'Metro' Creator Explains Importance of Story, And Why 'Transformers' Will Make You "Throw Up"
According to the creator of the Metro series, story comes first, and that a quality narrative is [...]
According to the creator of the Metro series, story comes first, and that a quality narrative is much more important than impressive graphical fidelity or anything else.
Speaking to PCGamesN, Dmitiri Glukhovsky -- who's the writer of the upcoming Metro Exodus -- talked about graphical fidelity and how it can help a game and its story. For example, improvements in facial animation and motion capture have helped tell deep and personal stories. Without the tech, there can be an emotional distance for a player.
However, while tech can help audiences engage with the story being told, it isn't the selling factor.
"It's like with 3D movies. You go to a 3D movie, how long is it until you stop noticing that everything is 3D? Maybe five minutes? After that, it's either the story clicks with you or it doesn't," said Glukhovsky.
The Metro creator continued, taking a shot at Transformers in the process:
"If you go and watch a Transformers movie, you'll throw up in about five minutes whether you're wearing the [3D glasses] or not, because the story is so stupid. If you watch Breaking Bad, where there's no 3D, and it's on three sets, and the cast is about five people. And you can't stop watching because it's so thrilling, and compelling, and breathtaking. This is it. Story comes first.
"[The Metro books] are just stains of paint over paper. It's the story and the fantasy that turns a brick of cellulose into a real world. Literature is a real magic, for people who know letters and words. One thing completes the other thing. Literature titillates your imagination – you are kind of co-creating this world when you imagine it while you're reading it. When you play a game, everything is served to you on a dish. At the same time, when you can go and play, this is an immersive experience that's pretty much unparalleled."
As you can see, Glukhovsky really values story, and hopefully that will mean when Metro Exodus ships next month on the 15 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, it will have one of the year's best stories.
