Ninja Theory: Story is more important than gameplay
If you get it right, story and gameplay can be elevated, says Tameem Antoniades.
Story can be more important than gameplay. That's the opinion of Ninja Theory co-founder Tameem Antoniades who recently spoke to VideoGamer.com about his studio's upcoming action adventure title, Enslaved.
Antoniades talked about his time working on Xbox party title Kung Fu Chaos for Microsoft. At the time MS wanted a story shoehorned into the game and Antoniades wasn't convinced storytelling had a place in video games.
This changed when Ninja Theory began to plan for Heavenly Sword
"In Heavenly Sword I thought, "Actually, let's try and do a story." Working with Andy and everyone else, working with Weta and having people talk about story as something serious - not something throwaway like we do in games - was quite eye-opening to me," he explained.
"I still see a prejudice, actually. I still come across a lot of people who say, "it's a game and it doesn't need a story." You're trying to make a particular point of storytelling, trying to refine it, and somebody says "it's just a game, it doesn't matter." What's more important - the gameplay or the story? If you're doing a [story-based] game, it's got to be the story, actually."
Antoniades backed up his opinion by citing Resident Evil 4's Mercenaries mode.
"I'll give you an example of where that's true," he said. "Resident Evil 4. I played it from start to finish, I didn't want to let go of the controller and I was driven through it. I just wanted to know what happened next. As soon as I completed it, you get those mini-missions, "kill x zombies in an amount of time." So there's no story, it's stripped out of all that and it's just shoot however many zombies in however much time. And you realise - have I been doing this for the last 10 hours? Because it didn't feel like it, as I'm bored within about a minute of doing that.
"So there is something, there is an importance. There is a symbiosis where, if you get it right, both story and gameplay can be elevated. But it's really hard to know when you get it right or not."
Enslaved is scheduled for release October 8 for Xbox 360 and PS3. You'll find the full interview with Tameem Antoniades right here.
User Comments
Wido
CheekyLee
*If you haven't killed something in the last 5 minutes, turn the game off.
Mr_Ninjutsu@ rbevanx
rbevanx
But a video game is gameplay driven to me with a story to support it if anything not the main factor in it.
thompo555
Story doesn't give that sence of achievement to me and in most cases I couldn't care less about the characters. This is, of course, different if the game is written very well. Metal Gear solid, for me, highlights a brilliant standard of story telling. I got attached to some of the characters and could relate to akiba (or whatever ray patrol 01 dude was called) as well it's obvious there is more going on behind the scenes with him and Meryl. I also felt a bit upset that Snake had topped himself. (trying to avoid spoilers).
I don't think I would have carried on with those games if the gameplay was no good. A game is a game for a reason and I can live without a story in a game, I agree it gives purpose to the character your controlling and motives etc but it's not needed. It is after all a game which you PLAY not a story orientated film which you WATCH.
Stegosaurus-Guy-II
That was the worst way to back up his point he possibly could have chosen.
Woffls
El-Dev
Some games have got it spot on, the Uncharted series springs to mind, while others haven't. I do like a good story in a game though.