How Telltale Games is Changing the Gaming Industry

Become the Writer of your story


Telltale Games is a company that develops stories for the Player to be a part of and to form a realistic bond to their world. As the Player, you are the decider, the writer of this tale.

You can make any choice you want, but be warned your choices always have consequences. Telltale Games want to give you, the Player, control over the story. If you do something wrong, Telltale Games may punish you.

They’re constantly changing how you interact with your favorite stories. You can become Batman, the Big Bad Wolf Bigby, one of the kings within the Game of Thrones, or you can create your story, starring you.

(The Walking Dead: Michonne 2016) Racked with the pain of her guilt, she attempts to commit suicide; the choice is up to the Player, does she live or dies?

At one point in our lives, we wish we could visit another world and experience it firsthand. Telltale Games provide Players the experience. Since, their first successful hit, The Walking Dead in 2012, they are changing how Players interact within the game. Competitor companies are seeing how successful they are and it inspires them to do the same.

Characters you get to control, Left to right: Tyrion Lannister (Game of Thrones), Jake and Fiona (Tales from the Borderlands), Big Bad Wolf, A.K.A. Bigby (the Wolf Among Us), and Lee Everett and Clementine (The Walking Dead).

The Story is Yours

Sometimes, we don’t get to decide how our story should go. Perhaps, you’re at a dead-end job without a possible Career future or caught in a rut. You need an outlet that would help you figure out what you should do. Telltale Games is something that you might be interested in, where you can jump into any world and control your fate.

On the other hand, there is a story that you love, and you want more out of it. Telltale gives Player’s that experience. As Telltale Games continues to get recognition for their development and gaming experience, Entertainment companies continue to give them permission to do what they do best. That is allowing Players to alter the story within the game.

Telltale Games is a one of a kind company, it concentrates on allowing Players the ability to make choices within the game. The choices the Players make will have profound effects in the story and gameplay. This power may be bit overwhelming, but controlling the fate of NPC’s you are in contact with may be rewarding.

There are stories in development right now, or already developed. As you venture their world and live in it, you become the controller that takes matters into your hands. Also take heed to accept the responsibility for the lives you play.

A promo of their next product licensed and authorized by Marvel. Episode one is ready for purchase and episode two is in development.

It is a possibility that one of your favorite Comic Books, Video Games, TV shows, and Movies are in development right now or already developed. They’re ready for you to come and join their world.

You shape the story

Perhaps, you need to survive a zombie apocalypse, solve crimes in Gotham or in your fairy tale community, control the lives of your enormous kingdom, or other wild adventures. Telltale Games give you the experience to be the master of that story. However, there are many downsides with such power. As much as Telltale is about choices, they’re also about something a lot more.

In the Walking Dead, Lee Everett has an altercation with Larry, an old man who distrusts him being around his daughter. The question pops up, and Lee or the Player chooses what he should say next. Words you choose will affect how the character sees you. Sometimes, they affect the character you control.

Choose Consequences, not Choices

In a game called the Wolf Among Us, you play as Bigby from Grimm’s fairy tale. As Bigby, you must solve the murder of a fairy tale character named Faith. Your choices will affect the story, but the result of your choices may not be what you expected or desired. You take a lot of risk in deciding how you should react.

Bigby exits the library, just as he gets a call from Toad. He knows he must get to Lawrence’s Apartment, but Toad needs his immediate help. This is a crucial choice that affects game, what will the Player decide? (The Wolf Among Us)

There’s a scene where you get a call from Mr. Toad who said something happened in a panicking tone, but you need to go see the Prince Lawrence, Faith’s husband. Whatever you decide, the consequences of making either decision will change the story in a critical way. If you chose Mr. Toad, you would reach the Lawrence after he committed suicide. However, if you go to the Prince first, Mr. Toad would have calmed down, cleaned up the apartment, and in the result remove a vital piece of evidence that could help you solve the murder.

These Telltale games are more than making impulse choices, they’re teaching Players to take responsibilities for their actions. It forces them to think before they act. In the Walking Dead, you have a short amount of time to react. If you choose poorly, you might get your entire team killed.

Destination in Game of Thrones

Immerse Yourself in their World

The Developers are getting better at their craft and confusing the line between reality and fiction. These worlds made by Telltale Games are real, as far as the story is concerned. This creates a presence that your involvement will affect the world and characters on a personal level. There are dangers, characters, and environment for you to explore and experience.

More characters you get to control, left to right: John Snow (Game of Thrones), Clementine (the Walking Dead), Jesse (Minecraft), and Bruce Wayne (Batman).

Characters

Throughout their exploration within the game, Players will form a bond with characters. How the Players choose to interact may develop the character in a specific way. When a caption appears saying, “[Character] will remember this.” You know you have done something critical to them, which will affect their behavior in the game.

The critical moment Lee said or did something to Kenny that caused him to change his perception of him (The Walking Dead).

These characters throughout the game are designed for you to interact with and gather information to resolve problems. Sometimes they tell you something important that you should know, or other times they tell something private. It all depends on how they revere you. The downside to any character interaction is that it is life-like.

