Play Me a Story: Video Games as an Influential Medium in the 21 Century

In this paper, I, the researcher, will argue that video games, much like novels, television shows, and movies rely on classic literary tropes, themes, structures, narrative styles, and genres - effectively making them a teachable medium. This research paper relies on the collection and analysis of secondary sources and personal observation through gameplay, thus making discourse analysis the most appropriate tool to help substantiate this paper's argument. Particular attention will be paid to literary theory, theme, and genre in helping to inform and guide this paper's analytical framework. Video games engage users by offering unique narratives that are capable of offering poignant commentary on social, political, technological, and religious topics. The success of video games is owed to their ability to engage and educate their users in ways that traditional media and cultural outlets cannot. This will be explored by examining video game titles using four individual case studies.