Annapurna reveals Storyteller, a compact, clever puzzle game about telling tales

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In 2013, Daniel Benmergui posted a video showcasing some alpha gameplay from his puzzle game project Storyteller. In 2018 he really committed to it, announcing a partnership with Annapurna Interactive that meant, among other things, that "we *have* to finish it." And now, in 2021, we're finally getting a look at how far it's come in a new trailer revealed today during Annapurna's online showcase.

In Storyteller, you're given a setting, a selection of characters, and a title, and have to put them all together in a story that unfolds across a short storyboard. You can tell your tale in any way you like, remaking classics from the past or whipping up something entirely new, as long as it ends the way it needs to: As a tragedy, a love story, or something more specific.

The gameplay in the new trailer looks essentially the same as it did in 2013, and even earlier—the very first Storyteller video on Benmergui's channel dates to 2012—but the level of polish has obviously come a long way, and I would expect that the variety and flexibility of storytelling options have expanded considerably too. I think it looks like a lot of fun, and I'm eager to try it out.

Unfortunately, despite the passage of time and obvious progress that's been made, there's still no sign of the finish that Benmergui pledged. There is, however, a demo that you can take for a spin that's now available on Steam.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.