There are a lot of games out there that each have their own, unique story to tell. These stories range from emotional, thrilling, meaningful and more often than not try to deliver some sort of message. Throughout the experience, the game attempts to create a bond between the player and the protagonist via the narrative, as they go through situations that seem difficult to overcome. More often than not, the players take a backseat as they watch events unfold. Events that involve the same character that they are meant to be in control of.
However, recently there have been a few titles that attempt to put players more in the role of their characters. Rather than just decide how they fight or limit their experience to simply watching the story, certain game developers have put players in the position of the protagonists, making their actions directly affect the fate of the characters and thereby the outcome of the story. This method of storytelling is more commonly known as the "Dungeons & Dragons" technique.
For those who do not know, "Dungeons & Dragons" (or D&D, for short) was a fantasy tabletop role-playing game that was released back in 1974, when 4K TVs and dual-core processors were things that the human mind couldn't even imagine. The concept of this game was to create a fantastical setting and give the players a choice of two individual paths on how to proceed. Depending on the answers they provide, their created character could either end up with a grim fate or survive all trials and come out as the winner.
This sort of unique way of storytelling, where the player directly affects the way the story progresses has been used by several developers, but most popular among them is ATLUS. Both their recently re-released title Catherine: Full Body and their Persona series make perfect use of the "D&D" method by amplifying it, as they put players in situations that requires them to reveal their true personality. (It's should be pointed out that there are heavy spoilers for both Persona 5 and Catherine: Full Body up ahead, so if you haven't played either of them and you intend to, you might want to skip the next section.)
In 2016 's Persona 5, the main character is able to form relationships with several individuals around him. The bonds he forms serve him in battle, yet should he go too far with his intimacy, it could prove costly and hurt those around him. The player chooses the people with whom the main character forms these bonds and there are certain limitations as there are a lot of people surrounding the main character and limited time. He could choose to not talk to anyone and be a loner. Or there's the opposite extreme where the main character ends up as a playboy who has an incredibly full schedule for his Valentine's Day.
But the choice that was the most thought-provocative came near the end of the game, when the mastermind behind it all, the so-called 'God of Control', offered the main character a chance to turn the wheels of time and for the populace to accept the Phantom Thieves -as is the pseudonym of the gang the main characters have formed. Considering the way the story has progressed up to that point, but also the fact that there doesn't seem to be a downside to this offer, it's difficult to say no, putting players in a very difficult position.
Yet doing so ends the game right then and there, as you're provided with an ending that shows a public crowd that lacks the abilities of clear thought and criticism, blindly taking whatever the Phantom Thieves do as a positive. Such power is easy to corrupt and it is that choice that is given to the player here. I must admit, when I was provided with the choice, I took the offer and it was difficult for me to go back and complete the game.
Catherine: Full Body makes things even more personal. The game begins with a main character, Vincent, who is already involved with someone -Katherine- yet somehow finds himself getting involved with not just another, but two more people, who all interestingly share the same name. Night after night, Vincent experiences horrific nightmares during which he needs to go up a series of stairs in order to reach a door if he is to survive. Every time he reaches the top, he finds himself in a confessional, where someone who he cannot see asks him a question. And this is where the players get involved. The questions that are asked are not directed to Vincent, but to the players themselves and are of a highly personal matter ("What do you look for in another person before you begin a relationship?", was one of the questions that I was asked). The responses of the players directly affect Vincent's story and the way he deals with his personal relationships, with the game featuring multiple endings.
This type of storytelling of course might lead to extensive development times for each title, as contrary to a streamlined scenario, there need to be branches depending on the choices of the players and different cut scenes, etc. Plus it might diminish the time of the original play through of a title significantly. It also creates a moral dilemma for the players themselves who may not want to go back and see the other endings, as those will not be based on their own choices, but rather they will be forced to make decisions that they wouldn't usually make in real life.
