What's the best storyline in game history?

Stiler said:
Why did you highlight The Walking Dead? It had a great storyline and there's a reason it got a lot of the GOTY awards.
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edited thanks for catching that. Meant to just bold the bottom for punch out.
 
Some awesome story lines are Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy Seires, Tales Series and Uncharted. You can find some of the best stories lines from jrpgs.
 
That is a very tough topic to cover.

I'd say the best delivered story in all of gaming would have to be persona 4. It might not be the over greatest story every told but its delivery was flawless. FF7, Xenogears, vagrant story, Suikoden II, ect... all may have better stories but have very flawed delivery of the story.


Devil Survivor also gets my Honorable mention because the delivery and story in that game is top notch as well.


Atlus is king.
 
To the moon had a great storyline. it was just 4 hours long but it was still great.
 
The best story is from the best game you love, where you have to dig or imagine every bit of non existent dialogue XD. It tells a story in different kind of way.

My favorite is Mario, Wario and Metal Gear... Don't taze Me bro!
 
ADRENALIN_2099 said:
+10000000000 yes! I had faith that we would see the next one soon.....but I've lost all hope

Planescape Torment
Mass Effect 1, 2, and 3
Knights of the Old Republic (2 was good also)
Deus Ex and Deus Ex - Human Revolution
Mafia II
The Witcher 1 and 2



Grim Fandando is the best game I have ever played I suggest everyone who has not played it please do.

If that game were re-released in hd I would buy it all over again on steam ps3 ps4 whatever. I would buy and Xbox one just for playing this game over again. It's a Shane it didn't get the sales and disappeared.


Hell, Grim Fandando would make a great iPad/tablet game.
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All this + the Half Life series, Red Dead Redemption, and I really enjoyed GUN.
 
I don't know if it's the "best" story per se, but I thought N.O.L.F 1/2 were great in terms of funny 1960s spy camp.
 
black isle/bioware games always had good storylines.
Torment tops them all, but I wonder if he can stand the graphics.

However, most of the games with great storyline are linear rpg. Is he into those? Maybe your son is just a fps guy.
 
I'm on the Half Life boat.

Best part is you've got Black Mesa Source so you can play Half Life with modernized visuals and a few other tweaks. Then move straight into HL2 and the two episodes.

Although you'd almost be better off waiting until HL3 releases next year or so and playing all the prior games in one amazing session just before the HL3 release.
 
Final Fantasy 7 was great. I really wish I was able to/ have the time to play the earlier FF games as I heard those were great if not better.
 
infojunkie said:
black isle/bioware games always had good storylines.
Torment tops them all, but I wonder if he can stand the graphics.

However, most of the games with great storyline are linear rpg. Is he into those? Maybe your son is just a fps guy.
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Black Isle yes. Bioware is poop since it went mainstream ( around 2004 ).

I'd say Baldurs Gate 2 hunt for Irenicus was one of the best. That and everything around the main story.
 
sil180sr said:
Final Fantasy 7 was great. I really wish I was able to/ have the time to play the earlier FF games as I heard those were great if not better.
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I played each in their time and in the present. In terms of raw storyline FF7 is likely on average considered to be the best. personal preference plays a huge role though thus FF6 peaks its head up to be better in some peoples eyes.
 
I personally like a story that focuses more on the characters and their personal struggles, rather than some over-arching story about good-vs-evil.

FF6 for example was very character-driven: just look at the the ending, it was a 20 minute summary of each personality and their continuing journey through personal transformation. FF4 also did this pretty well. Other FF/RPG games focus more on plot and how the world is going to end, and the characters are just not as important and more facade-like. I guess FF7 had a good balance, although I really don't remember much about each character other than they were kinda emo, like in FF8. Don't get me started on FFX I remember dick-all about that one other than being pretty annoyed with the main characters.

I hear Planescape: Torment is also hugely character driven... I've yet to play that one but think I might soon.

Also, for me, a story HAS to have good ending to have any staying power.

I really liked the story of Lost until I found out it was good-vs-evil and/or religious/limbo stuff... still, the characters and their back-stories were interesting enough to keep going till the end. The ending sucked turd sausages though, way too much emphasis on "it was all a dream/we are dead, tricked you!!!/whatever, let's smile and be happy/etc..." This is why even though ICO/Shadow of Coloss had almost no story line, the ending made up for it with something really beautiful and thought provoking.
 
