Story writing: Games and Books (part 3)

Though RPG video games usually require a lot of hours to complete, it's unfair to suggest that a game that takes 100 hours to complete means that 100 hours of writing content goes into it. Games involve a lot of different elements to be successful, including things like combat, crafting, inventory management, puzzle solving, platforming, and exploration, to name a few. Often, these activities can make up the bulk of the time spent playing a game, but each RPG is different. Torment: Tides of Numenera is an RPG that requires a LOT of reading, and it involves some of the most impressive writing I've ever seen in an RPG, with excellent character development and a fantastic, broad, intriguing story. The best part? You play a large part in writing the story when playing the game, because you make choices that lead different directions. After solving RPG's like this, you can always replay them and make totally different choices. Depending on the writing and the game developers, sometimes this can result in entirely different stories unfolding, producing a new experience each time. Remember those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books? It's like those, but infinitely more complex.