7 Interactive Fiction Platforms that Will Open Our Eyes to New POVs
The star of the story is actually you
When you dive into a story, you experience the world through the eyes of the protagonist and can explore complex emotions and situations through them. However, a majority of main characters have been presenting mainstream narratives for a long time. Representation has been lacking between the covers of books, and in the publishing industry as well.
From celebrated authors to mainstream publishers, the vast majority of big players in the book industry have been white, male and straight. A simple search on “great authors” presents Ranker’s “Best Writers of All Time” list in the top result. The list features 100 authors, of which only six are female, and not a single person of color.
The Diversity Baseline Survey, spearheaded by Lee & Low Books in 2015, found that almost 80% of the entire publishing industry (including executives, editors, and reviewers) were white. This lack of diversity became painfully clear in 2015 and 2017, two recent instances in which the “best book” shortlists in the UK consisted of only white authors.
Why does this matter? Stories are mirrors for readers to see themselves in, to feel acknowledged, and to validate their own experiences. Mainstream narratives that only support a particular demographic alienates others, and does not help develop empathy for those “different” to us.
It is especially empowering for younger audiences to read inspiring stories with characters they can identify with. Jacob Hood wrote a great essay for Huffpost about his memories of reading books as a kid of color. He loved those adventure stories, but he never felt like he could be like any of the white characters he admired. The stories weren’t about him. There were books with characters being black, but never about black kids solving mysteries. He explains that we need books that show life’s realities, but we also need books that feature diverse heroes in the genres we’re all familiar with. Kids want to see that they are like everyone else and that they can be heroes as well.
The freedom of the online world provides febrile grounds for a whole new array of stories told from other perspectives. Makers of interactive fiction recognize the format’s potential to speak directly to specific, niche audiences. Here are some interactive narrative games that offer different points of view.
1. Choices
Choices by Pixelberry Studios releases new books and chapters every week that provide general outlines of a story, but lets you fill in the blanks. You can pick your gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation. With story genres that range from romance to horror, you get to make choices “to kiss or not to kiss your love interest” or “run away from or fight the monster in your house.”
2. Drag Star!
Have you ever been curious about what it’s like to compete in a drag show? This interactive novel by Choices of Games might be a fun place to start. The story revolves around a big reality TV drag competition. It is entirely text-based, but you make decisions about the developments of the story. You can decide to play a queen or king, and even as a non-binary or genderfluid performer; write original jokes and song lyrics; create your look — all while finding out which diva contestant is trying to sabotage everything!
Some issues are difficult to understand, especially if you do not have firsthand experience of it. This is why stories are a great way to promote deeper understanding and empathy. That’s what The Pixel Hunt aims to achieve with their interactive story, Bury Me, My Love, which follows a Syrian couple through the refugee crisis — with one trying to reach Europe and the other still in Syria. You experience their story and the world they are living through their text messages to each other, the chaos and uncertainty of those who live in refugee camps and hoping for a better life.
4. Episode
Similar to Choices, Episode by Pocket Gems is an app that provides a general story outline, with readers choosing how the story unfolds by answering questions. You are also able to customize your avatar’s looks and sexual orientation. Besides original stories, Episode also has partnerships with popular TV shows, movies and popstars, so you get to include your favorite on-screen characters in the story! This is by far the most famous game on this list with 1.5 million reviews on the app store.
5. The Boat
This story by SBS doesn’t let you make any decisions, but is still highly engaging. The use of sound and visual effects provide an extra layer to the reading experience, making it more intense. You follow a group of Vietnamese refugees on a boat in the midst of a storm. As the text and illustrations on the screen tilt from left to right, you start to feel almost seasick yourself. Poetic writing, well-designed effects and the beautiful inky illustrations make you feel like a part of the story, bringing everything together beautifully.
6. Device 6
While reading a thriller, half the fun is trying to figure things out. But do you wish you were actively solving problems and answering questions as you flip through the pages? Device 6 by Simogo lets you do just that. It’s a thriller peppered with puzzles, maps and photographs. You’re Anna, who’s trying to figure out how she ended up in a castle on an island, plagued by the memory of a creepy doll. The aesthetic is reminiscent of the films from an earlier era, which featured more female victims than female heroines. In this story, the protagonist takes her fate into her own hands and finds out what happened to her (with your help, obviously).
7. Gone Home
In another exciting detective-style story, “you” come after a year of traveling to find your family gone. You have to find out what happened by walking through the house and finding clues. Gone Home features a female protagonist and has been linked to the nineties riot grrrl scene. According to the study, the game mobilizes feminist action and is a critical response to the often misogynistic gaming culture.
With so many examples of innovative and inclusive ways of storytelling, authors can think beyond limiting formats and mainstream audiences. There are so many ways to share all the wonderful, diverse stories of humanity. Thinking about the narrator is crucial to the writing process — so what voice will you give your protagonist?
