Games with outstanding stories

[ElPoco]

Following the discussion about the Final Fantasies, I'd like to know which games you think have literally outstanding stories (stories that stand out of the usual video game stories), and why. It can be either the story in itself, the way it's told or delivered or the themes that it develops. The game doesn't have to be good in itself, and there's no need to mention your favorite game if, despites being the most excellent game ever, its story isn't anything out of the ordinary.

I'm aware that video games don't necessarily need a good story and that some people even consider that video games should have as little stories as possible or that people who want to share stories should use other mediums, but that's not the debate I want to have here.

----

So I'll start with my list (in no particular order, I'm probably forgetting a few):

- Illusion of Gaia/Illusion of Time (SNES): This action RPG surprised me with its story that encompasses many myths but is still deeply grounded in reality, including pretty grim stuff such as slavery and cannibalism. 

- Terranigma (SNES): The "sequel" to Illusion of Gaia, First of all, its story is not about defeating an enemy, but about creating something (in that case, the whole world). And besides this, there's a lot that's not told directly, but can be inferred from details or references.

- Live A Live (SNES): A jRPG made of many mini RPGs taking place in different eras. Each story is a perfect stereotype of that kind of story,

Spoiler

until the last one, which is a complete reversal

. This shows quite a mastery of tropes, and this is reinforced by the gameplay differences in each stories, which support the style of the current story.

- Dreamfall (PC): I've rarely seen such depth in a story, even in movies or books. The characters are deep (except for those who don't need to be) and well-written, there are many themes and concepts that are developed. Also, there are many many plot elements that you only get a few glimpse of, hinting at a bigger picture behind the main story. Since it's part of an incomplete series, it's hard to say if everything is building up to lead to a coherent big picture of if it will turn out that many of the most curious aspects were actually rubbish, but the overall quality of the writing makes me lean towards the latter

- To The Moon (PC): The story is basic, but the story telling is very very good. This is made easier by the fact that the whole game is more or less about discovering the story. Many elements are introduced at some point, and only later do you understand what this really means. It's a bit like a mystery, where the mystery is the story itself.

- Shadowrun Returns: Dragonfall (PC) : The story isn't that outstanding, though it does have a few interesting twists that put it above the common video game story, but it's the writing that's exceptional. It's hard to define, it's the way the characters talk, the way things are described...

- Pathologic (PC) : The story in itself is simple, but there are so many layers and levels of understanding (and probably some more lost in translation). You think you've figured it out and then there's a detail, a scene or a conversation that makes you realize there's another meaning to all this.

- Gemini Rue (PC) : The writing is good, and there's a twist that changes the story from "interesting" to "wow!". Sadly, I can't tell much about it without spoiling the surprise.

- The Witcher (PC) : The story is quite basic, but the way some themes are handled make it interesting. I like how most of the main themes resonate at the end of the game.

- Deus Ex (PC) : Here again, it's not the story in itself but all the little details that make it stand out. It's full of references to conspiracy theories but also politics and philosophy. Throughout the game you have many texts and conversations about freedom, choice and government, and all this prepares you to the choice you're faced with at the end of the game.

So what are yours, and more importantly, why?

 

[PowerGod]

I liked very much the story in "Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption", mainly because the background is very well developed and explained by many books/scrolls that you can find in the game...

It's a love story, a "very (VERY VERY) long" love story, with many plot twists... more then one in particular are specially awesome and changes all the things you knew until that point... well... I can't be more specific without spoiling everything...

The playability anyway have some lacks, especially in the AI of your followers that likes to kill themselves... but the story is what makes it a great gothic romance. (There are different endings to choose, but not different paths)

"Dune", the first game, by Cryo, was the game that introduced me to the books of that saga.. the game itself is nothing compared to the book, but if you didn't read it, play that game first !!

You just go to a planet (Dune) with the simple mission to gather it's most precious resource, but while doing it, you will find many unknown things that happens there, and you will find yourself to be the man of the propecy.... the story can be a little dynamic, you can finish the game even without learning everything about the world I replayed it more then one time to find that out, and was awesome everytime.

