LudoNarraCon 2021 Weekend Roundup

Narrative games have been near and dear to me for the better part of a decade now. Starting off small with the first season of Telltale’s The Walking Dead, progressing into a profound love for all things Life is Strange, and cherishing the short-form game that can provoke more emotion out of me than 100+ hour titles, it’s a style of gaming that many cherish. LudoNarraCon celebrates this genre with a showcase on Twitch and Steam dedicated to several recent and upcoming narrative titles.

For 2021, the genre is at its peak. 2020 game of the year candidates like Hades, Ghost of Tsushima, and The Last of Us: Part II are all lauded for their story more than most other aspects, and indie titles like Disco Elysium are getting a ton of well-deserved attention. I was particularly excited by the lineup of 2021’s LudoNarraCon because the only game I recognized was Haven, which I reviewed earlier last year.

Once I was on the press list, I got access to demos for everything on display. I actually received a few emails from publishers welcoming me and offering their press kit to make a personal impression. I tuned in to some of the Twitch stream and got some “Fireside Chats” with industry minds like Sam Barlow and Brooke Maggs. It was a considerably full schedule over the weekend and I wish I could have watched it all! These intimate discussions truly showed the amount of passion and devotion these devs have in storytelling through the video game medium.

LudoNarraCon lasted from the 23rd to the 26th, but sales for the associated games will last until May 1st! Some titles compel me just by name like Do Not Buy This Game. Others look downright fascinating such as Spiritfarer and Button City. One thing’s for sure, LudoNarraCon is a prime way to discover intriguing indie titles you may not otherwise know about. Expect some ample coverage on these titles as I sift through these titles and get a chance to give their demos a good look!