Video games as a medium have always kept narrative design in their periphery. This is no surprise, given that they were first designed to function as a virtual playground. Game developers have, for the most of the medium’s history, been understandably too busy programming to concentrate on writing. Giving Mario a believable motivation for breaking blocks and collecting coins was a secondary concern as his jump mechanics were polished over the years.
The appeal of the recent biopic “Straight Outta Compton” comes from its momentum. “Straight Outta Compton” is unlike typical frenzied biographical movies that jump from one event to the next in order to showcase the subject’s entire life within a limited timeframe. Unfortunately, these films often sacrifice depth for breadth, leaving many moviegoers entertained but unsatisfied.
