The Gamer's Quarter

[Lockeownzj00]

I was thinking about a Oddworld today, which I realized I had never played. After a bit of reading, I started thinking--of a certain kind of videogame, a certain kind of aesthetic I see in different forms of art quite a bit. But I can never quite put my finger on it--here's a tentative list of some things that came to mind:

Oddworld
Ren and Stimpy
Earthworm Jim
Invader Zim (and/or other Jhonen Vasquez, but IZ specifically)
The Neverhood
Rocko's Modern Life
Clayfighter 63 1/3

I know to many these are classics and to be revered. Unfortunately, as a child, hell, even until now, I've had this instinctive repulsion (literally a physical repulsion, while they're certainly on the bottom rung of this ladder, on the few unforunate occasions I caught Cow & Chicken or Cat-Dog on the telly I found myself almost retching) to all these series despite their alleged brilliance. But I can't just cut out a whole realm of art like that...I feel like I have to experience it (plus, I want to...many of these are on my list anyway).

So in trying to figure out what connects all these creations, a single adjective came to mind--unctuous. I choose it because I think it describes the aesthetic: visceral; often what some would consider "disgusting;" exposing blemishes and exaggerated imperfections that would otherwise be glossed over by artists coming from a more "immaculate" mindset...and all, of course, darkly humorous/comical (almost in the literal sense that they resemble comics regardless of what shape they take).

So, in mulling this over, if anyone else is interested....I'd just like to discuss these things. First and foremost, this idea--what links all these works and how can we categorize them (that's me, the linguophile...i want a clever neologism/portmanteau so I can swiftly refer to this idea without having to write so much every time )? Secondly, but not less importantly, the qualities of each of the things I have listed (or more, if you can think of any). I think it's interesting that I unconsciously put 2 or 3 non-videogames on that list.

[Lackey]

It was a very 90s thing, wasn't it? I know the exact aesthetic you're talking about, wasn't it very popular with Nikelodeon? I don't know about any name for it, but I'm sure there must be some sort of common root.
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| Little bird fighting against a bat sect game |

[rf]

Is Gish in this zone, to some extent?

[Lockeownzj00]

Yeah. I think you're spot on about the 90s thing. I'd love to see a retrospective in the future which composes this sort of thing (wow, funny to actually realize how our own lives become history like that...).

It's really a shame--I've also recently been thinking a lot more in depth about how the context in which you consume/receive a work of art greatly affects your character. As a kid, I saw a clear dichotomy between myself and the "nickoledeon kids." It was the most empirically observable example of what they "were into" and what I wasn't. Because I never experienced these things at a younger age, when I was primed for it, they can't be assimilated into my character "properly," anymore, even if I watch them. My perspective has changed; I'll never be one of "them."

However, I find myself looking back on all this with regret; not only that I missed out on some great shows and the collective experience of watching all these shows overtime, but I feel like the way I grew up was exactly the opposite of the free-flowing, carefree way "nickelodeon kids" did. I mean, not that I wasn't carefree. I don't know how to describe it, but it just felt different.

I'm glad I'm not crazy though. As a sidenote, it's why I also could never, ever watch Rugrats without a barf bag at the ready.

PS: Also, Despite the fact that I'm technically...young, I already find myself looking back at the 90s with this weird fondness that doesn't exactly make sense--while I "grew up then," I wasn't old enough to be entrenched in "feeling" of the era, either. The feeling I get is a kind of progression of X-Entertainment. I feel an essay coming out of this...

edit: on Gish--perhaps. I've played the demo; way way back. If it's anything like that--while certainly an attractive style, it doesn't seem...gross enough to count as what I'm talking about. Or maybe it does. Fuck, I don't know. Help me out, people.

edit2, so as not to clutter thread:

[helicopterp]

[Lackey]

The artist from Gish, Edmund McMillen, is most certainly a continuation of or at least has a certain kinship to that aesthetic.
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| Little bird fighting against a bat sect game |

[Nana Komatsu]

Wild 9 should probably be on your list.

Oddworld always looked fun, and eventually I got the PC version of the first game and didn't find it nearly as much fun as I expected. I don't know that the newer Xbox versions got any better.

[dessgeega]

the first half-hour of the first oddworld is pretty fantastic. the rest of the game / series, not so much.
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[Ketch]

I think that they probably stem from the work of Robert Crumb, or at least R.Crumb was one of the first artists well known for this type of art.

(it also seems that Ps[/i][/i]ychonauts fits in there as well.