Storyteller
By David Chapman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Remix classic tales in this story based puzzler.
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Storyteller
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Based on 5 parent reviews
Super fun for anyone
What’s It About?
In STORYTELLER, the pen is truly mightier than the sword. In this unique reactive puzzle game, it's up to you to take key story elements and piece them together to craft quirky tales centered on a series of given themes. You're in control of the narrative, as you place each available character or setting in the comic book styled panels to match the page's plot description. Just keep in mind that there's usually more than one way for a story to unfold. A well placed plot twist might shake things up and still meet the criteria. Your tale could be a heartfelt romance filled with loves lost and found. Or maybe a classic monster horror is more to your liking to fit the bill. Why stop there? You could combine the two ideas and regale your readers with the legend of how a lonely monster found its true love. With a diverse roster full of literary characters and a range of themes at your disposal, you're free to experiment and find your own unique interpretation. After all, you are the author and it's your story to tell.
Is It Any Good?
A puzzle game built around telling stories might seem a bit odd on paper, but talk to any writer worth their salt and it makes a lot of sense. What Storyteller does is break down the process into its basic elements while giving players a wide latitude of freedom to find their own voices and to express their creativity in unique ways. There are no time limits to come up with solutions for each challenge, so there's no rush to sort out how each story should unfold. The challenge comes from sorting out exactly how to meet the criteria for the given description. For example, when given the prompt "Story of a Tragedy," you could have two characters meet under the "Love" backdrop, then simply use the "Death" backdrop to kill off one half of the couple and be done with it. Then again, with a few extra pieces and a shuffling of events, you could instead wind up with a story of a rejected suitor taking out his or her competition in a jealous rage. Both solutions fit the requirements, but one allows for a little more narrative flair.
The best part of Storyteller is how inviting it is. The controls are straightforward and easy to pick up. You just choose a story element, drop it into position on one of the blank panels, and then watch as it comes to life in all its cartoonish, hand drawn glory. The game reacts immediately to the players' actions too, so the effects of altering one panel can instantly be seen in all the others. You can even take entire panels and swap their placement to see if it might better serve the story. And if you find yourself with a case of writer's block, you can always come back and revisit any chapter in the Storyteller book. The problem is that, even with more than fifty different puzzles to solve, once you do come up with a solution, the game doesn't give much incentive to come back and try out new ideas. As a result, Storyteller is like most really good books. It's over before you know it, and you're left hungry for just a little more.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about storytelling techniques. What are some of the important elements in telling a good story? How can different perspectives and interpretations change the way a story is received?
Talk about mature themes in literature. What are some examples of mature themes in classic literary works? How were these themes perceived back in their day, and how might they be viewed today? What can parents or teachers do to help introduce growing audiences to more mature topics?
Game Details
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch , Windows
- Pricing structure: Paid ($14.99)
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
- Release date: March 23, 2023
- Genre: Puzzle
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Book Characters , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires , Robots
- ESRB rating: T for Blood, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: March 22, 2023
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