This year’s most poignant and powerful narratives were in video games

We still too often talk about video games as escapes — little playthings that are big business but often considered not as serious as their media peers.

And yet in 2023 the most mature, poignant and thoughtful narratives I experienced were the interactive ones — whether they tackled major topics or were simply about the joy, vulnerability and curiosity that comes from entering a playful state.

There are two games, in particular, that I have returned to often this year. While they couldn’t be more different, both are emblematic of what video gaming means and encapsulates in 2023. One is a relatively simple story, more of a poem than a plot. And the other is one of the largest franchises in the industry.

Both “Venba” and “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” show the beauty in interactivity, what it means to lean into