Metroid: Prime 2 Echoes CSP Research

-

Media Language

The semiotic analysis of the visual style is indivisible from the study of genre and narrative with the mise-en-scene of the game - apparent in the gameplay and the cover art work - referencing sci-fi, action adventure as well as the conventions of different types of game play.

Mise-en-scene analysis:
  • Costume: big fully covered metal armour/suit making it gender neutral. 
  • Colour: silver title represents sci-fi
Semiotics: how images signify cultural meanings
  • metallic font signifies advanced technology
  • aliens signify adventure

Narrative

  • The trailer constructs narratives of transformation and change in the central character of Samus Aran.
  • Metroid conforms to particular styles of fantasy and hyper realism which can be linked to narrative and audience.
  • Binary oppositions is used in Metroid such as light vs dark and black vs colour. This shows that there may be some conflict with the main protagonist.
  • Todorov could be applied to Metroid.

Genre

  • First person, shooter and role playing games.
  • Metroid has overlapping genre conventions by using a female protagonist in a stereotypical boys video game.
  • According to Neale the differences in the genre excite the audience and make it more broad.

Media Representations

The focus of representational issues in Metroid is clearly gender - the central character is unusual in the world of gaming where gender characteristics are usually clearly delineated. Representation of Samus Aran as implicitly male, transgender and female has been the subject of heated debate.
  • Samus Aran can be analysed within the context of debates around gender representations in the gaming industry. She was originally sexualised as the quicker you would play the game the more naked she would be at the end. Yet now she is not sexualised.
  • The game has 2 differnet dimensions; one seen as good and one as bad.
  • The gaming industry has often been accused of misogyny. Metroid goes against this.
  • Metroid goes against Van Zoonen as she is fully dressed and armoured.
  • Gender is not performative as she acts just like a soldier and does not appear to be feminine.

Media Industries

As a Nintendo game Metroid is the product of one of a handful of conglomerates which dominate the video games industry, a context which means that the study of the industry raises issues which are central to contemporary media studies.
  • The structure of Nintendo and its control of production, distribution and exhibition.
  • Metroid uses digital platforms to expand the output and reach of the games and it demonstrates how institutions have responded to the impact of new technology.
  • Games are regulated through PEGI

Media Audiences

Discussions of audience in the game industry interconnects with issues of representations in assumptions about the nature of the typical gamer.
  • Psychographics and demographics of the target audience for Metroid.
  • Categorisation of types of games around the concept of a gendered audience.
  • Controversies around the playing of video games.
  • Opportunities for audience interactivity. First person game.
  • Gamers constantly play the game so they end up eventually living the game.

Social and Cultural Contexts

Metroid is a Japanese, sci-fi, action adventure video game developed by Nintendo. It is one of Nintendo's most successful franchises with 11 games available across all of the company's platforms. Metroid is a culturally significant game in the gaming universe due to its mix of style and tone which combines Super Mario Bros style platforming with darker content, but also due to the representation of the central character, Samus Aran. Aran is a bounty hunter whose gender identity has been the subject of controversy and debate, leading some commentators to identify the character as transgender reflecting contemporary social and cultural contexts.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Killing CSP Research

-
Media Language The use of noir visual style, conventions of the police procedural and multiple narrative strands, The Killing provides a rich area of study for media language, which would form the foundation for work on the other theoretical frameworks. Analysis Should Include Mise-en-scene analysis Costume: the detective wears a jumper and she is fully covered which may make her appear smarter as she is not sexualised and also dedicated to her work. Light: low lighting for danger. Semiotics: how images signify cultural meanings Not being sexualised signifies independence dark lighting signifies danger surprise party signifies danger/ actual police issues Narrative The Killing uses binary oppositions to drive the narrative forward. The way the binary opposition is resolved may have ideological significance. The oppositions that The Killing uses is good and evil, dark and light/night and day, hero and villain.  Knights theory of prolonging the inevitable can b
Read more

No Offence CSP Research

-
Media Language No Offence is a mainstream television series in which the codes and conventions of the police procedural crime drama are intertwined with aspects of social realism. Detailed analysis of this media form including the process through which media language develops as genre will provide students with an opportunity to understand and reflect on the dynamic nature of genre. Analysis Includes: Mise-en-scene analysis: Costume: Dinah is seen first wearing pink which demonstrates that she is quite girly and probably has other stereotypical feminine features. Then in the second scene she is dressed very formal which presents her as a more serious person. After the first scene all the women are covered up and are therefore respected. Lighting: Often in this series when there is a bad situation it is usually at night. The chase scene was filmed late with the stereotype that everything bad happens at night. The scene where they find the girl in the river is also filmed in t
Read more

The Voice CSP Research

-
Media Language The Voice uses codes and conventions to influence meaning. They value black people and like to make them feel superior and strong and independent. They bring racist issues and discrimination problems to the light to relate to their specific audience. They use images of mainly black people to get their views and values across and to attract their target audience. They also have quite a colourful site to show support for 'coloured' people and present it in a much more positive term. The images used are often not photoshopped and are natural which gives a real view of people which could better relate to their audience. The Voice uses semiotics to create a narrative of constructing the world. By presenting content of mainly black people suggests that the world is becoming more diverse and it is not based on only white people in the media. Black signifies diversity. Colour signifies race and mainly black people. The title The Voice signifies the voice they giv
Read more