Storytelling in Video Games

by Bernadette O'Keeffe

Video Games have been coming into mainstream entertainment over the past decade and have held a special place in the heart of those who have embraced them. And yet, many non-players don't believe that meaningful writing exists within the medium.

Video games have a rich array of stories and ways to tell them. Even someone who isn't a frequent movie-goer can say that films are an art form with unique storytelling techniques. They have lighting and sound and depth of field and actors performances, transitions, and of course, good scripts. Video games have all of that AND something more. Games are, by nature, interactive. The player is not watching the protagonist achieve a goal but rather the player is directly participating in that experience. My favorite example of this is in the horror genre. When a person watches a horror film they think, "Oh no! Don't go in that room! You're gonna die!" But when you play a horror video game you think, "Oh no! Why do I have to go into that room! I'm  gonna die!" Clearly a completely different experience.

I cannot rightfully talk about writing in video games without mentioning Bioware. They are in the forefront of my mind when it comes to storytelling because of beloved titles like Mass Effect and Dragon Age. Both game series use a sort of morality system which allows your choices to govern where the story goes and how people perceive you. The best thing about Bioware games is that their characters are so multi-dimensional. You can't help but fall in love with them. My favorite Bioware character, Mordin Solus,  is an alien scientist from Mass Effect who is logical and very perceptive. You find out that he had a hand in developing one of the very worst genetic diseases in the galaxy all in the name of keeping the peace. While he knows it was the most logical thing to do he regrets it and eventually seeks to make amends. He is also very interested in the arts because of what it says about culture.

 I really could go on for ages about Bioware games so I'm going to stop myself. What I will say is that you will go back time and time again to play the Bioware games, because you want to see the characters again. They really have, in a way, become your friends.

People still talk about Shadow of the Colossus. The story is of a young warrior who's love has died and he can bring her back to life if he slays sixteen giant beings of nature: the Colossus. Almost everything in the game is conveyed without words. But perhaps the most stunning thing about Shadow is when you take a step back from the protagonist's goal, you realize the magnitude of what you are doing. The Colossus have existed for ages without harming anyone, now you are going to kill them for the protagonist's own reasons? Some don't even fight back because they are so gentle. A lot is said in this game without a lot being spoken.

Some games have been celebrated as truly interactive movies. In recent years the Uncharted series, an action-adventure third-person shooter/platformer, and Heavy Rain, a psychological thriller, have truly begun to blur the lines between games and film. Now when it comes to storytelling I was very impressed with the recent Uncharted installment.  It is more or less a modern Indiana Jones minus the whip. Our protagonist is Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter that often gets into bigger adventures than he plans on when many of his endeavors turn out to have a supernatural twist. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception is another stunning example of interactive storytelling. Watch as Drake must swallow his pride and ask for the help of Elena, his on again/off again love interest:

Later, while Elena gets them into a city, Sully points out to Drake that she is still wearing the ring. They talk for less than a minute but immediately we understand that Drake proposed to Elena, she accepted and then Drake somehow messed everything up. We don't know how or when this all happened but it is written so well that we recognize the problem in their relationship.

In Heavy Rain there isn't just one protagonist, instead the player must navigate the stories of four different protagonists to solve the crime. Heavy Rain blurs the line between game and film. You follow the character through their daily routine and then become entrenched in the mystery. Dialogue is handled differently in the game as well. In an average dialogue menu the player has a few different things to say but he or she can literally stop, go and make a sandwich, and eat it before returning and talking to the non-playable character (NPC). In Heavy Rain, the dialogue is timed so if you don't ask or answer something quickly enough the NPC will stop talking to you. Finally, the game brings consequences to a new level because when one of the four protagonists die they are dead for the rest of the game. You officially lose the game when all four protagonists die, and the player must start over from the beginning. The mechanics of this game alone make playing Heavy Rain a completely different story experience than most games. Oh, a nice transition to mechanics as storytelling!

Video game storytelling is not always scripting. Planning  however, goes into every facet of the game. Not only are aesthetics taken into account, but mechanics. Check out this game, Loneliness. Really, go play it, it's only about three minutes. Go ahead... I'll wait.

Click me!

Ok, good. Loneliness is amazing. There is no dialogue, there is barely any thought to aesthetics. The story is told via mechanics. What did that do to you as the player? Did you feel sad? Were you angry? Did you think those dots thought they were too good for your dot? Did you think "Well, who needs you anyway?" Or did you try every time to approach another group thinking, this time it'll be different? What about that last dot? You just experienced a story you could never experience in a film or a book.

We promise that our next rant will be by Wayne Spencer guys! :D