225 - Gaming Narratives: Power and Pitfalls in Interactive Storytelling - Feat. Chris - Part 2

In the second half of our conversation with Chris on writing in games, we dive even deeper into how writing has evolved across the gaming industry. From the early days of text-based adventures to cinematic storytelling powerhouses like God of War and Baldur's Gate 3, we explore what makes game writing work.

We touch on the layered history of iconic characters like Lara Croft and James Bond, and how their portrayals reflect broader societal shifts. Is Lara’s journey just about tomb raiding, or does it say something deeper about class, identity, and representation? Why does 007's timeless charm continue to appeal?

Don't miss:

How good writing transformed a rage machine into a compelling father figure in God of War.Marvel-style quippiness is invading game scripts - good or bad? Can dialogue be Shakespearean in a game about space marines?

If you care about how stories are told in games—whether through dialogue, narrative structure, or absence thereof—this one’s for you.

Links and Mentions:

Baldur’s Gate 3The WitcherDisco ElysiumTomb Raider (Classic to Modern Trilogy)God of War (2005 & 2018)UnchartedThe Last of UsForspokenWarhammer 40K and the Horus Heresy booksLutin (YouTube channel)

Join the conversation:
Do you think quippy dialogue ruins a game? Can a storyless game still be good? Let us know your thoughts and stay tuned for more deep dives.

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The podcast where 3 intersectional feminists examine gaming and games  through a feminist lens.  

New Episodes every Thursday.

Alex, Jem and Matt believe gaming is good.  Gaming is good for relaxation, for learning, for bringing people together and for your mental health. But like all media, there is both good and bad and we want to address how we make gaming a safe and healthy environment for women and minority groups (although lets not forget that people of colour are the global ethnic majority).

We want to see the small steps towards an intersectional feminist future that have been made in games to go further. We are Gaming the System because we want to see our beloved world of Gaming reflect the values we hold dear, and until it does we are here to shine a light on what needs to change.

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• No. of episodes: 225
• Latest episode: 2025-05-07
• Society & Culture Leisure Video Games

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