The gaming phenomenon in 1977 known as Zork was an incredible innovation in the capabilities of the early computer as well as one of the first steps toward what we know as video games today. Zork is a single player text adventure with no rules, no visuals, and no guidance. It's the epidemy of what early gaming stood for: Facing a difficult challenge you must solve on your own by making your own choices within a virtual environment. Games today such as Uncharted and Call of Duty may have actual gameplay, plot, and graphics that beat Zork in every possible way, but Zork surpasses them on the aspects of choice and discovery. Modern games like these are extremely linear. This may be the case for Zork as well but the path forward is literally invincible to you, unlike modern shooters and adventure games which show a very clear path along with several visual aids to push you forward. Every step gained and progress made in Zork is achieved solely by the player, no hand holding required like in modern games. This is often frustrating when constantly entering in wrong commands over and over, but when you finally achieve progress it is a very rewarding experience. Modern games attempt to recreate this feeling in various ways a prime example is Dark Souls. Dark souls present it self as a mystery and the only way to progress is by exploring and battling difficult enemies. The graphics and gameplay are what truly set Zork and Darksouls apart. To put it simply, Zork has very limited gameplay while Dark Souls is extremely in depth and complicated. There is no guide to assist you and the only one who can progress is the player. The triumphant feeling of progress is still there but rather than having to type in words until you get lucky, Dark souls always has the thing blocking your path in visible sight and only when you over come this obstacle do you feel the same rewarding feeling. Not all modern games are like Dark Souls thou, in fact, games today bear no resemblance to the early days of Zork. We have online multiplayer, skill trees, MMOS, and a bunch of other innovations inconceivable when Zork was being made. However, despite all the innovations, Zork possesses special qualities that have been rarely reproduced in modern gaming and will forever be remembered as a classic in video game history.
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