Posted by Michael on May 5th, 2006, in Games

I love Black & White. I can’t help it. It’s so sad to see what Lionhead did with the sequel (Black & White 2: Warrior Within ;)). But you can read my rant about that here.

In Black & White you play a god and you need to convince people in small villages to believe in you. When they do, their prayers serve as fuel for your divine powers. Some of these powers are destructive and some benevolent. You can choose to play an evil god or a good god. Hence the game’s title.

But the main feature of Black & White, as far as I’m concerned, is a sort of pet that you have as a companion, referred to as a Creature. In the beginning of the game, you choose an antropomorphic ape, cow or tiger, whom you then have to train. You can teach the creature to do just about anything you can do.

The design really shines in the credibility of this creature. Just watching it go about its business is a joy in and of itself. With a little bit of training, you can give it a certain personality and make sure it takes care of itself. And then it can play the game on its own. Either as your helper or just as a fun companion.

Sometimes he gets a bit lazy or forgetful, and then you have to remind him of what he should or should not do. It’s a kind of parenting that feels very natural. The creature gets thin when he eats too little and fat when too much. He gets stronger when he carries heavy objects and he grows bigger and bigger over the course of the game. And of course when he gets evil, he looks evil too. And good ditto. He can also develop simple relationships with other creatures in the game. They can become fighting enemies but also best friends (my favourite). Then they dance together and even kiss. And when they are seperated, sometimes a text appears, saying “Your creature misses his friend.” Aaah. :), it brings a tear to my eye.
He tries to imitate you. And when he fails, he is sad. He tells stories to the villagers and dances with them. Or tries to impress them with tricks. He can throw things and catch them as a form of play. He points at things that interest him. He expresses hunger and then tries to find some food. He develops preferences for certain types of food. When he gets tired, he finds a good spot and goes to sleep. He sits down and rests when he doesn’t know what to do. When he’s walking towards a target, he regularly looks in its direction. He shows interest in something (you do) and then walks towards it to look at it more closely. When there’s something he doesn’t know, he looks at you for advice (pathfinding e.g.). He is continuously paying attention to what you do, which strengthens your bond with him and increases the sympathy.

The AI in Black & White is a unique creation and I wish I knew what its designer, Richard Evans, is doing at this moment. He has left the sinking ship Lionhead and hasn’t been heard of since. I hope his brilliant mind can resurface at some point. If anyone knows where he is, please let me know!

The rest of the game supports this brilliance too. The villagers also have remarkable AI, the game’s interface is a joy to use in its complex sophistication, the graphics are a pleasure to watch and the soundscape is as soothing as anything. A rare product of excellence that never fails to entertain. I keep replaying this thing. It never grows old. I don’t care if there’s a sequel. I’m sticking to this one.

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