(And just to be clear, this is a graphic adventure in an open world, with some strategic elements, but it's totally different from "Dune 2")

Morrowind, you know from the beginning that you will become the messiah, but because of the "open world" thing, it can require a lot of time to follow that path (or maybe not follow it at all, but ruining the story part), that anyway it's charming and full of twists. (also the world is full of books, also known "wall of text", with the background story of everything)

Syberia, I still have to play the sequel, but the story until here is charming, you start almost without clues to search for a person, and while following the trail you will be immersed in a world of strange machinery that will keep you searching for more...

Blade Runner: a deep cyberpunk story where you will need to think about who you are, and what is the right and the wrong thing to do... The atmosphere of the game helps a lot to be immersed (a good work was done to take that from the movie).

Different paths, and a lot of different endings.

Fallout (the first), starts with a simple mission to save a bunker, just to find out that something changed in the world, something wrong that can endanger everyone...

It's an open world game, so you can read everything and find out all the background story, or just smash everything...

UFO: Enemy Unknown (aka UFO: Defense, XCOM: UFO Defense), it's a VERY DIFFICULT game, so you will have to survive to learn the story, and you have to earn it...

All starts with some flying objects seen around the world, and you will have to find out what are these, how were them made, who uses them, why and where they come from... the background story is full of particulars.

Trine 1/2, mostly because how the story is told, with the charming music and the colors, I started to like the atmosphere from the first play... at the starting MENU O_O (so actually even before starting to play )

Under a Killing Moon the only Tex Murphy game I played, it's a detective story in a future world where mutants are the target for racism... all starts with simple missions, but it will become something more politically complex...

The atmosphere is great, you can feel that city, and there are many funny situations.

Spellforce (the first), the story proceeds slow, mainly because the battles can be long, but it's very interesting if you like to read, and has some twists... but even there, the music, and the relaxing atmosphere were the things that kept me interested to find out more...

...there are many more, but for now I'll stop here...

 

[rygD]

Tetris, because.

 

[Null]

Red Dead Redemption, because Westerns also Seth Briars.

 

[Klumpen]

- To The Moon (PC): The story is basic, but the story telling is very very good. This is made easier by the fact that the whole game is more or less about discovering the story. Many elements are introduced at some point, and only later do you understand what this really means. It's a bit like a mystery, where the mystery is the story itself.

I wouldn't call the story "basic" at all.

Besides: You should add A Bird Story to the list if To The Moon is on it.

Same guy, same focus on story telling, different story with different protagonists.

Braid

I don't know why this game gets so much flak as being "too artsy", I really like the story (and the gameplay and design), but I also like movies where the real story isn't obvious to the audience.

The metaphors and the twist are awesome.

Dreamweb

The game where Hotline Miami borrowed a lot of it's artstyle (although not much of the gameplay) decades later.

Playing the game from the perspective of a "psycho" is really interesting and the athmosphere is just about perfect.

I was surprised that ScummVM supported it all of a sudden, I played it with DosBox.

The sad thing is, that even in the last retail releases the backstory consisting of a printed diary called "diary of a madman" was missing. This is one of the games where something outside of the actual software is an essential part of the game.

Fallout 2

Similar reasons as Fallout, but with a different starting point.

The different endings for your surroundings and companions are nice too.

Soul Reaver 2

My all time favourite of the Legacy of Kain. The story is really great, it has some interesting dilemmas (getting thrown back in time and fighting your old self there, whoa) and mean conspiracies.

Every character is interesting and the superb voice acting (Michael Bell, Simon Templeman, Tony Jay, Richard Doyle, Anna Gunn, Paul Lukather and René Auberjonois) makes them appear just like they should.

Even the German version has excellent voice acting which isn't a given in a translated game.

The gameplay is just like "The Legend of Zelda" but in a dark setting in cool and slightly disturbing with vampires, a soul eater, genocide, ghosts, broken fates, fallen angels, dimensional disruptions and a Cthulhu-like elder god.

