Story Driven: The Relationship Between Gameplay and Story

The relationship between gameplay and story is one that changes depending on the type of game.  For some games, like Bejeweled and Tetris, no story is really necessary.  For other games, like Super Mario and Snake Rattle and Roll, the story gets the game started and gives the player the initial push into the gameplay.  Then there are the games where the story is what drives the gameplay.  In these games the story is discovered over the course of the game and the player continues playing in order to find out what happens next.  Story is not necessary for every game, but in games where even the smallest amount of story exists, it is important that it adds an interesting element to the gameplay and that it is presented in a way that flows with the game as whole.

Depending on the type of game there are different ways to connect a story to its gameplay.  For platforming and sidescrolling games, the story can act as a container, bookending the game with an initial quest and an ending.  These games can also contain story material inside of the action itself.  In Braid, a sidescrolling platformer, the player is confronted with a number of books on pedestals before each level that tell the story of Braid’s past and why he continues to go forward.  This kind of in-game story design has the potential to immerse the player deeper into the game itself.

Real Time Strategy games usually utilize the time in between missions to relay the ongoing story.  The Command & Conquer games under the Tiberium story arc are famous for presenting live action cutscenes between the missions in order to alert the player to what is happening in the story.  These cutscenes usually take place from a first person perspective with the actors looking directly into the camera.  This makes the player feel like they are actually part of the action, immersing them in the story and creating a link between the story and the gameplay that follows the mission briefing.

Role playing games usually focus on in-game character interaction that directly links the story to the gameplay.  Players are often tasked with finding a character or enemy that is pivotal to the story and either talking to them or killing them in order to advance the game, and the story, at the same time.  Role playing games like Mass Effect 2 also make use of collectible journal entries on objects in the game world that add depth to the setting and immerse the player more fully in the experience.

There are as many ways to connect a game’s story to its gameplay as there are games.  It is important to find something that fits seamlessly with the game, does not detract from either the story or the gameplay, and further enhances the experience of the player.  After all, that’s who the game is made for.