Reading In Video Games (and why I barely do it)

if you are reading this comment, you are technically reading an optional text log. hope you're well.

Speaking as a chronic text-reader myself, I'm not sure the developers necessarily care that much about people reading them, but treat them as a feature to reward players who invest more time and energy in the world, and to increase replayability. A lot are very difficult to find, and are treated as a collectible—which a lot of players find satisfying on its own. It's not all that different to secret weapons, enemies, or places, but caters to a different audience (like myself); enriching what is already there, and means paying attention pays off.

I always wished there was an app that recorded the "reading" data and displayed them on my phone etc. so I can read them offline at my leisure or while traveling.

I really appreciate you calling out interrupted audiologs leading to a walk in circles phenomenon.

That sign won't stop me because I can't read!

I always start games reading everything I come across, but there's always a point where you kinda lose interest unless the game does it VERY well, like the Outer Wilds as you mentioned

I genuinely feel like I’m missing something if I don’t read text logs. Sometimes, I feel exhausted from them, but my OCD won’t let me skip it.

I love the text in Subnautica. You don’t have to read most of them, but you learn more about the world and it makes you feel a bit less lonely. There’s very little of it (for me at least) and I found myself spending a lot of the game searching for more.

You're so right about just standing still to listen to audio logs lol. When they’re cut off by random dialogue it makes you wonder if developers even play their own games. And I just love seeing Outer Wilds pop up in random videos. I truly think it's one of the greatest games ever made.

The one thing that came to my mind is Mimir's stories in GoW while sailing. It is implemented so well, that even if reach land he says he'll continue the story later, and he will once you sail again.

It's interesting that you started this video with Control, as that's one of very few games where I WANTED to read everything because, as you say, it was all so well-written (and also I'm a bit of an SCP nerd). I didn't even mind that they were bland-looking text documents in a menu, because it weirdly fit the mundane office vibe that makes up half of the game's atmosphere. Especially when you'd find notes about bathrooms going missing or employees casually discussing some otherworldly horror like it was a discussion about stationery shortages. For me, they enhanced the experience, rather than got in the way of it.

I didn't read a lot in Guardians of the Galaxy (2021), but I got a huge laugh upon reading one entry and realizing it was a Nova Corps soldier's self-ship fanfic with the Worldmind and I just loved that they even bothered. I felt it showed there was love in every inch of this game.

Ellie's journal in TLOU2 I think is what made the ending so impactful and actually stick for me. Seeing her painstakingly attempt to draw Joel's face from memory over and over but fail because she's so haunted by their last moments was gut-wrenching.

One of my main gripes with text and audio logs is when they're divided into multiple parts. It always sucks when part 1 of a side story is compelling and then the next part you find is like part 5 or something. Some games get it right though, like H3:ODST's and Halo Infinite's audio logs' always unlocking in the correct order regardless of where you find them

I wish more games had the mechanic like in Batman where a lot of the audio tapes can be played and then continued as you explore the world as to not stop your flow of progress.

I think Control is the only game where I almost read everything. At some point I was suffering but I just loved the game so much because of how interesting the mini-stories in the logs were. Like you were reading about a certain object of power, 1 hour later you find it in game and your reaction is "Wow! I know what this is!" that just gives you the extra oomph.

I read far too much into optional text in games. My favorite part about my favorite games is deep diving into the hidden lore of the games. Reading the foot notes left by the developers to teach you the small details of the world you are exploring fills me with an undescribable joy

I like when the main character tells a summary of the text after you close it.

I would like to say, Tunic is a really cool take on reading in games. You collect pages of an instruction booklet meant to mirror ones shipped with older games, meant to explain things that the game itself doesn't. The book explains lore, provides maps with secret locations, and uncovers mechanics that you wouldn't know about otherwise. It's mostly written in a fictional language that can be decoded, and the booklet is necessary for achieving the "true ending"

I really enjoy the task of finding all the little “extras” in games. I feel like by finding audio logs/journals/etc. I’m discovering secrets that no one else has found (even thought I know everyone is playing the same game I am). I appreciate the extra work it takes to flush out the lure of a game and I find it keeps me more engaged.