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October 31, 2009 by RawmeatCowboy
Filed Under: Nintendo in general
"We need to realize that we tell traditional stories very badly [...] there are very few game stories that would get published in your average fiction magazine, and it's not because we have bad writers. We enable other people's stories, and that is so powerful and fresh that if we nail it... the sky's the limit." - EA's Alex Hutchinson
It definitely is hard to think of a game where a story is told well. Beyond Good and Evil comes to mind as one of the stand-out games where a story is told, and it's engaging from start to finish. What other games out there do a good job of telling the player a story?
Story Feedback
Half Life 2 and Portal do a good job...
Some of the Zelda's do a pretty good job. A Link to the Past and Link's Awakening in general.
the common thread in all 4 of those games is that the don't let dialogue get in the way of story for the most part.... the world tells just as much of the story as the dialogue, if not more.
I don't think in any regard, however, that games have achieved stories that are in any bit as compelling as even the most 'meh' fiction... which is kinda sad. Portal is the closest, imo.
Bioshock did an okay job... but the disconnect between gameplay (especially rpg elements) and story was vast.
Some of the Zelda's do a pretty good job. A Link to the Past and Link's Awakening in general.
the common thread in all 4 of those games is that the don't let dialogue get in the way of story for the most part.... the world tells just as much of the story as the dialogue, if not more.
I don't think in any regard, however, that games have achieved stories that are in any bit as compelling as even the most 'meh' fiction... which is kinda sad. Portal is the closest, imo.
Bioshock did an okay job... but the disconnect between gameplay (especially rpg elements) and story was vast.
MGS... But I consider it cheating. you basically watch 15 min+ story and game is used to glue all those bits together.
Only game I can think off I played to advance in the story is Snatcher but again that was more an interactive comic then a game.
I don't feel games have to tell stories. Books and Movies do a far better job. Games borrow their formula.
Only game I can think off I played to advance in the story is Snatcher but again that was more an interactive comic then a game.
I don't feel games have to tell stories. Books and Movies do a far better job. Games borrow their formula.
Basic Mario platformers have a very simplistic almost non-existing story except for the RPGs which stories are deeper but not too complicated and good overall.
Zelda AlttP has a good story...
So have the Half Life series.
And regardless of how much in your face it is, the Metal Gear series has an intriguing story.
Shadow of Colosuss was simple but nice too.
Zelda AlttP has a good story...
So have the Half Life series.
And regardless of how much in your face it is, the Metal Gear series has an intriguing story.
Shadow of Colosuss was simple but nice too.
Video games are not books and should not be treated as thus, the player is not to be told a story, the player is to be shown an experience worthy of telling a story about.
Uncharted 2, easily told one of the best stories Ive ever seen in a videogame. Sure, the story was a bit simplistic. But the way it was told was incredible.
Uncharted 2, Ive had a few people think it was a movie just like in the commercial lol.
@Necrochild313
I agree, games are about the journey, not the story. The story should be what you did in the game.
It doesn't matter how open ended a game is these days it feels like everyone is having the same experience because they are all following a story. Even if the story branches, they still go through the same experiences.
Back in the day people had creative ways of going through the simplest games. They were all different experiences in the same levels. They all ended the same way, but everyone had his own journey through the game.
Oh but some game stories make for some good movie watching. I definitely want to see the story in Uncharted 2, but I have no intention of playing it. I love me some B movie Indiana Jones like stories. I'm going to check on youtube now.
I agree, games are about the journey, not the story. The story should be what you did in the game.
It doesn't matter how open ended a game is these days it feels like everyone is having the same experience because they are all following a story. Even if the story branches, they still go through the same experiences.
Back in the day people had creative ways of going through the simplest games. They were all different experiences in the same levels. They all ended the same way, but everyone had his own journey through the game.
Oh but some game stories make for some good movie watching. I definitely want to see the story in Uncharted 2, but I have no intention of playing it. I love me some B movie Indiana Jones like stories. I'm going to check on youtube now.
@Hami83
You must be joking about the Zelda part...
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Plenty of games tell great stories, the fact that EA doesn't have any examples to hand doesn't change that.
You must be joking about the Zelda part...
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Plenty of games tell great stories, the fact that EA doesn't have any examples to hand doesn't change that.
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Also, Zelda is told very well.