Why Ambiguity is Desired in Role-Playing

by Ben Whiting 

There has been tremendous debate recently over the issue of "closure" in an RPG. Many people claim that the lack of closure in recent RPGs make the experience less satisfying and more frustrating to the player. Some blame these ambiguous games on the lack of effort of RPG companies, on deadlines, on the so-called "mistranslations", or on all of the above. Some say that no closure makes the experience less satisfying and pointless, ultimately hurting replay value.

I couldn't disagree more.

Marlow, the protagonist in Joseph Conrad's book Heart of Darkness, tells his story with the meaning not "in the kernel" but "in the haze surrounding it." This "haze" is where one must look to understand games such as Final Fantasy VII. Most of the questions raised in the game aren't answered within the game's dialogue itself, but can be inferred through the player's sensations while playing the game. There are enough visual and auditory clues within the game that, on repeated playing, the player can gradually begin to piece together the puzzle. Where on first playing Final Fantasy VII the player cannot figure out who JENOVA really was, Cloud's real role in all of this, the ending, or a number of other things, as the player replays and replays the game, he interprets different clues picked up while playing and pieces the clues to fit the puzzle (which explains the many different interpretations on this game's ending).

Sure, there is no one "correct" interpretation, but that's the beauty of it. Each player can accommodate and assimilate the information gathered into himself and come up with an enlightened viewpoint on the subject. This makes the game a more personal experience and a more satisfying one, causing the player to want to experience the game again. A religious experience would lose all meaning if one knew exactly how the deity he worships works and all the secrets behind it. Ambiguity is what makes an experience "mystical", and Final Fantasy VII would lose this quality if the authors had wrapped up all the loose ends.

An example of the antithesis is Final Fantasy IV. This is one of the most "closed" RPGs in existence. Call me crazy, but the ending doesn't make me want to play through the game again. Almost every aspect of the plot is resolved tightly; Cecil and Rosa are married and rule over Baron, Rydia returns to her Land of Summoned Monsters to live among her brethren, Edward is ruling his kingdom and singing the legacy of the Paladin, the Dwarves will never have another war, etc. While this may be satisfying for the first time playing, it makes each repetitive play less and less satisfying. Why would a person want to replay something if he already understands and knows what is going on?

Ambiguity is the key to role-playing; the story should be seen through the player's eyes, not shown at the player. I don't think deadlines or under-zealousness of RPG companies have anything to do with the growing ambiguity in RPGs. I believe that it is part of their design to make role-playing a more personal and mystical experience, and I support them one hundred percent.