Blue Prince and the Architecture of Story

Blue Prince will be many things to many people. It demonstrates, perfectly, the unique way that video games can tell stories as the mystery reshapes itself with every step you choose to make. In this personal essay, I’ll share my own journey down the spiral, chasing an ending that may not even exist. This is a reflection on what Blue Prince has taught me about storytelling in video games. It is intended as a spiritual successor to my previous video where I discussed ambiguity in story and Silent Hill 2 but watching it it isn’t necessary to enjoy this one. You can watch that video here:    • Silent Hill 2 and the Interpretation of Ni...   I’ll also be discussing The Witness in detail and explaining how my interpretation of that game informs my interpretation of Blue Prince. As well as briefly exploring the Myst series which was an influence on both Blue Prince and The Witness. I go deep into the rabbit-hole for this video. Please don’t watch this if you’re worried about being spoiled. This video will explore the post-credits journey of Blue Prince and is intended for people who have found their ending. I briefly cover two interpretations of The Witness in this video. I tried to avoid summarising those videos because they’re worth watching but there had to be some crossover because I share a similar perspective. Do yourself a favour and check them out in full if you want to (The) Witness some more in-depth analysis. ‪@Electrondance‬    • The Unbearable Now: An Interpretation of T...   ‪@TheGemsbok‬    • Literary Analysis of The Witness   Other sources: ‪@jblow888‬    • Jonathan Blow on Bad Video Game Criticism      • Best David Lynch Moment   @evandarspeedruns5222    • The Witness Any% Speedrun in 4:40 (Former ...   ‪@AlisonBurke‬    • The Original Square Hole Girl Video + The ...   ‪@BBCMaestro‬    • How YOU can write ANY character into reali...   https://www.commentarytrack.net/p/blu... https://www.polygon.com/analysis/5653... ​‪@FoldingIdeas‬    • Annihilation and Decoding Metaphor   ‪@EasyAllies‬    • Blue Prince Post Credits Medium Spoiler Ch...   ‪@geezerbill‬    • Maze 02 -  Christopher Manson's "Maze": Th...   ‪@sacredwaters5460‬    • Masquerade  by Kit Williams   ‪@lucky3d‬    • Solar eclipse full time lapse   A very special thank you to Samm Ward for her voice-over work, and to the Blue Prince community for assisting me with my research. Media shown: Blue Prince The Witness Ace Attorney Series Return of the Obra Dinn The Golden Idol Series Her Story Zork Silicon Valley Lorelei and the Laser Eyes Twin Peaks: The Return Metal Gear Solid Myst Outer Wilds Riven Maze - Christopher Manson Masquerade - Kit Williams The Secret of Psalm 46 - Brian Moriarty Music: Blue Prince OST: Trigg and Gusset - Stories of All Manor Steals & Inscriptions - Hara Noda Lorelei and the Laser Eyes OST - Mind Game Blue Prince OST: Trigg and Gusset - Vanitas Blue Prince OST: Trigg and Gusset - Blessings of the Ajeran Myst OST - Selenic Crystals Ambience Blue Prince OST: Trigg and Gusset - Lessons of the Past Blue Prince OST: Trigg and Gusset - Under the Black Bridge Blue Prince OST: Trigg and Gusset - The Roots Above Blue Prince OST: Trigg and Gusset - Bequest Blue Prince OST: Trigg and Gusset - Visions of Emerald Blue Prince OST: Trigg and Gusset - In Fog We Are Lost Blue Prince OST: Trigg and Gusset - History Suspended The Witness OST: Final Room Ambience Blue Prince OST: Trigg and Gusset - Simon’s Theme Blue Prince OST: Trigg and Gusset - Call it a Day Blue Prince OST: Trigg and Gusset - The Baron of Mount Holly Time Stamps: 0:00 Intro 01:41 A door that is always locked 17:15 An unlatched gate you did not open 34:40 Searching for a shadow that will never be cast 54:20 Thank you Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/c/gredglintstone Join the discord: discord.gg/vv29ws9mKt #BluePrince #VideoEssay #PuzzleGame #NarrativeDesign #TheWitness #Myst #GameNarrative #LoreleiAndTheLaserEyes #StorytellingInGames