Do games, NEED story?

[StriderShinryu]

A game does not necessarily need story, but it does need motivation. In many genres, that motivation is at least partially gained if not directly by story then by place and experience. Based on pure mechanics alone, many genres or game would have become extremely boring a long time ago.

That said, there certainly are games that do manage or could manage to exist without a story at all, and through which experience is purely part of the mechanics. Fighting games, for example, really don't need a story at all. Sure it can be nice to have one, but purely given solid mechanics and a diverse roster of well designed fighters, they could definitely still be amazing and long lasting games.

 

[Aesir23]

I wouldn't say that every game needs a story, it largely depends on the context of the game itself. An RPG, for example, would rely heavily upon a story where a sports game would not.

It's also quite subjective as it can also depend on the person playing the game. My brother doesn't require story as he generally prefers racing games, Minecraft and purely plays Halo on multiplayer. This is the opposite of myself where I view a story as one of my top priorities when it comes to gaming, if you look through my collection of games you will not find a single one that doesn't have a story. The only time I could argue that a game could use less story is in the case of MGS4. I don't mind abundant cutscenes but when some of them lasted half an hour or more I tended to lose interest.

For me, the reason I prefer story is as a motivator. A game could have excellent gameplay but unless I look forward to advancing the story and seeing what happens next then I get very bored very quickly as it feels that I don't have a worthwhile goal to work towards.

 

[Terrible Opinions]

The simple answer: does this sentence, need a comma?

 

[nexus]

If my glory days of gaming are any indication, then no.

Talking NES here, where games had a nonsensical intro at most. Games are definitely better with some effort put into the writing and presentation. When a game came around on the NES that had this quality, it was considered otherworldly or "different".

 

[Breywood]

No.

However, by far the most meaningful games to me have been those that have a weighty story element, as they combine my passion for games with my more general passion for theatre and fiction.

This is pretty much what I'd like to say also. Unreal Tournament 99 is fine with a light story element and could have done with less of it, actually. Its sequels were actually burdened by trying to put one in there. But I think something like the original Diablo would have been unnoticed if there hadn't been its particular story element.

 

[Xanadu84]

Any view of gaming that says that ALL games must be X is wrong. There are infinite possibilities in play, and excluding possibilities can only harm you. There are games that benefit from a deep story, others that benefit from a simple story, still more that benefit from a story simply as a framing device, others where a nice story is a bonus, and others where a story can only weigh a game down. It's like asking, "Do movies need violence?". Violent movies do. Non violent movies don't. Any meaningful answer comes across as tautological.

 

[piinyouri]

For me personally? Nah. I could live without them.

I do enjoy the occasional good ones when they happen to roll through, but mostly I ignore the story anyway.

 

[Mirroga]

NOT ALL games need story. Some games have gameplay solid enough that it doesn't need a narrative or provided setting/atmosphere for the gameplay to work.

But let's not forget, story in videogames not only add flavor. It adds mystery and curiosity to the backstory of the character we control and the world he explores. It adds atmosphere and immersion. And most of all, it adds motivation to move forward and continue on with the game.

 

[BreakfastMan]

Of course games don't need stories. Movies and books don't need stories, so why do games?

Still, having a story makes your game that much more enjoyable, so I honestly recommend having a story in every game, if it is possible. And, adding context to the actions of the game is always helpful.

 

[GTwander]

If the game features a legit character, then it requires the minimum amount of background information.

If the game is pure puzzle, or extremely puzzle-heavy, it really doesn't.

Just using flash games as an example, how many have a simple idea of "get this square object over there" compared to "this is [insert name here], he is [insert plot here], get him over there".

The moment the object you control takes on any human (or living) characteristics, there is usually a need for some kind of background as to why you/it is bothering with it all in the first place. Nobody asked the tetris blocks of their motive, but they did when it was Dr. Mario. It could be argued that "Steve" of Minecraft has no story, but the world and it's creatures are absolutely full of lore, unspoken or not.

 

[viranimus]

Narrative is larger than people consider, even if it is in the most simple or complex of terms. That said, Games NEED narrative context to provide the player with motivation. Otherwise without motivation what point is there to start or continue to play? However, narrative is like an ingredient in a good dish. In some you need a full cup, while in others you only need a drop. Too much can overpower, not enough leaves it bland.

 

[AD-Stu]

Obviously it depends on the game - puzzle games don't really need anything in the way of a story, but RPGs fall almost completely flat without one.

 

[Risingblade]

Actually that story for pong sounds pretty bad ass

 

[TehCookie]

Obviously it depends on the game - puzzle games don't really need anything in the way of a story, but RPGs fall almost completely flat without one.

Skyrim did pretty well.

I don't think all games need a story but it never hurts a game, if it's bad you can just ignore it and play like it doesn't exist (as shown above). Besides stories usually set some sort of goal, even in a simple game like Mario beating the level to save the princess sounds better than beating the level because that's what you do in games.

 

[Woodsey]

As soon as you learn how to have a TV program without images and sounds or a book without words, we can discuss a game without a story.

People fail to realize that the story of a game is bigger then they think. It's the actions the player takes, the setting and its background, the mechanics and what the player can do, its embedded in the very rules and mechanics of the game. The story isn't necessary always super great, but you can't have a game without a story. It'd be like trying to design a game without any idea o what you want to make and randomly adding things as you go. There is some sort of narrative in the game and in the design and that is the story.

Your first sentence doesn't really mean anything. The actual equivalent would be something like "games without any method of player input". As for the rest, you're seriously stretching things. I understand what you're getting at, but in reality I think you're instead being disingenuous to the difficulty of actually using mechanics to supplement or form narrative. Most developers can't do it to save their life.

And when you start trying to apply that idea to stuff like Pong, it caves in on itself pretty much anyway.

OT: No, although I wouldn't then take much interest in them.

 

[Zhukov]

Of course not all games need stories.

Just the ones that want to be really good.

 

[Baron_Rouge]

Some games definitely do. They give some weight to your actions and help you identify with your characters. Then again, I don't think they're necessary for all games...I'm currently having great fun with Mario Kart 7, and I'd actually prefer Super Mario 3D Land without one. Much as I loved that game, if they're just gonna recycle the same plot for every Mario game, I don't see why they need one at all.

 

[sethisjimmy]

People seem to be mentioning "motivation" a lot ITT, as if the ONLY motivation for playing games could ever be story.

That's just wrong. My main motivation for playing almost all games is the gameplay itself.

Look at sports. You don't play soccer because you want to know the story of the soccer players or the characterization, you play purely because the mechanics of the game and the action are fun.

The same can be true of video games. Not always, I get that for a lot of people story is the main motivation, but personally I think there's not much point playing if the actual gameplay isn't fun.

 

[Username Redacted]

Games don't need stories but if you aren't doing something that's fun, interesting or original with your gameplay you better be making up for it with your writing.

 

[Random Argument Man]

Tetris is the best game ever. Tetris has no story.

Lies!


OT: Some game do need story. Back in the old days, it's either you had a good story with shitty gameplay or vice-versa.