10 Powerful Video Game Stories Told Without Words
8. Virginia
Anne Tarver’s first day as an FBI Agent is interrupted by the news of the disappearance of a young boy in a small town in the state of Virginia. Along with your partner, Maria, you set off to investigate.
Virginia’s use of jump cuts from place to place or scene to scene superbly illustrate the pressure that the pair is under, as well as the stressful responsibilities of an FBI Agent. Not a word needs to be said to instil a sense of urgency in the player, and no matter how quiet things seem, there’s no escaping the feeling that there’s no time to dawdle.
Virginia’s frequent and often sudden shift of location often brings with it a change in colour as well as scenery. Where you were once in an expansive woodland area full of rich greens and soft shadows bouncing off the floor, you’re quickly and abruptly taken to a dark, dingy dive bar where any colour is blocked by closed windows and confined corridors.
Virginia’s willingness to change location at a whim evokes a sense of uncertainty that few words could imitate.