Key Narrative Strategies in Computer Games. A comparative study (PDF)

Master's Thesis from the year 2018 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 2,3, University of Trier, language: English, abstract: A popular activity for many people are computer games, which can attract with compelling lore and stories. Taking Brian Richardson's cause and effect as minimal standard for a narrative, this analysis aims to show narrative in computer games and motivate why they should be included in literary studies. In order to provide specific examples for narrative, the focus will be on key narrative strategies: characterization, setting (space), story and plot. Genette's theory about order, voice, and mood functions as the base and is deepened, as well as broadened by further definitions and interpretations. The computer games chosen for this analysis are all based on literary works, in order to not only compare the games, but also have a reference to the original. Hence, establishing the place of games in the narrative field.

Who has not sometimes thought that a literary character is doing something wrong, or should consider other possibilities? Generally in a book, the narrative, including the decisions a character makes, cannot be altered and have to be taken 'as is'. In story-driven video games, the player can decide which decision they want to make, with some limitations.

'Story-driven' computer games fulfill at least the minimal standard of a narrative, which is also in the foreground of the game. This minimal standard is based on Brian Richardson's differentiation between a narrative and non-narrative cinema: cause and effect. However, the term 'narrative' can be understood in different ways and is not clear-cut. In order to provide specific examples for narrative in computer games and why they should be included in literary studies, this analysis is going to focus on key narrative strategies. This encompasses, an analysis of characterization, setting (space), story and plot. In order to also directly compare computer games and literary texts, specific games that are based on novels have been chosen for analysis. These games are Agatha Christie's The ABC Murder (ABC), Ryan North's To Be or Not To Be (To Be), and Orwell: Keeping an Eye on You (Orwell). The equivalent novels are Agatha Christie's The ABC Murder (ABC Murder), Shakespeare's Hamlet, and George Orwell's 1984.