Are Linear Stories Bad?

by Shawn Bruckner

Lately, I have noticed a trend among RPG fans to reject the idea of a "linear story." Andrew Seidman's editorial on "Losing One's Objectivity" mentioned the linear story:

Almost every source, unreliable or not, has stated that FF7 is the easiest RPG yet, and that the path is almost totally linear. I've heard reports of people finding all of the secrets in the Japanese version of the game - without knowing a single word of English! If these should prove true, how can FF7 possibly hope to live up to the dreams and expectations placed upon it?

I find it unsettling that linear storylines are so criticized. Final Fantasy VII, for example, is a great game. The graphics and sound were wonderful, and the story was absolutely spectacular. But the challenge left something to be desired. Part of this is simply FF VII's design. But what removes challenge from an RPG most often is a non-linear storyline.

Final Fantasy VI is probably the easiest of the Final Fantasy games release in America. The most interesting part of Final Fantasy VI was the World of Balance. And what was the major difference between the World of Balance and the World of Ruin? The World of Balance had a mostly linear storyline, and was the more challenging half of the game. (Yes, Final Fantasy VI became easier the further you progress in the game). The storyline itself was very interesting; it kept you moving, trying to outwit the Empire and stop its plans for world domination.

The first part of the World of Ruin is also excellent - until you receive the Falcon. After that, the World of Ruin is definitely non-linear, and the challenge almost completely lost. The few challenges available had to be searched out. And what happened to the story?

The plot became a series of side-stories you could access in almost any order. While these sub-plots were interesting, the main plot - the game's driving force - got lost in the shuffle. Because of this shift in focus, the player never really develops any hatred of Kefka. Defeating Kefka at the end wasn't satisfying, it was just something you did to finish the game.

The non-linear plotline also hid secret after secret after secret: the most devastating blow of all to the game's challenge. RPGs wouldn't be the same without secrets ... but how much challenge are we willing to sacrifice for secrets? After all, the bosses are designed to challenge a player who didn't find most of the secrets. After finding Ultima, Merton, and the last and best armors, almost no challenge remained.

Admittedly, some non-linear elements are enjoyable. It's pleasant to take a break from the main plotline to explore the background of a character. As a writer, I always appreciate seeing characters that are more than just combatants fighting to save the world. Characters should have more depth than that,and Square has always delivered more than any other. But to criticize a game because it has a primarily linear plot? With a non-linear plot we lose story quality, we lose the backbone of a RPG.

The important thing is to find the proper balance. But the proper balance should lean more towards linearity. RPGs need a central plotline and a common goal; it is the central story that binds together the disparate side-stories. Linearity is important for a good RPG.