Interactivity vs Narrativity

The entertainment industry is currently at a very interesting point where interactivity and narrativity go hand in hand. This is especially true when looking at modern video games and Netflix releases such as 'Black Mirror: Bandersnatch' and 'Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale' - however, does more of one, mean less of the other? In my opinion, yes.

There is no doubt that these interactive TV shows and movies are a breakthrough in streaming media, utilising interactive features from videogames as well as offering an increased sense of immersion and story transportation. Bandersnatch gives you the ability to manipulate the outcome of the film, giving you directorial power. However, due to the constant breaking of the fourth wall, there is little to no space for tension to build; especially when there is a lack of any real consequence for your choices. If and when viewers make a 'wrong' choice they are presented with a screen that tells them to go back and try again. This immediately brakes the audience's immersion as well as any illusion of free will, which is something these experiences claim to increase. Furthermore, with the production company focusing predominantly on making this film interactive, I felt there was a lack of care for the narrative. There is little plot and the character development is almost non-existent, I did not find myself caring about the characters whose fate I was deciding.

On the other hand, Netflix's children's shows seem to greatly benefit from more interactivity with 8 of the interactive titles on Netflix marketed as children's media. This is likely due to the fact that narrative tends to be less of a priority for kid's entertainment, and that the increased opportunity for play and learning is attracting younger audiences. Shows like Nickelodeon's 'Dora The Explorer' has always followed a cyclical formula with a very basic plot. In each episode, Dora also brakes the fourth wall as she encourages the viewer to join her in solving puzzles. Carla Engelbrecht Fisher, who is the Director of Product Innovation at Netflix, said in her own blog post that "The children’s programming space was a natural place for us to start since kids are eager to “play” with their favourite characters and already inclined to tap, touch and swipe at screens." (Engelbrecht, 20178) Title's like 'Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale' and 'Spirit Riding Free: Ride Along Adventure' get younger audiences to make decisions for themselves whilst thinking about right and wrong, as well as teaching children valuable lessons like actions have consequences.

The issue of an unequal balance of interactivity and narrativity also appears in a number of video games. There are some that will market themselves as having a completely interactive world which can be shaped by the decisions you make; but then fail to engage their players in a way that makes their decisions matter - making me question the true level of interactivity in many video games.

When Rockstar announced Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2), they claimed that there would be a complex morality system that gave you the power to change the way the world interacts with you depending on your choices. The problem, however, was that they failed to commit to their own mechanic. In RDR2 The interactivity is very surface level with - again - a lack of consequence. As a player you are encouraged to do things like donate money to the camp and help out with chores (actions like these increase your level of honour), but you soon realise that your contributions change very little of the gameplay. Furthermore, if you decide you want to play the game as a murderous outlaw, you come against very little consequence. The most you would often have to do is pay off your bounty and a whole town just forgets you killed half their residents. However, that is not to say that the interactivity is completely void. Every now and then you come across a beautiful little interaction where you notice your actions have an effect. For example, a shopkeeper who you once attacked and robbed now has a bandage over their head and is afraid of your presence. On the other side of things, If you are an outstanding citizen who helps those in need, you will find a shopkeeper is willing to offer you discounts for their wares.

The bottom line is: that the narrative doesn't follow the gameplay, as the story does not support the choices you make outside of the fixed narrative, creating a ludonarrative dissonance. Ludonarrative dissonance refers to a disconnect between a video game's gameplay and its story (Hocking, 2007).

For example, in RDR2, if you continue to choose to be 'good' throughout the gameplay - gaining a high level of honour - people outside of the main story are nicer and more trusting towards you. However, this feels almost irrelevant when the main missions require you to be a certain way, often getting you to hurt or threaten innocent NPCs. You might be making every effort to be a 'good guy' but in the main story, you are still an outlaw who enjoys burning down other people's farms. This simply means you have no control over Arthur's in-game journey, lessening your ownership of your in-game experience.

However, it could be argued that not all players and audience members are looking to change the narrative, but to feel more involved in it. Games such as the Uncharted series offer a dumbed-down interactive experience that relies heavily on the set narrative. Game development company Naughty Dog, are very good at immersing their players in a cinematic game design. Their gameplay and narrative weave together seamlessly in a rapidly moving adventure, free from interruptions such as skill tree menus, side quests, resource management and complicated fight mechanics, immersing the player further into Nathan Drake's world.

I have no ability to change his journey, but I have no desire to either. I do sometimes wish I had more freedom to explore the forgotten kingdoms discovered in the games, however, there is something very satisfying about a game so short and sweet, free from distractions that I can just power through like a delicious meal. When I play a Naughty Dog game, I feel like I have jumped right into a Hollywood movie and that I am helping the narrative along. Therefore proving: that when there is a greater emphasis on narrative, there is a greater sense of immersion. One of my favourite quotes regarding this issue comes from a study that was conducted by the Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media found, and it is that a ‘’greater transportation into a narrative...leads to more intensified emotions” (Park; Xu; Rourke; Bellur, 2019). I am a very emotional person, I often find my connection to things through emotion, therefore something like Uncharted, where there is more focus on the narrative than the interactivity, offers me a heightened experience and increased enjoyment.

Engelbrecht, C. (2017). Interactive Storytelling on Netflix: Choose What Happens Next. [online] Netflix. Available at: <https://about.netflix.com/en/news/interactive-storytelling-on-netflix-choose-what-happens-next > [Accessed 05 January 2021]

Goldberg, M. (2018). Why ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ Doesn’t Need an Honor System. [online] Collider. Available at: <https://collider.com/red-dead-2-honor-system/ > [Accessed 05 January 2021]

Hocking, C. (2007). Ludonarrative Dissonance in Bioshock. Click Nothing. [online]. Available at: <<https://clicknothing.typepad.com/click_nothing/2007/10/ludonarrative-d.html> [Accessed 05 January 2021]

Netflix | Help Center. (2021). Interactive content on Netflix. [online]. Available at: <https://help.netflix.com/en/node/62526.> [Accessed 05 January 2021]

Park, S.; Xu, X.; Rourke, B.; Bellur, S. (2019) Do You Enjoy TV, while Tweeting? Effects of Multitasking on Viewers’ Transportation, Emotions and Enjoyment. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 63(2), pp.231-249.

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