How do you learn from other game narrative examples?

1 Identify your goals

Before you dive into other game narrative examples, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your own game narrative. What is the genre, tone, and theme of your game? Who is your target audience and what are their expectations? What are the core mechanics and features of your game and how do they support the narrative? How do you balance gameplay and story? Having a clear vision and direction for your game narrative will help you focus on the most relevant and inspiring examples for your project.

2 Play and observe

The best way to learn from other game narrative examples is to play them and observe how they deliver their stories. Pay attention to the elements of the narrative, such as the plot, the characters, the dialogue, the setting, the themes, and the symbols. How do they hook the player's interest, build tension, create conflict, and resolve the climax? How do they develop the characters, their motivations, relationships, and arcs? How do they use dialogue, voice acting, and subtitles to convey information, emotion, and personality? How do they create a coherent and immersive setting that supports the story and the gameplay? How do they explore the themes and messages of the game and what impact do they have on the player?

3 Analyze and critique

After playing and observing other game narrative examples, you need to analyze and critique them to understand their strengths and weaknesses. You can use different frameworks and tools to help you with this process, such as the MDA model (Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics), the Hero's Journey, the Three-Act Structure, or the Narrative Design Canvas. These frameworks can help you break down the game narrative into its components and evaluate how they work together to create a satisfying and meaningful experience. You can also use online reviews, forums, podcasts, or blogs to find other perspectives and opinions on the game narrative examples you are studying.

4 Emulate and experiment

Finally, you can learn from other game narrative examples by emulating and experimenting with them in your own game narrative. You can use them as inspiration, reference, or comparison for your own game narrative. You can try to recreate or adapt some of their elements, such as the plot twists, the character arcs, the dialogue style, or the setting details. You can also try to challenge or subvert some of their conventions, such as the genre tropes, the narrative devices, or the player choices. You can also mix and match elements from different game narrative examples to create something new and original. The key is to be creative and have fun with your game narrative.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?