Is the goal of photorealistic graphics and the prevalence of gritty shooters at odds with the role of imagination in video games? In a recent column, Steven Boone wonders if the influence of realistic, violent games limits their creative potential. We use the piece as a starting point to talk about how aesthetic style impacts the experience of playing a game. Do today's high resolution, violent, and narratively focused games give us tunnel vision? It's a broad topic that encompasses everything from marketing, to art style, to storytelling techniques, so feel free to jump into the comments with your thoughts!

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Show notes:

- Run time: 32 min 57 sec

- "The Last of Us, and other video games that leave absolutely nothing to the imagination," by Steven Boone, via Capital New York

- Music provided by Brad Sucks