What is a game ?

[eastyy]

So with the release of hellblade 2 which I have yet to play was a lot of talk about people seeing this as an interactive movie and it got me thinking, I love a good story in a game but for me that's always been secondary as I love to actually play them rather than watch or have limited control. And then u have the opposite mobile games which many have no story but I see as more time wasters

[MartyG]

Electronic imagary that is manipulated by a player to change what happens - that is what a game is. It is fairly well established at this point.

[hudson]

Mechanics controlled by the player that rewards the player with endorphin rushes for doing the good. These rewards can be a win, upgrades, etc. Gameplay loops etc.

For me, I can leave the story. In fact, I tend to skip text if it goes on a bit (unless gameplay mechanic tutorial). I know, I'm a goblin!

[fuse]

A miserable little pile of secrets.

[wakka]

For me there are two basic ways you can integrate a story into a videogame. The first is to deliver a linear or mostly linear experience which delivers gameplay and cutscenes as effectively separate entities. There isn't anything wrong with this, and it's deployed by some of the best games of all time (e.g. MGS1).

It works best when the gameplay is outstandingly good and has depth in its own right, and the story can then act as a sort of icing on that gameplay cake. This is demonstrated by MGS: Special Missions, which is great fun, and shows how strong the underlying mechanics are in addition to how their dramatic moment-to-moment impact is enhanced by the narrative.

The other, much more sophisticated approach is to use the interactive format to grant the player agency within the narrative. It's much rarer, and isn't necessarily possible for all types of game, but I would love to see more titles have the ambition to make use of it. A great example of this is Disco Elysium. That is a game where the gameplay itself is to control and drive forward the narrative, and I think the story is much more impactful as a result.

A mixed approach would be something like Elder Scrolls, which grant you agency within a game world which contains a wide range of narratives, each rigid. With some imagination this can give a feeling of control and shaping your own path, which can also be lots of fun. Quite an elusive feeling to capture, as proven by how cold Starfield left players despite its structural similarities.

[QualityChimp]

I think it's a challenge to be overcome.

That could be as simple as pressure washing the grime off a playground to matching coloured tiles to walking to the end of a corridor.

[Lebowski]

Someone made the comment about hellblade 2 being a walking simulator but with puzzles and combat, it got me thinking anything could be a walking simulator.

Doom: Walking simulator with guns.
Super mario Bros: Walking simulator with jumping.
Final Fantasy: Walking simulator, where the walking is interrupted every so often by menus.
Metal gear solid: Sneaky walking simulator.
Final Fight: Walking simulator with violence.

the list goes on

[briareos_kerensky]

Something you have fun with.

[hudson]

Something you have fun with.

'Game' not 'hand'!

[QualityChimp]

Someone made the comment about hellblade 2 being a walking simulator but with puzzles and combat, it got me thinking anything could be a walking simulator.

Doom: Walking simulator with guns.
Super mario Bros: Walking simulator with jumping.
Final Fantasy: Walking simulator, where the walking is interrupted every so often by menus.
Metal gear solid: Sneaky walking simulator.
Final Fight: Walking simulator with violence.

the list goes on

I like Walking Simulator as a genre. I think Edith Finch and Everyone's Gone to the Rapture are some of the most memorable games I've played and there are no guns in them. It's not just a story, you explore or play minigames that push the plot on. The "game" element, is trying to find out what happened by exploring and finding the bits of exposition.

[Lebowski]

I like Walking Simulator as a genre. I think Edith Finch and Everyone's Gone to the Rapture are some of the most memorable games I've played and there are no guns in them. It's not just a story, you explore or play minigames that push the plot on. The "game" element, is trying to find out what happened by exploring and finding the bits of exposition.

I played through Edith again recently, your not wrong the exploration and story elements are enough, A big part of a lot of really popular games is the exploration of the world (skyrim zelda, fallout ect) with a good story you don't need anything else to break up or extend things which is why Edith finch worked so well for me, the story is the reward and the stick that keeps you engaged and exploring.

What Remains of Edith Finch Walking with the Joy of exploration

[Neon Ignition]

It can involve a twister mat, handcuffs, leather outfits, cosplay outfits, light spanking, various specific toys, safe words, swin... oh... video games...