Storytelling
Ongoing coverage on Storytelling.
Latest coverage
Samson Review - An Uninspiring Tyndalston Story | TNS
Samson: A Tyndalston Story is a review that harkens back to the late-'90s and early aughts in terms of atmosphere and story beats. However, the game hits a few roadblocks and spins its wheels, failing to deliver an inspiring experience.
New Star Wars book hints at a time skip between The Mandalorian season 3 and The Mandalorian and Grogu
A new Star Wars book, The Mandalorian: The Visual Guide, suggests a time skip will occur between the end of The Mandalorian season 3 and the upcoming film, The Mandalorian and Grogu. The book indicates that Din Djarin and Grogu have settled on Nevarro and made a life for themselves, implying a passage of time since their last appearance.
Screamer Review | NoobFeed
Screamer is a racing game that successfully blends arcade roots with modern gameplay, featuring a compelling story with anime references and deep driving/combat mechanics. The game requires strategic planning and quick reflexes, offering an exciting experience on Xbox Series X.
More Than a Roster Update: Why Sports Games Must Invest in Storytelling
This article argues that sports video games like NBA 2K and WWE 2K should move beyond simple roster updates and invest more in deep, RPG-style storytelling within their career modes. Implementing meaningful narratives would create stronger player connections, justify annual purchases, and provide new marketing opportunities beyond cover athletes and graphical improvements.
How can your game win the 'attention war?' Turn to storytelling
This article discusses how game developers can win the 'attention war' by focusing on storytelling. It references a GDC chat with Andrew Eiche, CEO of Owlchemy Labs, who shared an anecdote about technical difficulties at a podcast recording.
Fan discovers alternative Resident Evil Requiem final boss and it’s a massive improvement
A fan has discovered datamined files for an alternative final boss in Resident Evil Requiem, suggesting a more compelling encounter than the one present in the released game. The article discusses how the game's ending, particularly the boss fight against Victor Gideon, felt rushed and poorly executed, with plot points potentially changed last minute. This discovery fuels speculation about the game's development and Capcom's handling of its narrative.
Cyberpunk 2077 Players Still Finding Deep Story Moments Years Later
Years after its troubled launch, Cyberpunk 2077 continues to resonate with players through its deep storytelling and character moments, as highlighted by a viral Reddit post. The article discusses how CD Projekt Red succeeded in creating meaningful relationships and pacing that encourages players to engage with the narrative at their own speed, proving that strong emotional cores can overcome technical issues.
Etrange Overlord Review | NoobFeed
Etrange Overlord attempts to blend action RPG elements with melodic storytelling and humorous writing, featuring a unique gameplay mechanic called "lanes." When these elements coalesce effectively, the game delivers genuinely fun, charming, and memorable moments.
Crimson Desert: Spire of the Stars Puzzle Guide
This guide for Crimson Desert focuses on its puzzles, acknowledging that while the game may not prioritize story, its narrative is slowly and uniquely told. The author compares the exploration-based gameplay to titles like Elden Ring and Minecraft, suggesting that the core appeal lies in discovery rather than plot.
SilenEdge Brings Dark Edo-Period Combat to Steam Today
SilenEdge, a story-driven action-adventure game from developer XXIV, has launched on Steam for PC. The game features dark Edo-period combat and a narrative that blends history with myth, emphasizing atmosphere and exploration. XXIV highlights the game's focus on sword-based combat as integral to its storytelling.
There's just no good reason why WoW's story mode raids aren't available right away—and I'm saying that as someone who cleared normal just fine last month
This opinion piece argues against the time-gating of World of Warcraft's story mode raids, suggesting they should be available immediately upon a patch's release. The author contends that this delay hinders the accessibility of the game's narrative for casual players, despite Blizzard's stated goals for The Worldsoul Saga. While acknowledging the effort in raid design, the current implementation is seen as counterproductive to experiencing the story as intended.
Planet of Lana II Review — The Gamer's Lounge
Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf is a visually stunning puzzle platformer that prioritizes atmosphere, art, and story. While not the most challenging game, its focused design creates a memorable and beautiful experience.
Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered Review - Thumb Culture
Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered is a compelling action-adventure game that excels in storytelling, blending mythology, theory, and gameplay. It remains a great experience for fans of narrative-driven games, offering a thought-provoking journey back to the world of Nosgoth.
Subnautica 2's Voices from Beyond videos are giving us a much more detailed look at the story than we first thought
Unknown Worlds has released the final video in their 'Voices from Beyond' series, offering a detailed look into the story of Subnautica 2. This series provides a more in-depth narrative than initially perceived.
Legacy Of Kain: Ascendance Awakens – A Classic World Reimagined In 2D
Legacy of Kain: Ascendance is a new 2D action platformer reimagining the classic series for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Developed by Bit Bot Media, it features fast-paced combat, supernatural abilities, and a narrative-driven experience that blends pixel art gameplay with cinematic storytelling.
TV Endings Still Debated for Their Controversial Conclusions
This article discusses controversial TV series finales that have disappointed audiences, often overshadowing years of compelling storytelling. It highlights common pitfalls such as rushed conclusions, underdeveloped characters, and unsatisfying plot resolutions, citing examples like Game of Thrones, Lost, and How I Met Your Mother.
We deserve better than Legacy of Kain: Ascendance
Legacy of Kain: Ascendance is a disappointing pixel-art sidescroller that fails to capture the essence of the beloved series. The game introduces a new character, Elaleth, who overshadows established protagonists Raziel and Kain, and features a poorly executed story and inconsistent gameplay. Despite some strong voice acting for Kain, the overall experience is marred by uninspired level design, ugly art, and a lack of identity.
The consensus is that Crimson Desert has terrible storytelling—it's not true
Despite a consensus that Crimson Desert's storytelling is weak, this article argues it's not terrible and contains compelling individual quests and character moments. While the overarching narrative lacks structure, the game offers engaging stories, particularly those involving the Greymane faction, which are elevated by strong characters and voice acting, comparable to elements found in The Witcher 3.
Women Who Reshaped the Landscape of Film and Television
This article discusses iconic female protagonists in film and television who have reshaped storytelling through their depth, courage, and complex journeys. It highlights characters like Vi and Jinx from Arcane, Evelyn Wang from Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Princess Leia from Star Wars, emphasizing their human qualities and impact on audiences.
Overwatch: Undivided is the latest way Blizzard is investing into storytelling outside of the game with new content partnership
Blizzard Entertainment has partnered with WEBTOON to launch a new webcomic series titled Overwatch: Undivided, expanding the narrative of the hero shooter outside of the game. This initiative is part of Blizzard's broader strategy to deepen the lore and storytelling within the Overwatch universe. The first episode of the webcomic is available on WEBTOON, with subsequent episodes requiring a Fast Pass subscription.