Death as a Narrative Mechanic in Games

From the very beginnings of video games, defeat has been part of the natural cycle of gaming. Whether playing competitively or casually, with friends or alone, wins and losses occur, with wins solidifying strengths and losses honing a player's weaknesses.

Over the decades, the ending mechanic, something that was once just part of the cycle and encouraged the player to try again, has become something more. In this article, we’ll delve into this aspect as a mechanic and an element of the narrative, whether directly or indirectly, and how important it has become in the current era of gaming.

Game Over

In the era of classics like Super Mario, Metroid, and Contra, a Game Over signaled the end of the game and, in many cases, punished the player, forcing them to start all over again; in others, there was the opportunity to restart from a saved point before the last attempt, a checkpoint.

In narrative terms, death served the same purpose it does in all stories: to create an important turning point, such as the downfall of a key character, causing emotional and narrative impact.

In Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, from 2003, the protagonist's death isn’t only an important part of the linear narrative of the plot, even being mentioned by the hero with the famous line "No, no, no, that's not how it happened…", but also influences the non-linearity of the story.

It's a malleable factor to a certain extent through another important mechanic in the game, Time Travel. By using the power of the time dagger, the player can reverse the flow of time by up to ten seconds, allowing them to undo even their own disappearance within the game or the elimination of other characters, as occurs in the plot’s climax.

In Shadow of the Colossus, from 2005, you become a reaper. In the game, we assume the role of Wander, a young man in search of a power capable of reviving his beloved, but to obtain such power, he needs to find and defeat gigantic creatures, the colossi.

As the game progresses and the titans fall, it becomes clear that Wander's intentions, while perhaps noble to a certain extent, are reckless and extremely destructive. Here, the act of taking lives is subtly subverted, placing the player in an uncomfortable position within the narrative.

There are other ways to incorporate endings as a narrative mechanic, and several titles have done so, either by transforming the fall into a learning experience within the story itself, or by bringing an even more complex emotional weight to it.

Thematic and Emotional Narrative

In Resident Evil, the mechanics go further and become a real threat. You face a horde of undead thirsty for human flesh and horrendous creatures that hunt you at every turn. Danger lurks around every corridor, in every door that opens, and even in the atmosphere and soundtrack.

In FromSoftware's Souls Series (Demon's Souls and Dark Souls Trilogy), extinction is treated beyond the progression loop. It punishes the player, as in the older games, forcing them to traverse a difficult path again or face a powerful enemy, but it’s also a powerful element in the storytelling.

In Dark Souls, and also in Bloodborne and Elden Ring, the protagonist is trapped in a cycle of fall and resurrection, either by a curse (as in Dark Souls and Bloodborne) or by a divine calling (as in Elden Ring, although here it can also be seen as a curse).

The creator of these games, which are now the basis of the Soulslike genre, has stated in several interviews how he wished to recapture the challenging atmosphere of the classic games, but, going beyond that, he wanted to invite players to a progressive challenge. Setbacks aren’t punishment here; they’re learning experiences.

You enter the arena of Malenia, Blade of Miquella knowing that you’ll be defeated 20, 50, or 100 more times (sometimes many more than that), and this shouldn’t be a source of frustration, but rather your greatest motivation.

The player must use the experience of failure as a tool against this enemy – a tool that allows you to repeatedly return, memorize the boss's movements and all their patterns and variations, until the fight becomes predictable and you can finally win. And when victory comes, it’s so satisfying that the reward goes beyond the items you get by winning.

The world of the living and the afterlife have collided and are undergoing a process of merging, causing souls that should move on to become trapped in our plane and turn into hostile beings. Sam is an individual touched by this transition and possesses special abilities, making him incapable of perishing permanently.

The Future this Mechanic in Games

With the advancement of technologies and storytelling methods in the gaming industry, passing away can be explored in increasingly complex and innovative ways within games, whether as an element of interaction between players, as a tool for narrative transformation, or even as a mechanism for exploration, leading to increasingly realistic sensory and emotional experiences.

What can we expect from a world where augmented reality is becoming ever closer? We can only imagine where developers will go to elevate the player experience.

The End in games has undergone a long transformation as a mechanic, ceasing to be merely a punishment and becoming a way of telling stories. Through this element so present in our reality, games are able to explore philosophical themes, evoke deep emotions, and build transformative experiences.

Video games, as an interactive medium, offer something unique that many other media aren’t yet capable of: the possibility of experiencing failure and overcoming challenges. In this context, the Game Over ceases to represent closure and begins to symbolize learning, transformation, and meaning.

I conclude this article here. Leave your questions, suggestions, criticisms, and/or compliments in the comments. Thank you for reading and until the next article.