In what ways are video game stories often better than movies, or even books?

Started by Legend, Feb 16, 2018, 08:38 PM

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Legend

I think it's common to think of video game stories not being that good compared to other mediums. But is that true?

With writing and acting, it probably is. Heavy Rain as an example would be average at best compared to movies. TLOU is one of the few examples that would be considered good in other mediums.

But I think in some ways, video game stories are a league above others. Worldbuilding specifically is something games shine at. Very few movies have the same effort put into it compared to the average game, and essentially no movies or books are as capable of expressing these worlds. It's true imo for open worl games, linear games, and even small abstract games. Obviously not every game is good at this, but the ones that are good are really good compared to other mediums.

Another story element games tend to excell at is being "unique." Like books, there is no limitation to what the story can be about. Movies often do human stories with simple plots, but games go crazy. For example how many big movies take place in a simulation? Matrix is one of the few. Meanwhile countless games do this and it's practically a trope. How many big movies have the main character not be human like? Very very few, yet in games there are tons of stories that are super abstract and don't have human like elements.


So what are your thoughts? How do video game stories compare to book and movie stories?

the-pi-guy

I'm a big believer that games will eventually be the best story telling medium flat out, for a few reasons.  

With games, there is a different expectation than with movies when it comes to length.  A movie that lasts 100 hours would be absolutely insane, and no one would watch it.  A game that lasts 100 hours is on the low end of long games.  Some games people put 100 hours into it multiple times.  When you are able to spend that kind of time on it, you're able to get to characterize people better.  You can slowly get to know someone over the course of 100 hours, or even 15 hours better than you can in a maybe 2 hour movie. I think The Last of Us really shined in this respect.  You can get pretty attached to Ellie.  

This part is pretty related to the first paragraph, as well as what you said about world building.  Games can have a lot of time to do that.  Additionally being able to feel like you can be a part of the world also does a lot too.  With a game, you can actually interact with the world. Games can even let you be the one to build the world.  

Dr. Pezus

You are more involved in games which can yield greater emotions when done right. Backstories of course have way more potebtial in games

SWORDF1SH

It's weird. A mediocre story can be compelling in a video game. Life is Strange is brilliant but if that was a movie it would be average. Until Dawn had rave reviews but if was a movie it would of been lucky to get above 30 on metacritic.

There's something about games that can connect like a movie can't.