The Flexibility of Games: From Engaging Narratives to Tools for Learning
Exploring how narrative is conveyed in games as well as how it has been used in the field of learning
When people are asked about their favourite stories, how often do they mention a game? Two decades ago, you wouldn’t find that many but nowadays there are numerous games that come up in conversation. Games in general have come a long way from their inception, from being a simple two dimensional table tennis simulation to full blown open worlds that feel lush and alive. Some have even used games as a tool for teaching, like Minecraft, which has its own version specifically for school students, dubbed the ‘Education Edition.’ All of this goes to show how truly flexible the medium of gaming truly is.
Narrative games find their origin in adventure games, which date back to the late 1970s with titles Colossal Cave Adventure and Zork. These were the first ever pieces of interactive fiction, which had players type in commands for what they wanted their character to do. Over time, these developed into point-and-click adventure games which allowed players to use the mouse to click on objects to interact with them. As games continued to evolve, developers began to understand the full potential of the medium. Games like Metal Gear Solid fully used the potential of games as a method of storytelling to convey narratives that would be impossible to tell in other mediums like books or movies.
As the potential of games to tell unique stories continued to grow, its ability to be used as a learning tool was eventually recognized as well, with numerous universities from across the globe beginning their own game studies programs. UTM also has its own game studies program, run by Bruno Veras, an assistant professor who teaches several courses related to game studies. During an event featuring narrative games made by students, I had the chance to speak with professor Veras, who told me about the courses he taught, including a new summer course going over the representation of history in games. As a historian himself, he spoke at length about how history has been used as a narrative device in games like Age of Empires and the Assassin’s Creed franchise.
One of my favourite games of all time is Outer Wilds, a shining example of how a game can tell a unique narrative and be used as a tool for learning. The game originated from the director’s thesis for his master’s degree, which combined several elements of his previous projects like a planetary system that changed over time and objects that moved when the player did not observe them. After graduating, he went on to eventually develop it into a full game, which revolved around the player exploring a small solar system and discovering its history. The game features only 2-3 cutscenes, as the narrative is conveyed entirely through the many secrets left to find for the player.
Among other storytelling mediums, games are the most unique form of them all. Unlike books or movies, you are not just an observer, but part of the narrative that the game is trying to tell, which adds a layer of interactivity that will always draw people. While some believe that games have reached their peak, I attest that they still have great potential to tell unique and captivating stories.
