Narrar el manga a través de las mecánicas de juego: Análisis del diseño narrativo de Dragon Ball FighterZ

Abstract

Traditionally, videogames have been used to adapt works like films, literature or comics. Among its narrative techniques, it is common to use written and audiovisual language in order to tell a story, but game mechanics can fulfill some purposes for this narrative process as well, providing significant details to the user’s interaction. This article proposes a mechanics-focused study of the narrative design analysis of a fighting videogame, Dragon Ball FighterZ, in which the plot building of the original work is exposed through the characters’ actions by the player’s commands. In this case, the game’s mechanics result to complement the audiovisual narrative in an interactive and emerging way, and also competent at defining the protagonists’ personality traits and their capacities, as well as certain characteristics of the narrative world.