Literary Games

Image Credit: Media from Wix

Note (Published 07-19-2021): I realized today how I'm indebted to the concept of text games for the concept of literary games here, so I want to add this note to give credit where credit is due by saying that the idea of these kinds of games is NOT original with me, but this post does come from my heart.

In this post, I want to suggest to my fellow Christians (individuals, families, and local churches) a unique way they can build themselves and others up in God's Word. What is this way? Literary games! Literary games are games you play by reading them and playing them in your mind and imagination.

An example of a literary game is this: You are a deer enjoying a quiet and peaceful life in the woods. Suddenly, the woods catch fire. You realize that you need to escape for your life, so you make your way through various parts of the now-burning woods (each part being a separate level). Once you clear all the levels, you escape the woods before they are completely destroyed and enjoy your life in some new woods, which have common and strong rainfalls that will prevent such a massive fire from happening there.

In order to "play" this game, you need to 1) read it, 2) put yourself in the protagonist's shoes (the deer, in this case), and 3) act out the story in your imagination (NOT in real life).

After that though, we're still left with the question: how do we make Christian literary games? 1) Choose one or more attributes of Christ you want to display, 2) think of a game scenario that provides a way for those characteristics to be gloriously displayed, 3) think of a protagonist who displays those attributes, and 4) write out the game.

As you write your games, rely entirely on God for all you need to make your games good and God-glorifying!