Category: Playable Stories Archive

Gameful Experiences, Playable Stories ArchiveLeave a comment

Storyteller

Jason

https://annapurnainteractive.com/en/games/storyteller Entry by Leila Kazeminejad A. BASIC INFORMATION Creator(s): Creation technology: Unity Publisher: Annapurna Interactive: https://annapurnainteractive.com/en  Date of Original Release: March 23, 2023 Platforms: PC, MacOS, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, Netflix Peripherals Required: Keyboard/mouse or Touchscreen-enabled device; speakers/headphones ESRB Rating: T (Teen) Awards & Distinctions:  Version used for entry: 1.1.18 (October 16, 2023) for PC B. GAME INFORMATION Game/eLit Genre(s): Narrative Puzzle Time to complete: Approximately 2 hours. Time to completion largely depends on how quickly the player is able to solve the puzzles. For 100% completion, around 3 hours of game-time is recommended. Replay required/useful?: A single playthrough is … Continue reading Storyteller

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Dredge

Jason

https://www.dredge.game/ Entry by Kevin Ghouchandra A. BASIC INFORMATION Creator: Black Salt Games Studio website: https://www.blacksaltgames.com/ Creation technology: Unity Publisher: Team17 Date of original release: March 30, 2023 Platforms: Windows; macOS; PlayStation 4/5; Nintendo Switch; Xbox One; Xbox Series X/S; iOS; Android Peripherals required: Mouse/keyboard, game controller  ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Awards/Distinctions: Version used for entry: PlayStation 5 Version 1.4.0 B. GAME INFORMATION Game/eLit Genre(s): Open world, exploration, role-playing, nautical/fishing, horror Time to complete: Main Story: 9.5 hours; Completionist: 19 hrs (https://howlongtobeat.com/game/94128)  Replay required/useful?: No. All quests conclude in the same way (assuming the player succeeds) and both endings can be … Continue reading Dredge

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Overboard!

Jason

https://www.inklestudios.com/overboard/ Entry by Jeremy Andriano A. BASIC INFORMATION Creator(s): Inkle (https://www.inklestudios.com/) Creation Technology: ink, Unity Publisher: Inkle Date of Original Release: June 2, 2021 Platform(s): Windows, MacOS, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android Peripherals Required: Mouse or Touchscreen-enabled device, Speakers or Headphones ESRB Rating: T (Teen) Awards & Distinctions:  Version Used for Entry: Apple iPad iOS, Version 1.4.2 b354ec B. GAME INFORMATION Game/eLit Genre(s): Adventure, Visual Novel, Roguelike, Puzzle/Strategy Time to complete: Main story: 2.5 hours, according to https://howlongtobeat.com/game/93626, although this may be misleading. A single Overboard! playthrough can be completed in less than 20 minutes. However, it may take dozens of … Continue reading Overboard!

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The Stanley Parable and The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe

Jason

https://www.stanleyparable.com/ Entry by Jason Boyd A. BASIC INFORMATION Note: The Stanley Parable was originally released by Davey Wreden on July 31, 2011 as a free modification for Half-Life 2. This entry describes the 2013 ‘remake’ as well as The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe, which is not an extension or DLC of the ‘remake,’ but a remaking of the remake in Unity, with additional content.  Creator(s): Studio website: http://www.galactic-cafe.com (but redirects to URL above) Creation technology: Source (remake); Unity (Ultra Deluxe) Publisher: Galactic Cafe Date of original release: October 17, 2013 (remake); April 27, 2022 (Ultra Deluxe) Platform(s): Windows; Mac OS … Continue reading The Stanley Parable and The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe

Gameful Experiences, Higher Education & Scholarship, Playable Stories ArchiveLeave a comment

Unpacking

Jason

https://www.unpackinggame.com Entry by Kevin Ghouchandra A. BASIC INFORMATION Creator: Witch Beam (https://witchbeam.com.au/) Creation Technology: Unity, Wwise (in-game audio), Aseprite (pixel art) Publisher: Humble Bundle Date (of original release): 2 November 2021 (Windows, Switch, Xbox), 10 May 2022 (Play Station 4/5), 24 August 2023 (iOS, Android) ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Platform(s): Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Play Station 4/5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One Peripherals required: Keyboard/mouse (PC); speakers/headphones Awards/Distinctions: Version used for entry: B. GAME INFORMATION Game/eLit Genre(s): visual novel; puzzle Time to complete: Main Story, 3.5 hours (From https://howlongtobeat.com/game/69666)  Replay required/useful?: No. A single attentive playthrough will reveal the full story. … Continue reading Unpacking

