BobbyRobby
Member
Final Fantasy 6, LUNAR, Suikoden II
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Games with best stories?
- Thread starter kumanoki
- Start date
Best I've ever seen an any game, I may bitch about the latest of the series gameplay, but the storyline is totally always worth it.
You know the funny thing about that is most Xenogears haters I've seen almost always say it was when you got to the second disc that the game turned to shit.
More like godly, I didn't much care for the ending, but the plot and all the characters were so well written and acted, and the soundtrack was such a beautiful throwback. I'd rather watch Mafia's cutscenes than 90% of the gangster flicks I've seen.
CajoleJuice
Member
hobbitx said:
What? Didn't like him getting killed at the end?
Duck of Death
Member
Planescape: Torment
JackFrost2012
Banned
NONEYA MOFOS KNOW HOW TO SPELL "Planescape: Torment" CORRECTLY! GOD DAMN!
Edit: except for my friend Duck of Death here, he's a cool dude.
Edit: except for my friend Duck of Death here, he's a cool dude.
In relative order.
1) Xenogears for obvious reasons. Especially if you ignore chuchu being crucified scene, which I do, and since it doesn't exist, Xenogears is near flawless. Besides the obvious reasons, there's also one of the greatest backstories to a video game ever. See Perfect Works.
2) Final Fantasy VII for the underlying theme and story.
3) Parts of Xenosaga Episode I and II. Some of the best character dynamics ever. The Albedo, Rubedo, Nigredo scenes are absolutely amazing! Especially in Episode 2.
4) Final Fantasy VIII for probabaly one of the most dynamic characters ever (Squall) at the sacrifice of every other character in the game. You play FFVIII to watch Squall's development as a character and for the love story. Every other aspect of the story falls short and is put into the "backdrop" category to those 2 elements. Most people hate Squall because he's too much of a "Balzac character" as one person once said here.
5) Valkyrie Profile. I really enjoyed the short story format of this game. It also has one of the best endings in a game.
1) Xenogears for obvious reasons. Especially if you ignore chuchu being crucified scene, which I do, and since it doesn't exist, Xenogears is near flawless. Besides the obvious reasons, there's also one of the greatest backstories to a video game ever. See Perfect Works.
2) Final Fantasy VII for the underlying theme and story.
3) Parts of Xenosaga Episode I and II. Some of the best character dynamics ever. The Albedo, Rubedo, Nigredo scenes are absolutely amazing! Especially in Episode 2.
4) Final Fantasy VIII for probabaly one of the most dynamic characters ever (Squall) at the sacrifice of every other character in the game. You play FFVIII to watch Squall's development as a character and for the love story. Every other aspect of the story falls short and is put into the "backdrop" category to those 2 elements. Most people hate Squall because he's too much of a "Balzac character" as one person once said here.
5) Valkyrie Profile. I really enjoyed the short story format of this game. It also has one of the best endings in a game.
Chrono Trigger and Cross. If only for the fact that they are perfectly paired with one another as original and sequel. Trigger is adventurous and feels young and full of heart. I think it's hard not to find it nostalgic for anyone who enjoys it and looks back at it from time to time. It very much carries youthfulness. Cross is much more existential and mature, talks about much deeper themes and carries on the story beautifully. I've learned to love Cross more than it's original... playing through it again after learning the realities of life will do that to you, I think. I think Masato Kato wrote a beautiful game... the only thing that mars it is the accents. What the hell were they thinking? They annoy the hell out of me.
I also heavily enjoyed the story of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Books aside, finally a new, REAL episode in the Star Wars universe. Fuck the prequels.
Vagrant Story is also amazing. I agree with a previous poster who said that most people didn't get to experience it because of the high learning curve... but I also felt that many didn't give it an honest chance.
Silent Hill 1+2.
I also heavily enjoyed the story of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Books aside, finally a new, REAL episode in the Star Wars universe. Fuck the prequels.
Vagrant Story is also amazing. I agree with a previous poster who said that most people didn't get to experience it because of the high learning curve... but I also felt that many didn't give it an honest chance.
Silent Hill 1+2.
More like listen. Xenogears without a doubt in top spot.
FinalFantasyTactics for PSone - Fantastic story, music. Presentation was warm.
FF3(FF6 in Japan) - I was in elementary school at the time, I didnt even play it, My brother played it, I sat in a chair next to him and just followed the storyline, loved it.
Grandia - Great Story, Solid game.
FinalFantasyTactics for PSone - Fantastic story, music. Presentation was warm.