Dialogue

In most games, you can say something mean, and they’ll shrug it off and continue to help you. However, if you say something mean to any character in Telltale, that character might hold a grudge against you and let you suffer or die.

Precious example of a conversation between Player and NPC (The Walking Dead)

The conversation between characters is what the game is mostly about. The best thing to do is to learn all you can, even from a character. As the player, you must figure out what is sensitive and what is not. Sometimes, if you say the wrong thing, it might have adverse effects against you throughout the game. You must pay careful attention to anything that seems amiss or the mood of certain characters that appears unnatural.

Ambience

The Walking Dead: A New Frontier - Retail Launch Trailer

Music and sound are also an important part of Telltale Games. Sometimes, it is just birds singing in the background, or it might be a warning. Other times within the game, you might have the option of choosing music to help improve the mood.

You Shape the Story’s Development

The third most important part of the game is Quick Time Event. It is where the Player must act quickly in an intense situation. This is how the Player shapes the world itself.

Prince Lawrence, from the Wolf Among Us shoots himself because the Player wasn't quick enough to stop him. The example of when a Player is slow to react during Quick Time Event

Sometimes Quick Time Event isn’t about action, but how the Player decides to respond. In the Wolf Among Us, you have the option to tell the Prince that his wife has died or went missing. When Tweedle Dee enters the apartment, the Prince will try to do something reckless. The situation gives you a short amount of time to react, do you stop the Prince from using force or allow him.

Moment of sacrifice, Lee must decide quickly who to save. These sacrifices will change the story, so what will the Player do? (The Walking Dead)

Likewise in the Walking Dead, when zombies attack, you only have a short amount of time to react before the zombie kills. In both of these games, whatever you have done to the environment, it shapes it. It is all a recurrent theme within these games: the Player must take responsibility for their actions.

What Does The Future Hold For Telltale Games?

As Telltale continues to develop more games and stories, it starts affecting the Gaming Industry. I mentioned how Telltale Game works and how it changes the world a Player can interact with. We can see something familiar with them. Many other games are gaining inspiration from their works and creating unique mechanics.

Creature known as the Wendigo can't see in darkness, hold still and it might leave you alone. (Until Dawn)

In Until Dawn, there’s an extra feature of holding absolutely still, by using the controller.

Interview, remember your team and the world is watching (NBA 2k15).

In NBA 2k15, in My Career story, they added the feature of overall reactions. What you say to the News-Press will affect the team’s morale.

As the chosen hero, you are free to flirt whoever you wish and have them fall in love with you, (Dragon Age Inquisition).

In Dragon Age, you have the capability to cause a team member to like or maybe love you.

So what else will Telltale effect? Will they give Players the option to communicate to the characters between the physical and fictional world? Telltale development is already branching out to other open opportunities to give Players more to their game.

VR

Telltale Games have often declared that they will create a VR game. How will it affect their future games? One is that Player-Character interaction would be more realistic, creating the further illusion that the Player is creating a legitimate conversation with the characters. Quick Time Event would become more intense. There is an unlimited potential as to what Telltale will do the moment they create VR games.

Depression and thoughts of suicide are hard topics to talk about; Telltale Games may help people with these subjects.

Telltale Games’ Role in Society

In other less climatic situations, Telltale might take on a task to do something that will benefit mankind. VR Simulators are already doing this; they use their devices to prepare people for any situation. If Telltale can utilize their tools, they can help Players overcome a certain real-life crisis. Telltale might help Players discuss the concept of death. They might even help people deal with suicide or drug abuse. Perhaps, resolve what to do in a domestic situation.

On a happy note, they can help anti-social people reach out, date, and assist them to experience life. Perhaps, they can use their skills to discuss fears, experiences, or how to deal with changes and the unknown. Life is scary and hard; Telltale could use their efforts to help Players overcome them.

The Walking Dead intro, a prime example that a story can go anywhere

Their influence in the Entertainment Industry

As Telltale Games progress in the Entertainment Industry, affecting favorite stories and so on. There is a possible future that Telltale Games might influence change in movies and television shows. Telltale Games have Players interact with the story and shape it how they want, so what is stopping them from allowing Players to publish their story. In this way, they can play it as though it is a movie or a television show.

Do you agree with Telltale influences? What are your opinions on Telltale Games? Let me know in the comments below.

If you like this, perhaps you would enjoy these:

5 TV Shows and Movies Telltale Games Should Turn into Games

Telltale Games: A List of the 10 Best Telltale Games to Play in 2015 and 2016

The Growing Popularity of Episodic Video Games

Tales From The Borderlands: A Telltale Game Series

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Dedicated to learn everything in his skilltree, Matthew B. Hafen is a writer that is not afraid to back down from a challenge.
Gamer Since: 1991
Favorite Genre: RPG
Currently Playing: Prey
Top 3 Favorite Games:Rise of the Tomb Raider, Tomb Raider, The Elder Scrolls Online