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Florence

Jason

https://annapurnainteractive.com/en/games/florence Entry by Kevin Ghouchandra A. BASIC INFORMATION Creator: Mountains (http://mountains.studio/)  Creation Technology: Unity Publisher: Annapurna Interactive Date of original release: 15 February 2018 (iOS), 14 March 2018 (Android), 13 February 2020 (Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch) ESRB Rating: T (Teen) Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch  Peripherals required: Keyboard and mouse (PC), speakers/headphones Awards/Distinctions: Version used for entry: Android 1.0.9 B. GAME INFORMATION Game/eLit Genre(s): visual novel, puzzle Time to complete: Main Story, 2 Hours; Completionist, 3 Hours (from https://howlongtobeat.com/game.php?id=4010) Replay required/useful?: Not required. A single attentive playthrough will reveal the full story. Gameplay: The game features very little … Continue reading Florence

Diversity & Inclusion, Gameful Experiences, Higher Education & Scholarship, Playable Stories ArchiveLeave a comment

Venba

Jason

https://venbagame.com/ Entry by Leila Kazeminejad A. BASIC INFORMATION Creator(s): Visai Studios Creation technology: Unity Publisher: Visai Games Date of original release: 31 July 2023 ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Blood, violence, use of tobacco Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Playstation 5 (PS5), XBox Series, XBox One Peripherals required: Keyboard and mouse (PC), speakers/headphones Awards/Distinctions: Version used for entry: PC B. GAME INFORMATION Game/eLit Genre(s): Visual Novel, Cooking Simulator/Puzzle. Time to complete: Approximately 2 hours (including all dialogue options in Chapter 3 and Chapter 7). Replay required/useful?: Not required. There are no other alternative plot lines or endings. Gameplay: Using the left … Continue reading Venba

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Gone Home

Jason

https://gonehome.com/ Entry by Kevin Ghouchandra A. BASIC INFORMATION Creators: The Fullbright Company (https://fullbrig.ht/) Creation technology: Unity Publisher: The Fullbright Company and Majesco Entertainment (PlayStation 4/Xbox One), Annapurna Interactive (Nintendo Switch/iOS) Date of original release: 15 August 2013 (Linux, Windows, OS X) Platforms: Linux, Windows, OS X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Google Play Version used for entry: Nintendo Switch Ver 1.0.4 Peripherals required: Speakers/ Headphones Rating: ESRB Mature 17+ Awards/Distinctions: B. GAME INFORMATION Game/eLit Genres: Adventure, Mystery, Walking Simulator Time to complete: Main Story, 2 Hours; Completionist, 3 Hours (from How Long to Beat) Replay required/useful? A single attentive … Continue reading Gone Home

Gameful Experiences, Higher Education & Scholarship, Playable Stories Archive, Unarchived podcastLeave a comment

‘Unarchived’ podcast featured on ‘Continuing Studies’ podcast episode

Jason

Playable Stories: Unarchived team members Jason Boyd and Patrick R. Dolan were guests on the Continuing Studies podcast broadcast on 16 September 2024. The episode, “Digital Narratives: Video Games in Literary Studies,” discusses the purpose of the Unarchived podcast and its relationship to the Playable Stories Archive. The Continuing Studies podcast explores the intersection of higher education and podcasting. Sponsored in part by the University Podcasters Network, this podcast delves into the uniqueness of university podcast production and podcast growth through the lens of seasoned podcasters across various higher education institutions. Listen to the episode. Continue reading ‘Unarchived’ podcast featured on ‘Continuing Studies’ podcast episode

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Unarchived (Season 2, Episode 7)

Jason

with Jason Boyd (Host), Jeremy Andriano, Patrick R. Dolan, Kevin Ghouchandra, and Chelsea Russell Broadcast date: July 15, 2024 Writer: Jason Boyd Producer: Patrick R. Dolan Time Index Might and Delight’s Book of Travels (2021-) deliberately challenges the expectations that players bring to the CRPG (Computer Role-Playing Game). It does not have the obvious and well-signposted quests or achievements that most open exploration-style games are structured by, and the larger stories about the world of the game have to be painstakingly assembled piecemeal. Book of Travels also has a number of features that complicate it as an object of study … Continue reading Unarchived (Season 2, Episode 7)