Slightly Different · 6:15am Sep 13th, 2020
As some may have noticed I didn't have my game review up. I actually just got my power back so I couldn't play anything.
One thing I've liked about my game posts is that at times people will comment with their views of a game, and even recommendations. Some I've tried, others I've not yet tried.
I think I'll talk about one of my favorite things in a game.
The story.
I don't play a lot of story heavy games for my reviews, because I tend to spend so long on them I definitely wouldn't get them out as often as I do.
A story can make or break a game. And it has to be geared to the involvement of the kind of game it is. Mario starts as a simple story, a guy goes to save the kidnapped girl. Most of the rest is window dressing. It's a basic platformer you can pick up and play without any concern for what's going on and so doesn't need that detailed of a story. Just enough for the setting and enemies to make sense.
But then you get to a game Like Chrono Trigger. That game exists only with the story. It starts with a Save the girl story, but she's not helpless, in fact she joins your party and is a valuable member. The story morphs from Save the girl to Save the world, and takes you through time to find out first what caused the end of the world, to who you believe is responsible, then to where it started. Finally ending with the realization that what's important is that you fight to do the right thing.
Even the final boss isn't exactly a bad guy. It's just doing what it was born to do. There's no malice behind it, it's just how it survives.
If you were to take away the story and just give the player directions as to where to go next you'd lose them before the second boss fight.
There's also story telling like Dark Souls. An immersive environment that gives you only the barest of stories. You have to look around, see the environments, where what enemies are, what they're doing, and piece various stories together from fragments of lore in item descriptions and NPCs who aren't always reliable. The story is there, but it has to be found.
And even simple games can have immersive stories. Mario has developed into a story heavy series, but the story barely has anything to do with the setting anymore. It's more about the characters. Mario Odyssey is a great example of this. You're going on a journey to reunite two couples across distant lands in your old ship. Getting what you can on distant shores just trying to get your ship to reach it's goal. (I know it's been said, but Odyssey really was the best name for this game.)
And involved games can have a simple story and hold your attention. The original Legend of Zelda was a Save the Girl story, but like Mario it has evolved significantly over the years And while it's expanded on it's characters it's built out it's worlds the most. Creating a split timeline and endless arguments as to the order of things. But each timeline fits in it's part of the narrative. Even Hyrule Warriors added to the world building and it mashed the timelines together while acknowledging their separation.
Never underestimate the power of a good story. It could be everything in the right place. (Maybe a bit superfluous on this site.)
Well spoken ma friend. Well spoken.
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Thank you very much.