WEEK 7 Game Analysis

Of the key narrative elements discussed so far in the course (interactivity, level design/linearity, moral choice/non-linearity, character), which do you think is the most prominent, important or interesting in your chosen game?

For the final game blog, I've decided to write about the 2D platformer Never Alone (2014) which is based on Inuit mythology. I feel like the most prominent key narrative element in this game would be linear storytelling. The reason being that the linearity helps guide the player through out the game as well as the documentaries about the Inuit people. Both the game play and narrative are linear as the character Nuna can really only run right in order to get to the next objective and node. She can run left, but then you're simply going the wrong way and aren't getting anywhere.

The cutscenes in Never Alone help shape out the narrative. It develops by completing a task, for example finding the Owl Man's drum and returning it to him where you not only get rewarded with a cutscene, but you also unlock a documentary clip explaining the way of the Inuit people. The documentary clips can be seen as optional nodes. It isn't required of the player to view these clips, but they unlock once a gameplay section is complete or once you reach a goal within the game. The cutscenes give the player more information regarding the narrative and the follow up goal to reach. The documentary clips give educational insight regarding the goals and the way of the Inuit people. Having the option to watch the documentary clips benefits some players as they may not want to play for educational purposes. At first I didn't watch them as I wanted to see what would happen next in gameplay. Watching the clips later led me to appreciate the game a lot more.

The game has many cut scenes, some of these cut scenes blend in with the game play. The narrator would be talking and I wouldn't realize that I would have to move as a polar bear is about to chase after me. As I was listening to the narrator, I thought that once he stops talking I would carry on playing. This is a good method in terms of the creators wanting the player to be immersed in the game/story as it feels as if the story is happening right then and there, overlapping. Nodes give you time to relax after a big boss fight,when you are mashing the control buttons or when you're being chased by a polar bear. "Each story segment, is essentially a reward for completing the previous section of gameplay. The number of nodes and fragments is dictated by the depth of the story. (Salen and Zimmerman, Rules of Play, 389) The difference with Never Alone is that you can't entirely relax when a cut scene comes on to the screen as you have to be ready to run if a polar bear is about to chase you.

In conclusion the reason why I found linear story telling to be the most prominent narrative element in Never Alone is because of the cultural significance it holds. The game's narrative is sharing with the player the Inuit peoples legends, stories and way of life. I find this method really effective as it gets the player immersed as it isn't necessarily something from imagination, it is what the Inuit people believe to be a sacred story to their culture. I believe that linear narratives are the best method to get across stories which proves in Never Alone.


(When I watched the documentary clips , I thought how cool it'd be if there was a Maori game like this!!)

Reference (as I could not view the clips in the game)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Iqq4_hoxk