Youn said:
I personally like a story that focuses more on the characters and their personal struggles, rather than some over-arching story about good-vs-evil.

FF6 for example was very character-driven: just look at the the ending, it was a 20 minute summary of each personality and their continuing journey through personal transformation. FF4 also did this pretty well. Other FF/RPG games focus more on plot and how the world is going to end, and the characters are just not as important and more facade-like. I guess FF7 had a good balance, although I really don't remember much about each character other than they were kinda emo, like in FF8. Don't get me started on FFX I remember dick-all about that one other than being pretty annoyed with the main characters.
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Like say ...persona 3 or 4 which is mostly the interactions between characters.

FF7 pretty much focuses on Cloud and only focuses on other characters as they relate to him...he is without a doubt the main character. Where FF6 I'd say that Kefka is the closest thing to a main character as he is the antagonist that connects each hero's stories into each other. FF6 definitely does a better job in having a place and story for each character...though it does fall light on Gau, Mog, Strago, relm, gogo, umaro which can almost be considered side characters....shadow is also light but that is on purpose.

FF7 does do a small back story for each of their characters but its just not as well done as FF6.....and often annoying ....Barret in the desert town and Yuffie on the island.

...but again all boils down to personal preference....Though I do find that people who like FF6 more than FF7 either A.) didn't like Cloud or B.) didn't grasp the story.
 
stevedave said:
Like say ...persona 3 or 4 which is mostly the interactions between characters.
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Never tried those games either, but hear good things about em

stevedave said:
I do find that people who like FF6 more than FF7 either A.) didn't like Cloud or B.) didn't grasp the story.
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I liked FF7 actually, played through it twice I think... just can't seem to remember much. I liked the part when Cloud goes kinda crazy/mental and is in a wheel chair. The story just kinda felt recycled from other things, but yeah maybe I missed the point. I had a similar reaction to The Matrix... it was executed well, just didn't seem all that original at it's core. I guess it was just too predictable...
 
Youn said:
Never tried those games either, but hear good things about em

I liked FF7 actually, played through it twice I think... just can't seem to remember much. I liked the part when Cloud goes kinda crazy/mental and is in a wheel chair. The story just kinda felt recycled from other things, but yeah maybe I missed the point. I had a similar reaction to The Matrix... it was executed well, just didn't seem all that original at it's core. I guess it was just too predictable...
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yeah if you don't remember it you likely didn't get it....not entirely your fault the game could have done better presenting the story....it covers that gap with Crisis Core.
 
DoubleTap said:
I don't know if it's the "best" story per se, but I thought N.O.L.F 1/2 were great in terms of funny 1960s spy camp.
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Another older game, with camp comic book story is Freedom Force. Every mission is a like a chapter of the story.
 
Last of Us was pretty damn good.

Probably the top dog for storytelling this gen around on consoles.
 
Youn said:
you saying I'm a dummy!? I'ma not a dummy, oh I "get" it, damnnnnn you a gonna pay for that bing time!!! :p
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they actually made a pretty cool 20 minute movie that covers some of the Zack/Cloud exchange called Final Fantasy 7 Last Order....Its on youtube. You can also get the crisis core cut screens.....like 2 hours worth on there as well. Fills in the holes and assumptions left in FF7.

I think FF7 is the first and possibly only RPG to use split personality/psychotic delusions/repressed and forcefully altered memories in its main character. Its what makes this game stand out above the rest....I remember slowing piecing this together with the little cues left in the game before it was all reviled in the mako.
 
woa, three times, I got it, lol...

btw, I loved books like Sybil and Shoemaker for similar reasons... the split personality thing really intrigues me. That's why it's the biggest thing I took away from FF7. I'll check out that video though, thanks...
 
stevedave said:
they actually made a pretty cool 20 minute movie that covers some of the Zack/Cloud exchange called Final Fantasy 7 Last Order....Its on youtube. You can also get the crisis core cut screens.....like 2 hours worth on there as well. Fills in the holes and assumptions left in FF7.

