this is the real you, the result of countless horizons converging and merging, allowing you to affirm your existence.
Additionally, "Sky: Children of the Light" has a lovely and friendly player community, who engage in secondary creations or cosplay based on their interest in the game, injecting more soul into this game.
Value Significance: Complex, Existence, Spiritual Journey#
Complex#
In Jungian analytical psychology, the concept of "complex" holds significant importance; it refers to a group of important unconscious combinations, a collection of mental images and ideas, or a strong and unconscious impulse hidden in a person's mysterious psychological state. Players who immerse themselves in the world of "Sky: Children of the Light" often harbor an inescapable complex, seeking refuge in this world. At least on the path of rebirth, the "I" with nothing stumbles toward the glowing soul, and after embracing it, I truly feel a wetness at the corner of my eye. The game features many meticulously designed body movements, among which I particularly love the embrace, as if someone gently stroked my soul.
The embrace as a primary interaction is also present in "Spiritfarer." Virginia Satir has a theory that a person needs at least four hugs a day to survive. Every time I see this theory, I scoff at it, having lost hugs for many years, but when I see the usually aloof Gwen smile happily because of my embrace, I begin to appreciate this theory. Each embrace is a beautiful emotion, capable of bringing smiles to NPCs and tenderness to players.
In addition to embraces, farewells are often one of people's complexes; farewells are painful and unavoidable aspects of growth, while the theme of "Spiritfarer" revolves around letting go, teaching people how to say goodbye. Encounters and farewells are eternal themes in human interactions; while "Sky: Children of the Light" has covered many aspects of encounters, "Spiritfarer" perfectly fills the gap regarding farewells.
"Spiritfarer" is also a Buddhist, exploration, and collection game where players take on the role of a ferryman, drifting across the sea to accept lost souls wandering in various places, allowing them to live on your boat and complete their unfinished wishes before sending them to the eternal gate for reincarnation. They will each ask you to send them off to the starting point of the game, where you embrace them in a small boat on the red river of the underworld, bravely saying goodbye. Each character you send off will enter their dream, and their stories will vividly unfold before you. The next day, when you wake up, you will no longer see them; the room they once occupied on your boat will have a bouquet of soul flowers, like a farewell at a funeral, but the appearance of this bouquet will forever remain in your heart. They teach you the true meaning of facing farewells and will always give you a warm embrace at just the right moment.
This is the complex brought by the ninth art.
Existence#
Social beings easily lose themselves, only knowing how to live within the opinions of others; one could say that their views on the meaning of existence are derived from others' judgments, causing people to lose their intrinsic value. They believe that the only remedy lies in motivational quotes. Little do they know, value lies within one's own existence.
From an existentialist perspective, humans have no essence; they are individual "existences" at different moments. A person becomes a person because they exist. In other words, one must exist first before discussing anything about life. Heidegger introduced the concept of "Dasein" to emphasize the importance of self-revelation and self-presentation of existence; it expresses a kind of authentic, immediate "existence." The existence of "Dasein" cannot rely on external material or psychological forces, nor on others or society, but on the existence of "Dasein" itself. Life is the self of "Dasein," and value lies in existence, requiring self-exploration. One's life is entirely up to oneself to create. Existence is inherently concrete; any existence cannot be replaced by another. Within one's existence lies boundless creativity. So let yourself explore and ignite this energy; your own destiny is in your hands.
Besides "Dasein," "death" is also one of Heidegger's philosophical topics. Regarding death, "Sky: Children of the Light" does not delve deeply, so in this article, we analyze how "What Remains of Edith Finch" addresses this issue.
"What Remains of Edith Finch" tells the strange tales of a family in Washington State. The player, Edith, investigates her family's history in their large mansion at midnight, trying to understand why everyone in the family, except herself, has died mysteriously. These stories are revealed one by one as the family history unfolds, allowing players to experience the lives of family members on the day of their deaths. The family discovered this curse long ago, and generations have tried to break it but found no escape, so they resolved to face death head-on. In their view, death is not terrifying; the departed have merely gone to a better place.