Thomas Was Alone

Narrating a story around sentient rectangles? Why not?! It's actually working pretty well.

+1 for To The Moon, Fallout, Gemini Rue, Illusion of Time and Terranigma - great stories.

 

[Nintendo]

Limbo (Android), because it was so dark and sad

 

[_jr_]

+1 for Thomas was alone (this really is surprisingly good), Deus Ex, and Blade Runner


Anachronox: combat is boring, the story itself is lame and the ending is totally unsatisfying, but nowhere else has the 'loser saving the universe theme' been so much fun; IMO it is the depth of the characters (even though - or because? - they are just stereotypes) and their interaction


Ambermoon, Albion: standard stories (and Ambermoon can be frustrating), but quite believable progression from simple boy/pilot to superhero


Defender's Quest: just a tower defense with RPG elements, but very well paced story


FF13-2: unlike the forced story of FF13, this is actually a quite interesting attempt within the same setting

 

[Exophase]

I thought the first Chaos Rings game had a pretty good story and characters, if you can get past the repetitive nature of the game. Chaos Rings 2 (and Chaos Rings Omega) not as much in comparison.

 

[Nintendo]

^ Aren't those games on Android and iOS now? Developed by Square? I should pick it (the first one) up and give it a go.


Also, I found that Abe's Oddessey and Abe's Exodus had outstanding storylines.

 

[WizardStan]

I don't know why this game gets so much flak as being "too artsy"

Have you ever looked at a painting and said "this is a nice painting. I like the colours, I like the style, it's very interesting" but then someone stands next to you and says "this work is from the artists green period. You can tell they were trying to show the withering of humanity in the way the brush strokes go over the grass, and this tree clearly represents his mother and the inevitable loss we all feel" and so on and so forth, and all of that could be 100% true and this stranger talking about the painting is clearly enthusiastic about it, but you can't help but think "pretentious prick" and now you hate the painting just a little bit because of it. You wanted to enjoy the painting but someone came along and told you you were enjoying it wrong (even if they didn't mean to, they just wanted to gush about how much they loved this painting and hoped you would too) and that has soiled your view of it.That's Braid. It's a great game and a lot of people would probably enjoy it but it's got these "enthusiasts" trying to make everyone understand how amazing it is BEYOND how amazing it is. Just let me enjoy the game for the game.

Most people won't care. The average person may be turned off a little, they may come back later to enjoy the painting a little bit on their own time or move on to something else or whatever, but ultimately most people won't say anything. The reason it seems to get "so much" flak is because the few that are entirely offended that someone has dared to tell them that they are enjoying the game "wrong" will be the most vocal about it.

 

[LTStone]

Ghost Trick - Good what if I were dead and could see myself and manipulate events story

Ultima 5  - Fairly typical but so fleshed out . and Moral Consequences.

Wasteland  - The real first fallout but with a full party and cryptic puzzles, I just like post apocalyptic..

Hotel Dusk - great mystery , detective story

+1 Deus Ex

Chaos rings did work on my pandy but the update killed it..

 

[Michoko]

Interesting topic, thanks! (story is really important to me in games).

I would add a few personal favorites:

- Grandia (PSX): besides the great combat system, I really liked the sense of adventure that could be felt. The main character, a young boy, wants to be a real adventurer, both brave and naive, and it brought many feelings from childhood.

- Skies of Arcadia (DC): same feelings here, a real sense of freedom and adventure

- Silent Hill 2 (Various): even if dark, the story is very moving as it is about grieving and lost love

- Portal 2 (various): not really expected in a puzzle game, but the authors actually got an award for very immersive story telling

- Nier (PS3 / XBOX 360): very original game with strong characters. Having to save your daughter is an interesting twist and brings moving situations

Edit:

oh and Shenmue (DC): I think its very immersive world was a great way to tell Ryo's story

 

[ekianjo]

- Witcher 2

- Ultima 7 is probably one of the best stories ever.

