WARNING: CONTAINS MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS FOR *THE WITCHER 2*
The Witcher 2. When I first started hearing about it I was like, "Oh great, maybe they'll improve on the first Witcher!" Which I'm sure is anyones normal reaction upon hearing a game they enjoyed is having a sequel made. I did not actually finish the first Witcher. The gameplay and what I perceived as "shitty animations" really dampened my ability to enjoy the game. The Witcher 2, however, exceeds all expectations and is what I consider to be gamings first true example of non-linear storytelling.
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| It's that deadly final boss! Or is it? Only you can prevent forest fires. |
Linear storytelling is a fantastic way to tell a story. Games like the Final Fantasy series, God of War and Halo are all examples of linear storytelling - the story being told has no deviation, it has one outcome and you are essentially on a route to discover it. No matter how you progress through the game, the ending will always be the same. Games like Star Ocean, I consider to be a baby step into the direction of non-linear storytelling. They give you great options during the course of the game that don't impact the story or the world, but can dictate the members of your party, who potentially lives and dies, and what kind of ending you receive. The endings in this case are usually "paired endings" or "good or bad" where you see an ending with a specific character or specific outcome based on your morality after you've defeated that deadly final boss. But to have an honest and truely immersive experience, you have to give the player total control, and that involves falling into the dangerous pit of non-linear storytelling.
