Indie game STAY is a mature adventure game that fuses point-and-click gameplay with innovative storytelling. The game focuses on a man named Quinn who wakes up alone in a locked room. It is clear that he is trapped and his only connection to the real world is through an old PC that is hooked up only to a chat room. This is where the player comes in—while players can occasionally take control of Quinn, they will mostly be interacting with the character through conversations in the chat room. This innovative mode of storytelling pulls players into the game through empathy and leaves players just as confused as Quinn.
STAY features a unique, real-time mechanic that can drastically affect the player's experience. Every minute spent away from the game leaves Quinn alone, and the longer Quinn is alone, the greater the chance something negative may happen. It is also important that the player maintains a compassionate tone with Quinn, as his emotions and thoughts towards the player can lead to positive or negative outcomes. Beyond the chat room, STAY will allow players to solve simple puzzles and unravel the mystery of Quinn, but at its core this game focuses on a captured man.
Chat-Driven Video Games
Indie Game STAY Has Players Chat with a Mysteriously Captured Man
Trend Themes
1. Chat-driven Storytelling - Innovative use of chat rooms as a medium for conveying stories in video games creates opportunities for immersive and empathetic gameplay experiences.
2. Real-time Mechanics - Incorporating real-time elements in video games, like the countdown mechanic in STAY, offers opportunities for increased interactivity and tension-building in gameplay.
3. Player Choice Impacts - Giving players the ability to impact game outcomes through their actions and tone in dialogue with characters, like in STAY, creates opportunities for personalized, non-linear storytelling in video games.
Industry Implications
1. Video Games - Incorporating chat-driven storytelling, real-time mechanics, and interactive storytelling in video games presents opportunities for innovation and new gameplay experiences.
2. Social Media - The use of chat rooms as a medium for storytelling in video games mirrors the use of online messaging platforms for storytelling and could open up opportunities for cross-platform social media engagement.
3. Education - Adopting chat-driven, real-time gameplay mechanics in meaningful educational experiences could increase engagement and retention of knowledge in students, especially those from the digital-native generation.