BREATH OF THE WILD + EMERGENT STORYTELLING
you give the player a set of systems they can interact with freely, and through those systems they each experience the game in their own unique way. you cede control as a storyteller almost entirely to the game’s design, then trust that this design framework will be able to keep the experience within the tonal parameters you’re aiming for. Breath of the Wild has a story that’s mostly told via optional flashbacks, and the bulk of the game’s time is spent effectively putting yourself into the shoes of a character who is exploring this world for, essentially, the first time, just like you are IRL. it’s nice because although Link was alive 100 years ago, the landscape has changed and he’s as disoriented as you might be.