Story telling become an important element in games.

In the past, we used to talk about graphics, graphics, gameplay and graphics for a game. The first thing we want to know, how graphics were improved over the last game.

But now, since there isn't much technology jump as in the past, graphic isn't the main drive anymore. Sure, better lightning effects, more polygons, better AI. And I'd love and appreciate game with awesome graphics but the improvement game after game is marginal.

One of the things that games have a major improvement is story telling.

It is now an important part of the game with a good story telling. Take a look, for example: the length of cinematic in MGS4 probably the same length with playing the game itself.
I remembered my friend said about playing Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney on DS, "How come a game with just bunches of pictures can make this game so addicting?". True, Phoenix Wright in terms of gameplay is practically nothing, it is very simple and easy, but the story is just amazing, good character development, blended with funny jokes makes the games a hit.
The other one is upcoming Heavy Rain. This is the game for people who are interested in stories and emotions. Heavy Rain is focus heavily on the story and human interaction.

Bioware said that there is a possibility that story telling will become more important than gameplay itself.
Maybe he's right. Bioware's Mass Effect series put a lot of emphasis in story telling. Though the combat itself is nothing ground breaking, I really enjoyed Mass Effect mainly because of the story.

Typical game nowadays range around 10- 15 hours to complete instead of 20- 40 hours in the past.
10- 15 hours is seems to be the appropriate length for story telling. It provides good story pacing, and like a book or movie, it has opening, main plot, twist and turn, climax and anti- climax and ending without dragging too much into the story.

I believe good story telling can make a game great instead of good. And there is definitely a market where people play games for a good story.

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