I have asserted that stories can be told through game mechanics alone and do not require traditional storytelling methods—dialogue, text, voice, explicit narrative. I now consider that assertion probably fundamentally flawed.

Stories that are purely physical—conveyed only through movement, spatial relationships, feedback loops, and silent systems—are probably not equivalent to stories that incorporate words. The parallel with infant development is striking: just as Babies do not thrive unless spoken to despite physical care, a story built solely on mechanics may engage and move the player yet still lack something vital for full depth or emotional resonance.