Posts Tagged 'Narrative'
Toys, Simulations and Stories III: Stories
It is 2011. We’re a stone’s throw from a hypothetical apocalypse, video games are virtually everywhere and most of them attempt to tell us stories. This approach has progressed much further than digital toys and has much broader appeal than
Toys, Simulations and Stories III: Stories
It is 2011. We’re a stone’s throw from a hypothetical apocalypse, video games are virtually everywhere and most of them attempt to tell us stories. This approach has progressed much further than digital toys and has much broader appeal than
Whoever wrote the ending to Red Dead Redemption is one dumb cowpoke
In which Rockstar chooses to whistle Dixie. I finished Red Dead Redemption and it was a fairly fun game. Despite excessive horse riding, I enjoyed myself. Then I got to the end and I never wanted anything to do with
Whoever wrote the ending to Red Dead Redemption is one dumb cowpoke
In which Rockstar chooses to whistle Dixie. I finished Red Dead Redemption and it was a fairly fun game. Despite excessive horse riding, I enjoyed myself. Then I got to the end and I never wanted anything to do with
Telling Your Story Despite the Gamers
The most fascinating article of last week was journalist Tom Bissell’s piece on L.A. Noire for The Sports Guy Bill Simmons’ new sports slash pop culture venture Grantland. It’s a site I’ve been following independent of games due to my
Telling Your Story Despite the Gamers
The most fascinating article of last week was journalist Tom Bissell’s piece on L.A. Noire for The Sports Guy Bill Simmons’ new sports slash pop culture venture Grantland. It’s a site I’ve been following independent of games due to my
Minimalism in L.A. Noire
Narrative in video games is all sound and fury and no subtlety. In a word, bang! Active voice, onomateopoeia, very physical and very direct, more akin to a Saturday Morning Cartoon than to a novel or a film. They are
Minimalism in L.A. Noire
Narrative in video games is all sound and fury and no subtlety. In a word, bang! Active voice, onomateopoeia, very physical and very direct, more akin to a Saturday Morning Cartoon than to a novel or a film. They are
The Price of Failure
Failure is the last great bridge for us to cross as gamers. In the hundreds of games I’ve played, there are few instances where I can say I’ve failed. I’ve gotten thousands of game over screens, died a thousand times,
The Price of Failure
Failure is the last great bridge for us to cross as gamers. In the hundreds of games I’ve played, there are few instances where I can say I’ve failed. I’ve gotten thousands of game over screens, died a thousand times,
LA Noire Will Allow Players to Skip The Action
In an effort to court a wider audience with LA Noire, Rockstar will be implementing a type skip-the-action system. “You can skip those action elements and still experience the bulk of the narrative,” states Rob Nelson, LA Noire’s art director.
LA Noire Will Allow Players to Skip The Action
In an effort to court a wider audience with LA Noire, Rockstar will be implementing a type skip-the-action system. “You can skip those action elements and still experience the bulk of the narrative,” states Rob Nelson, LA Noire’s art director.
Portal 2 and Imagination
For those of you keeping score, Valve have not released a narrative based game since October 10th, 2007. That’s four years. Four years of co-op multiplayer shooters and hats and no Half Life. This has been a great disservice to
Portal 2 and Imagination
For those of you keeping score, Valve have not released a narrative based game since October 10th, 2007. That’s four years. Four years of co-op multiplayer shooters and hats and no Half Life. This has been a great disservice to
The Art of Storytelling
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKfBSUKI9PA&w=480&h=390] Roger Ebert said, loosely, that no one has ever written a video game narrative that anyone will remember in fifty years. And I get the feeling he’s right. Narrative in video games has had a long, curious history; I’m
The Art of Storytelling
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKfBSUKI9PA&w=480&h=390] Roger Ebert said, loosely, that no one has ever written a video game narrative that anyone will remember in fifty years. And I get the feeling he’s right. Narrative in video games has had a long, curious history; I’m
Alan Wake Writer Blames Ludonarrative Dissonance on Game Expectations
Ah, ludonarrative dissonance: we’re all familiar with it. It’s the disconnect between the narrative and ‘play’ aspects of a game. Think, for example, how Nathan Drake is characterized as a likeable good guy and yet we spend all game killing
Alan Wake Writer Blames Ludonarrative Dissonance on Game Expectations
Ah, ludonarrative dissonance: we’re all familiar with it. It’s the disconnect between the narrative and ‘play’ aspects of a game. Think, for example, how Nathan Drake is characterized as a likeable good guy and yet we spend all game killing
Redemption is a Misnomer
That’s right, I’m denouncing the critic’s (and many-a-player’s) darling. There is nothing Redemptive about Red Dead Redemption. Here’s why. As you probably know, RDR gives players control over John Marston, a man who is living during a time of utter
Redemption is a Misnomer
That’s right, I’m denouncing the critic’s (and many-a-player’s) darling. There is nothing Redemptive about Red Dead Redemption. Here’s why. As you probably know, RDR gives players control over John Marston, a man who is living during a time of utter