[Terramax]

Hi

The reason why I love AGs most are the character interactions and stories. I'm really desperate to play a new game with a terrific story, most particularly ones that are NOT AGs but something similar. I'm currently going through Silent Hill 2 again as it is just fantastic story telling. The final 30 mins of play still sends shivers down my spine. OK, here are a list of good stories in games that I own. If there are any that you could recommend from this list then please do:

Broken Sword
Grim Fandango
Silent Hill 2 & 3
Discworld Noir
Psychonauts
Metal Gear Solid
Final Fantasy VII & VIII

These are ones I own or have owned.

The Longest Journey (2/5)
Full Throttle (3/5)
Gabriel Knight (not finished but I'd say 3/5 so far)
Beyond Good and Evil (not finished, enjoyable but a tad derivitive 3/5)

Any recommendations, old or new? Or if you wanna talk about what makes a good story in a game please tell.

[tabacco]

Recommend from the list or to the list? If it's from, I'd say Grim Fandango is a must. If it's to the list, I enjoy most of the Bioware RPGs... KOTOR and Jade Empire especially.

[Spiwak]

Planescape: Torment
Fallout

[Terramax]

Originally Posted by Spiwak

Planescape: Torment
Fallout

I thought those kinda games were more running around dungeons and killing endless monsters than stories?

Yeah, I mean adding to the list BTW, Grim Fandango is a classic. Has KOTOR got a cinematic storyline? I saw a friend play it but it was more him playing tournaments than anything else.

[tabacco]

Originally Posted by Terramax

Has KOTOR got a cinematic storyline? I saw a friend play it but it was more him playing tournaments than anything else.

There is a tournament part, but the storyline is actually really good. It moves a little slowly, because of sub-quests and whatnot in the middle of the main story, but it works out pretty nicely.

[Catbert]

Originally Posted by Terramax

I thought those kinda games were more running around dungeons and killing endless monsters than stories?

Yeah, I mean adding to the list BTW, Grim Fandango is a classic. Has KOTOR got a cinematic storyline? I saw a friend play it but it was more him playing tournaments than anything else.

KOTOR = quests, good quests. Some are even hard to make out if you're going to fix things with a dark or light side approach because of the ambiguity of issues. Fallout being an endless run of dungeons... you should play it really. It has combat, sure, but it's actually all avoidable.

[Spiwak]

Originally Posted by Terramax

I thought those kinda games were more running around dungeons and killing endless monsters than stories?

No. Not at all, in fact. Planescape: Torment probably has the least amount of fighting in a RPG I've ever played, and Fallout has pretty much no dungeons....but is about exploration. It has a good story and all but it's not one that's given to you like Planescape or the Bioware games, or adventure games. So in that respect I guess it's probably not what you're looking for. But definitely Planescape, definitely definitely definitely. Then I'd move to the Bioware games, KoTOR games first, then Baldur's Gate games, I guess (which does have a lot of dungeon-crawling)...and I haven't played Jade Empire (which isn't out on PC till later this year.

[maladroid]

I liked the storyline on the Blair Witch games trilogy (not very tightly connected to the movie but pretty much so to each other). The gameplay resembles that of Silent Hill, I guess, but the stories are more on the spooky side than the twisted-reality side (although there is some of that in there too).

Both Knights of the Old Republic are, indeed, pretty nice on the story-characters department as is Planescape:Torment. And while we are at it, Vampire: Bloodlines really grabbed me despite its techinical issues. If you are into this kind of worlds, give it a try.

Oh and ,as far as adventures go, be sure to play Loom, it's one of my personal favourites with a sweet, albeit pretty short, story.

[tabacco]

Ah, good call on Loom. I'll second that.

[After a brisk nap]

Slashdot just did a news story about writing in games, to vaguely address the second part of the post.

As for a really great story in an adventure game, I can't think of any right now. Lots that are OK, or even quite good, but I don't think anything has ever rivaled the best books, films, or TV shows.

[samIamsad]

You'll dig Torment. Unless you're not all that interested in the subject matters touched upon by this game. These are of a kind you rarely, more like never see in games at all. Then there's the dialogue trees...... mmmh! Actually the game is quite a bit like a Choose Your Own Adventure book, but better than that. You'll see. I'd also recommend System Shock, if you can stand the heat, so to speak. It can be a tough game at times, what with its respawning enemies and weapons that take damage until they loose their functionality. You'll never feel safe. Which is a good thing. While the way the static narrative bits are handled* have been copied elsewhere throughout the years, it's still worth bringing it up here. As one of the best PC games (series) of all time anyway. Instead of being spoon-fed to you (aka movie-, or bookstyle, it all works a bit different here.


*

Originally Posted by Gamasutra

Forcing the user to build the story piecemeal through personal logs and snippets of information throughout the game created a varied experience for each user. This drove the player to fill the holes in the story with the next log and their own assumptions and imagination. I remember playing System Shock 2 years after playing it for the first time and had a markedly different reaction due to changes in my own perspective. Phenomenal.

(link)

[Terramax]

So many are saying Planescape so I might check that out. Does it work OK with XP?

What I like in a good game usually is deep character development. Not deep as in everyone talks about their mothers as Sir Ridley Scott once said) but that most characters have great reasons for their actions in the story and slowly unfold. Metal Gear Solid was terrific in that its main badguys had their own reasons for their terrorist actions and I even sympathised for some.

Second of all, although not strictly to all games, are cinematic camera angles , music and other representation. A good filmmaker or game maker knows that the position of camera can be detrimental to the overall feel of a game. Myst Revelations wasn't a deep story but the way the player could flashback and the movie quality atmosphere throughout kept me in the game the whole time.

