GreyHorace
Member
The recent thread regarding the Writers Guild Association drops the 'videogame' category had some discussion regarding the quality of writing in videogames. Some claim that the removal was deserved and that videogame stories have always been shit, while others think that the medium deserves to be acknowledge as much as movies, tv or literature.
I really don't care for accolades, only that whatever stories there are games are enjoyable and interesting and allow one to immerse themselves in the worlds developers create. To say there are no stories of great quality in games is a reductive statement, as I've experienced a number of videogames with great storylines. Here are my picks among the games I've played:
Grim Fandango (Lucasarts)
Salvador: {to Manny, about Meche} Manuel? Are you... in love with her?
Manny: Love? Love is for the living, Sal. I'm only after her for one reason - she's my ticket out of here.
It's a Tim Schafer game, yes. So you can expect the trademark humor along with a bizzare setting. But underneath all that is genuine film noir tale of greed and corruption in The Land of the Dead. Through it's many twist and turns main character Manny Calavera emerges as one the most interesting and unique protagonists in gaming.
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords (Lucasarts/Obsidian Entertainment)
Kreia: Take the greatest Jedi Knight, strip away the Force, and what remains? They rely on it. Depend on it, more than they know. Watch as one tries to hold a blaster, as they try to hold a lightsaber, and you will see nothing more than a woman – or a man. A child.
The first Knights of the Old Republic game was a straight up tale of good vs evil much like the original Star Wars films. Rather than follow that up with the sequel, Obsidian Entertainment (known for Fallout New Vegas, Alpha Protocol, Pillars of Eternity) would tackle a different tale, one that sought to examine the core themes of George Lucas' space fantasy saga. Through the journey of the Jedi Exile and their morally ambigious mentor, Kreia, the game asked questions such as: Is the Force a benevolent presence that brings balance or an element of chaos that breeds conflict? Are the Jedi or the Sith really all that different? And would the galaxy be better off if they never existed?
This game dared to deconstruct the entire Star Wars universe years before Rian Johnson spectacularly failed to do so with The Last Jedi. Chris Avellone and the team at Obsidian ought to be given high praise for this.
Prince of Persia 2008 (Ubisoft)
Elika: What is one grain of sand in the desert? What is one grain of sand in the storm?"
After the Sands of Time trilogy, Ubisoft rebooted the series with a new Prince and setting. This time, the Prince is forced to partner with the Ahuran princess Elika in helping seal away the dark God Ahriman. Throughout the adventure, the self-serving Prince and Elika bond and grow close through their shared experiences. But it's this bond that gives the Prince the impetus to commit the ultimate act of selfishness that leads to one of bleakest endings I've seen in any media.
Assassin's Creed 3 (Ubisoft)
Haytham Kenway: The people never have the power, only the illusion of it. And here is the real secret: they don't want it. The responsibility is too great to bear. It's why they are so quick to fall in line as soon as someone else takes charge. They WANT to be told what to do. They YEARN for it. Little wonder that, since all mankind was BUILT to SERVE.
Connor Kenway: So because we are inclined by nature to be controlled, who better than the Templars? It's a poor offer.
Haytham Kenway: It is truth. Principle and practice are two very different beasts.
Connor Kenway: No Father... You have given up - and you would have us all do the same.
Yeah yeah. I know many people are not fans of this game. It had some stupid bugs upon release and some serious gameplay issues that weren't refined until the sequel Black Flag. A shame though, because AC3 had the best story of the entire series. Like The Sith Lords example above, AC3 went a different route and took a hard look at all the core elements of the series. Before, the difference between the Assassins and the Templars was pretty clear cut and their conflict throughout human history is what drives the series' core narrative. AC3 on the other hand, asks whether this conflict between the two factions achieves anything of worth and whether they're just pawns in a much larger game. The same scrutiny is given to the American Revolution where the game takes place.
It's for these reasons why I think Assassin's Creed 3 is an underrated game. Ubisoft stumbled in releasing this game too early, but the narrative choices in it were superb.
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (CD Projekt Red)
Geralt: “Care to tell me what it was all about?”
Letho of Gulet: “Hm. Kill as many rulers as we could. Lay the blame on the sorceresses. Breed chaos. Prepare the North, soften it before the invasion. And you know what’s incredible? We could not have imagined more fertile soil. No matter what the war’s outcome, the Northern monarchs’ll accuse one another, pursue their god-given rights, seek vengeance and be at each other’s throats for years to come. The North resembles a whorehouse on fire, as your friend Dandelion would say.”
