Award season has returned here at Twinfinite, meaning it is time to discuss the best of the best in the last year of gaming. All throughout January, we will be taking a look at the very best games of 2021, with these articles include a handful of runner-ups and one overall winner. In this post, we’ll be going over the best video game writing and storytelling of 2021.
Voted on by our staff, these three games stood out amongst the handful of great video game stories that were released in the last year, featuring plenty of unique plotlines and bits of dialogue that helped them rise to the occasion. So without further ado, let’s get into it.
Best Video Game Storytelling & Writing of 2021
Honorable Mention: It Takes Two
Features Editor Andrew McMahon: While I’ll be the first to admit that It Take Two’s story isn’t perfect, mostly due to somewhat unlikable protagonists and direction, I’m also not ashamed to admit that it has some emotional themes. As a child of divorce myself, the relationship between May and Cody and the effect it has on their daughter, Rose, really resonated with me and did a great job conveying the hardships of marriage.
At the start of the game, Cody and May constantly bicker and argue, either blaming one another for the situation they find themselves in or refusing to own up to mistakes they’ve made in their past. As It Takes Two progresses through its story, the two not only begin to work together and communicate better, but they also remember why they fell in love in the first place.
This is conveyed in a rather brilliant way, as each level features themes from their relationships while also giving Cody and May specific abilities to go alongside them.
In one level, Cody has the ability to stop time, whereas May can duplicate herself – signifying the former’s wish to spend more time as a family and the latter’s ability not to be able to be in two places at once (Work and Home). The dialogue also becomes far more pleasant as It Takes Two’s narrative progresses, showing how vital proper communication can be not only for solving puzzles but also for simply enjoying each other’s company.