- Metal Gear Solid 1 (the only one that had a consistent, good story from end to finish - the others either get completely crazy at some point or are badly written)

- FF VII (not so much for the story itself, but the characters)

- ShenMue I and II - loved the end of ShenMue 2 especially.

- Ghost Trick was decent, but the ending was a little bit... meh and did not make sense.

- DreamFall - i dont remember much details now, but at the time I enjoyed the story a lot.

- Ace Attorney 1, very well written

- Shadow of the Colossus - i like how it managed to create a story without saying much at all.

There's probably more but nothing at the tip of my tongue right now.

On a side note: 99% of games' stories, storytelling and writing is abysmally bad. More more than in movies/books overall. 

 

[dgame]

+1 for Skies of Arcadia (DC), interesting characters, good plot development, and beautiful environments.

This is the first game that I want to play through on the Pyra. Hope we get VMU LCD on screen and rumble support in Pyra's Reicast as Skies of Arcadia uses both.

 

[Jumpman]

- Metal Gear Solid 1 (the only one that had a consistent, good story from end to finish - the others either get completely crazy at some point or are badly written)

Agreed^ This is one of the few games I've actually finished, and enjoyed the story telling, and the game in general(one of my top 10). I played part 2, got bored and stopped. I hear part 3 is good, but I haven't had the chance to play it yet. I played part 4 on the PS3, and your comment sums it up nicely......(the others either get completely crazy at some point or are badly written).

I very much enjoyed Snatcher, and have played and finished that title 5 or more times over the years. I really wish Kojima would return to that kind of story telling, and give MG a rest.

Portal is another great title that I loved, and while not a real deep story, the narrative was top shelf. There are many titles mentioned above that I own, but haven't had the time to play and or finish, so I may add more in years and months to come. I am currently playing Red Dead Redemption, and so far, so good.

Honestly, there are very few games that I have played and finished where I thought the story was great. In regards to gaming, some are better than others, but the medium in general has a long ways to go.

I thought Bioshock's atmosphere was beyond stellar, and parts of the story where great, but in the end, all the pieces didn't come together perfectly as I thought they should. In gaming defense, there are very few movies I actually enjoy, and most rate an average score in my book. Most movies that the majority find to be great, I find to be lackluster and a waste of 2hrs. 

So the movie industry has been around a lot longer than gaming, and since most movies fall flat in my eyes, I can't really expect games to improve on what movies can't currently deliver, but maybe one day that will change.

Chris

 

[elw3]

- Grandia (PSX): besides the great combat system, I really liked the sense of adventure that could be felt. The main character, a young boy, wants to be a real adventurer, both brave and naive, and it brought many feelings from childhood.

Hell yea, grandia is one of my fav memories. 

I mostly play and love NIS Tactics games for their outstanding audio play and the great chars, Disgaea, la pucelle, soul nomad and the world eaters and so on. The later one has an really intense story when playing in "evil" mode. Killing you former friends and so. 

Also what is missing on the list: Golden sun. 

 

[PowerGod]

This was missed O_O:

Chrono Trigger: Time travels are always cool when you can change things and see the results, you can go from a paleolithic tribe to a super technological ship of the future, all the characters have an interesting background story (even the evil ones), and there are many endings possible.

 

[WizardStan]

This was missed O_O:

Chrono Trigger: Time travels are always cool when you can change things and see the results, you can go from a paleolithic tribe to a super technological ship of the future, all the characters have an interesting background story (even the evil ones), and there are many endings possible.

Oh man! How did we forget?

 

[Michoko]

Another excellent story telling:

The Walking Dead (from Tell Tale Games). Amazing mature script and moral choices.

 

[_jr_]

Another excellent story telling:


The Walking Dead (from Tell Tale Games). Amazing mature script and moral choices.

What exactly are moral choices? Good/Evil alignment differentiating decisions or just difficult ones where all available options are bad? The first usually fails because of the size of the neccessary story tree, but could theoretically be good. The latter one IMO is definitely not a sign of a good story, especially if (as mostly done) the game designers simply withhold obvious options. Then it is just a trivial device to relativize evil.