FF3(FF6 in Japan) - I was in elementary school at the time, I didnt even play it, My brother played it, I sat in a chair next to him and just followed the storyline, loved it.
Grandia - Great Story, Solid game.
Yeah, that's when I thought it got better. Instead of overly long cinematics and repetitive generic dungeons, it switched to long cinematics interrupted with some nice boss battles. The mystery finally, finally pays off. I wouldn't say I'm a Xenogears hater though, but I do think the plot was overrated. Great plot in parts, but marred by cliches and tedious, clumsy storytelling.
You people are sad for not mentioning more Metal Gear
1) Metal Gear Solid series. 1 and 3 especially are amazing. 2 is helped by 3 explaining more. Overall, this series is simply tops. MGS3 was for me, the best interactive story ever. I didn't think a game could put the stress of a fantastic movie climax, on your shoulders. I never felt that tense before. And at the end all I could do was resume breathing. This series is an evolution for interactive stories.
2) Shenmue I and II. Someone said on this board, this is the closest thing to a game being a novel. And that's true. This game creates an intimate relationship with the character, story and your surroundings, without you ever knowing it. Everything just feels so personal. And so if you give yourself the time to fall into this game's charm, a whole new world just seems open. It's closer to real life that GTA, or anything else. Which for many people, they don't want. But if you accept this game as a unique game trying something else, you realize its brilliance. You can enjoy and feel the smallest details of life to the most important events, heightened by grounding you in a realistic environment. These games are masterpieces.
3) FFX - This was just one game I fell in love with. Sure, the other FF carry the nostalgia, the memorable characters, etc. But I came into this game expecting nothing, and came out blown away. The love story felt so real, the adventure was beautiful. The game mixed so much, in an amazing poetic arch. There was the threat, the hope, the love, the manipulation, the humanity. They even had a wholy realized history of the world. Twists, turns, climaxes, lows, highs. I enjoyed a lot of FF's but this one is my favorite as far as story goes in the end.
4) ICO - The simplicity of this tale, is one of a kind in games. It's not added on, but the gameplay is just as important. I think it's that this game is a balance of everything. Each complements each other. Even the graphics, they play a really imporant role of this game's feel. It's like, the bond grows within the gameplay, the story makes you take the jumps your character does.. It's like Shenmue kind of, in that the game makes everything feel so personal. But it does it in a fantastical nature. Like a fairy tale done perfectly in videogame format. Like all my other choices, there's not another game like it. It's one of a kind. ICO is a world completely unqiue. The tale's just amazing.
5) FFVII - One of the first rpg's I finished. It was something great to play through. There was an addiction period, where I had to play it. There was wow factor in how bad ass it was. There was sad moments, suprises, everything. This is a bit of nostalgia talking, but playing through this whole thing it was amazing to me to look where the game's intro was. The whole "what the hell's going on?" thing, while blowing the mako reactor, and how much change happens to the game's world from those beginnings to it's satisfying end. IMO anyway. I really loved the characters, the music, the game's moments in general. One of the best still.
Oh, and on Mafia, my brother boasts it's godly as well. I think that's still his favorite story as far as games go.
1) Metal Gear Solid series. 1 and 3 especially are amazing. 2 is helped by 3 explaining more. Overall, this series is simply tops. MGS3 was for me, the best interactive story ever. I didn't think a game could put the stress of a fantastic movie climax, on your shoulders. I never felt that tense before. And at the end all I could do was resume breathing. This series is an evolution for interactive stories.
2) Shenmue I and II. Someone said on this board, this is the closest thing to a game being a novel. And that's true. This game creates an intimate relationship with the character, story and your surroundings, without you ever knowing it. Everything just feels so personal. And so if you give yourself the time to fall into this game's charm, a whole new world just seems open. It's closer to real life that GTA, or anything else. Which for many people, they don't want. But if you accept this game as a unique game trying something else, you realize its brilliance. You can enjoy and feel the smallest details of life to the most important events, heightened by grounding you in a realistic environment. These games are masterpieces.
3) FFX - This was just one game I fell in love with. Sure, the other FF carry the nostalgia, the memorable characters, etc. But I came into this game expecting nothing, and came out blown away. The love story felt so real, the adventure was beautiful. The game mixed so much, in an amazing poetic arch. There was the threat, the hope, the love, the manipulation, the humanity. They even had a wholy realized history of the world. Twists, turns, climaxes, lows, highs. I enjoyed a lot of FF's but this one is my favorite as far as story goes in the end.
