Video games are a huge global industry taking in over $159.3 billion each year. With this in mind it is no surprise how much depth many games contain, as the largest are the sum of the work of hundreds of different people and tens to hundreds of millions of dollars. One of the main factors to the success and quality of a game lies in their ability to tell a story. In many cases, a game does not have to be a triple-A high budget title. Many of the best are smaller games that manage to use the environment, music, text, people and places contained within them to let the players experience a whole new world and tell a story on an entirely different level when compared to other mediums of storytelling such as books and films.
Figure 1, “Poppy fields” Image taken from: https://www.techspot.com/news/68349-battlefield-1-free-play-pc-xbox-one-weekend.html
One example of a triple-A title that excels in telling a story is Battlefield 1. While the game does contain many fictional elements, parts of the single-player mode are based on true events that took place during world war 1. The ability to control a real person as a character in a historic setting allows for a deeper emotional connection, as the game’s recounting of that person’s experiences can deliver the player a far greater sense of empathy than if it were a book or movie, as it nearly quite literally places the player in that person’s shoes. In one of the first stories told, the player is a member of a tank crew that has been overrun and is now trapped behind enemy lines. Amongst the crew inside is a very young man. It is quickly made clear that this man is struggling to keep up with the toll that war takes on the mind as he is cowering in a corner sobbing. This mixed with the loud noise of gunfire and other weaponry along with orders the player has to follow gives off a sense of being overwhelmed and gives a small glimpse into the lives soldiers had to lead during the harrowing events of our worlds’ past.
Figure 2, “No man’s land” Image taken from:https://infinitemirai.wordpress.com/2016/11/19/through-mud-and-blood-reflections-on-the-battlefield-1-campaign/
Some games contain almost no dialogue, text or speech and yet manage to predominantly use the environment, music and character actions to tell deep and engrossing stories. Two good examples are Shadow of the Colossus and The Last Guardian by Japan Studio. In The Last Guardian, the player sets out on an adventure with a strange creature resembling a giant and friendly, though often disobedient dog. There is no understandable speech throughout the entirety of the game, yet from the beginning the player is able to form a strong bond with both the playable character and the strange creature. Many games use cutscenes to create these types of bonds between the characters, however the last guardian uses game mechanics to cause the player to really care about their AI companion. This is likely because the player has to interact with the creature frequently as well as trust it in many areas of the game to solve various puzzles. Shadow of the colossus, on the other hand, uses music to engage the player and tell the story. Although the playable character only speaks a single word during the entire game, the animation and music shows the story of a young man and his undying love. As the player progresses through the dangerous adventure the player themselves start to feel the passion the young man has and understand the reasons he has for taking on this incredible journey.
Figure 3, “Meeting” Image taken from: https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/product/EP9000-CUSA03745_00-LASTGUARDIANEU00
A different genre of amazing storytelling in games comes from ‘choose your own adventure’ style of gaming. In these games the player can choose from usually 2-4 options of text speech or actions, games like these often have different available endings of the game based on choices the player is made to face over the course of the story. A decision made at the very start of the game can even sometimes affect the outcome at the very end. These types of games allow a person to have an experience that they could not otherwise, making them feel responsible for the decisions they make and the direction they steer the story. While a book can tell a story intimately, giving the reader access to a character's internal monologue in a way that most other mediums struggle to, only a game can truly let a person make their own choices and give them the experience to lead a life in a world which isn’t our own. For example, Detroit: Become Human. In this game playable main characters can die based on the choices the player makes and a new character is used as the playable character.
Figure 4, “Suffering” Image taken from: https://www.pcgamer.com/detroit-become-human-review/
In summary, there are many ways games can engross an audience and pull them into their story, from triple-A titles immersing players through action like a playable movie, to those with a more peaceful feeling that use music and scenery to show the player a whole new world. Gaming and storytelling go hand-in-hand and as technology advances and the medium matures, gaming is only going to get more immersive and the stories more elaborate and engaging.
By Alex Foster
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