Videogames 10 - Playing games: alternatives to the mainstream

A counter example to the assassins creed franchise:

sky: children of the light (mobile game)

1. what is the narrative style of the game?       there is a quest that the characters follow, they save spirits and collect ancient treasures along the way, in a way the narrative is linear, it is partly cinematic and partly interactive and there is not a dilema as such but the players have to find something in order to travel to the next platform or area.
2. what genres can you identify?       it is described as a social indie adventure game. it conforms to the adventure genre of games as it involves the player moving around and uncovering parts of the story line. 
3. how are we as an audience interacting with the game?      we can customise characters and collect ad ons, the game allows for not only interaction with objects and artefacts around us but with other players also.
4. does the game appeal to a mainstream or niche audience and how?     the game appeals to a more niche audience, it has not had any huge or major advertising to reach a wide audience like assassins creed has. it is a mobile game so could be argued is for the average "casual gamer".
5. what is the prefered reading of the game?       the preferred reading is that it takes you through a story as a group of collective spirits, it is a game intended to entertain and bring people together. it is simple and calming.

Asphalt 9 legends 

1. what is the narrative style of the game?      linear narrative where the player goes through "seasons" of races in their "career". however they can go off course and play daily challenges that earn points, coins or "blueprints" for other cars.
2. what genres can you identify?              racing genre and action. is targeted at an audience that is into cars and racing, targets pre exsisting fans of the genre. iconography of 
3. how are we as an audience interacting with the game?         it has many different modes like career and daily challenges which get the player to play for longer and invest more time in it. the game has different events every day and week and gives the audience the chance to play with other players. we are an active audience as we make decisions and chose our own paths in the game.
4. does the game appeal to a mainstream or niche audience?               in a sense it appeals to a mainstream audience because car fandoms stretch wide and it is a popular hobby/ interest so will appeal to a wide audience, it is also mainstream a it is part of a mobile game franchise. however it can be seen as niche as it not a AAA console game that has a high production value. it has also not had the same marketing to a wide audience suggesting it fits a niche.