Action Led- Codes and Conventions of narrative

Narrative Structure and Development

The narrative structure in action games typically revolves around a clear protagonist overcoming a series of obstacles or challenges.
The game’s story often follows a classical three-act structure: setup, confrontation and resolution.
Expect a correlation between the progression of the game and the development of the narrative - as the player advances, so does the story.

Traditional action games often make use of character archetypes like heroes, villains, mentors, and sidekicks.
The protagonist usually undergoes a character development journey - starting off flawed or inexperienced, and growing stronger and wiser as the game progresses.
Non-playable characters (NPCs) serve to advance the plot, offering guidance, creating obstacles, or acting as triggers for new missions or storylines.

Action games frequently organise their narrative deployment through a mission or quest structure.
These quests typically involve problems to solve or goals to achieve, given by NPCs. They offer a clear sense of purpose and direction, and often serve as the main guides for narrative progression.
Missions are often broken down into a series of tasks that include combats, puzzles, exploration, and interaction with game characters, each task bringing a new piece to the overall game storyline.

Conflict is at the heart of narrative codes and conventions in action games. It typically occurs either on a personal level (inner conflicts of the protagonist) or on a broader level (battles against antagonist forces).
These conflicts often have escalations and resolutions that correspond with the gameplay, such as boss battles or final confrontations. They act as major narrative points or turning points for the character and story progression.

The game environment, including the in-game locations and visual aesthetics, contributes significantly to narrative development.
Games often use world-building techniques, like lore, backstories, or environmental hints, to enrich the game’s narrative depth.
Different settings in the game (such as peaceful towns, dangerous dungeons, or alien planets) set the mood for the narrative and serve to enhance players’ immersion in the game’s storyline.

Cutscenes, or in-game cinematics, serve to advance the game’s narrative, developing the storyline, presenting characters, or revealing background information.
The quality, style, and frequency of cutscenes can greatly impact a player’s understanding and enjoyment of the game’s storyline.
Despite being non-interactive moments, cutscenes in action games often shoulder the burden of reinforcing gameplay progress with narrative relevance and emotional impact.