Top Ten Most Immersive Forms of Storytelling

I've been thinking lately– what is the most immersive form of storytelling? And why? If I'm not immersed in a story, I don't really feel that I can read or watch on. But some art forms are undoubtedly more immersive than others, so here's my top ten.

Note – I'm purely focusing on the tools and elements of these art forms to explore their immersive nature. It may be that some people interact with each of these differently based on their needs and individual abilities, which is absolutely fine. These, of course, are all based on my own opinions. For the purpose of the article, 'immersive' is defined as a technique that uses technology, imagined detail and language to create a sense of presence for the reader, audience or player to make them feel part of the story and its environment/setting.

10: Visual Art

We're talking specifically static images that have been created by hand or digitally (or, as we've seen more of lately, by AI) This can include anything from drawings to paintings, photographs to sculpture.

Depending on the level of detail and accuracy in the visual art piece, layers of colour, shape and line can translate into a narrative. Of course, these narratives aren't always as explicit as others, and sometimes visual art takes on a more ambiguous stance, encouraging the viewer to create their own stories based on the angle they're viewing the artwork from. This doesn't make the work any less compelling, just not as immersive as the other art forms on this list.

Patrick Caulfield's 'After Lunch' (1975), presents us with an idyllic Swiss restaurant at lunchtime. But it's only when we look closer at the finer details that we can see that the restaurant is in fact a fake and likely to be anywhere but Switzerland.

9: Poetry

Unlike visual art, poetry presents us with words, which conjure images in our own heads. (Of course, visual art can feature words, and some poetry merges with visual art to create something else entirely, but here I'm focusing purely on poetry without the visuals) Poetry can provide a more sensory experience and a level of narrative that has a clear beginning, middle and end. Some poetry is more subjective and open-ended, but the use of voice in poetry (whether read aloud or in our heads) pulls us into the imagery that little bit further.

8: Oral Storytelling

Some of my favourite stories are those told by others, mostly in my family, around the kitchen table or over Christmas dinner. They're memorable– and for good reason. Because they offer an immersive quality where we feel part of the reader's world. Oral storytelling offers that layer of interactivity and engagement that pulls us in further, often manipulating vocal expression (changing tone, pitch, volume and pace) to enhance a sense of emotion, create suspense and build tension for the listener.

Writers of spine-chillers and ghost stories are often very good oral storytellers because of their ability to hook the room. The use of body language and gestures can often enhance this effect, and most oral storytelling is a shared experience, with listeners collectively experiencing themes and ideas. Improvisation in oral storytelling makes the narrative feel more immediate and intimate.

Oral storytelling is probably the most common out of all the entries in this list– we experience other people's spoken stories every day, listening hard, regardless of whether they're a storytelling master or an expert in dragging out the mundane.

7: Music

Music is very similar to oral storytelling, of course– except it takes sound to the next level. Regardless of the genre, music (whether lyric-based or narrative-heavy or not) can output emotion that resonates with almost anyone who's listening. (Even those who are hearing impaired can experience the vibrations) Song lyrics, melodies and harmonies are great tools to connect with listeners who are actively listening for a story. And the best part is that it's catchy– the immersive nature of the stories in music will literally not leave our minds. And the moment we're introduced to the sound of a piece of music we've forgotten, our brains fire up our long-term memory and we can suddenly remember all the lyrics again. Magic.

Soundscapes can create an intense feeling of atmosphere whilst instrumental music can develop emotional, cultural and historical layers to the storytelling, all adding to the immersive nature of the art form. Unlike poetry or oral storytelling, rhythm is fiercely strong and resonates throughout us all, building in tension and creating moments of relief; stimulating images in our imagination and positively or negatively affecting our moods. Whether live or on the radio, music has a way of grabbing our attention and transporting us individually or collectively.

6: Prose (in the 3rd or 1st person)

Prose in the 3rd or 1st person, whether that be novels, short stories or memoirs, offers a multi-sensory narrative that can span several pages or several hundred. The worlds we are immersed in are often complex, detailed, meticulously planned and sometimes realistic or based on real places. Characters are three-dimensional and intricate. They're relatable. There can be a stronger sense of narrative voice in the text as opposed to in the lyrics of a song; 1st person especially offers the unique voice of a character, who tells the story, almost making it feel as though you're experiencing it with them.

There's some debate as to whether 1st or 3rd person POVs are more immersive. 3rd person can make available the use of multiple perspectives and the ability to jump between the minds of characters, whereas 1st person is focused on the viewpoint of just one character (although there can be more) Nonetheless, both of these offer a personalised view on the world of the characters, which is shared with you, the reader, making for a richly immersive experience on the page. It's one thing to read a story, and another to experience it with its protagonist.

