Game designer Sam Beirne has posted an interesting design-related missive on his 'It Burns' site - called 'Excuse me, your cutscene is in my game', and discussing how story could be, should be, and is integrated into video games.

ArenaNet's Beirne explains: "My problem with story generally stems from the inclusion of non-interactive cutscenes throughout the course of character driven games. Bullet points on the back of a box like, “over 120 minutes of mind-blowing cinematic sequences,” scare me off before I can even crack the wrapper. When I sit down to play a game, I’d actually like to play something. Cutscenes feel like watching someone else play. So, when a cutscene starts rolling I generally can’t help but sigh wondering when it will be my turn again."

He then shows videos from Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell, contrasting ways of handling narrative's inclusion in games, and concluding by noting: "While some developers cling desperately to static narratives and cutscenes, I am pleased to see that many games, like the soon to be released Assassin’s Creed, are making progress towards more robust simulations. Cutscenes won’t be eradicated from games anytime soon, but their ultimate removal is certainly a goal worth pursuing."