Games and Narrative

The question of whether games need narrative has been a long-standing debate. In the academic world, there has been a “debate between narratology and ludology.”

The narratology camp advocates for viewing games as a narrative medium, while the ludology camp emphasizes that the uniqueness of games lies in their interactivity and rules. Supporters of narrative argue that it adds emotional depth and appeal to games, while opponents believe that interactivity and gameplay are the core of games.

From the perspective of narratology, narrative is not just “telling a story”; it is about organizing events and conveying meaning through symbols such as visuals, sound, and actions. Compared to traditional literature and film, the key feature of game narrative is its interactivity and multi-path structure.

A player’s actions directly influence the progression and outcome of the story, making narrative and gameplay mutually dependent and co-constructed. Game narrative can be divided into two forms: explicit and implicit. The former delivers information through tasks and dialogues, while the latter conveys meaning through environment and symbolic cues. Additionally, game narrative has a unique feature of recreation, where the player’s choices and actions constantly generate new stories and emotional experiences.

In game design, the balance between narrative and gameplay is crucial. Designers approach this balance in different ways, such as God of War, which uses seamless camera work to connect the plot and gameplay, or Hades, which incorporates the “death-rebirth” cycle as both a game mechanic and a narrative progression tool.

Excellent game design finds a balance between narrative and gameplay, allowing players to naturally experience the story while enjoying interactivity. This balance is key to the maturity of game design.