The second game in The Witcher saga finds Geralt of Rivia framed for the murder of King Foltest of Temeria, and he has to untangle a knotted web of conspiracy to clear his name. It's a brilliantly plotted title with some great twists and surprises whether you take any of two divergent paths that happen midway through the game.
The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone (CD Projekt Red)
Gaunter O'Dimm: In brief, I give folk what they ask for. You might say I simply grant their wishes.
Geralt: And drop them in a world of hurt.
Gaunter O'Dimm: No, not I! That would be their poorly-formulated wishes. I'm no cheat. I give folk what they want, nothing more. That they oft desire unworthy things... that is entirely the fault of their own rotten natures.
Don't get me wrong, I thought The Witcher 3's writing was brilliant and many of the questlines were handled beautifully (particularly the Bloody Baron storyline). But it's first expansion, Hearts of Stone, CD Projekt Red really outdid themselves by taking a standard Deal with the Devil plotline and crafting their own unique take on it.
To tell how brilliant Hearts of Stone is would be one long ass post. Instead, you guys should check out Super Bunnyhop's analysis on it. Highly recommended.
Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Sister Calderón: Be grateful that for the first time, you see your life clearly. Perhaps you could help somebody? Helping makes you really happy.
Arthur: But... I still don't believe in nothin'.
Sister Calderón: Often, neither do I. But then, I meet someone like you, and everything makes sense.
Arthur: Heh... You're too smart for me, Sister. I guess I... I'm afraid.
Sister Calderón: There is nothing to be afraid of, Mr. Morgan. Take a gamble that love exists, and do a loving act.
I don't think there's any more to be said about the second entry of Rockstar's western series. Some people hate it because of the gameplay and others think it didn't live up to the hype. Me though, I thought Dan Houser and his writing team outdid themselves in crafting the narrative of this prequel to the first game. They gave us a great protagonist in Arthur Morgan and his journey of redemption after a lifetime of wrongdoing was both tragic and poignant at the same time.
So those are my picks. Take note that this is my opinion and you're free to disagree with what I've posted. Taste after all, is subjective. So let's hear your examples of great writing in videogames GAF.
I really don't care for accolades, only that whatever stories there are games are enjoyable and interesting and allow one to immerse themselves in the worlds developers create. To say there are no stories of great quality in games is a reductive statement, as I've experienced a number of videogames with great storylines. Here are my picks among the games I've played:
Grim Fandango (Lucasarts)
Salvador: {to Manny, about Meche} Manuel? Are you... in love with her?
Manny: Love? Love is for the living, Sal. I'm only after her for one reason - she's my ticket out of here.
It's a Tim Schafer game, yes. So you can expect the trademark humor along with a bizzare setting. But underneath all that is genuine film noir tale of greed and corruption in The Land of the Dead. Through it's many twist and turns main character Manny Calavera emerges as one the most interesting and unique protagonists in gaming.
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords (Lucasarts/Obsidian Entertainment)
Kreia: Take the greatest Jedi Knight, strip away the Force, and what remains? They rely on it. Depend on it, more than they know. Watch as one tries to hold a blaster, as they try to hold a lightsaber, and you will see nothing more than a woman – or a man. A child.
The first Knights of the Old Republic game was a straight up tale of good vs evil much like the original Star Wars films. Rather than follow that up with the sequel, Obsidian Entertainment (known for Fallout New Vegas, Alpha Protocol, Pillars of Eternity) would tackle a different tale, one that sought to examine the core themes of George Lucas' space fantasy saga. Through the journey of the Jedi Exile and their morally ambigious mentor, Kreia, the game asked questions such as: Is the Force a benevolent presence that brings balance or an element of chaos that breeds conflict? Are the Jedi or the Sith really all that different? And would the galaxy be better off if they never existed?
This game dared to deconstruct the entire Star Wars universe years before Rian Johnson spectacularly failed to do so with The Last Jedi. Chris Avellone and the team at Obsidian ought to be given high praise for this.
Prince of Persia 2008 (Ubisoft)
Elika: What is one grain of sand in the desert? What is one grain of sand in the storm?"
