Center for Computational Experience

“Break, the Story” is a hybrid between the classic arcade game “Atari Breakout” and a story driven mystery game. This game tells the story of a murder mystery from the perspective of a private detective in the film noir era. As each block is broken, a clue is revealed that will allow the player to solve the mystery. The player is lead through a series of rooms and suspects to investigate, being lead onto the next suspect by the previous one. It also utilizes vocal narration at the beginning of each level from the voice of each suspect, and the private detective, to set the story and draw the player in. Challenge blocks at the end of each level require the player to answer a question correctly before moving on, ensuring involvement. This hybrid game is the first of its kind, and revolutionary in its integration of genres.