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Hooray! The curse that was 2020 has finally drawn its last breath, making way for the dawn of a new — and hopefully better — year. For many, the ushering in of the new year comes with many traditions. Among the most notable of these formalities is the setting of resolutions — goals made to help encourage growth and self-actualization in the hopeful. The most anticipated (and dreaded) of these resolutions is the ever-popular goal to “get fit.” Luckily, a new competitor in the fight against sedentarism has risen to the occasion: apps that focus on narrative storytelling. These apps put a new spin on how people exercise, aiming to work the body by engaging the mind.
Making Mad Gains
Last year, a YouGov poll found that around 50% of individuals who planned to make resolutions aimed to exercise more. However, studies have shown that most people who set fitness resolutions will abandon them. In order to combat this issue, the fitness industry has implemented innovative techniques aimed to appeal to more diverse audiences — especially in the wake of 2020’s worldwide quarantines. In response to the millions of pent-up individuals stuck in their homes, at-home fitness saw a major boom, including the niche narrative storytelling fitness market.
Over the past few years, mobile apps that heavily feature narrative storytelling mechanics have become extremely popular. Visual novel games like “Choices: Stories You Play” and “Chapters: Interactive Stories” have made a mark on modern storytelling for a wide range of audiences, bridging the gap between gaming and literature. The concept of interactive storytelling is in no way new. Text-based adventures and point-and-click games made up some of the earliest video games. For more contemporary mediums, Japanese visual novels and dating simulation games have been a long-standing genre for a wide range of fans.
So, What Is Narrative Storytelling?
In literature, this refers to the way a story or knowledge may be presented engagingly. Traditional storytelling simply relays information, using narrative storytelling techniques like rearranging a sequence of events or switching perspectives opens the reader to a more immersive experience. Narrative storytelling novels present information to the reader by allowing the reader to speak directly to characters who present their own perspectives, engaging the reader by leading them to piece together the plot by getting to know each character.
More interactive visual novels permit the reader to make decisions that actively affect the story, literally making their decisions part of the unraveling narrative and opening up the possibility of different plot routes and outcomes. Needless to say, adding narrative storytelling elements is a solid way to gain interest in subjects that may have otherwise been considered niche. For many companies, this offers avenues of untapped potential to branch into. In the case of London-based company Six to Start, their mission was to revitalize the fitness experience by giving users a reason to be exercising.
For many, the far-off goal of being fit isn’t enough incentive to subject themselves to the mindless repetitive motion daily. Many people never feel the elusive runner’s high. They feel damp and sore after workouts rather than accomplished. Through the clever usage of narrative storytelling techniques, Six to Start curates unique fitness apps designed to give players something more appealing to focus on than how much they’d rather be doing anything but exercising. Their impressive list of apps allows players to walk the length of the UK or train like superheroes. Their most groundbreaking work, however, is the viral hit, “Zombies, Run!”
“Zombies, Run!”
Of their various narrative storytelling fitness apps, Six to Start knocked it out of the park with their dystopian survival game, “Zombies, Run!” In “Zombies, Run!” players act as the main character Runner 5, a supply runner who is tasked with completing missions to unlock the secrets of the recent zombie apocalypse. The missions are narrated via a cast of characters that communicate with the player over radio communications; the narrators both guide the player through their missions by assigning objectives and build the world for the player by setting scenery and announcing when enemies are nearby.
Interesting story aside, the game is full of interactive features that are designed to keep players engaged throughout their workout. For instance, during a mission, players may suddenly find themselves being tailed by a pack of zombies; players are then urged to move faster to escape the horde. If players fail to out-distance the zombies, they’ll lose the inventory items collected during their supply runs.
The app also features an optional town simulator game that allows players to use the items collected during their runs to build up their home base, Able Township. The app also offers curated playlists to help further set the atmosphere during missions. For runners who prefer their own playlists, the in-game music player seamlessly integrates personal music players like Spotify and Apple Music. While the game is optimally designed for running, jogging, and elliptical use, customizable settings open the game to practical usage during other activities like walking, cycling, and skating!
“Zombies, Run!” is currently the most popular fitness gaming app in the world, with over 1 million active users. Since zombies may not be for everyone, “Zombies, Run!” comes with an expansive catalog of adventures to choose from, including fantasy, sci-fi, period dramas, and more. The list of features is expansive and still growing, making “Zombies, Run!” a great starting point for lovers of narrative storytelling and cardiovascular health!
Is There Hope For Us All?
Keeping New Year’s resolutions is difficult to do, especially those that are as time and effort-consuming as planning to become fit. Luckily, there are growing resources becoming available that make fitness less of a chore and more of an activity. Narrative storytelling games like “Zombies, Run!” offer another option for people who want an added element to their workouts.
Still, a decent story is far from the only incentivized fitness app on the market. From monetary rewards to upbeat group classes, the world of fitness is as varied as ever and constantly evolving, making the goal to get in shape more achievable than ever before.
