I’m Andrea Blythe. I am a game writer, narrative designer, editor, author, and poet. In the past two years, I have worked as both a freelancer and solo developer on various games projects — including working on projects for Lost Lake Games and One Frog Games. My solo work includes the Bitsy adventure game What Lies Underneath (2022) and the Twine interactive fairy tale Bluebeard (2022). In addition, I am an alumni of The Narrative Department’s Game Writing Master Class.
My interest in narrative design and game writing stems from multitude of ways that games can approach storytelling. Whether they are designed with linear, branching, or modular systems, the magic comes from the intersection between narrative and gameplay, art, sound design, and all the other various elements that go into developing a cohesive player experience. I delight in analyzing the gameplay elements and working to create the right voice, tone, and story structure for the project.
Additional Experience: Poetry, Fiction, and Screenwriting
For over six years, I have explored various forms of storytelling (including fiction, poetry, and film) — with a particular passion for writing fantasy, science fiction, and horror.
During that time, my poetry has been collected in three books (with a fourth on the way) — the most recent being narrative-driven poetry collection, Twelve: Poems Inspired by the Brother’s Grim Fairy Tale (Interstellar Flight Press, 2020), which received second place in the 2021 Elgin Awards.
In addition, my poetry and fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies and journals, including Undead: A Poetry Anthology of Ghouls, Ghosts, and More, Corvid Queen, Luna Station Quarterly, Enchanted Conversation, and Quail Bell, among others.
I have also collaborated on the script and story development for two short films, including “Firecracker,” which was written, produced, edited, and submitted in under 48 hours. In addition, I collaborated with a producer and director to write and develop a 12-episode independent musical romantic comedy web series (which is currently on development hiatus).
A Handful of Games That Inspire Me
The Fallout Series (Interplay Entertainment and Bethesda) — Playing the first Fallout on my family computer in the late ’90s was a formative experience. The original game and those that followed kicked off a long-standing love for two things — role-playing games and post-apocalyptic and dystopian storylines.
The Last of Us (Naughty Dog) — I have played The Last of Us at least four times, returning to the story and game experience over and over again because it is so moving and emotionally complex.
Disco Elysium (ZA/UM) — As a poet, I can’t help but be drawn to the lyrical, intricate writing of Disco Elysium. The way this game blends RPG elements with an expansive choice-based narrative with a literary flair is deeply inspiring — and illustrates how rich, vibrant writing can have a place in games development.
Portal and Portal 2 (Valve) — Platforming and puzzle solving combined one of the most iconic game villains ever written. With her brilliant quips and biting sarcasm, GLaDOS is both menacing and hilarious.
The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us (Tell Tale Games) — Although each game explores different story genres (grounded horror compared to noir fantasy), both of these Tell Tale games illustrate the impact that making difficult choices can have on the player’s experience of the narrative.
Inside (Play Dead) and Journey (Thatgamecompany) — I love the way both of these games craft fascinating and powerful narratives without using a single line of text. It’s a beautiful demonstration of how art, sound design, and gameplay are powerful narrative tools by themselves.