Evolution of Storytelling, Part 2

We continue from where we left it last time.

Fourth videogame consoles generations.

Although there were multitude of consoles in this generations, we will focus on the two main competitors of the generation: Super Nintento Entertainment System ( or SNES for short ) and the Sega Genesis or just Genesis. When they were first introduced their 16 - bit graphic processor was heavily marketed. This technical upgrade brought with it games started to aspire for more than just mere entertaiment. Games with more dialogue and more complex mechanics were released. Their improved sound chip allowed composers a wider array of posibilities, and despite the limitations of the systems, a variad of memorable songs from of genres could be found in games, from opera to rock, all composed enterely of sounds simulating real instruments.

                   Super Nintendo Entertainment System                      Sega Genesis


Some examples of videogames and the evolution of storytelling:

Super Metroid - Developed by Nintendo, the third entry on the Metroid Saga would become regarded as the best 2D Metroid of all time. Beautiful crafted sprites, impresive soundtrack and a minimalistic way of storytelling wich focused in the experience created a game with an unique ambientation unheard before in videogames. It would become an inspiration for an entire genre of videogames (the generally called Metroidvania, a combination of the names of the Metroid and Castlevania videogame sagas) and an example of good storytelling in videogames, with its emphasis of showing and no telling.





Final Fantasy VI - Also known as Final Fantasy III in North America as a result of being the third Final Fantasy ported there, the games is regarded as one of the best Square Enix game and one of the best RPG of its generations. Masterfully composed music, lovable characters, a script of a considerable size for its time and top notch character made it one of the most iconic videogames of the Final Fantasy Saga and generally cited as one of the first example of videogame as art.

Clock Tower - Although it was not released outside of Japan till the port for PS1, the original Clock Tower was a game for the Famicon, the Japanese NES. Belonging to the Point and Click genre, if is often calle as the predecesor of the survival horror genre. In the game we take control of Jennifer, an orphan was adopted together with her friends, who were also orphans, by an mysterious rich man known as Mr. Barrows. But when they arrive to their new house what the find instead is an deformed man, wielding a giant scissors who hunt them one by one. The objective of the games is to save your friends and escape the mansion. There were no combat, and the player didn't have direct control of the character, instead using a cursor to make Jennifer inspect and interact with objects. The main objective was to run away from the murderer, solves the puzzles obstaculazing your path and exploring the house. This odd choice of gameplay is not coincidental, its setted a feeling of vulnerability in the player, that coupled with the smooth animations, dark and detailed graphics and the lack of music created a dark and creepy atmosphere.


Another remarkable thing about this generation was the released of the Sega CD, an add-on for the Sega Genesis that let it play games in CD, marketed heavily as a fusion of movies and videogames thanks to being able to play videos of live footage. Sadly, not only the video were low quality, but for the most part most of the games were either little more than low quality movies or bad games with videos and nosensical plot.

Yet there were exceptions. One of the most famous ones was Snatcher, a Sci-Fiction thriller created by the famous Hideo Kojima, father of the Metal Gear franchise. Taking inspiration from other works such as Bladerunner and Terminator, we play as an amnesiac junker called Gillian Seed. Junkers are a special form trained to hunt Snatchers, a mechanical form of life that murder humans and take take their physical aspect and memories and taking their place in society. Being more similar to a visual novel that a videogame, we have to investigate, take the right choices and in ocassions fight the snatchers, all while learning about their origin and our past.





To be continued...