4) ICO - The simplicity of this tale, is one of a kind in games. It's not added on, but the gameplay is just as important. I think it's that this game is a balance of everything. Each complements each other. Even the graphics, they play a really imporant role of this game's feel. It's like, the bond grows within the gameplay, the story makes you take the jumps your character does.. It's like Shenmue kind of, in that the game makes everything feel so personal. But it does it in a fantastical nature. Like a fairy tale done perfectly in videogame format. Like all my other choices, there's not another game like it. It's one of a kind. ICO is a world completely unqiue. The tale's just amazing.
5) FFVII - One of the first rpg's I finished. It was something great to play through. There was an addiction period, where I had to play it. There was wow factor in how bad ass it was. There was sad moments, suprises, everything. This is a bit of nostalgia talking, but playing through this whole thing it was amazing to me to look where the game's intro was. The whole "what the hell's going on?" thing, while blowing the mako reactor, and how much change happens to the game's world from those beginnings to it's satisfying end. IMO anyway. I really loved the characters, the music, the game's moments in general. One of the best still.
Oh, and on Mafia, my brother boasts it's godly as well. I think that's still his favorite story as far as games go.
Kung Fu Jedi
Member
I'll throw my vote behind Lunar as well. Great story. Snatcher was cool as hell too. And as far as first person games go, the orginal Thief game was about as good as it got.
Blackace
if you see me in a fight with a bear, don't help me fool, help the bear!
Wasteland like me best mate DC said
Planescape
KoTOR
Tekken (I mean come on Roger Jr entered the Iron Fist Tourny in his mother's pouch)
Suikoden III (too bad the gameplay hid the great story under layers of shit)
Final Fantasy Tactics
Monkey Island 1 - 3
Might and Magic 3
Grim Fandango
Planescape
KoTOR
Tekken (I mean come on Roger Jr entered the Iron Fist Tourny in his mother's pouch)
Suikoden III (too bad the gameplay hid the great story under layers of shit)
Final Fantasy Tactics
Monkey Island 1 - 3
Might and Magic 3
Grim Fandango
sorryaboutdresden
Member
Final Fantasy 6 and 7. Chrono Trigger. Resident Evil series (combined)
Suprisingly enough i thought Half Life and especially Halflife 2 both have great but subtle storylines.
Kinda like ICO in the fact that it's not in your face it's a more organic way of telling a story.
I really liked the delivery the way in which you find things out as you go along.
Kinda like ICO in the fact that it's not in your face it's a more organic way of telling a story.
I really liked the delivery the way in which you find things out as you go along.
SatelliteOfLove
Member
Ancestor_of_Erdrick said:
It's too bad, really; once you "got it", the difficulty drops off significantly.
I think the most powerful aspect of VG's story was the way it was told.
Jeez, this was an engrossing game series, up through Clouds of Xeen. It is an incredible shame that 3do destoryed the franchise before they went belly up. Did anyone purchase the license by any chance (even to just make HOMM games)?
So many people in this thread are only listing console games. PC games, before FPS and RTS games took over everything, were clearly the place to be for great game stories. Anyone who hasn't played a game like Planescape or Gabriel Knight really owes it to themselves to see just how deep a game's storyline can be.
Am I blind or has no one mentioned Beyond Good & Evil? One of only a few games in recent years that I've really cared about the characters and the world.
The Kotor games have good stories, but the dialogue is what sets it apart from other games, they're the only two games where I can have fun just talking to people for hours.
Eternal Darkness, awesome story, with one of the best ways of presenting it I've seen.
The Kotor games have good stories, but the dialogue is what sets it apart from other games, they're the only two games where I can have fun just talking to people for hours.
Eternal Darkness, awesome story, with one of the best ways of presenting it I've seen.
Bauer Action Hour
Member
SW: Kotor is my favorite. I'm disappointed that more people haven't mentioned it. You can be a non-fan of Star Wars, like I was, and get into the story very easily. Loved it from start to finish.
Other RPGs
FFVII, convoluted in retrospect, but I respect it's underlying theme
FFIX, liked that it was lighter than VII while remaining 'epic'
Panzer Dragoon Saga, loved the atmosphere and searching for answers about the lost civilization
Shining Force 3, liked being a soldier of the kingdom
Mario RPG, the RPG that got me into RPGs. Filled w/ humor and charm.
Skies of Arcadia, loved the sense of adventure and exploration, as well as it's charm
Dark Cloud 2, for it's charm more than anything else
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, though I'm only 1/2 done, I still love the fact that it has themes that most games stay far away from
Other games
GTA (PS2 Series)
Splinter Cell (Series)
Panzer Dragoon (shooters)
Other RPGs
FFVII, convoluted in retrospect, but I respect it's underlying theme
FFIX, liked that it was lighter than VII while remaining 'epic'
Panzer Dragoon Saga, loved the atmosphere and searching for answers about the lost civilization
Shining Force 3, liked being a soldier of the kingdom
Mario RPG, the RPG that got me into RPGs. Filled w/ humor and charm.