Yet it is undoubtedly one of the most innovative way of getting players invested into a story as it makes them feel responsible in a way for their character's fate and could even give them an opportunity to reflect on their actions, should their choices lead the hero down a wrong path. It's like you're providing them with the pen and the paper and all they have to do is write; it's their own story.
However, recently there have been a few titles that attempt to put players more in the role of their characters. Rather than just decide how they fight or limit their experience to simply watching the story, certain game developers have put players in the position of the protagonists, making their actions directly affect the fate of the characters and thereby the outcome of the story. This method of storytelling is more commonly known as the "Dungeons & Dragons" technique.
For those who do not know, "Dungeons & Dragons" (or D&D, for short) was a fantasy tabletop role-playing game that was released back in 1974, when 4K TVs and dual-core processors were things that the human mind couldn't even imagine. The concept of this game was to create a fantastical setting and give the players a choice of two individual paths on how to proceed. Depending on the answers they provide, their created character could either end up with a grim fate or survive all trials and come out as the winner.
This sort of unique way of storytelling, where the player directly affects the way the story progresses has been used by several developers, but most popular among them is ATLUS. Both their recently re-released title Catherine: Full Body and their Persona series make perfect use of the "D&D" method by amplifying it, as they put players in situations that requires them to reveal their true personality. (It's should be pointed out that there are heavy spoilers for both Persona 5 and Catherine: Full Body up ahead, so if you haven't played either of them and you intend to, you might want to skip the next section.)
In 2016 's Persona 5, the main character is able to form relationships with several individuals around him. The bonds he forms serve him in battle, yet should he go too far with his intimacy, it could prove costly and hurt those around him. The player chooses the people with whom the main character forms these bonds and there are certain limitations as there are a lot of people surrounding the main character and limited time. He could choose to not talk to anyone and be a loner. Or there's the opposite extreme where the main character ends up as a playboy who has an incredibly full schedule for his Valentine's Day.
But the choice that was the most thought-provocative came near the end of the game, when the mastermind behind it all, the so-called 'God of Control', offered the main character a chance to turn the wheels of time and for the populace to accept the Phantom Thieves -as is the pseudonym of the gang the main characters have formed. Considering the way the story has progressed up to that point, but also the fact that there doesn't seem to be a downside to this offer, it's difficult to say no, putting players in a very difficult position.
Yet doing so ends the game right then and there, as you're provided with an ending that shows a public crowd that lacks the abilities of clear thought and criticism, blindly taking whatever the Phantom Thieves do as a positive. Such power is easy to corrupt and it is that choice that is given to the player here. I must admit, when I was provided with the choice, I took the offer and it was difficult for me to go back and complete the game.
Catherine: Full Body makes things even more personal. The game begins with a main character, Vincent, who is already involved with someone -Katherine- yet somehow finds himself getting involved with not just another, but two more people, who all interestingly share the same name. Night after night, Vincent experiences horrific nightmares during which he needs to go up a series of stairs in order to reach a door if he is to survive. Every time he reaches the top, he finds himself in a confessional, where someone who he cannot see asks him a question. And this is where the players get involved. The questions that are asked are not directed to Vincent, but to the players themselves and are of a highly personal matter ("What do you look for in another person before you begin a relationship?", was one of the questions that I was asked). The responses of the players directly affect Vincent's story and the way he deals with his personal relationships, with the game featuring multiple endings.
This type of storytelling of course might lead to extensive development times for each title, as contrary to a streamlined scenario, there need to be branches depending on the choices of the players and different cut scenes, etc. Plus it might diminish the time of the original play through of a title significantly. It also creates a moral dilemma for the players themselves who may not want to go back and see the other endings, as those will not be based on their own choices, but rather they will be forced to make decisions that they wouldn't usually make in real life.
Yet it is undoubtedly one of the most innovative way of getting players invested into a story as it makes them feel responsible in a way for their character's fate and could even give them an opportunity to reflect on their actions, should their choices lead the hero down a wrong path. It's like you're providing them with the pen and the paper and all they have to do is write; it's their own story.
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