Reviews and Research
In order to gain a better understanding of parkour games, I felt that conducting research by playing through successful titles would be the best way to do this. I chose a variety of different parkour games that have different narratives and level designs. However, it must be noted that the movement options within each game are very similar- if not the same. This would lead me to believe that successful parkour games feature a specific list of features as a "baseline".
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Ghostrunner
Ghostrunner allows players to take part in a free game demo - here is some footage of me playing through it.
The game is based in a futuristic world where you are some sort of assassin attempting to avenge the previous leader. Your objective seems to be parkouring and killing enemies in quick succession , without being hit.
As a game which fits into "adventure, platformer" I think it falls short. Within adventure games, I typically expect larger spaces and more freedom for the player to explore their environments. Additionally, there are reasons to explore and look around different areas of each level - which does not seem to be present within Ghostrunner. As a platformer, it does what platformers typically do - have varying platforms (different heights and sizes) for you to traverse over. My biggest point of criticism however for this game is: for a game where the objective is to quickly parkour over obstacles and then eliminate enemies, having the majority of levels require you to use a slow-motion mechanic, really breaks the pacing of the game. I would much rather have the slow-motion a feature that is optional and not a necessity - it seems as you progress into the game, the more you rely on it. After quickly jumping around, you have to slow down the game in order to dodge incoming projectiles.
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I think the game has a fairly smooth movement system - it was not too tricky to learn and was quite straight forward. The mechanics and animations to go with them are fluid, which is satisfying when completing different movements. As for the setting and levels, they feel a bit bare for an adventure game. Especially during the simulation level - it is quite tricky to navigate and see where I am meant to be going. When comparing this game to the likes of mirror's edge or dishonoured- level design feels a bit restrictive and less imaginative. This didn't affect the positive reviews this game received. Majority of the praise goes towards the abilities you can unlock and use later into the game and the replayability of the game. The speed running community also praises this game for its replayable levels that allow for competition between completion times. Having competition for completion times, means that the maps have to be designed in a way where they are fairly simple but work really well with the mechanics - allowing for small micro adjustments to shave off their completion time.
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I would give this game a 7/10.
Killrun
I came across this game completely by accident, and interestingly, it never came up when I searched for "parkour games". This game is a speed running game - all levels are simple and designed for optimization. There are 2 game modes and multiple map pools for each game mode. One features only parkour elements - with jump pads and special power ups etc. The other also has enemies you have to shoot in quick succession. In order to progress, checkpoints must be walked through (seen as green beacons) to unlock the next ones, until eventually you enter a golden beacon.
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The movement within the game doesn't feel super responsive, but is consistent enough that the game is playable. For example, jumping is unforgiving - feels as though you have to jump earlier than you want to jump (especially when coming up to a ledge). The levels are simple and easily understandable after playing through a single time.
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I think overall this game, for the simple design it has, it incorporates parkour and abilities well. There is not a lot of movement options (sprint, crouch, jump and slide) which works well. Would be interesting if wall running was present - however, it is not required for the game to be a fps shooter speed run game.
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7/10 Simple but works.
*Demo - Hide and Seek Mechanics
When looking for assets and code to assist later development of my eventual game, I discovered this hide and seek demo. I played through it to see how it works - how good the A.I. seeker was in finding the player.
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Within this specific demo, It seemed that the A.I. was given a particular path to follow and investigate. This meant that if I simply go in the opposite direction from the start, to the A.I. it would have a very tricky time finding me. The field of view, of the A.I.'s vision was not stated on this demo, however it seemed fair. During some of my play testing, I would jump onto boxes in the peripheral vision of the A.I. and it would find me.
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This demo featured fairly solid seeker mechanics for an A.I. : it could successfully detect the player at different heights when within its field of vision. Additionally, the A.I. successfully traversed the environment, scanning different parts of the map.
I think this gives me a good starting point if I am to create A.I. which is searching for the player - for example, within the prison, guards who patrol would require similar mechanics.
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8.5/10
Mirror's Edge
Mirror's edge - probably the most well known and successful parkour game out there. When searching for parkour games, it will always appear first. This is because the game's primary and only mechanics are parkour movements (running, jumping, sliding and crouching). There are also climbing, wall running, tic-tac ing and other examples of parkour movements. These interactions are all secondary and occur when the player reaches a specific obstacle that allows for this movement to occur.
