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Narrative Analysis:
Tone
Tone is the emotional expression of a story’s theme, as well as the source of mood and atmosphere.
Final Fantasy VII:
Opening
Final Fantasy VII’s memorable opening succeeds by weaving in character, setting, theme, and conflict.
Narrative Analysis: Showing and Telling
Despite the oft-repeated axiom, ‘show, don’t tell,’ both showing and telling have a place in storytelling.
About Cutscene University
At Cutscene University, our goal is to teach the essentials of storytelling by using the vibrant, engaging stories from both classic and modern video games.
Recommended Reading
Narrative Analysis:
The Basics
Learn the fundamentals of storytelling: structure, character, setting, and themes.
Narrative Analysis:
Next Steps
Go beyond the basics with topics like exposition, pacing, and stakes.
StoryScan: Critical Hits and Weak Points
Study the highs and lows of popular video game stories.
Storytelling has a shape. It dominates the way all stories are told and can be traced back not just to the Renaissance, but to the very beginnings of the recorded word. It’s a structure that we absorb avidly whether in art-house or airport form and it’s a shape that may be – though we must be careful – a universal archetype.
John Yorke
Producer and Script Editor