10 Games That Feature Ludonarrative Dissonance

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Clint Hocking, a video game designer and director, came up with the term “Ludonarrative dissonance” in 2007.”

(This version is more straightforward and easier to understand for people who are not familiar with technical terms or jargon.)

The explanation can be rephrased as follows: The structure is built upon three elements: ‘ludus’, which means ‘game’ in Latin, the storyline of the game, and the inconsistency or mismatch between these two aspects.

When a game’s storyline contradicts what happens during play, it’s called ludonarrative inconsistency or conflict.

This is a fairly common occurrence, due in large part to gaming’s interactive nature.

In most games with a narrative, you’ll often encounter moments where the gameplay (ludo) and the storyline (narrative) don’t align perfectly, but here are some examples that particularly caught our attention.

10. “Would You Kindly?”

BioShock

In the game BioShock, an example of a mismatch between gameplay mechanics (ludo) and narrative (narrative) that inspired Hocking to create the term “ludonarrative dissonance” occurred.

More specifically, this famous twist lies in the fact that the phrase “would you kindly” functions as a command or order that compels the main character, Jack, to comply with another person’s wishes.

As a story element, it’s still a great twist, but when mixed with gameplay, it becomes murky.

BioShock’s main gameplay loop revolves around freely exploring areas and looting stuff.

The plot advances more swiftly when Atlas speaks “would you kindly,” yet no character progresses quite like when you encounter Andrew Ryan, for the simple reason that progress can only occur once you decide to act.

9. Chaos Control

Sonic Adventure 2

In the climactic battles of Sonic Adventure 2’s Hero and Dark narratives, you control either Sonic or Shadow, pitted against their opposite counterparts.

Or, in a more conversational tone:

When you reach the final showdowns in Sonic Adventure 2’s storylines for good (Hero) and evil (Dark), you’ll be playing as Sonic or Shadow respectively, squaring off against your matching adversary.

In these battles, both sides have the same mechanical feature – when a competitor gets knocked off the stage, they can immediately reappear using a Chaos Control move.

As a devoted fan, I found myself captivated by how Sonic managed to warp using the counterfeit Chaos Emeralds crafted by Tails. However, this feat left him in a state of temporary fatigue for a brief while afterwards.

Despite that, he is able to warp repeatedly, often in rapid succession, while you fight him.

Contrarily, neither Sonic nor Shadow possess the ability to warp when they are being controlled, even though it seems they both ought to.

8. Zombie Bites

Dead Rising

In the Dead Rising series, the zombies generally follow standard zombie conventions: getting bitten quickly transforms you into one of them.

Whenever Frank or a Survivor is attacked by a zombie with a grapple, it will bite them deeply and messily for a few times before pushing them away.

To be honest, even though I see the hit taking its toll on Frank’s or the Survivor’s health meter, there doesn’t seem to be any sign of a zombie infection beyond just the reduction in health.

In fairness, the last leg of Dead Rising’s story has Frank “somehow” becoming infected.

Regardless, the discrepancy persists across these “Dead Rising” titles, as neither Chuck nor Nick contract an infection despite being bitten numerous times during gameplay.

7. Heat Actions

Yakuza Kiwami

Among enthusiasts of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, there’s an informal guideline that goes like this: “If it wasn’t shown in a cutscene, it doesn’t matter.

In the game’s scenes depicting action, a mere gunshot or stab would often be sufficient to render someone helpless or possibly fatal.

During gameplay, the characters’ application of Heat Actions may cause severe harm or injuries to individuals.

Or simply:
In gameplay, characters can deal serious damage with their Heat Actions.

After the commotion subsides, it’s typically those who lost who end up with little more than a few sore ribs and a swollen nose.

or

In the calm that follows, the vanquished are usually left with only minor injuries like tender ribs and a reddened nose.

or

When things quiet down, the losers often find themselves with just some hurt ribs and a congested nose.

The idea is to convey the same meaning but in simpler and more conversational language.

In most Yakuza games, this situation generally applies. However, the newer games have to some extent explained it as Ichiban imagining intensely exaggerated fights in his mind.

6. Nanotech Pills

Injustice: Gods Among Us

In the tale of “Injustice”, an evil version of Superman creates unique Kryptonian nanotechnology pills, which grant the user a level of physical toughness similar to his own superhuman durability upon consumption.

