Another great video from a great channel, and to my knowledge the first one to discuss video games, yet alone with the writer of said video game as a guest.
Finished watching it. 22 minutes wasn't enough, I could listen to ND talk about video game storytelling for hours.
Good video and idea for a series, but Druckmann is literally the LAST person to talk about story or storytelling in video games.
Just stating my opinion, and to me it's not hyperbole at all. Druckmann is a great visionary and director, but like Kojima I don't think he is good as a storyteller in the context of video games.All this hyperbole is going to result in is no one really listening to the rest of your argument and discussing it reasonably.
Lmao.
Imagine trying to drop shade on a man and then saying Souls has good stories.
Good video and idea for a series, but Druckmann is literally the LAST person to talk about story or storytelling in video games. They should have invited someone who knows how to use the medium in creative and unique ways to present a story that can only be told in video games. I think unlike most people, I see The Last of Us as a regression of storytelling in games due to the shift towards more static movie-like methods of telling a story. A great technical achievement to be sure, but not something I would put on a pedastal to show what the medium is capable of. I hope TLOU2 has more enviornmental storytelling, because the glimpses of it in TLOU1 were promising. I guess the Souls series has rubbed off on me in that way.
and to me it's not hyperbole at all. Druckmann is a great visionary and director, but like Kojima I don't think he is good as a storyteller in the context of video games.
Noted. Reading back, it did come across as too confrontational than what I intended. Changed it to something more reasonable.Thanks, I didn't realise that.
Which is fine, but surely you realise that saying this about one of the highest rated and most awarded games ever - largely off the back of its storytelling - is going to be pretty inflammatory. Which again, is fine - all I was saying that if you were actually interested in talking about the different ways you can tell stories in video games, you'd have much more luck without that first sentence.
Good video and idea for a series, but Druckmann is literally the LAST person to talk about story or storytelling in video games. They should have invited someone who knows how to use the medium in creative and unique ways to present a story that can only be told in video games. I think unlike most people, I see The Last of Us as a regression of storytelling in games due to the shift towards more static movie-like methods of telling a story. A great technical achievement to be sure, but not something I would put on a pedastal to show what the medium is capable of. I hope TLOU2 has more enviornmental storytelling, because the glimpses of it in TLOU1 were promising. I guess the Souls series has rubbed off on me in that way.
Yup...never got all the praise for the storytelling in Souls games. It's not interesting enough for me to piece together the lore of a world, I'd much prefer to play through TLOU style of storytelling. I love Souls games but not for Story.Personally I'm really not interested in fanfictioning my way through meaningless and vague as fuck "details" scattered throughout the environment, especially if that's literally all that a game has going for to tell its "story".
Thankfully there are different kind of ways to do things, and enough genres in videogames for us to enjoy what's to our taste rather than crap on what's not.
Also, TLOU had plenty of storytelling going on outside of cutscenes, and a comparison to whatever Kojima writes is dowright insulting.
Edit : I was responding to the original post, didn't realize you edited it.
TLOU's story, as it is told in the game, can only be told in a video game. So much of the emotional investment, sense of a journey and connecting with Ellie comes from the hours spent alongside her, her helping in combat, the contextual comments that happen during exploration and combat, the gradual shift in player/NPC relationship between Joel and Ellie, the shift in player character during Winter, etcGood video and idea for a series, but Druckmann is literally the LAST person to talk about story or storytelling in video games. They should have invited someone who knows how to use the medium in creative and unique ways to present a story that can only be told in video games. I think unlike most people, I see The Last of Us as a regression of storytelling in games due to the shift towards more static movie-like methods of telling a story. A great technical achievement to be sure, but not something I would put on a pedastal to show what the medium is capable of. I hope TLOU2 has more enviornmental storytelling, because the glimpses of it in TLOU1 were promising. I guess the Souls series has rubbed off on me in that way.
The strength of the storytelling in the Souls games and Bloodborne is how they contextualize story and tone through mechanics and gameplay. World, combat, art and enemy design, the layout and path through levels, and so on all play a role in building and reinforcing the narrative as much as the lore descriptions do. The creators at From do a masterful job at creating this sense of a narrative tapestry, and each step forward, every boss slain, every new area discovered or exotic weapon found, is another thread sown in this grand mesh of atmosphere and plot. I'd argue Bloodborne and the first Dark Souls does this most effectivelyPersonally I'm really not interested in fanfictioning my way through meaningless and vague as fuck "details" scattered throughout the environment, especially if that's literally all that a game has going for to tell its "story".
Thankfully there are different kind of ways to do things, and enough genres in videogames for us to enjoy what's to our taste rather than crap on what's not.
Also, TLOU had plenty of storytelling going on outside of cutscenes, and a comparison to whatever Kojima writes is dowright insulting.
Edit : I was responding to the original post, didn't realize you edited it.
