Frequently asked questions

An independent reference about story-driven, cinematic video games. We explain how cutscenes, camera work, choices, sound and subtitles are built and how to play a story attentively.

No. We don't show films or host files, playthrough recordings or viewing links. Install the games themselves from official stores; it's the safer way.

Our goal is to teach you to spot the techniques on your own. A description of camera work, pacing or branching applies to any game, including one that comes out tomorrow, while a title quickly goes out of date.

No. This domain used to host a film catalogue. Its materials were not preserved; we don't reproduce them and won't restore them.

It depends. In some games a choice leads to different scenes and endings; in others it only changes how characters feel about you and a few lines of dialogue. Even small consequences make the story yours, so it's worth answering seriously.

Only if you want to. Your first ending is your own story, and that's quite enough. A second playthrough is for those curious to see what would have happened with a different choice.

Give a spoiler warning up front and hide details behind a separate tag. Talk about feelings and techniques (the pacing, the music, the acting) rather than plot twists.

Plenty of people discover story games that way, but remember: you only get one first playthrough, and it's better to make its decisions yourself. Creators of playthroughs should respect the rights holders' rules, and viewers should support the creators themselves rather than other people's copies of their videos.

Enlarge the font, turn on a background behind the text and check whether you can pause the scene. If lines go by quickly and pausing isn't available, try sitting closer to the screen or turning on speaker names; that makes it easier to follow who is talking to whom.

In Russia, information products, including games, carry the marks 0+, 6+, 12+, 16+ and 18+. The mark tells you which age the content is intended for; look for details about specific scenes in the game's description.

Read the content description on the game's page: it usually warns about violence, frightening moments and heavy themes. Some games also show such warnings before a chapter begins.

Decide in advance when the evening ends, and suggest stopping at a save at the end of a chapter. Playing the first evening together with your child will help you understand what the story is about and how it's told.