Why Is Kindness Important In Video Game Narratives?

In a world ravaged by global nuclear fallout, I struggled to survive alongside my fragile, sweet-faced best friend, dodging one radiation storm after another. The route to the Central Safety Zone was blocked—we had no choice but to use two detonators to blast open the tunnel. Otherwise, we would be caught in the storm, our bodies rotting away until we either dissolved into blood sludge or turned into zombies. … In my previous life, I had risked everything to secure those detonators, only for my best friend to hand them over to a complete stranger without hesitation. "They have elderly people and children on their side too," she said earnestly. "One detonator can save many lives. Iris, you can't be selfish." I was so furious my blood pressure nearly exploded, but with no other option, I went straight into a horde of zombies to steal backup detonators. I lost an arm in the process, drenched in blood and barely standing. Yet, she complained that I was covered in gore and had frightened the children. After finally regrouping with the main convoy, I rushed to deliver the formula for anti-radiation medicine to the research institute so that more people could be saved. But she accused me of stealing supplies and trying to flee, which led to my expulsion from the base, and death, my body rotting away under the radiation. When I opened my eyes again, there was still one hour left before the radiation storm hit. I looked down at the two detonators in my hand, then at my pitiful, tear-brimmed best friend—and I smiled. Since she loved being a good person so much, this time, I would let her be one to her heart's content.

After I got pulled into the horror game, my nearsightedness made everything blurry. I ended up treating the creepy girl in the blood-stained dress like my own daughter, the final boss like my husband, and the old creepy ghosts like my loving parents. The first time I met the boss, I grabbed his abs and said, “Nice body. Shame you’re kind of short.” He actually laughed in anger, picked up the severed head in his hand, put it back on his neck, and ground out, “I’m six-foot-one. Still think I’m short now?”

A week before our engagement, I finally learned that the man Madison Clarke had always secretly loved... was me. Overjoyed, I hurried to sign to her, wanting to tell her that I was LeoWinter—the gaming partner she'd been coupled with online. What I got in return was ridicule. "Charlie, how does a mute guy like you manage to pull so many tricks?" "LeoWinter already told me his account got stolen. He switched accounts ages ago. And you still want to pretend you're him?" It felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over my head. My entire body went rigid. She had forgotten that this game ID was permanently bound to the account. It was impossible for it to be stolen.

I was always sick as a kid. My parents were desperate. They’d try anything. So they got me a bunch of "guardian angels." Next thing I know, I'm set up and tossed into a horror game. Turns out, Medusa is my godmother. The ghost girl? My childhood playmate. And the final boss, a vampire? He's my fiancé. The first time we met, I was in a blind panic. I tripped and fell right onto his chiseled chest. "Oh—I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking—" I gasped, looking up at him. The words tumbled out in a rush. "And you're really handsome—but I didn't mean to fall on you! I have a heart condition!" The boss let out a laugh. He wiped the blood from his hands and swept me up into his arms. "Don't you worry," he purred, his voice dangerously smooth. "As your fiancé, I promise... I'll fix you right up."

Claire Hopkins never thought that she would be sucked into a game and suddenly was in the arms of Adonis, the most beautiful god in the mythology. It all started when Claire was trapped in an old uninhabited house that night. Claire hid in the old house because of being chased by a group of drunken men. Accidentally, she found a video game hidden among the bookshelves. The game called The Myth, is a game about legend in mythology. Claire was amazed that the game has a feature of face and body recognition, that the character of the game indeed looks like her in real life. Enjoying the first levels of the game, Claire suddenly was sucked into the game, right on top of Adonis' bed, where there’s the most handsome man lying next to her. Unable to fight back, Claire was forced to give up. After all that happened, Claire found out that Adonis was actually a player named Leon Maxwell who was trapped in the game for years. He was waiting for another player to enter, in order to complete that current level entitled The Adonis' Love. Before they could think clearly, Claire and Leon had already entered the next level. Will Claire's hatred for Leon turn into love? Will they be able to work together to find a way out with only three lives each? Follow me on Instagram: @cindychen06

Miles Grimwine is a second year college student suffering from depression. He sees life as a lacking videogame built only for a single player. With no money, friends, or a positive outlook on life, he is forced to join the enigmatic Aid Club where he teams up with Charlotte Harvey, the school s anti-social cool beauty. Supervised by the university s guidance counselor, the two receive requests from various students on campus as they try to solve the mystery behind the actual purpose of the club, and subsequently, grow their bond.