Games for a Video Game Storytelling Class?

[Scabadus]

I can adapt the course to the age group perfectly well, but unfortunately it means I am not allowed to use M-rated games in the course.

Maybe the law (or even the culture) is different here, but I did a film studies course in secondary school and we all had to get our parents to sign a form allowing us to watch 18 rated films even though we were underage. If at all possible I'd recomend getting this to happen, because most games with an in depth and emotional story have high age ratings, for reasons you'll already be aware of if you're teaching a course about it. Plus you'd get to use Bioshock, which is the perfect example of excessivly linear storytelling in a theoretically interactive environment.

 

[TIMESWORDSMAN]

If you wanna go with something that will endear itself to an artsy person, you can't go wrong with either Portal or Shadow of The Colossus. SoTC especially since the story is told almost almost entirely by interaction.

 

[Manji187]

No M-rated games!? Damn, I wanted to suggest MGS 3.

 

[Scarecrow1001]

I think the best solution would be Assassin's Creed II and/Or Red Dead Redemption

 

[Aprilgold]

Limbo, but, let me guess, thats too 'dark' for your class. If thats the case, Braid. Magicka if you want some comedy values on it.

 

[zephyron]

...and Final Fantasy VI is the one example of that series I decided to use (the other possibilities were VII and X, but I decided to stretch the students' limits a bit more with an older game).

I don't have any specific suggestions that haven't been included here, but have you considered the actual logistics of your students playing the games? How many of your students are going to have the consoles available to play these games, or failing that high-enough end PC's? FF6 struck me as odd until I realized it was available on PSN and Wii's Virtual Console, but that's still relatively limited. I think the logistics will be one of the harder parts of this class. Each category is going to need at least one game that every student with a minimal modern computer can play without emulation. Unfortunately, many of the games that were developed long enough ago that they can run non-embarassingly on current non-gaming computers have quirky support for modern operating systems. And since you're dealing with likely not-overly-technical high school students, you're probably going to have to be doing a lot of technical support.
Certainly not a problem that can't be overcome, but it is something to be actively thinking about with your lists.

 

[Joccaren]

Gah, no M rated. That really sucks. A lot of the best stories are in M rated games.
Some things I would have suggested would be Bioshock. Not because its story was massively revolutionary or anything, but to show how player engagement and control affects their reactions to the story and such. The Twist in Bioshock is that much more shocking because of how it is revealed and used. Spoilers for those who don't know:

Spoiler

Throughout Bioshock, right from the first 10 minutes of the game, you are asked by a man referring to himself as Atlas to do numerous things to help him and his family. This starts when you first enter Rapture, where he says 'Would you kindly pick up that short range radio'. From there, he says you're going to have to trust him, and tells you to get out of the sub and move to higher ground. Once there, he activates security systems to save you from a splicer, then asks you 'Would you kindly find a crowbar or somethin'. He tells you that he and his family are trying to escape Rapture, and they need you help. He asks 'Would you kindly lower your weapon' when you first encounter a Big Daddy and Little Sister, saving your life most likely. 'Would you kindly go to the medical centre' is one of his next requests, to help you reach his family in Neptune's bounty. When in Neptune's Bounty, you are directed to a sub he says contains his family. He asks 'Would you kindly open the release valve', or something along those lines to let them escape. Andrew Ryan, the owner of Rapture (Who you have seen before, and who has always been hostile to you) then tells you not to interfere or something, and blows up the sub. Atlas asks 'Would you kindly go to [X]' (Forgotten where), and you being a journey for your revenge against Andrew Ryan. Those who have played the game will have already seen the pattern, those that haven't may not have. Your quest for revenge against Andrew Ryan comes to a climax when you finally go to confront him, and Atlas says 'Would you kindly head to Ryan's office, and kill the son of a *****'. In the room before Ryan's office, this is what you see:
http://images.wikia.com/bioshock/images/0/0f/Would_You_Kindly.png
Well S***.
The tape recording nearby tells the story of how a baby was genetically grown in 2 years as the illegitimate son of Andrew Ryan, which ties into other previous tape recordings from Andrew Ryan's love, and his mistress who he impregnated, and who lost the baby somehow (Forgotten how).
You move into the next room, and confront Andrew Ryan. This is what happens (Up until 3:50):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bncxTilQKAs
As soon as you walk into the room with Andrew Ryan in it, and until 3:50, you have absolutely no control over what you do. Whereas throughout the entire game you have felt as if it was your choice to do things, your choice to hunt down Ryan, when you finally confront him, all illusion of choice is torn away and you can only watch as you 'Obey' and kill him. This is very powerful due to how the player perceives themselves as the character, and how powerful taking control away from a player in a game in which they are ALWAYS in control is. Throughout the entire game after the intro sequence, you can always at least look around, if not walk around and pull levers and such. It is that point alone (Pretty much) where you are unable to do anything, and you must just watch as you kill Andrew Ryan, revealed to be your father.

Honestly, maybe not show anything from the game, or have them play the game (Though I think a better written explanation somewhat along the lines of what I'd done, or Even better!