I think FF7 is the first and possibly only RPG to use split personality/psychotic delusions/repressed and forcefully altered memories in its main character. Its what makes this game stand out above the rest....I remember slowing piecing this together with the little cues left in the game before it was all reviled in the mako.
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You'd probably like PS:T, then. They didn't do it first, but they absolutely did it better.
 
LeninGHOLA said:
You'd probably like PS:T, then. They didn't do it first, but they absolutely did it better.
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I have heard nothing but great things....however I'll likely never play it due to the oldness of the game and its mechanics.....Maybe they will remake it but unlikely due to how little profit it made.....

My PC gaming suffered big time during the PS1 and PS2 years due to the high volume of excellent content.
 
stevedave said:
I have heard nothing but great things....however I'll likely never play it due to the oldness of the game and its mechanics.....Maybe they will remake it but unlikely due to how little profit it made.....

My PC gaming suffered big time during the PS1 and PS2 years due to the high volume of excellent content.
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Can you still go back and play FF7? If so, PS:T looks much better overall.

If not, there is a new Torment game coming out next year, but with a new story.
 
Mass Effect
Assassin's Creed 1-3
The Last of Us
Knights of the Old Republic
Bioshock
Deus Ex 1/HR
Metal Gear Solid (Or everything if you want to go deeper)
The Walking Dead (Telltale Games)
Portal (It has a good story if you pay attention to details)
 
LeninGHOLA said:
Can you still go back and play FF7? If so, PS:T looks much better overall.

If not, there is a new Torment game coming out next year, but with a new story.
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Nostalgia has strange powers....had I not played it in my youth no probably not. It aged the worst out of all the ff's I just replayed it on the second PC release....but looking at video's of Torment that slow movement speed would be the end of me way more so then the graphics.
 
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I am just amazed by some of the recs. I don't get peoples recommendations:

So lets go through some of these -

Deus EX HR really wasn't that great of a story, endings were fucking awful and most of the narrative during the game didn't make any sense in my eyes. If you played Deus EX it was far and wide better story than HR. I loved HR's game play though.

Walking dead while it is a good story is basically just a recap of the show. If you watch walking dead at all basically just the same thing with different characters. To me Walking Dead game really wasn't that original of a story.

Mass Effect was good that they basically sorta turned to shit by the 3rd ending. Not to say that I thought the 3rd ending was terrible, just that the 3rd game took it in a different direction which left open a lot of plot holes in the series.

Assassins Creed while decent isn't really a story. Its just basically an extension of a story that could have ended long ago. If you ask anyone about the Assasssins Creed story line they could give you a unsure premise. Meaning if I told you about the game I couldn't be sure that is even correct since the story since isn't told and every game seems to fucking change something.

Just amazing to see these same games recommended.

I am not saying these are bad games to play, just that I don't think a lot of people read text from some of the best games back in the old days. Basically anything that has high production cut scenes like your Black OPS and shit automatically gets a pass on this forum for best story.
 
roaf85 said:
I don't think a lot of people read text from some of the best games back in the old days. Basically anything that has high production cut scenes like your Black OPS and shit automatically gets a pass on this forum for best story.
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I know it's super hard to accept the fact that Return to Zork strayed from it's purely text-based mechanics... there there it'll be ok...

seriously, what do you recommend then? you seem like the ultimate uber-expert on this subject matter :p
 
roaf85 said:
I am not saying these are bad games to play, just that I don't think a lot of people read text from some of the best games back in the old days. Basically anything that has high production cut scenes like your Black OPS and shit automatically gets a pass on this forum for best story.
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Probably not a bad rule of thumb as a generalization....but there will always be exceptions to this. And as the future become the present they could have 30/40 hours of storyline driven cut scenes....If they can replace reading text with voice acting they will.

Crisis Core had over 2 hours of story driven cut scene's....While admittedly it would fit into this rule and shouldn't be considered best story in itself.
 
stevedave said:
Probably not a bad rule of thumb as a generalization....but there will always be exceptions to this. And as the future become the present they could have 30/40 hours of storyline driven cut scenes....If they can replace reading text with voice acting they will.

Crisis Core had over 2 hours of story driven cut scene's....While admittedly it would fit into this rule and shouldn't be considered best story in itself.
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That costs a LOT more and prevents any deep dynamic world and story reactivity. Something else always suffers as a result when such a large portion of the budget is used for VA and cutscenes.
 
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