Transmedia and storytelling in video games

October 4, 2023

Transmedia and storytelling in video games

We are very excited to have launched a four-issue webcomic about Hemera, the parallel world created by the imagination of our own Jules Verne and where the plot of "Verne: The Shape of Fantasy" takes place.

But before showing you the comic, we would like to talk about our favorite transmedia and how it takes advantage of the possibilities offered by the different media available to expand the lore or worldbuilding of a story that I am passionate about

Transmedia: Fables and The Wolf Among Us

Fables and The Wolf Among Us

Fables is a wonderful noir comic created by Bill Willingham and published by Vertigo/DC Comics, in which the great characters of classic fables are involved in murky and sordid plots, with modern-day New York as a backdrop.

Years later, Telltale Games created a piece of art with the video game The Wolf Among Us, based on the universe of Fables and starring the original protagonists, although telling a new and original story, written by Pierre Shorette. Telltale already had a lot of experience from their previous work with The Walking Dead saga, but with this game they outdid themselves.

The comic Fables and the video game The Wolf Among Us create a multiplatform or transmedia story

The Wolf Among Us uses intertextual references to place itself within the world created by the original comic book narrative. It picks up the aesthetics, characters and main storylines from the comic, but introduces new characters and plots that complement and enrich the original narrative. It does this by utilizing what makes a game unique from the comics: from the gameplay. The Wolf Among Us uses game mechanics (exploration, puzzle solving, interactive dialogues, etc...) to advance the narrative, something that the comic format does not allow to do. In this way, working in parallel and using their own resources, both the comic and the video game create a multiplatform or transmedia story.

Thus, the game rewards players with additional information about the Fables universe, such as cards with the biographies of the characters, which allows to involve the audience even more in the world of the story. Also, those players who have not read the comic may be curious enough to read it, with one piece feeding the other.

Expanding the story of Verne: The Shape of Fantasy.

We've developed a lot of lore in the game. Perhaps too much... although, really.... there is never too much lore!

We have gone deep into the history of the world of Hemera. So much that, for lack of means and also to not saturate the viewer, we had to put a limit on what could or could not be in the game.

That's why we created this webcomic that, besides delving into the story, allows you to READ IT. In the game, one of the most common ways to receive dense information is through a dialogue (for example) or a cinematic, which, however fascinating they may be, end up hindering the pace of the experience. Thanks to transmedia, we can see how the Atlanteans raised their mighty city whenever and wherever we feel like it, in an independent format, with its own language and its own rhythm, like two songs on the same LP.

Webcomic about the pixel art video game Verne: The Shape of Fantasy

Hemera Illustrated Stories panel

The work done by our artist Aitor Garay is sensational, representing the world of Verne in a very different way from the original pixel art, which enriches the proposal we are creating.

We hope you enjoy it and that you, future players, fall in love with the rich world created by our imaginary Jules Verne, which we hope you will never forget.

Become Jules Verne and adventure into the dangers that hide in Hemera, a fantastic parallel world built from his own imagination.

Buy now!

Verne: The Shape of Fantasy Trailer