The Storytelling Power of Video Games: A Narrative Analysis of The Last of Us

This thesis explores video game narration to advocate for the legitimacy of video game narratives in an ever-expanding mediated world. The study utilized narrative criticism to break down the narrative of the video game The Last of Us to understand why this specific game is significant to the video game industry. The results of this study showed this video game narrative to be strong based on the blending of reality and the game’s reality. This strength was shown to affect the player greatly by allowing them to reflect their experiences to the experiences from the game. Through this research, video game narratives were found to be profoundly powerful in helping players to develop a deeper understanding of themselves. The significance of this research stretches beyond the scope of video games and narrative capabilities. This research is dedicated to advocating for those without a voice to be heard and listened to.