Although accessibility options in video games have come a long way, sometimes it feels like it’s still an afterthought, or not thought of at all.

Gaming Before Accessibility

First, let me give you a bit of a background so that you know where I’m coming from. I was born with Cerebral Palsy, which can affect each person in a number of different ways. In my case, with respect to gaming, it affects my hand-eye coordination, finger dexterity, and reaction times. It should also be noted that my left hand is affected far more than my right.

I’ve been playing games since the beginning, going back to Pong and the Atari 2600 in the early to mid 70’s. These early game systems, and the games made for them, gave no thought to accessibility options. If you were unable to play a game, oh well. Many a time over the years, I would get excited for a game just to purchase it and find out I was unable to play it, and in those days, open software meant no returns.

Accessibility Options Start To Emerge

As gaming in both console and home computer spaces moved forward, certain things started to become the rule. Difficulty options, the ability to have captions on the screen, and the ability to remap the controller buttons are probably the three most common options that were added to games. The addition of these options helped in some cases, but there were still many games that were out of my grasp.

One of the genres I prefer above most others is the narrative, story-driven games. In the late 90’s and into the 2000’s, games that told a complete story really started to come into their own. Some of the games I look fondly back on that in some way scratched this itch were Half-Life 2, Blade Runner, Red Dead Redemption, and Assassin’s Creed. The last two I mention are both games I have been unable to complete to this day. RDR due to a non-skippable horse race early in the game that you must win, and with AC (the original), at the very end of the game, there is a sequence where you need to make your way to the exit before the door closes by quickly platforming through the area.

A Turning Point

Then, in 2011, a light in the darkness. Team Bondi and Rockstar Games released L.A. Noire. Aside from the other technological advancements introduced through the facial expressions and the overall visuals of 1950’s Los Angeles, it was the first game to allow the player to skip the chase/action sequences after multiple failures. By offering this during gameplay, it allowed the player to move forward in the story and complete the game. Sadly, over a decade later, this option is seldom seen in modern gaming.

In the years since, accessibility options have grown more commonplace. Games like Star Wars: Jedi Survivor added the ability to slow the speed of combat, or the game in general, to make platforming easier. In 2021, Double Fine went so far as to include a “God mode” in the game, allowing the player to fully experience Raz’s adventure.

With all that being said, for as far as gaming has come, it seems that accessibility is still an afterthought to developers, big and small. When I look over the titles over the last few years, it seems like some of the game makers still have the attitude of doing the bare minimum, the basics.

Excitement Turns to Frustration

Now that I’ve given the background, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of it all.

I recently started playing a game I’ve been looking forward to since it was announced. Having enjoyed the first game quite a bit, I was looking forward to playing the sequel. Even though it lacked the options I will be talking about here. I was, in fact, able to complete the story. (I won’t be naming the game directly); the issues I have are bigger than any one title. Overall, I am enjoying the game; it has a quirky humor and interesting story as you work through the world.

As mentioned at the beginning of this piece, motor control and dexterity. This can greatly affect not only how I hold a controller, but also my ability to interact with it. Things like quick button presses and having to push, and or hold, multiple buttons at once, can be troublesome.

Until…

I was able to get past the first two bosses on the default difficulty. Combat is not my issue (So far). My issue arises with the traversal of the levels. Platforming gets a bit more complex as the player moves forward. First off, it’s a twin stick control scheme. Being in a 3-D world, this means that you constantly need to adjust where you are looking to see not only where you need to try and aim for, but also for targets you might need to hit mid-air. That, in and of itself, isn’t insurmountable for me, even if frustrating at times. Where it gets more difficult is that they keep adding button presses that need to be done together or in quick succession to get the player to the next part.

Let’s see if I can give an example:

• Left Stick – Move
• Left Stick Click (and held down) -“run.”
• Right Stick – look
• A – Double jump
• B – Evade/Jump Dash
• LB – Interact

With those controls, sometimes, in order to get to the next checkpoint, you’ll need to run forward, turn your head to the next point, double jump, dash forward, and interact with LB all in quick order. Depending on the situation, you may need to keep the left stick clicked for when you land on the other side as well.

My left hand is affected more than my right; this scenario, or one like it, can prove impossible for me. Twin stick control can be challenging enough; add multiple button combinations, and I can’t progress in the game.

With Accessibility, Little Changes Can Mean a Lot

There are options that many games now employ that, in my view, should have been included here.

• Game Speed Slider – gives time for the player to react
• Running Toggle option instead of hold – no need to hold L Stick ‘clicked.’
• Remappable Controls – seriously, every game should have this by now.
• Option to skip to next checkpoint after multiple failed attempts at a sequence (L.A. Noire used 3 or 5, I think). If a game has “Story Mode”, drop this option in there; it would fit.
• The ability to go back to earlier saves, not just the most recent checkpoint/autosave. There are various reasons this is needed.

I’m writing this article because I want to play your game. My view here is from a gamer with motor control issues. This article is focused on a specific subset of accessibility options. But accessibility affects the site impaired, the deaf and hard of hearing (which this game also falls short on, for one of the “funner” aspects of this game), and those with cognitive impairments (map markers would be nice).

If anyone reading this has any questions about accessibility in gaming, feel free to reach out to me at paul.m@lordsofgaming.net