Spoiler

Right from the start of classes, begin using the phrase 'Would you kindly' to ask students to do things. In one class, reveal to them why you say this. As said outside spoiler, don't have them play the game. If you are feeling liberal, show them the picture I linked projected onto a whiteboard or something, and show them the video I linked up until 3:50. If you feel that would push the limits of what you're allowed to do (A parental note should be enough to allow students to see this stuff though), then simply explain it to them, and the power of taking away control of someone. Hell, just for fun, contact a student you know you can trust, ask them to stay behind after class or something, and have them act out exactly what you ask them to do when you say would you kindly, and make them scare the class a bit. Might work well to show how control in games being pulled away can be used to create a twist that IMO outweighs any twist in any other genre. If you want to get philosophical like my English course did one time, link it into the whole 'Is control an illusion' sort of thing

In addition to that, I would have used the Mass Effect Trilogy. Once again, not because its story is revolutionary, but because it does something not done before, or at least not very often. It allows the players to write their own story at key points, making decisions that are remembered and carried through the series to the next games to change outcomes. You could also use it as an example of how this can backfire when the ending does not reflect any of these decisions - ala ME3.
Portal would also be interesting to use, though for different reasons likely already listed.

 

[Xannidel]

I am surprised no one mentioned Dear Esther yet, if you do not want to put 10 bucks into Steam for the it, then you can use the HL2 mod.

 

[leady129]

Granted I've no experience with teaching, but can't the M restriction be lifted if you obtain signed permission from parents. I'm sure you can find some well written games that fall below M but given that the greater majority of the games industry live in the M and MA bracket, you'll be missing out on the opportunity to show some of the better written games out there.

 

[Kahunaburger]

I am surprised no one mentioned Dear Esther yet, if you do not want to put 10 bucks into Steam for the it, then you can use the HL2 mod.

I'm not sure that's a very good example - it's not particularly good either as storytelling or as use of game mechanics for storytelling.

 

[zephyron]

I am surprised no one mentioned Dear Esther yet, if you do not want to put 10 bucks into Steam for the it, then you can use the HL2 mod.

While Dear Esther may be many things, it's not a game, it's an interactive experience. I don't mean to say that it's bad or anything like that, but it's not a "video game" and therefore probably shouldn't be included in a class about video games.

 

[Xannidel]

I am surprised no one mentioned Dear Esther yet, if you do not want to put 10 bucks into Steam for the it, then you can use the HL2 mod.

I'm not sure that's a very good example - it's not particularly good either as storytelling or as use of game mechanics for storytelling.

I thought it did a darn good job of explaining a story as you progressed to your goal.

I am surprised no one mentioned Dear Esther yet, if you do not want to put 10 bucks into Steam for the it, then you can use the HL2 mod.

While Dear Esther may be many things, it's not a game, it's an interactive experience. I don't mean to say that it's bad or anything like that, but it's not a "video game" and therefore probably shouldn't be included in a class about video games.

Well that is your opinion on the topic of it is a game or not, Dear Esther has a goal, you control someone and as you progress there is a story being told that helps you better understand your purpose of being there. If that does not classify it as a game then no "game" now a day is a game either. Just because you do not use a gun or weapon to injure a foe nor does the lack of interaction mean it is not a game.

 

[DoPo]

No M rated...well, I was going to suggest God of War, even though I haven't played it Extra Credits had an episode [http://extra-credits.net/episodes/no-redeeming-value/] where they explained the story structure really well.

And while talking about Extra Credits, how about you mention telling a story through mechanics alone using Missile Command [http://extra-credits.net/episodes/narrative-mechanics/] as example.

 

[zephyron]

Well that is your opinion on the topic of it is a game or not, Dear Esther has a goal, you control someone and as you progress there is a story being told that helps you better understand your purpose of being there. If that does not classify it as a game then no "game" now a day is a game either. Just because you do not use a gun or weapon to injure a foe nor does the lack of interaction mean it is not a game.

I can understand your belief that Dear Esther is a game, but by most definitions of game it's simply not one. A lack of combat is unimportant, there are many great video games out there that don't feature combat, but "interaction" and "challenge" are generally considered pre-requisites for a game. Yes, it's available on traditionally game-centric distribution mechanisms, and yes, it's created using the Source engine, so it's easy to go into it with the framing that it's a game and to perceive it as such. However, the game could essentially be boiled down as a 3d movie that you can pause (stop walking) at any time to look around at the environment, and includes a few random dialog elements. I don't mean a single bit of this with any negative connotation-- there's nothing wrong with it not being a video game, it just isn't.

 

[hazabaza1]

Bastion, and probably even El Shaddai. Bit of a mindfuck, but still good.

 

[DoPo]

Oh bloody hell! I totally forgot what I wanted to post in the first place - I got sidetracked with EC. Go and play The Company of Myself [http://www.kongregate.com/games/2DArray/the-company-of-myself] right now! It's a cool flash game with interesting puzzles that tells a good story. It has a lot to say if you know what to look for. The unique gameplay element itself (you can sort of clone yourself) speaks a lot about how we must split ourselves to finish a task without others around us.

Also look at Yahtzee's games [http://www.fullyramblomatic.com/donate.htm] that are totally free and good.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

I'd recommend any of the "Tales of" games, which takes game cliches and turn them on their heads. Tales of Symphonia is my personal favorite (avoid the sequel, though), but games like Tales of the Abyss and Tales of Vesperia are pretty good too..

 

[floppylobster]

Sorry I wrote you a longer useful reply but then the Internet decided to crash. Now I'm tired and just want to go to bed. The basics were - message me if you want me to send my Honors dissertation on Japanese versus American game narrative (20 pages and main focus is Shadow of the Colossus).

Use Braid . It's short so easy for the class to experience. It has a written component that can easily be discussed. Yet it uses gaming convention to subvert its narrative. Consider meta-elements like the Donkey Kong-like structure of some of the levels and Mario-like the idea of 'the Princess being in another castle' and there's a lot to work with there if you look a little deeper.