STORY MODE: How Video Games Can Tell a Unique Story

   Ever since Mario set off to save his princess, video games have offered something previously unheard of in popular culture: Interactive Storytelling, or a story that the audience has a direct impact on. This method has been handled a great many different ways, and I’d like to talk about a few in the following article.

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   With a great many different games slated to be released this year, each has something new to offer in terms of entertainment: Gameplay, artwork, music and story. In a great deal of these releases, I’d argue that the story elements of a game are one of the most important elements, with the obvious exception being the gameplay mechanics themselves. The story is what can redeem an ugly-looking or difficult-to-play game, while an absent or poorly thought out story can be the final nail in an otherwise functional game’s coffin. Granted, there are games that function perfectly without a story, such as Minecraft and Cut The Rope, but story-based games can offer a far more memorable experience, allowing for the introduction of new ideas. Let’s take a look at how games can enhance storytelling as a medium and what video games are able to do that is impossible for other media to achieved.

   First and foremost, a game’s story provides valuable context to the tasks players are expected to preform. For example, Valve’s “Portal 2” gave the player clear motivation through a simple storyline, (You’re trapped in a  facility with something trying to kill you, get out!) and then built the complexity from that point onwards, allowing the player to understand the situation and react in a manner that was natural. Conversely, “Mirror’s Edge” lacked a strong motivation behind what it expected the player to do, therefor failing to hold my interest. This ambiguity was what ruined an otherwise impressive game for me, when a little context would have gone a long way.

A shot from Portal 2, where the player is confronted by GLaDOS, the game's antagonist. Knowing what you've done to anger her and how powerful she really is makes this a tense scene indeed. (Image courtesy of mobygames.com)

   Games can also allow for a player’s choices influence the story itself. These choices can be small, such as what a character says to another, or they can have a major impact on the endgame itself. A good example of was a moment in “Bastion” where the player is given the choice to either reverse a major calamity, (and risk it happening all over again) or escape your ruined home to start anew. Should the player replay the game after they choose to reverse the calamity, the narrator will reference the previous playthrough, claiming that he thought he already told you pieces of important information. This thought that stories can remember what you’ve done is something never utilized before by traditional media. 

A shot from Bastion, showing the major choice to be found at the end of the game. Choosing either will impact how the game is played later, thereby showing how content can be changed by the player.

   Lastly, games offer a far more immersive experience than films can due to their interactive nature. While watching a horror film may induce feelings of foreboding and fear, preforming the actions yourself forces you to invest much more in the story and actions of the game, therefore deepening the physical and emotional impact a game may offer. In my opinion, a game like Undertale is a perfect example of interactive story that really draws the player in. The story involves a central concept, (You’ve fallen into a chasm, get home!) and builds around that as the player moves further. The player will understand each character’s motivations and hopes, making the ending simultaneously frightening, saddening and heart-warming as they feel for the characters. 

A shot from Undertale, where the player is forced to leave a character they have grown to love. Truly getting to know the character made this a heartbreaking scene for the player.

   Being a believer that games are art, I’ve often heard the argument of, “Why did it have to be a game? Couldn’t it have been a film or a novel?” My response will always be that, since the player is able to perform the actions needed to continue the story, the player will have far more investment in the consequences than if they had watched a single path unfold. Some stories, such as Undertale, just wouldn’t be the same if the audience was unable to make the really difficult choices that come later in the game. 
   This, I believe, is what makes games special. With their ability to tell stories unlike anything ever seen before, video games will always be important for what they have to say, as well as how they play. 

   If you want to discuss your favorite video game story, feel free to do so in the comments below, or at our Twitter, @GamerGweek!

   Written by Spence