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Plaything through it, initially the controls for some obstacle specific movements felt a bit clunky - this may be due to me playing on PC and not on a controller. Generally, using a controller for more fluid interactions feels more responsive and smoother. As far as featuring moves within the sport of Parkour, Mirror's Edge does a good job of staying loyal to the sport and showcasing the possibilities we have as people. The speed running community then takes it a step further and attempts to complete the game making use of the resources within the game, as quickly as possible. New routes and combinations of different moves are discovered and pieced together to form more efficient pathways through the game. I think this is interesting and also normal for parkour - as the definition mentions getting through obstacles with the intention of doing it as fast as possible.
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The theme, setting of the game is consistent and feels fairly open, which is good. Having a more open feel allows players to take their playable character through different routes and makes the experience feel more personal rather than strictly led. For the setting being rooftops, the game achieving a feeling of openness is impressive, as generally rooftops do not have as much space as presented in Mirror's Edge. Having a button that locks the camera in the direction of the objective is very useful and prevents players from getting lost in the "open map". I think this small feature is a very good implementation. Having some indication of where to go is important. Additionally, the game highlights key obstacles in red-that the player can traverse over in order to get to the next "checkpoint". This is also a small but useful feature of the game to ensure that the player progresses in the correct direction.
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Overall, I think that Mirror's Edge is a classic parkour game that many games strive towards. Any recent developments will always be compared to Mirror's Edge, which is both good, but also makes it challenging for developers to have a USP (making it stand out against M.E.). I think Mirror's Edge does well in highlighting that in order to make a good parkour game, there has to be :
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- consistency between the environment and interactions
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- open areas for the player to create their own routes and not feel restricted
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- simple but well executed mechanics
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9.2/10
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Dishonoured
Dishonoured is a very well known, action adventure series. The game has a strong story line and amazing level design to go with it. Levels feel open and have an abundance of rooms/areas which you can open, enter and find something within. Sometimes you find new passages/pathways, sometimes loot, lore or extra collectables which increase your score or allow you to enhance your abilities. Having abilities in order to assist the player to find certain things within the locations is a very good feature - as it is easy to miss small details and features on the map.
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As for parkour within this game, it is not presented as the main move set or mechanic, however you are able to climb, crouch and navigate through tight spaces. It is simply one of many options. Mixed with movement abilities, like teleport and multiple collectable items scattered around the large map, parkour becomes an encouraged activity. I think Dishonoured have achieved implementing parkour subtly with a small selection of movements, without forcing it onto the player, and keeping it fun to do. The player is given an arsenal of equipment, skills and movement options, and it is up to them to control the pace of the game. Either go through with a stealthy approach - trying not to get spotted with minimal casualties, or going through eliminating as many enemies as possible. This freedom again allows for players to create their own experience. Additionally, the game has different endings, which make your actions and play through feel more recognized and real as it affects the end. The most impressive thing that Dishonoured achieves, in my opinion, is that each level has been created in a way where it feels huge-with a large playable space, whilst in reality - being limited to the appropriate setting for the level.
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The mechanics are really well executed within this game, smooth and easy to use. Personally, I have had no difficulty with them. When using abilities, having markers telling me where I will end up is extremely useful. I struggle to find faults in this game.
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9.6/10
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Summary:
What makes a good parkour game?
A simple collection of mechanics and movements that feel fluid and are easy to use are the core of what makes a "parkour game". The movement is the core, show-piece of a parkour game without it shining all other features are rendered redundant.
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How to separate yourself from established titles?
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The competition within the parkour genre is strong. This is because as a genre, parkour is easily met/categorized - with the only criteria being a focus on movement. Therefore, in order to stand out, the movement must feel appropriate and consistent within the setting that the game is based within. Additionally, the map/level design must feel open enough that the player does not feel restricted to use their movement options in a strict pathway. Granting the player choice, enables a more personal experience, and even better yet if those choices are reflected at the end of the game. Having a "free" feel to a parkour game is important, but also the player is able to somehow focus on an objective in order to not be completely lost.
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To distinguish yourself from the rest, it is the level design and how your palette of mechanics interacts with it that makes you stand out. Art style for the levels will also be a memorable feature of your game. Giving it unique branding and style will only assist the game in having its own recognizable name.