The strength of the storytelling in the Souls games and Bloodborne is how they contextualize story and tone through mechanics and gameplay. World, combat, art and enemy design, the layout and path through levels, and so on all play a role in building and reinforcing the narrative as much as the lore descriptions do. The creators at From do a masterful job at creating this sense of a narrative tapestry, and each step forward, every boss slain, every new area discovered or exotic weapon found, is another thread sown in this grand mesh of atmosphere and plot. I'd argue Bloodborne and the first Dark Souls does this most effectively
I don't see how The Last of Us doesn't do a lot of environmental story telling. Sure TLOU uses cut scenes to convey its biggest moments, but its connective and interstitial story is told through gameplay situations and level design; and those moments are arguably as important as its biggest for a story like the one in TLOU.Good video and idea for a series. but I honestly think inviting someone who has used the medium in creative and unique ways to present a story that can only be told in video games would have been more appropriate. I think unlike most people, I see The Last of Us as a regression of storytelling in games due to the shift towards more static movie-like methods of telling a story. A great technical achievement to be sure, but not something I would put on a pedastal to show what the medium is capable of. I hope TLOU2 has more enviornmental storytelling, because the glimpses of it in TLOU1 were promising. I guess the Souls series has rubbed off on me in that way.
Good video and idea for a series, but Druckmann is literally the LAST person to talk about story or storytelling in video games. They should have invited someone who knows how to use the medium in creative and unique ways to present a story that can only be told in video games. I think unlike most people, I see The Last of Us as a regression of storytelling in games due to the shift towards more static movie-like methods of telling a story. A great technical achievement to be sure, but not something I would put on a pedastal to show what the medium is capable of. I hope TLOU2 has more enviornmental storytelling, because the glimpses of it in TLOU1 were promising. I guess the Souls series has rubbed off on me in that way.
? i actually agree with themAll this hyperbole is going to result in is no one really listening to the rest of your argument and discussing it reasonably.
You've just said a whole load of nothing. TLoU explores the medium plenty for it's story and especially character development, some of the biggest characters moment are either done through gameplay or strengthen by it, a few good examples in the video, that doesn't mean it uses it only, because that wouldn't achieve much, outside of a worse overall experience probably.? i actually agree with them
TLOU is a very conventional story driven game, it was a muscle flex in the ps3 days (and the remaster still looks good), but it doesn't really explot what the videogame can do as a medium.
i also found the story quite bland but that's on me, the game tries to focus more on the characters anyway
love the moving goalpost people do just because the havel avatar lol
TLOU's story, as it is told in the game, can only be told in a video game. So much of the emotional investment, sense of a journey and connecting with Ellie comes from the hours spent alongside her, her helping in combat, the contextual comments that happen during exploration and combat, the gradual shift in player/NPC relationship between Joel and Ellie, the shift in player character during Winter, etc
If you're only think the storytelling, and the praise for its story, comes from a focus on cutscenes, you're looking at the game's story through a very narrow lens. TLOU is so praised because of how it so effectively tells its story and character development through gameplay, while seamlessly contextualizing the heavier developments of the cutscenes with the smaller intimate moments during gameplay. There is little to no dissonance between gameplay and cutscene
The strength of the storytelling in the Souls games and Bloodborne is how they contextualize story and tone through mechanics and gameplay. World, combat, art and enemy design, the layout and path through levels, and so on all play a role in building and reinforcing the narrative as much as the lore descriptions do. The creators at From do a masterful job at creating this sense of a narrative tapestry, and each step forward, every boss slain, every new area discovered or exotic weapon found, is another thread sown in this grand mesh of atmosphere and plot. I'd argue Bloodborne and the first Dark Souls does this most effectively
Good video and idea for a series. but I honestly think inviting someone who has used the medium in creative and unique ways to present a story that can only be told in video games would have been more appropriate. I think unlike most people, I see The Last of Us as a regression of storytelling in games due to the shift towards more static movie-like methods of telling a story. A great technical achievement to be sure, but not something I would put on a pedastal to show what the medium is capable of. I hope TLOU2 has more enviornmental storytelling, because the glimpses of it in TLOU1 were promising. I guess the Souls series has rubbed off on me in that way.
Good video and idea for a series. but I honestly think inviting someone who has used the medium in creative and unique ways to present a story that can only be told in video games would have been more appropriate. I think unlike most people, I see The Last of Us as a regression of storytelling in games due to the shift towards more static movie-like methods of telling a story. A great technical achievement to be sure, but not something I would put on a pedastal to show what the medium is capable of. I hope TLOU2 has more enviornmental storytelling, because the glimpses of it in TLOU1 were promising. I guess the Souls series has rubbed off on me in that way.
Standing on the shoulders of giants isn't "regression". Not using what is proven to work isn't some sort of virtue that puts you above others. The way he describes the decision making on when to use a cutscene makes absolute sense. Sometimes you need to take control away from the player to achieve something that would otherwise not be possible. Because how effective would that scene with the watch be if the player 1. Didn't see their faces, and 2. Was jumping around on the couch and furniture.Good video and idea for a series. but I honestly think inviting someone who has used the medium in creative and unique ways to present a story that can only be told in video games would have been more appropriate. I think unlike most people, I see The Last of Us as a regression of storytelling in games due to the shift towards more static movie-like methods of telling a story. A great technical achievement to be sure, but not something I would put on a pedastal to show what the medium is capable of. I hope TLOU2 has more enviornmental storytelling, because the glimpses of it in TLOU1 were promising. I guess the Souls series has rubbed off on me in that way.
And I'm going to get a lot of hate from that but it's also just a very average zombie story. Great motion capturing and great actors but a standard zombie narrative glued in with a below average shooter