Description
Every year, leading game design programs at universities across the country integrate the GDC's Game Narrative Review competition into their academic curricula. Each participating student conducts a detailed structured analysis of the narrative elements of a game title of their choice. The resulting papers are submitted to the GDC writing board for review, and the submitters with the most promising entries are then invited to create a poster as a visual synopsis of their review. Successful poster submissions are declared winners and exhibited at the GDC.
I won the gold award for my narrative review on Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. I created an essay and poster, both of which can be viewed and downloaded on this page or the GDC vault. I primarily wrote about the use of gameplay mechanics and method of input as storytelling tools, as well as how the game builds a world as if it were a character. I go over a brief introduction to the world and characters, so even if you haven't played the game you should be able to follow along.
Lessons Learned
I learned how to more critically examine a game's narrative, picking up on all the pieces that made it work. This included everything from animations, to sound cues, to the controller itself. All of it comes together to create an experience that is unique to gaming, and unique to the player.
Development
I was far less gung ho about this essay, as compared to the previous year's essay. I actually started this one at a decent time, giving myself a few days to collect feedback and refine my points. I was even able to take a break or two! I wrote this essay after only completing the game several weeks prior, so the experience was still fresh in my mind. Overall, things just went a lot smoother this time around.
Notes
This essay and poster contain heavy spoilers for the game Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons.
Brothers - Narrative Review
A narrative review, written for the annual GDC Game Narrative Review Competition. In this award winning essay, I provide introspective as to how Brothers manages to convey a sense of character and feeling of loss, not through spoken word, but by utilizing clever gameplay mechanics and even the player's method of input.
Release Date:
12/05/2016
Platform:
PDF
Role:
Writer
Skills:
Narrative Deconstruction
Narrative Comprehension
Tools:
Google Docs
Adobe Illustrator
Photoshop
Client:
GDC Game Narrative Review Competition 2017
Work Dates:
12/01/2016 - 12/05/2016
Essay
Poster
GDC Vault
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