Through schooling, our society has been taught that masterful writing can be found in works such as The Great Gatsby or Of Mice and Men. But as television became a prevalent piece of the modern world, we’ve learned on our own that shows and movies such as Breaking Bad and Slumdog Millionaire can also serve as a medium used to present intricate storylines and complex characters.

However, when we focus on different mediums that can be used to showcase a fantastic story something like video games is the last thing that comes to mind. After all, when we think of video games the first image to pop into our heads is some college boy sucked into a shooter game instead of doing his homework.

So then, how do video games fit into the equation of writing? Can they possibly be on the same level as more traditional forms of narrative? Can something as simple, and seemingly mind-rotting, as a game actually even be considered a valid form of storytelling?

The answer is simple: Yes.

But that begs the question: What exactly are some of the factors that contribute to a work being considered a narrative or not? And do video games actually encapsulate them? That being said, there are four elements of storytelling that video games are able to utilize wonderfully in creating compelling works of their own.

1. World building

The story of Harry Potter simply would not exist without world building. That is to say, you can’t have the story of Harry without Hogwarts, mythical creatures, and the specific set of rules that surrounds the usage of magic. Oftentimes, like in Harry Potter, a good writer is able to create a diverse and elaborate world that their characters interact with. The world and its laws are what encase the story and make it truly unique.

Within video games, the idea of world building is usually the most important one. Game developers are required to think outside the box in order to make worlds within their games one that players will want to be a part of. Within the land of Hyrule, in The Legend of Zelda series, we are able to see a world filled to the brim with characters of different races and species, laws and limitations set into place that they must abide by, and a wide variety of landscapes that contribute into the progression of the plot.

2. Character development

When asking what the most important aspect of a story is a common reply is the characters. This idea isn’t wrong, either. The characters of a story are ultimately what drive it forward and make it worth telling. Readers grow to care about them, and watching them develop and change is one of the most satisfying parts of following their arcs.

This element of character development is certainly found in many different games. For example, while the game The Last of Us may seem like typical zombie shooter at face-value, the core of the game is actually focused around its two lead characters and the ways in which they grow. What starts as a story about a grumpy old man unwillingly traveling in a post-apocalyptic world with a young girl turns into one about the love and compassion that this man feels towards the girl, as if she were his own daughter.

3. Complex themes

As most people have learned from high school English the novel Lord of the Flies tackles incredibly complex themes of man versus nature, religion, and the way in which a society heavily founded on acts of violence functions. These themes make Lord of the Flies into the story that it is, and the same can be said for thematic elements within other narrative works as well.

With that in mind, it might be rather surprising to find out that a game like Pokemon has focused on ideas of child neglect, violence, and moral ambiguity. Most may think that the games in the Pokemon series solely focus around catching them all, but each game also possesses its own narrative that brings complicated thematic elements to the table that aid in moving its story forward. So while Pikachu might be cute and yellow, just know that he exists in a story that has some of the same dark themes we’re used to seeing in more mainstream adult narratives.

4. Conflict and tension

Every good story includes hardships that characters need to overcome. All of these moments of conflict make the story feel more grounded and dimensional. They move the story forward and bring out different elements of the cast. We want to be presented with concepts that thicken the plot and create stakes for the characters involved.

Conflict is something that video games tend to take full advantage of when presenting their narratives. Oftentimes conflict will even serve as being a key part of gameplay, such as presenting a choice to the player that will ultimately affect the outcome of the entire story. Such an example of this method can be seen throughout the course of the game Life is Strange, in which every single conflict that the characters are presented with comes down to a matter of choice. And just like in any other narrative, the choices that are made in these moments of conflict can alter the ultimate outcome of the plot.

The things that have been touched upon here are only a few of many different elements that can display the ways in which a video game can be considered a valid form of storytelling. But hopefully, it serves as being enough to open the window of possibility to some that video games can be more than meets the eye.

Is every single video game in-depth in terms of narrative? Of course not. But neither is every novel or television show. In the same way that you shouldn’t expect to get a complex storyline out of Family Feud, you shouldn’t expect one out of Wii Sports, either. But don’t dismiss every video game as being mindless and dull—because after all, you can’t judge the contents of a book simply by looking at its cover.