Storytelling in Games

          One of the main reasons I got into gaming in general is because of the story of Final Fantasy IX. It was the first RPG I ever played and it had something I had never seen in other games: a plot. Granted, it was a complicated plot that rivals that of Final Fantasy VII in terms of “what is going on here,” but a plot nonetheless. I would say nostalgia makes me think fondly of that game’s story. However, upon looking at the plot summary, I realized I didn’t truly understand Final Fantasy IX at all! I can recall the events of Disc 1 and 2, but when we get into 3 and 4, I get so lost. Mainly because I was eight at the time, so many elements of the story went over my head. 

          Anyways, the game got me into wanting to create worlds with stories that take place in those worlds. For a while, I thought games were an excellent medium to do this with. In a way, games can tell a good story. At the same time, we have very few examples of storytelling in games. I might can recall a game with a complicated story that also has characters with depth, but could not tell you the actual plot. They just weren’t memorable enough. I think that’s mainly because the developers are telling stories incorrectly with games. It’s either cutscenes with character dialogue or moments of the game that stop the action to let text scroll across the screen. This effectively turned the game into a temporary movie. In fact, cinematics are what usually sell the game for people. I see Blizzard’s cinematic trailer for their newest WoW expansion Legion and think “Awesome movie. Where’s the gameplay?” After playing that game for years, I have yet to see it tell its story, let alone its lore, through gameplay. They have to stop everything to fill the players in on what’s going on.

          So what’s the best way to portray a story in a game? Through gameplay, of course! Let me just use Journey as an example. It’s simple, but I understand the sequence of events. The plot is basically this: you control a nomad in a red cloak. You must reach paradise at the end of your journey. You will brave strange lands and encounter marvelous things. But you also risk death before reaching your goal. The game’s story ends after the player reaches paradise and their final resting place. The game also has you start over from the very beginning which might imply reincarnation.

          How well do I remember the plot of this game? Almost perfectly. I remember walking through the sandy ruins, releasing some trapped sentient scarves (Banners? Rugs? I’m not entirely sure what they were), sliding through archways, avoiding draconic beasts, and braving the bitter cold of the wastelands. I especially recall making it to the very end and nearly dying. Then I awoke to paradise and flew through the air admiring all the colorful scenery and relishing in the gorgeous music. All of that was accomplished in ninety minutes of gameplay. No cutscenes, no dialogue, no QTEs, no cinematics, and no epic boss dropping twists in the plot whilst leaving around a bunch of plot holes to bait me into buying a sequel that may or may not ever come to be.

          Let’s do Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons next. This game was more about puzzle solving and using each brother to operate different mechanics. The plot is simple as well: their mother passed away and it left the younger brother depressed. Now their father is sick and both brothers have to find a cure. They encounter opposition in their travels, discover amazing places, become involved in other people’s conflicts, and even go through a life changing moment or two. I think the story itself might actually be about the little brother. The game starts with him mourning over his mother and it ends on a similar note. After his brother is gone, the little brother has to assume his role. Guess how I found that out? Whilst the little brother was by himself, he could not pass a certain obstacle without his big bro’s assistance. I pressed the button to operate the big brother (despite his absence) and the puzzle was solved. He literally had to become the older sibling now that he was alone. This was jaw-dropping; I hadn’t seen any other game portray and element of their story like this. Granted, some lines of text in games can blow your mind, but it felt more impactful when I realized what I had to do in order to progress.

          Those two games used their mechanics to tell their story. The plots were simple, but it still worked. Games may be at that stage where they can’t quite tell a complex story with mechanics alone, but they are getting closer and closer. For now, we still rely on text and cutscenes. If they work for your story, fine. Use them. If they detract from the plot and stop the player from being engaged with the game, they may just forget your game had a story in the first place.