5: Prose (in the 2nd person)

Unlike 3rd or 1st person, the 2nd person makes you – yes, you! – the character in the story. This does everything the above does, except now the focus is on you in an environment, doing these actions, reacting to x, y and z. Some 2nd person fiction also adopts multiple narrative threads, wherein you can make choices in the text and forge your own story. This means that the story can have multiple endings, making you reflect on your decisions at the end of your journey. If storytelling with decisions to be made and consequences to suffer isn't immersive, then what is?

4: TV & Film

Storytelling on the screen does everything prose can do, except the visual side of things is ramped up by ten. Unlike prose, we don't have to do the heavy work in imagining things. Instead, we're directly presented with the imagery, viewing the characters and settings just as the directors intended. The use of interesting and innovative cinematography techniques such as camera angles, colour schemes and visual effects creates a more powerful sense of atmosphere, dragging us deeper into the narrative. Sound and music further add a meaningful layer to the imagery.

It's essential to acknowledge the actors who bring ideas to life on screen. Our mental images of characters are often influenced by what we've seen or read, rather than being accurate or realistic. Additionally, the controlled pacing of TV and film contributes to a more immersive and authentic experience, unlike the variable pacing of reading. TV series follow an episodic structure similar to novel chapters, while films can be watched in one sitting, a feat not always achievable when reading a book unless you're a speed reader! Watching on screen allows for uninterrupted viewing without the need for breaks due to fatigue. Furthermore, anything shown on screen can be shared with others, whether in a cinema or at home.

The terrifying cinematography of Ridley Scott's 'Alien' (1979) immerses us in a truly terrifying situation in which an alien life form stalks the crew of a spaceship. The character's reactions to seat-clenching moments such as the infamous chest-explosion scene, in which the actor's expressions are actually genuine, have us looking away but feeling hauntingly part of the horror at the same time.

3: Non-Musical Theatre

It's like TV and film, except the action is live and more intimate. This makes for a more visceral experience, the actors playing the roles just metres from where we are sitting in the audience. Unlike what's on the screen, the energy of the performance can be felt and is almost tangible. We feel part of the story– we can hear the actors' breathing and see a draft of wind move their hair... Their emotions are our emotions and we're encouraged to actively interpret everything that's going on around us.

Breaking the fourth wall and interacting with the audience almost feels like the actors are offering out a hand to help us onto the stage with them. Genres like pantomime encourage the audience to repeat after the actors and communicate with characters on the stage. Some stage performances also require audience members to give suggestions so that they can 'fill in the blanks' of the performance.

In the past, directors of 'The Woman in Black' have built suspense for the audience and immersed them in the horror by tricking them entirely. While the audience believes that the scary stuff is only going down on the stage, the crew pump out smoke into the seats and has the veiled woman in black reveal herself as a member of the audience. This level of immersion manipulates the mind and has the viewer wetting themselves in the process.

2: Musical Theatre

Everything the above offers, except this time we've got music, additional sound effects, singing and dancing, and the audience singing along too. What else can I say?

Show-stopper performances such as 'Defying Gravity' from the hit musical 'Wicked', have the audience on the edge of their seats as the music transports them from act one to act two, the stakes jumping from 10 to 100 and a huge noticeable tonal shift created as a result.

1 : Video Games

Video games are among some of the most immersive storytelling mediums available to us today, which is mad considering that, out of all the forms on this list, video games are the youngest. Players can control characters and navigate rich game worlds, which can be linear or open, allowing for optimum exploration. Curiosity in exploration is rewarded and players can opt to involve themselves in side quests and discovering hidden content.

Being able to control a protagonist allows you to make choices for them, shaping their moral compass, romantic relationships, professional path, public image, and financial status. You have the ability to engage with various elements, whether it's interacting with other characters or even objects like a tree. As a result, we form emotional bonds with these characters, and any errors we commit tend to impact us deeply. Our attachment becomes so strong that we feel a sense of protectiveness towards the character.

Unlike other forms of storytelling on this list, video games require real-time interaction from the player, often through quick-time events and challenges that test how fast players can react to something. The storytelling rewards you in turn, something which these other forms don't offer.

Like TV and film, the sensory immersion is optimised as a result of sound effects, musical scores and environmental effects. With the latest technology, such as VR (Virtual Reality), players can be placed inside a spooky dungeon, on a golf course with a putter in their hands, or even in outer space. This is immersive storytelling at its very best.

Rockstar Games masterpiece 'Red Dead Redemption 2' (2018) has the player playing as Arthur Morgan, a struggling gunslinger as part of a dying-out outlawed gang at the end of the cowboy era in 1899. You don't just experience the world as Morgan, you feel his emotions, his personal and external struggles, his longing, his desires, his needs and his eventual redemption. It hits hard.

Do you agree with my list? Feel free to comment!

Thanks for reading!