Remachinate
Member
After all the discussion in the other thread about what ludonarrative dissonance is, what games have it, and whether its even a problem, I thought it might be interesting to come at it from the other direction, and discuss games that actively integrate the gameplay and story in an effective way. So lets post some examples of instances where the mechanics amplified or complemented the themes or feelings of the narrative, such that we can discuss the value of doing so. Note: this isnt about cases where the gameplay simply doesnt get in the way of story or vice versa, but rather where they play off each other in a way that creates a cohesive whole. Heres some off the top of my head that Ive appreciated or seen brought up in other threads:
Dishonored
The themes of Dishonored's setting is corruption by the enticement of power. You see it in almost every major character, from High Overseer Campbell and the Lord Regent to Daud and Granny Rags. Whether that power is political, financial or supernatural, each character claims it and uses it for twisted ends. Then Corvo (and the player, by extension) is himself offered power by the Outsider to reach his goals, and can make his own decisions about what abilities to upgrade and how theyre used. But whats interesting is that the powers are mostly useful in enhancing ones combat abilitiesto make Corvo a deadlier assassin. But each death at Corvos hands increases the chaos of the world, which can result in negative consequences both in the story and the level design. Furthermore, by embracing these powers to kill more effectively, Corvo becomes corrupted by power just like his targets and perpetuates the cycle. Conversely, Corvo can deny himself the use of these abilities and play a nonlethal, stealthy playthrough where not even a single person is killed, and the resulting low chaos results in less dangerous levels and a brighter ending.
This technique of tying the chaos system to the narrative is effective because the player himself feels the tension of seeing these cool abilities that he has to forsake if he wants a good outcome. In the same way that Corvo and the other characters are tempted by power, so too is the player, and restraint is required to overcome the corruption of the world. By using the mechanics to evoke the same feelings in player and character, Dishonored creates a more immersive experience.
(With credit to Screaming Meat for a more concise description)
FTL
This is a perfect example of mechanics that perfectly match the setting and tone. FTL doesnt give you a detailed overarching narrativerace to the star system of your headquarters before you get caught by the Federationbut the every element of gameplay, from the vignettes of each new waypoint to the frantic battles, enhance the isolated, vulnerable feeling of traveling in a small vessel in the blackness of space. The tension you feel at moments when you need to put out the ship fire without losing all oxygen really evokes the desperation of the narrative.
Fez
Fezs story is simpleGomez must explore his world to collect cubes to keep his world from falling apartbut as a purely 2D entity, hes only able to do this once hes granted understanding of the third dimension. From a story standpoint, he literally has to change his perspective to navigate the world and collect the cubes. From a gameplay standpoint, many the puzzles require the player to do the same thingafter the player translates each set of symbols to words, numbers, and directions, his perception of them is permanently changed. This metaphor of visual revelation giving way to mental understanding, and vice versa, is something Gomez and the player both experience, which is a big factor in the immersion the game provides.
Anyone else notice similar techniques in other games?
Dishonored
The themes of Dishonored's setting is corruption by the enticement of power. You see it in almost every major character, from High Overseer Campbell and the Lord Regent to Daud and Granny Rags. Whether that power is political, financial or supernatural, each character claims it and uses it for twisted ends. Then Corvo (and the player, by extension) is himself offered power by the Outsider to reach his goals, and can make his own decisions about what abilities to upgrade and how theyre used. But whats interesting is that the powers are mostly useful in enhancing ones combat abilitiesto make Corvo a deadlier assassin. But each death at Corvos hands increases the chaos of the world, which can result in negative consequences both in the story and the level design. Furthermore, by embracing these powers to kill more effectively, Corvo becomes corrupted by power just like his targets and perpetuates the cycle. Conversely, Corvo can deny himself the use of these abilities and play a nonlethal, stealthy playthrough where not even a single person is killed, and the resulting low chaos results in less dangerous levels and a brighter ending.
This technique of tying the chaos system to the narrative is effective because the player himself feels the tension of seeing these cool abilities that he has to forsake if he wants a good outcome. In the same way that Corvo and the other characters are tempted by power, so too is the player, and restraint is required to overcome the corruption of the world. By using the mechanics to evoke the same feelings in player and character, Dishonored creates a more immersive experience.
(With credit to Screaming Meat for a more concise description)
FTL
This is a perfect example of mechanics that perfectly match the setting and tone. FTL doesnt give you a detailed overarching narrativerace to the star system of your headquarters before you get caught by the Federationbut the every element of gameplay, from the vignettes of each new waypoint to the frantic battles, enhance the isolated, vulnerable feeling of traveling in a small vessel in the blackness of space. The tension you feel at moments when you need to put out the ship fire without losing all oxygen really evokes the desperation of the narrative.
Fez
Fezs story is simpleGomez must explore his world to collect cubes to keep his world from falling apartbut as a purely 2D entity, hes only able to do this once hes granted understanding of the third dimension. From a story standpoint, he literally has to change his perspective to navigate the world and collect the cubes. From a gameplay standpoint, many the puzzles require the player to do the same thingafter the player translates each set of symbols to words, numbers, and directions, his perception of them is permanently changed. This metaphor of visual revelation giving way to mental understanding, and vice versa, is something Gomez and the player both experience, which is a big factor in the immersion the game provides.
Anyone else notice similar techniques in other games?
