УДК 7.01:004.9
Lizaveta M. Kholodkova1
1 Siberian Federal University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia.
lizavetakholodkova@gmail.com
Abstract. Interactive Film is a hybrid medium situated at the intersection of the gaming and film industries. Projects developed within this medium are difficult to characterize and classify. This study attempts to describe the specific characteristics of the interactive film genre in video games, which will help define the boundaries of the genre’s features and draw parallels between games and other media products.
First and foremost, the boundaries of the concept of “Interactive Film” are examined, and a general definition is provided, in which the key feature is the recipient’s ability to be not only a viewer or player, but also the one who unfolds the story and narrative. The main precursors of the genre in video games and their characteristics were also identified: FMV games; graphic adventure games (Point-and-Click Adventures); visual novels; role-playing games (RPGs).
The main result of the study was a genre analysis of interactive film in video games, the specific features of which include: interactivity; branching narratives and the associated multiple endings and choice statistics; audiovisual and aesthetic components as the foundation of the narrative framework; cutscenes of various types as an integral part of gameplay; QTE –a key mechanic; and the integration of classic and unique game mechanics. It has been established that all the genre elements of interactive film contribute to the creation of a high-quality narrative that reproduces a unique, self-contained artistic system that treats the viewer as a coauthor.
Keywords: Interactive Film, Video Games, Game Studies
For citation: Kholodkova L. M. Interactive Film in Video Games: A Genre Analysis // Game Laboratory, 2026, 1 (2), рр. 6-14. [in Russian]. EDN: JVWCEH
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