Bulovski Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 So here's a question - Which game has the best story? I am not talking about creating an immersive world or a crazy plot twist - but just a story which made you sit up once the game was finished. I don't care how bad the execution was. The game should have a storyline which will make you sit up and think - I wish I could live this through. Warning: There will be minor spoilers in this thread. Here's my list: 1) Planescape Torment - This is storytelling at it's best. How do you take existential angst and make it into a game? It's not just a story about a man trying to discover who he is - it is about playing through the meaning of existence and the repercussions of the choices he makes. What paths will a person choose to select what he becomes? And does self discovery lead to redemption and understanding? This is probably the only game where gamers played through and were more interested in the pages and pages of dialogue rather than the gameplay. Someone actually put all the dialogue together in a storybook format and it's fantastic reading. 2) Starcraft - Interstellar politics is a staple fair in games. But they are always the background a la Star Wars and Star Trek. Starcraft is one of the finest RTS created and has become the benchmark for all other RTS (past present and future). Yet the story never takes a backseat. Told through beautiful cutscenes, the missions complement a fantastic and epic storyline which describes the struggles of three races vying for their moment of glory in the universe. No race is good or evil - all of them want to survive. It's evolution and survival of the fittest. Whether it be the brave humans, the ferocious zerg or the religious protoss - each have a destiny to fulfil. Through all this political space opera there are touching cameos (akin to Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet) - Raynor, Tassadar, and Kerrigan. 3) Thief - Garrett! My favourite character in video games. Cynical, master thief, scared of haunts and hates rules. Yet he gets pulled into events which are out of his control. He tries hard to distance himself but the heavens conspire that the journey that he started in the streets comes full circle and he brings balance among the three powerful factions which threaten to destroy his City. For all his cynicism, Garrett has a strong moral compass which makes him do the right thing. He battles a chaotic pagan God, brings down an anal retentive religious fanatic, and destroys a secret society. All because he believes that humans should be allowed to follow their own Will and not some arbitrary law laid down in prophecies - whether they are in dusty books, children's rhymes or in prayers. He personifies the reluctant hero. 4) Final Fantasy Tactics - Do not judge a game by cute sprites. Final Fantasy games are known for their epic storylines, but this one stands out (yes, it has a better story than FF VII). This is a tale of religion and politics, of ideologies, and about relationships, and how childhood friendship changes because of external factors. Ramza and Delita go down different paths in their life, but the paths cross and they are caught up in the War of Lions to decide who gets to rule the kingdom. There are some notable mentions - Half Life, Grim Fandango, Dreamfall, Ocarina of Time, Mass Effect, Psychonauts, Ico, FF IV - but I will let others write about them. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtheK Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Max Payne God Of War 1 and 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclops Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Max Payne Fall of Max Payne Mafia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarketTantrik Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Mass Effect Without doubt, Mass Effect is one of the few games where the story is the real star of the game. This is made possible by the groundbreaking conversation mechanic and outstanding voice acting in the game, with each and every line of dialogue voiced by some very talented voice actors. This game also had one of the most amazing reveals ever in video gaming history.... a villain whose identity was hinted at throughout, but when actually revealed, was completely unexpected. The dialogue system just took the whole storytelling aspect to a new level of player engagement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SchizoidFreud Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 damn, I totally forgot mass effect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtheK Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 damn, I totally forgot mass effect thank god you dint write Gears of War i would have come there and hung you upside down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulovski Posted June 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 thank god you dint write Gears of War i would have come there and hung you upside down I am just surprised he managed to put together more than five words with only one smiley and no mention of GoW - that's an epic there itself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarbonCore Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Here's what Steven Spielberg said at this year's GDC, "I think the real indicator that games have become a storytelling art form will be when somebody confesses that they cried at level 17". I did, at the end of MGS3 when Snake kept white flowers and Patriot gun on the Boss' gravestone and saluted. Epic moment, epic score, and the best story ever told in any videogame, period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Achieved_Nirvana Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 The Metal Gear Series. Without doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarketTantrik Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 and the best story ever told in any videogame, period. You gotta be kidding me. MGS stories are the stuff of B grade movies. Campy but fun. While the moment might have been emotional, the story in MGS3 (or for that matter MGS1 and 2) are pure fluff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulovski Posted June 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 MGS has fantastic gameplay, setting, good cutscenes - but story - ummm. Doesn't come close to some of the other games mentioned above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zen Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 half-life 2:i guess its the way the narrative arc was told, no info given to you and for some reason it does not irritate, you have been just dropped into a dystopia, and thats that.no character stopping by to fill you in, no script appearing on the screen to give you details. all you have are a few pictures on the wall, a few stray sentences, a few signs to tell you what happened after black mesa. bioshock:took the easier route with all the people leaving convenient tapes that they tirelessly recorded for you to find.but all these people, the scottish mechanic, the blonde in love with ryan, the couple who lose their child, all are dead and with the vast thing that Rapture was, it kind of leaves you in awe.the first time a game made me feel it was an epic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gautam Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 "Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time" for me.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Achieved_Nirvana Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Ooo.. spoliers galore. I'm outta here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Karnage Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Starcraft, without doubt for me is the best story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDribbler Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Brotha..Dig this > The Future > God of War III !!! FTW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarbonCore Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 You gotta be kidding me. MGS stories are the stuff of B grade movies. Campy but fun. While the moment might have been emotional, the story in MGS3 (or for that matter MGS1 and 2) are pure fluff. Its a point of perception, depends upon person to person. I personally thought stories in HL and Mass Effect were pure scifi suckfest, typical american cliches with 'OMG he was the bad guy' type of endings. Anyways, these are personal opinions, I know couple of guys who think NG had better story than God of War Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emulsion Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Here's what Steven Spielberg said at this year's GDC, "I think the real indicator that games have become a storytelling art form will be when somebody confesses that they cried at level 17". I did, at the end of MGS3 when Snake kept white flowers and Patriot gun on the Boss' gravestone and saluted. Epic moment, epic score, and the best story ever told in any videogame, period. BTW Spielberg's a major fan of Bioshock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ad1tya Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Half Life Series Red Alert Series Call of Duty, all games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarbonCore Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 BTW Spielberg's a major fan of Bioshock. Yeah he mentioned it couple of time, guess we'll see a Bioshock movie done by him, I'd love to see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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