Mechanics and Narrative: FPS

Last time we looked at how narrative and mechanics are intertwined (or not) in horror games, and today we'll take a look at first-person shooters.

At first glance the mechanics of FPS games don't seem to be terribly linked to the narrative except for the fact that you shoot things, which means that the story tends to be about shooting things. That's pretty much a given - they are called first-person shooters, after all. It's kind of like saying that horror games are about scary things.

The interesting thing about FPS games is the camera angle. 

The FPS camera simulates your character's eyes. You see what the character sees, from their perspective, and control where they look. The strength of this camera angle is the sense of immersion it can provide - you're not following some guy around, you are that guy. So, generally speaking, the FPS mechanics that have the greatest impact on the narrative are the ones that affect your sense of immersion.

Linearity in First-Person Shooters

Doing my usual background research before I start a review, I was checking out the critical reception of Legendary, a first-person shooter where a thief hired to steal Pandora's Box opens the box, and unleashes various mythological creatures and magical forces on the world (see my review here). The game's average score is only 50%. The two main complaints are that it's too linear, and that there are too few enemy types.

If linearity and poor enemy diversity are enough to drop Legendary to 50%, then why do Call of Duty games consistently receive ratings of 80-90? Why are some FPS games criticized for being too linear while others get a free pass?

Legendary

Post-Launch Review

Legendary (PC)

Developer: Spark Unlimited

Publisher: Gamecock Media Group, SouthPeak Interactive, Atari

Released: November 4 2008 (XBox, PS3), November 18 2008 (PC)

About

Legendary is an FPS following professional thief Charles Deckard. Hired by an organization called the Black Order, Deckard is hired to steal Pandora's Box from a New York museum. Of course, Deckard opens the box, unleashing a horde of mythical creatures on the world. Deckard, a Black Order defector named Vivian, and the military force the Council of 98 set out to save the world from the rampaging creatures. Meanwhile the Black Order works to steal the Box, intending to harness its power to take over the world.