Games have never been more popular than right now, and over the last few decades, they have grown considerably. Games today are now regularly praised for their storylines which many people consider to be a form of art. But what makes video game storytelling so good? Let’s take a closer look.

How Storytelling Has Grown In Video Games

Back when video games were first released, they were mostly simple forms of entertainment to keep you busy for a short period of time. As technology has progressed, games have changed and grown much larger than that.

Most modern-day games that are released today have stories to tell, marking the first huge difference between them and the very early arcade video games. Whether these games are video games for consoles, smartphone games for work commutes or simply casino games for gambling sites as found at CasinosToPlay, they all have a story to tell big or small.

While many home console video games are still light on storytelling and prefer to focus on providing entertainment, there are numerous video games which go further than that and offer players deep stories which feature character growth, twists and turns, and intricate plots that unfold over dozens of hours of play.

Some video games even go as far as to break traditional gaming archetypes with stories or events that make players reflect on their decisions both in real-life and those made in-game. In addition to that, there are some games such as the Souls series which have rich lore but require players to explore the game’s world and interact with non-controllable characters to figure out the various stories being told. This lack of hand-holding has led thousands of players to create their own interpretations of said storylines and has allowed for debates and the sharing of ideas between players.

An Immersive Experience

All of this comes together to provide consumers with an experience most traditional art such as film and books can’t provide. The reason for this is because most video games, unlike other forms of media, are controlled by the players - when you play video games you are no longer a bystander viewing events, you are creating them and experiencing them first-hand through your character.

What makes video games even more unique is that many require players to make a series of decisions that impact the game’s world and its story, meaning that multiple players could have different outcomes in which unique events or plot points occur. This offers replays and further fuels discussions and debates among players.

We can’t leave without mentioning how so many video games have been adapted into failed films or television shows. Many viewers believe the reason for this is due to weak storytelling, but the reason is that games offer deeper immersion than other forms of media and can tell its story across ten, fifteen, or more than twenty hours of playtime and through exploration.

You just don’t get that in any other art forms, and while films, books, television, and artwork are great and provide their own form of storytelling, nothing beats an immersive game.