doops. Member Jun 3, 2020 5,069 Stumbled upon this list on Backloggd, and was intrigued to hear if anyone has any other games that could be applicable or any takes on the ones already mentioned? 'Narratives that can only exist in video game media' a list of games by Paggi | Backloggd Its somewhat normalized that narrative excellence in games means mirroring books and cinema Not only thats far from the truth but some games have used the media they represent to achieve a whole new level of writing backloggd.com List is: OneShot Nier: Automata Shadow of the Colossus The Silver Case Undertale Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony EarthBound INSIDE Spec Ops: The Line Death Stranding Alan Wake II The Stanley Parable Return of the Obra Dinn Portal Immortality Legend of Mana   Busaiku Teyvat Traveler Member Oct 25, 2017 17,821 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors   Glasfrut Avenger Oct 27, 2017 4,824 Does the first Bioshock go here?   OP OP doops. Member Jun 3, 2020 5,069 Glasfrut said: Does the first Bioshock go here? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Ooo, yeah, that's a good pick!  Gangster Gastino Member Mar 21, 2018 2,805 Eternal Darkness   Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 27,539 Disco Elysium KOTOR  southwest Member Sep 15, 2022 2,718 Glasfrut said: Does the first Bioshock go here? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Why?   JakeNoseIt Catch My Drift Verified Oct 27, 2017 4,744 I think you could argue for almost any game to be on this list. The second there is gameplay, there is narrative (and then obviously that narrative couldn't exist in film or TV)   barbarash22 Member Oct 19, 2019 820 Soma   hiberner toujours Member Dec 6, 2023 1,756 13 sentinels   PallasKitten Member Jul 11, 2022 1,776 Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons The House in Fata Morgana Doki Doki Literature Club  Holundrian Member Oct 25, 2017 11,122 Probably every Daniel Mullins game   OP OP doops. Member Jun 3, 2020 5,069 JakeNoseIt said: I think you could argue for almost any game to be on this list. The second there is gameplay, there is narrative (and then obviously that narrative couldn't exist in film or TV) Click to expand... Click to shrink... Well, technically yes, but that's not as fun for discussion lol  Rustyspider13 Shinra Employee Member Nov 16, 2023 3,587 I'm not sure if the entire story counts but a moment in Brothers: A tale of Two Sons cannot be accomplished outside of video games.   blueredandgold Member Oct 25, 2017 8,626 Spoilers OK if marked? 999 on DS has you hooked until the last 10% or maybe even 5% of the game where the rug is literally pulled out from under you and you are forced to think about every action you as this external detached player character has made throughout the story seemingly while only acting out as the protaganist. Gone Home is by rights a "spooky house and you're all on your own" story at first but it transforms into a beautiful story about youth, family and discovering one's true self. Mario and Luigi Bowser's Inside Story explores what makes the big man tick. Like, literally. Killer 7 on the outside and at the outset is a bonkers third person shoot-em-up and puzzle infused cel shaded action game but t's more a visual novel that's a really interesting character study of a person's personality. Or how it might become more than just singular. RTS games by and large that try and categorise you as someone in-game never sat well with me. I quite liked being more of the invisible hand guiding the events or having the entire campaign come crashing down on me like it's that movie Downfall and I need to yell at everybody, Semi-recently. I can't not mention 1000x Resist. I even was able to stomach voice acting in a video game for once. I'm as surprised as anybody. Play these games. Thank me later.  Boopers Member Nov 1, 2020 4,303 Vermont usa Dragon's Dogma, kinda sorta.   Ashes of Dreams Fallen Guardian of Unshakable Resolve Member May 22, 2020 19,573 Didn't people like the Nier Automata anime? I haven't watched it but I heard it did a decent enough job. What about that story can only exist in a video game? I guess the final bit to an extent but if anything, I'd say the first Nier is a much better pick for that, given it's use of the NG+ mechanic. Edit: Thinking about this list further, I think it's title is doing it a disservice. It should have just been "games that use game specific elements to enhance the narrative" or "narratives made better by being in a game" or something.  Kromis Member Oct 29, 2017 8,083 SoCal Why is Shadow of the Colossus on that list? Haven't played it in almost two decades :')   ynthrepic Member Oct 25, 2017 891 Ashes of Dreams said: Didn't people like the Nier Automata anime? I haven't watched it but I heard it did a decent enough job. What about that story can only exist in a video game? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Its less the main narrative and everything else supporting it. Game mechanics given context in ways that are lost outside the medium.  blueredandgold Member Oct 25, 2017 8,626 Ashes of Dreams said: Didn't people like the Nier Automata anime? I haven't watched it but I heard it did a decent enough job. What about that story can only exist in a video game? Click to expand... Click to shrink... The answer to that is a spoiler and it's also partly due to the fact you can literally come away from it having completely different interpretations of the story, and exactly how it was resolved, compared to another person. I don't fully understand the over-arching thrust of the game's final act/ending but I also don't entirely mind that fact, either. Whereas in a standard three-act story you know what happened at least happened to the other people who experienced the same story as you.  Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 27,539 southwest said: "Would you kindly" would not work anywhere near as well in a linear storytelling medium where the audience isn't controlling the protagonist.   SpicySpiritGun Member May 16, 2018 350 Outer Wilds   Homura ▲ Legend ▲ Member Aug 20, 2019 6,953 As much as I love V3, I don't see why an anime would be impossible. The 1st twist can work with unreliable camera angles, and the 2nd twist doesn't really rely on being a video game at all.   Ashes of Dreams Fallen Guardian of Unshakable Resolve Member May 22, 2020 19,573 blueredandgold said: The answer to that is a spoiler and it's also partly due to the fact you can literally come away from it having completely different interpretations of the story, and exactly how it was resolved, compared to another person. I don't fully understand the over-arching thrust of the game's final act/ending but I also don't entirely mind that fact, either. Whereas in a standard three-act story you know what happened at least happened to the other people who experienced the same story as you. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I'm very familiar with Nier Automata, don't worry. It's just the anime I haven't seen. My point was the story seems to work outside the context of games, so the title of the list is a bit exaggerated.  southwest Member Sep 15, 2022 2,718 Mr Evil 37 said: "Would you kindly" would not work anywhere near as well in a linear storytelling medium where the audience isn't controlling the protagonist. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I really do not agree at all that that cannot exist outside of video games.   Badcoo Member May 9, 2018 1,846 Mass Effect.   Necromanti Member Oct 25, 2017 12,794 hyouko Member Oct 27, 2017 3,902 I've soured on Jonathan Blow, but the standard ending of Braid is pretty good for this.   kaputt Member Oct 27, 2017 1,291 Driver San Francisco It's a detective/cop story, but without the "Shift" element of the gameplay, it wouldn't be nearly as fun as it is. And I don't think it would be easily adaptable to other mediums, it works way better as a game  twister926 Member Apr 28, 2022 764 I Kromis said: Why is Shadow of the Colossus on that list? Haven't played it in almost two decades :') Click to expand... Click to shrink... At some point you may get a feeling that you are not the hero of the story, as the game suggested at the start, and start feeling really bad by progressing it.   Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 27,539 southwest said: I really do not agree at all that that cannot exist outside of video games. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Maybe not CANNOT exist, but I don't think it would work anywhere near as well. It's a twist that is almost entirely predicated on the audience having agency in the story.   giapel Member Oct 28, 2017 5,216 JakeNoseIt said: I think you could argue for almost any game to be on this list. The second there is gameplay, there is narrative (and then obviously that narrative couldn't exist in film or TV) Click to expand... Click to shrink... That's true but most games don't lean on the advantages of the medium and the story they tell is confined to be "cinematic". I would add Blue Prince to the list. It's storytelling is wonderfully interactive.  Lihwem Member Mar 17, 2020 857 I want to say Last of Us Part 2 but the TV show has been stellar so far so who knows   Homura ▲ Legend ▲ Member Aug 20, 2019 6,953 Blue Prince is a good example, as the roguelike element is a canon part of the narrative.   Bucca Member Oct 25, 2017 5,436 The Last Guardian   404LinkNotFound Member Oct 27, 2017 10,600 The entire Zero escape series The whole Ai the somnium files series  Odinsmana Member Mar 13, 2019 3,601 So does this jsut mean games where they tell the story during gameplay or the fact that you are playing the MC enchances the story? Otherwise I don`t really understand why something like SotC or Inside is on the list? Does something like What Remains of Edith Finch count in that case? Anyway. Here as some games with storytelling methods that only work in a game: Doki Doki Literature Club Games like The Golden Idol series and the Rootrees Are Dead. Road 96 Her Story  southwest Member Sep 15, 2022 2,718 Mr Evil 37 said: Maybe not CANNOT exist, but I don't think it would work anywhere near as well. It's a twist that is almost entirely predicated on the audience having agency in the story. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Maybe. But the thread and list is specifically asking for narratives that cannot exist outside of video games.   Nyandeyanen Member Apr 16, 2024 820 Persona, to some extent? The freeform nature of the social links and social skills is pretty video game specific. I do wish the main story would better reflect your social links and romances though.   Bulgowski Member Apr 8, 2022 666 Bloodborne, Elden Ring, Dark Souls   Frankish Member Oct 25, 2017 1,468 USA Came here to say Death Stranding but that's already on list. I'll add Inscryption.  Vic20 Member Nov 10, 2019 4,408 Bulgowski said: Bloodborne, Elden Ring, Dark Souls Click to expand... Click to shrink... Those games have no narratives Anyway I pick GTA and RDR  Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 27,539 southwest said: Maybe. But the thread and list is specifically asking for narratives that cannot exist outside of video games. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I think there's nuance to any conversation like this, but I personally think a game like BioShock which engages directly with the idea that it is a game and the audience is actively controlling the character (or they think they are) qualifies for this discussion. At no point when you're watching a movie do you feel that you are controlling the protagonist. I'm sure there is a way to adapt the twist to a movie but it would need to be presented very differently to the point where the core message would probably be different.