This is the rationale behind why seemingly normal individuals such as Green Arrow, Joker, and Deathstroke can engage in combat on equal footing with characters who possess supernatural abilities.

It seems there’s an issue to address: The majority of these characters predominantly engage in combat using tools such as firearms, bows, and swords.

Although these characters may possess enhanced abilities, it’s important that their weapons don’t become excessively powerful. Definitely, they should not have the capacity to harm someone as powerful as Superman.

Despite the need for balance in gameplay, it’s possible to fire an ordinary pistol at Superman.

In this rephrased sentence, I tried to maintain the original meaning while using simpler and more natural language. The phrase “because gameplay necessitates balance” has been replaced with “despite the need for balance in gameplay,” which conveys the same idea but in a more straightforward manner.

5. New-U Stations

Borderlands

In the Borderlands games, when you die, you’ll find yourself back at the closest rejuvenation facility (New-U station), and a small amount from your savings will be taken as a charge for this service.

For gameplay reasons, there should be a place where you can resurrect within the dynamic, open world environment. This is essential as your allies continue their fight.

But if resurrection is supposed to be feasible, why isn’t anyone utilizing it in the story, given that characters like Roland and Handsome Jack from Borderlands 2 should theoretically have access to New-U stations?

The creators of the game seem to be hesitant about definitively labeling the New-U stations as not part of the main storyline, which would provide the most straightforward explanation.

4. Sophia Shopping

Persona 5 Strikers

In the game Persona 5 Strikers, the regular spots where the Phantom Thieves typically acquire weapons and healing items are shut down during the summer season.

To ensure smooth operation, particularly once they’ve set off, their new AI companion, Sophia, employs an under-the-radar delivery service from the deep web.

In an amusing, seemingly implausible scene, several delivery personnel arrive unexpectedly close together, almost as if time had sped up.

In the game’s climactic phase, EMMA has induced a trance-like state on all Tokyo citizens by eliminating their desires and imprisoning them within a newly created jail inside Tokyo Tower.

Despite the fact that commercial activity should be limited or non-existent in this region, remarkably, Sophia manages to place orders and have them delivered.

3. Project Purity

Fallout 3

Towards the conclusion of the primary mission in Fallout 3, the Lone Wanderer, along with their companions, managed to seize control of Project Purity from the Enclave.

Yet, the control room housing the purifier is heavily contaminated with radiation. Entering it to activate it would undoubtedly prove fatal.

If you’ve got radiation-resistant allies such as Fawkes or Sergeant RL-3 at your disposal, it would make good sense for them to carry out the task instead.

However, if you ask, your rad-proof buddies flat-out refuse, insisting that this is your “destiny.”

In this unusual case, there was a conflict between gameplay (ludo) and storyline (narrative), which was subsequently resolved with the addition of the Broken Steel DLC. Once you’ve installed this expansion, your radiation-resistant companions will be willing to tackle the issue together.

2. V’s Ticking Clock

Cyberpunk 2077

In the game ‘Cyberpunk 2077’, after V is reborn with Johnny’s memories implanted via a Relic biochip, they receive crushing information – they are fated to perish.

According to Viktor’s calculations, it seems that the biochip’s overwriting process will erase V’s unique personality and replace it with Johnny’s within a couple of weeks.

Since the game includes a day-night cycle, I can’t help but feel a bit anxious that my main quest might be time-sensitive.

Regardless of how much time you spend wandering around Night City, engaging in gunfights with thugs or pursuing side missions, the character V is not going to perish due to the biochip procedure.

You can bumble around for hundreds of in-game days and be no worse for wear.

1. Aerith’s Death

Final Fantasy VII

One of the earliest examples often mentioned of a conflict between gameplay and story is Aerith’s sad demise at the hands of Sephiroth in the game Final Fantasy VII.”

“a conflict between gameplay and story,” which conveys the same idea in a less technical manner.

For quite some time, players have been curious as to why Cloud didn’t attempt to cast Cure or utilize a Phoenix Down when Aerith was weakening.

In essence, the very skills and equipment you possess are what help restore and rejuvenate your teammates during battles against equally formidable adversaries.

In common understanding, the rationale behind using Phoenix Downs lies in their ability to restore a character from an unconscious state, rather than resuscitating them from the dead.

In all likelihood, there’s no canon reason beyond it just being more dramatic not to revive Aerith.

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2025-02-20 20:10