| Sal.Paradise said: No. But I'm conflicted. Story can definitely be properly integrated into platformer/adventure games...themes can be introduced, and stories told. But personally, Mario's universe as it is now is a difficult place for those because he's so synonymous with a particular type of game that I can't dissasociate his character with them. I mean...internal conflicts or external relationships...personal journeys or world changing revelations...none of them fit. I think a traditional, dialogue and characterisation-heavy approach is off the cards. To do this, they'd have to fundamentally change the Mario series, to the point where there's no use in it being a mario game in the first place. However! They can take a minimal approach, and still say something in the game that is meaningful, and that I think is a worthwhile thing to attempt in a Mario game. Two of my favourite examples would be the environmental-storytelling in Demon's/Dark Souls and the gameplay narrative in Journey. The Souls games' narrative and context are gleaned almost completely from the world around you - the sounds creatures or characters make in the distance, the decrepit or fantastic buildings and magic, the enemies themselves patrolling an area or cowering in a dark chamber, the changing reaction of NPCs towards you, their faces, even item names..all non-intrusive story telling, that are possible in the confines of mario's universe. Now with Journey, the emotions you feel are completely tied to the person playing with you. The beautiful/symbolic environments and sound help but...without the other player travelling with you, the Journey ceases to be so affecting. Such simple things... having to huddle together to keep energy up through a storm....using eahcother's chirps as a means to fly higher...it adds meaning to the game without any text or explicit character development. I would never quit that game early, because I'd feel guilty for the 'journey-er' that I suddenly left alone. Playing on my own, I would. I honestly don't know how they'd incorporate that one into Mario though, althougn co-op does fit naturally into the series, it's the interaction that is important here. I wouldn't want to be the one at Nintendo HQ tasked with making that game. So it can be done, and should...but non-intrusively. I think. But it would be very difficult and require a delicate touch. |
Did you like Super Mario Sunshine?
It had a story! Everythang got so yucky and messy in town and Mario happened to go there on his HoneyMoon with Peach, so instead of working he cleaned up town. Then we find out that the person behind it was Bowser Jr. and that Peach is his mother! That means that she did it with Bowser!
PLOT TWISTTTT!!!!!
(But seriously, that was a good enough story for a Mario game and I quite liked it. It was... interesting.)