After the Sands of Time trilogy, Ubisoft rebooted the series with a new Prince and setting. This time, the Prince is forced to partner with the Ahuran princess Elika in helping seal away the dark God Ahriman. Throughout the adventure, the self-serving Prince and Elika bond and grow close through their shared experiences. But it's this bond that gives the Prince the impetus to commit the ultimate act of selfishness that leads to one of bleakest endings I've seen in any media.
Assassin's Creed 3 (Ubisoft)
Haytham Kenway: The people never have the power, only the illusion of it. And here is the real secret: they don't want it. The responsibility is too great to bear. It's why they are so quick to fall in line as soon as someone else takes charge. They WANT to be told what to do. They YEARN for it. Little wonder that, since all mankind was BUILT to SERVE.
Connor Kenway: So because we are inclined by nature to be controlled, who better than the Templars? It's a poor offer.
Haytham Kenway: It is truth. Principle and practice are two very different beasts.
Connor Kenway: No Father... You have given up - and you would have us all do the same.
Yeah yeah. I know many people are not fans of this game. It had some stupid bugs upon release and some serious gameplay issues that weren't refined until the sequel Black Flag. A shame though, because AC3 had the best story of the entire series. Like The Sith Lords example above, AC3 went a different route and took a hard look at all the core elements of the series. Before, the difference between the Assassins and the Templars was pretty clear cut and their conflict throughout human history is what drives the series' core narrative. AC3 on the other hand, asks whether this conflict between the two factions achieves anything of worth and whether they're just pawns in a much larger game. The same scrutiny is given to the American Revolution where the game takes place.
It's for these reasons why I think Assassin's Creed 3 is an underrated game. Ubisoft stumbled in releasing this game too early, but the narrative choices in it were superb.
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (CD Projekt Red)
Geralt: “Care to tell me what it was all about?”
Letho of Gulet: “Hm. Kill as many rulers as we could. Lay the blame on the sorceresses. Breed chaos. Prepare the North, soften it before the invasion. And you know what’s incredible? We could not have imagined more fertile soil. No matter what the war’s outcome, the Northern monarchs’ll accuse one another, pursue their god-given rights, seek vengeance and be at each other’s throats for years to come. The North resembles a whorehouse on fire, as your friend Dandelion would say.”
The second game in The Witcher saga finds Geralt of Rivia framed for the murder of King Foltest of Temeria, and he has to untangle a knotted web of conspiracy to clear his name. It's a brilliantly plotted title with some great twists and surprises whether you take any of two divergent paths that happen midway through the game.
The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone (CD Projekt Red)
Gaunter O'Dimm: In brief, I give folk what they ask for. You might say I simply grant their wishes.
Geralt: And drop them in a world of hurt.
Gaunter O'Dimm: No, not I! That would be their poorly-formulated wishes. I'm no cheat. I give folk what they want, nothing more. That they oft desire unworthy things... that is entirely the fault of their own rotten natures.
Don't get me wrong, I thought The Witcher 3's writing was brilliant and many of the questlines were handled beautifully (particularly the Bloody Baron storyline). But it's first expansion, Hearts of Stone, CD Projekt Red really outdid themselves by taking a standard Deal with the Devil plotline and crafting their own unique take on it.
To tell how brilliant Hearts of Stone is would be one long ass post. Instead, you guys should check out Super Bunnyhop's analysis on it. Highly recommended.
Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Sister Calderón: Be grateful that for the first time, you see your life clearly. Perhaps you could help somebody? Helping makes you really happy.
Arthur: But... I still don't believe in nothin'.
Sister Calderón: Often, neither do I. But then, I meet someone like you, and everything makes sense.
Arthur: Heh... You're too smart for me, Sister. I guess I... I'm afraid.
Sister Calderón: There is nothing to be afraid of, Mr. Morgan. Take a gamble that love exists, and do a loving act.
I don't think there's any more to be said about the second entry of Rockstar's western series. Some people hate it because of the gameplay and others think it didn't live up to the hype. Me though, I thought Dan Houser and his writing team outdid themselves in crafting the narrative of this prequel to the first game. They gave us a great protagonist in Arthur Morgan and his journey of redemption after a lifetime of wrongdoing was both tragic and poignant at the same time.
So those are my picks. Take note that this is my opinion and you're free to disagree with what I've posted. Taste after all, is subjective. So let's hear your examples of great writing in videogames GAF.
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