Color is an important tool to have in a Game Designer's arsenal, not just for narrative construction, but also for playing the actual game.
Color is used as the primary mechanic in the platformer, Hue. The player is able to make obstacles disappear by changing the color of the background, opening up many creative possibilities for puzzles.
The image above is also a great demonstration of visual hierarchy on screen, the most important objects on the screen are all rendered in a bright color. The blocks, and the background more important than everything else on the screen (in black), with an actual ring of color around the player character.
The image above is also a great demonstration of visual hierarchy on screen, the most important objects on the screen are all rendered in a bright color. The blocks, and the background more important than everything else on the screen (in black), with an actual ring of color around the player character.
Binding of Issac also communicates a visual hierarchy to the player, but in a different way. Here, the most important objects have a thick, black outline. This outline can be seen on the main character (top-right corner), and on the enemies. The rocks can actually be destroyed with a bomb in-game, but instances of the player actually doing this are unlikely (they are hard to find).
Binding of Issac is a heartwarming story about a little boy on a quest of self-discovery, aided by his mother's helpful guidance. I'm kidding, his mother throws him into a hellish dungeon, because the voices told her to, and he gets out by transforming into a monster. This is one way that games can use color to show character development.
Binding of Issac is a heartwarming story about a little boy on a quest of self-discovery, aided by his mother's helpful guidance. I'm kidding, his mother throws him into a hellish dungeon, because the voices told her to, and he gets out by transforming into a monster. This is one way that games can use color to show character development.
Another great example of using color to show the game's progression can be seen in Shadow of the Colossus. The player's goal is to kill 16 titan-like creatures, but at the cost of the main character's humanity. The game shows this by changing the colors of the main character to show decay. By the end, he looks more like a horror game enemy than an adventure game protagonist. Additionally, during the last fight, the sky is completely black. Showing the changes to the main character slowly gives players the feeling that time is passing and change is happening.
A popular technique in web design is to put a progress bar somewhere on any form or application requiring user input. This encourages users and lets them know that the job is almost done. Visible progression in video games can work the same way. Psychologically, people like to see how far they've come and how far they still have to go. Another way of doing this can be seen in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild with its clever map interface.
The player's progression is shown when parts of the map are unlocked as the player advances from area to area. On top of that, markers are placed on the map in a bright, blue color that clearly shows everywhere the player has been. Another game from the Legend of Zelda series that shows progression in an effective way is Majora's Mask.
The primary mechanic from Majora's Mask is the ability to travel back in time to stop this giant moon from crashing into the planet. It takes three days for the moon to fall, during which it can be seen getting closer and closer. The moon also takes on a menacingly red hue as it gets closer and day becomes night.
Virtual Rainbows
The mark of a great game is a game that can leave a mark. The game itself can be fun without using color at all (i.e. monochromatic games), but the right color palette can apply a personal touch to any design.