The Theory of Organic & Inorganic Game Storytelling: A Comprehensive Overview

Game writer and designer Daniel Hunter Dowsing explores two core forms of storytelling in video games—organic and inorganic—to shed light on the evolving narrative language specific to gaming. Stemming from a love for stories and games, his reflection marks a critical investigation into how games tell stories distinct from traditional media.

Storytelling in Games: An Emerging Medium

While games are often called a “young medium” in terms of artistic and cultural value, Dowsing asserts they are rapidly maturing. Much like early films that initially copied familiar narratives before developing unique cinematic storytelling techniques, video games are on the cusp of discovering their own storytelling grammar beyond mainstream and market-safe tales.

Defining Story: Change Through Conflict

For Dowsing, a story fundamentally involves change through conflict:

• A character, driven by motivation, faces both physical and abstract obstacles.
• The narrative unfolds structurally with a clear beginning, middle (conflict escalation), and an end (resolution).

Example: A princess leaves her home (inciting incident) to rescue her robot boyfriend, overcoming challenges and ultimately undergoing personal transformation (denouement).

Organic vs. Inorganic Storytelling Explained

Inorganic Storytelling

• Defined as using a language not inherent to the given medium for narrative delivery.
• In games, this is exemplified by cutscenes—cinematic sequences inserted into gameplay.
• Cutscenes borrow film techniques (framing, editing, acting) that disrupt the interactive nature of gaming by shifting players from active participants to passive watchers temporarily.
• While cutscenes can be artful and enriching, they often break the narrative immersion by segmenting story from gameplay.

Organic Storytelling

• Though not fully described in the excerpt, by contrast, organic storytelling would imply narratives that arise naturally from gameplay itself.
• Here, the story evolves through player action and game mechanics, making storytelling an integral part of the interactive experience rather than an appended cinematic event.

Case Study: Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver

• Dowsing regards Soul Reaver as a game that exemplifies inorganic storytelling done well through cinematic cutscenes.
• The game develops complex characters like vampire Raziel and his master Kain effectively via well-directed sequences.
• Despite the strength of its cutscenes, the separation between gameplay and story highlights the limitations of inorganic storytelling in fostering deeply integrated narratives.

The Future of Game Narratives

Dowsing emphasizes the importance of games developing a unique narrative language—one that integrates story and gameplay seamlessly. As the medium evolves, moving beyond reliance on filmic storytelling techniques and embracing organic narrative methods will be essential for games to realize their full storytelling potential.

Conclusion

Daniel Hunter Dowsing’s reflection positions organic and inorganic storytelling as crucial concepts for understanding game narratives. While inorganic storytelling through cutscenes remains valuable, the future lies in crafting stories that emerge inherently within gameplay mechanics, allowing players to experience change through conflict directly and interactively. This perspective enriches ongoing discourse about games as a cultural and artistic medium.

Source: Daniel Hunter Dowsing, “I don’t speak ‘Game’ – the theory of organic & inorganic game storytelling,” Opposable Games, June 29, 2015.

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