Skies of Arcadia, loved the sense of adventure and exploration, as well as it's charm
Dark Cloud 2, for it's charm more than anything else
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, though I'm only 1/2 done, I still love the fact that it has themes that most games stay far away from
Other games
GTA (PS2 Series)
Splinter Cell (Series)
Panzer Dragoon (shooters)
psycho_snake
I went to WAGs boutique and all I got was a sniff
ICO wasnt so good but when I found out
MGS2 and MGS3 have the best story of any game this generation by a long distance. They both had very amazing stories. I think ToS had a very goos story, but many will disagree.
that all those demons you have been killing are just like you, I was shaking
MGS2 and MGS3 have the best story of any game this generation by a long distance. They both had very amazing stories. I think ToS had a very goos story, but many will disagree.
The Take Out Bandit
Member
Blood Omen - A guy out for revenge and not something grand or overblown. I never got into any of the sequels. Namely because I chose the Kain dies ending.
Interstate '76 - Recent praise aside, the game did a fabulous job of sucking you into it's fuel crisis era car combat era.
Klonoa: The Door to Phantomile - Holy crap! It kicked me in the balls and made me weep like a baby. Namco pulled a fast one on me.
Silent Hill - I'm not a father, but the motivation of reuniting Harry with his daughter in the midst of all the weirdness of the town was very compelling.
Blood Will Tell - I haven't rightfully started this one yet, but so far it's been really interesting in that strange Tezuka screwball concept manner. I want to see more.
Outlaws - Never finished this one, but I was really enjoying exacting my revenge on the hoodlums what killed my family. Top notch presentation and music.
Shantae - The game had a great sense of humor.
Interstate '76 - Recent praise aside, the game did a fabulous job of sucking you into it's fuel crisis era car combat era.
Klonoa: The Door to Phantomile - Holy crap! It kicked me in the balls and made me weep like a baby. Namco pulled a fast one on me.
Silent Hill - I'm not a father, but the motivation of reuniting Harry with his daughter in the midst of all the weirdness of the town was very compelling.
Blood Will Tell - I haven't rightfully started this one yet, but so far it's been really interesting in that strange Tezuka screwball concept manner. I want to see more.
Outlaws - Never finished this one, but I was really enjoying exacting my revenge on the hoodlums what killed my family. Top notch presentation and music.
Shantae - The game had a great sense of humor.
Shadowmancer
Member
Grim Fandango
Planescape : Torment
Star Wars: KOTOR
Full Throttle
Half-Life
Ico
Planescape : Torment
Star Wars: KOTOR
Full Throttle
Half-Life
Ico
evilromero
Member
Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat.
btutterrow
Member
Baldur's Gate 2 - Had one of the best villians ever, thus making it more than most Western RPG cliches.
ICO - I could muse endlessly on why the way ICO's story was told was the single best way to tell a story in a videogame.
Gabriel Knight: Beast Within - FMV adventure games hit their peak with this masterpience.
Sam & Max Hit the Road - The story made absolutely no point at all. A true work of art
Suikoden 2 & 3 - Epic war stories that still focus on the individuals. Good stuff.
Final Fantasy VII, IX and X - Teen angst and yet I still love em... I must be sick in the head.
Final Fantasy Tactics - The closest I have ever seen to a Shakespere play in a video game. Murder, vindication, treachery, love, Rodents of Unusual Size! Mwahaahaha!
Metal Gear Solid 3 - I still have flashbacks of some of the story sequences. I am amazed out how much I DIDN'T want to skip those cinema scenes.
ICO - I could muse endlessly on why the way ICO's story was told was the single best way to tell a story in a videogame.
Gabriel Knight: Beast Within - FMV adventure games hit their peak with this masterpience.
Sam & Max Hit the Road - The story made absolutely no point at all. A true work of art
Suikoden 2 & 3 - Epic war stories that still focus on the individuals. Good stuff.
Final Fantasy VII, IX and X - Teen angst and yet I still love em... I must be sick in the head.
Final Fantasy Tactics - The closest I have ever seen to a Shakespere play in a video game. Murder, vindication, treachery, love, Rodents of Unusual Size! Mwahaahaha!
Metal Gear Solid 3 - I still have flashbacks of some of the story sequences. I am amazed out how much I DIDN'T want to skip those cinema scenes.
