Video games are an interesting medium; some enjoy them purely as a source of entertainment, while some expect more from their experience. It’s undeniable that video games have grown an immense amount since their inception. Gaming was once a destination. Many people traveled to arcades as part of their weekend 
or on dates. With the downfall of arcades and the influx of home consoles, gaming has taken on a whole new image. In fact, most games currently resemble large blockbuster films rather than a simple way to have some fun. While you can argue this is a natural progression of the medium, I believe that it extends far beyond that. It’s only just recently that we’ve begun to hear the argument that games are art. Modern gaming holds an interactive element that other art forms simply don’t have. While films and books do an excellent job of wrapping us up in their characters stories, video games are truly the only
medium that we can see through the eyes of our protagonist. Gaming provides a sort of experience that is unrivaled in electronic media today. Unfortunately, this could make for some really great experiences and some really terrible experiences. But when everything falls into place, gaming remains the most interactive and immersive form of artistic media.
For these reasons it’s no surprise that gamers and game developers alike have been attempting to create bold and expansive stories in the modern era. Perhaps even a decade ago, gamers would settle with sub par stories told purely to provide a vehicle for the action within the game. For a long time games didn’t flesh out their stories, and it was hard as a gamer to really care about these characters. There are exceptions though, with games such as Final Fantasy VII and the early days of point-and-click adventures. Final Fantasy was really the first game that was noted for its amazing story, and some people played it purely for that reason alone.
In fact, the whole entire action/adventure genre has taken an interesting turn in the past few years. One of the franchises I love to bring up in this regard is God of War. At first glance, God of War is a very gory albeit beautiful adventure through mythology. We follow the character Kratos on his path of vengeance aimed at the gods of Mount Olympus. Despite all the action, gamers became enamored with Kratos and his story. His murky past and his unbreakable sense of duty to his family provided a touching story despite the bloodshed. Although the series has taken a narrative dive lately, it’s interesting just how much we as gamers found ourselves connected to this anti-hero. I fully believe it’s due to the immersive experience that games gives us that we were able to form these connections. It seems that once the gaming public got its hands on some very deep stories and narrative-driven games, that’s all we’ve really wanted since.
Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of gamers who still like to just sit back and blow some stuff up for fun. But the overwhelming amount of gamers crying out
for narrative depth is abundant. For instance, let’s take a look at the Tomb Raider series. In its beginning, the franchise was centered around its action and sold into the sex appeal of its main heroine, Lara Croft. However, if you look into the modern age and examine the latest Tomb Raider entries, you’ll see something much different. While game play remains mostly the same, the narrative drive of Lara Croft has been blown out of the water. The newer games in the series explore Lara’s fears, feelings of inadequacy, and her familial troubles. I would argue that just a decade ago gamers wouldn’t have cared. But with the rise of graphical fidelityy and the immersion that gameplay allows, we’ve reached aplateau.. We’ve made the most impressive looking and flashiest games known to mankind, and from here there’s only so many direction to go. Once you’ve mastered the look and feel of your game, the next step of evolution is the narrative. Long gone are the days that gamers will settles for a hollow experience. Thankfully, developers have noticed this trend and are constantly striving to provide us with the most intricate and detailed narratives yet in gaming.
Overall, it seems that gaming itself has taken a very mature turn as of late. Games being called “Walking Simulators” are the biggest example of this narrative drive. This new genre of games put the focus directly on the story. Games like Gone Home, Firewatch, and SOMA, strive to play like an interactive storybook, rather than an explosive action piece. These wildly popular games are interesting due to the fact that they hold almost no game play. The name “walking simulator” is actually pretty precise. Most of the time the game just serves as a way to tell you a beautiful story, rather then existing purely for entertainment. One of the best examples of this genre is a game called The Beginner’s Guide. Without spoiling much, The Beginner’s Guide tackles subjects such as depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, and more. These are hot-button issues that most people don’t explore in their daily lives. The fact that games are allowing us to explore these feelings is huge. It seems that the days of flashy advertisements and big budget graphics might be over. Replacing these tropes are thoughtful and engaging stories, experienced in a fashion that no other medium can provide. The era of storytelling in video games is finally upon us, and I personally can’t wait to dive in.