The unique characteristics of catharsis and identification in narrative-driven video games: Observing gameplay in the walking dead

Our ancestors, the Homo Sapiens, while gathered around the fire listening to tales that today we call mythology, were unaware of the classical narrative concept of Aristotle, who would live thousands of years after them. However, mankind carried along with its existence the storytelling that infused various aspects of life with meaning across different periods and spaces, identifying with characters and experiencing catharsis through them. Over centuries, storytelling persisted in society in various forms such as literature, cinema, theater, and more. With the advent of the 1960s, a new medium emerged that blended storytelling with interaction: video games. Video games bring myths together with interaction and creativity, leaving the fate of the narrative and game characters in the hands of the player. No longer merely witnesses around the fire, humans have become the protagonists of these stories through video games, scripting their own destinies. Because it sprouts from classical narrative, video games inevitably encompass elements of "catharsis" and "identification" just like other storytelling tools. Video games distinguish themselves from other narrative tools by offering possibilities like reaching different outcomes, traversing within the game space, and directing the choices of game characters, thus enabling players to engage with the narrative in numerous ways. So, where does all of these privileges place video games concerning the concepts of catharsis and identification? This study aims to determine the characteristics of catharsis and identification experiences in story-driven video games through features such as interaction, personalization, and decision-making. Observation and semi-structured interview methods have been selected for conducting the study. Keywords: Video games, Classical narrative, Catharsis, Identification, Storytelling