Original plot is another. There are some games I play that I know I would've loved much more if I had played years before but have recently become cliché and old hat. This is why I have almost completely stopped buying Japanese rpgs as they're consistency reselling the same stories. Only a few like Final Fantasy and Disgaea: Hour of Darkness is unique enough, hence why they remain successful.

One controversial thing I prefer is shorter games. Not Full Throttle but a good 10-15 hours is way good enough for me. Most games longer than that are because of constantly leveling up of puzzles that take hours to complete, destroying the fluidity.

But yeah, Planescape: Torment might be one. I'm not usually into those kinds of games (although I did once own Silver) but I'll give it a try if it's worth it.

[samIamsad]

What "kind of game" would that be, huh? Seriously, Torment feels like a format that was created for this plot and this plot alone, rather than some kind of narrative forced into whatever. From learning new things, abilities, gaining levels, experience, picking classes... At one point everything falls into its rightful place. You'll see what I mean when you start playing. And characters, this game has 'em in spades.

Attention, Morte. I have a question. Do you have a destiny? A purpose?

Is Annah still wearing clothes?

Affirmatory.

Then the answer is yes.

Go, go, go!

[aries323]

You should definitely play Grim Fandango, Broken Sword 1 & 2 (now available from sold out software in as bundled deal --- will work in xp as well ; ) and possibly Metal Gear Solid.

As for Final Fantasy, well it depends on whether or not you like to to be somewhat dragged around in a linear story, and have the games do all the fighting for you. I remember that I played the demo of FF 6 og 7, I think, and it just wasn't my cup of tea...as they say in England . Mainly, since I got dragged around by the game in the game's story, weren't allowed to do anything og my own, and the game handled the fighting all by itself (or almost
did).

I also tried the demo of Psychonauts --- this game as way to platform like for me to enjoy. The story seems great tough.

You also really should try playing Syberia 1 & 2, great characters and a great story as well (imo).

As for Planescape Torment ---- there should be a demo out --- on the net somewhere....


Personally, I like Torment very much. The story is deep, dark and sinister combined with a more mature approach in its storytelling as well as with
sort of a black satiric humor.

THe story itself is also great with consequences for each action you do or NOT to do. You need to join a faction and if you join a faction, then each one of the other factions will not talk to you --- that easily.

[Terramax]

Originally Posted by aries323

You should definitely play Grim Fandango, Broken Sword 1 & 2 (now available from sold out software in as bundled deal --- will work in xp as well ; ) and possibly Metal Gear Solid.

As for Final Fantasy, well it depends on whether or not you like to to be somewhat dragged around in a linear story, and have the games do all the fighting for you. I remember that I played the demo of FF 6 og 7, I think, and it just wasn't my cup of tea...as they say in England . Mainly, since I got dragged around by the game in the game's story, weren't allowed to do anything og my own, and the game handled the fighting all by itself (or almost
did).

I also tried the demo of Psychonauts --- this game as way to platform like for me to enjoy. The story seems great tough.

The games I listed are ones that I own and love. As for Psychonauts, I grew up playing platform and action games so I'm more used to platformers than puzzle AGs. Which is why I'm looking for more action orientated games as I've just about played all the AG games that are likely to be good.

You also really should try playing Syberia 1 & 2, great characters and a great story as well (imo).

I've got this for the ps2. At least my lil sister has but she never plays it. What I'll do when I get round to it is get for the pc but as far as I'm aware it's getting a bit rare in the UK - prices for it second hand are going up.

What I have played is good, but a little slow. But I do understand that it opens up into something great later on.

And samIamsad, what on earth was that conversation on your post?

Also, I don't think anyone answered, can Torment work on XP?

I got Final Fantasy VII for pc today. I've tried all the patches and it still doesn't work.... grrrrrrrr!

[fajerkaos]

Originally Posted by Terramax

can Torment work on XP?

At least it worked for me. So yeah, I think it does

I too would really recommend that game, it's just so great... Sadly I never finished it, must really pick it up again sometime soon.

[Spiwak]

Planescape works on XP just fine.

It's longer than 10-15 hours, for sure. Not like BGII long but probably about 25-30. Seriously, it's hard not to like the game if you're look primarily for a good story in your video game. All the characters are great (NPC and incidental), there are tons of interesting items and quests, and the story is basically that you're a mangled immortal trying to die. Too fucking cool.

Vampire: Bloodlines I didn't think about, but that also does have a pretty cool story, but probably not what you're looking for. Everyone with a pulse (get it?) should at least play to the haunted hotel, though. Jesus christ that section is awesome. You also have to be a little patient with it, and make sure you download the official patch and whatever current unofficial patch is out...because the game is quite buggy. It's one of my favorite RPGs, though, definitely.

I really think you should also give Fallout a go. I think anyone that gives it a real earnest try has to like it.

[Catbert]

The whole of Bloodlines was a spook ride. Shit I still shiver from remembering some levels. As for Fallout, the story isn't revealed all at once right away, you have to "live" in the world a little, see sights, go places, you know what I'm saying? It's not guaranteed to be likeable, but well, I liked it. I was bored at NWN for it's humongous amount of text. You do the math.

[Giligan]

As far as non-adventure game go, KOTOR had an excellent story, and well-thought-out characters to fill out the storyline with. Otherwise, The Splinter Cell games all have an intriguing and interesting story. (PC versions)

[captain Nemo]

Anachronox has spirit which is very close to such in adventure games and has the greatest story I ever seen in games.