So far in this YouTube series on video game storytelling, we’ve looked at cinematic-leaning Embedded Narrative, and Emergent Narratives where player choice and gameplay shapes the story. Today things get more emotional, and bit less easy to define, as we tackle the concept of Evocative Narratives in games.
Video games have the unique potential to tell stories using a number of elements, but can they use a player’s video game literacy, and familiarity with tropes, themes and cues from other media, to convey a tale? This is what classic survival horror game Amnesia: The Dark Descent, and many other games in the genre do, harnessing fear to drive the narrative and make it more impactful.
Watch episode 3 in my Unpacking Game Narrative for Newcomers series below, and check out my YouTube channel for more commentary on the world of gaming.