The game's theme promotes Heidegger's concept of "living towards death," suggesting that death is not an impending event but a process occurring in the lives of the living, a negation of real life. Only after we experience the "death" in the secular sense does this process of death immediately end. In other words, death exists as "being towards death." Existentialism regards death as the destination of life; in death, life gains new birth and absolute freedom. Heidegger once quoted Leo Tolstoy's protagonist Ivan Ilyich from the novel "The Death of Ivan Ilyich," stating that Ivan Ilyich, lying in bed facing death, represents "true existence"; this "true existence" maintains a "steadfast" attitude towards death.
"What Remains of Edith Finch" uses romantic means to explore the frightening topic of death, allowing players to remember death, so they can cherish their time and stay true to themselves, not to be troubled by hesitation and lost; they must also forget death, enjoying life in the present, not rushing due to the fleeting nature of youth. Grasping your own existence and experiencing your own present moment is the only way to seize the value and truth of life. No matter what tomorrow holds, since you exist, face it calmly; nothing can stop the continuation of love. Life is always extended in the interaction of giving and receiving, and the value of "Sky: Children of the Light" lies in reminding players to be grateful for the life that accompanies them, forming an important part of the symphony of life.
Spiritual Journey#
"Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains." (From Rousseau's "The Social Contract") Sartre shares a similar viewpoint: "Man is born to suffer the burden of freedom." Humans are social animals, and thus they inevitably need to understand, choose, and love those around them; this is the nature of being human. However, each person is born different, which means true mutual understanding between people is forever unattainable. Additionally, in a previous article I wrote, "How Artificial Intelligence is Possible," I also analyzed that phenomenal consciousness has unobservable and private characteristics, making mutual understanding between consciousness impossible.
As a result, free individuals begin to experience a kind of unfree loneliness, which we can call "anguish." Loneliness obscures self-perception because your fragments exist in everyone related to you; no one is an island, and anguish grows stronger until it consumes oneself. Based on this phenomenon, games like "Sky: Children of the Light" and others mentioned earlier ("Mountain," "To the Moon," "Journey," "Spiritfarer," "What Remains of Edith Finch," etc.) share a commonality in the ninth art: they tell poetic stories, providing players with a spiritual journey to alleviate the lingering anguish in their hearts.
"Firewatch" tells the story of a protagonist experiencing a midlife crisis who becomes a forest ranger. The story begins and ends in simplicity, encountering an interesting soul but unable to meet them. If "La La Land" speaks of dreams, then "Firewatch" speaks of reality. At the story's conclusion, the protagonist does not meet Dalilah, but perhaps that is the best moment to end the story; perhaps reunion is not important, just like "84, Charing Cross Road," where two people remain strangers for twenty years yet share a deep connection across miles. Poetic imagery and a story of regret bring a glimmer of bright memories to players' lives.
"Undertale" is a warm game where players take on the role of a little girl who accidentally enters the underground monster world, meeting various lovable monsters with distinct personalities, creating countless touching moments and a truly beautiful story.
"Flower," through its simple gameplay and artistic expression, gently penetrates players' inner worlds, connecting with emotions to explore themes of loneliness and environmental protection, embarking on a spiritual journey that ultimately achieves empathy and healing.
"The Stanley Parable" deeply explores the philosophical propositions of freedom and choice...
Games like these can be considered the ninth art; within them, people do not feel lonely but rather experience a less burdensome form of "loneliness." As Heidegger said, this kind of loneliness possesses a unique primal magic; it does not isolate people from the world but rather immerses the entirety of existence into the essence of all present things, bringing them closer to the world. In such a world, we pursue everything we desire, experience stories we cannot encounter in daily life, reflect on questions we have never considered, and project our feelings into real life. In this spiritual journey, games accompany us through some of the worst yet best moments of our lives.
May poetry and games endure forever.
