Contextual Studies Narrative

Another major theme I looked at for my contextual studies essay was the development of narrative with game saving. As players are no longer starting a game from scratch every time they turn the console on it has created long diverse narratives that can be progressed with each play.


     Games such as Fable and Mass Effect 3 are brilliant examples, with ME3 clocking up around 90 minutes of cut scene time, this would have been unfeasible to expect the audience to sit through every time they played a game, which is what would have to happen without game saving.



These two games and others such as Fallout 3 have opened up a new feature where players do not have to follow one linear path, but instead have multiple decisions, moral and tactical, to lead them upon their own unique personal narrative. This is possible and evident in some games before game saving but not anywhere near the extent we have now. Whats more these choices are all the more important when they are saved and not wiped away every time you turn the console off.
     A lot of this extended narrative has created the impression among audiences that games are becoming more and more like interactive movies or novels. I examine this in my essay using quotes from the following website which I feel has adressed this situation: http://themovieblog.com/2011/are-videogames-becoming-more-like-movies/