No. Tetris has virtually none of these. Super Meat Boy has just barely enough of these in it to give you a sense of who to root for and go "that *****!" every time you see the next set of traps Dr. Fetus has laid out for you to overcome, and that's all it needs. Games that're trying to have a serious story motivating the events therein had better damn well put some effort into it, but what games really need are 1 - a good, focused aesthetic, and 2 - a good, focused core gameplay element to help fuel it.
Are story, plot and character necessary to make a good video game?
- Thread starter Witney
- Start date
Recommended Videos
Depends on the game/genre and the player.
There are very few instances where adding a GOOD story etc to a game will hurt, but with some games it doesn't fit and works better without one.
Braid for instance technically HAD a story (and that last level was brilliant) - however most of the game you play through and enjoy it greatly with nothing other then 'thar be rooms, they are puzzles, solve them!'
There are very few instances where adding a GOOD story etc to a game will hurt, but with some games it doesn't fit and works better without one.
Braid for instance technically HAD a story (and that last level was brilliant) - however most of the game you play through and enjoy it greatly with nothing other then 'thar be rooms, they are puzzles, solve them!'
Super Metroid had narrative and, at the time, a very distinct character. It would be difficult to objectively convince someone that Super Smash Bros. Melee was anything more than a good game.Nazulu said:
Edit: actually it's an interesting thought that multiplayer fighters like SBros. might generate character from the people you play with. After all, the games are much less compelling when you play alone.
Yes and no.
A game is just a game, wether a video game or a simple game in a playground (Hide and seek). You got your rules, your goal and your players... That's it. Tons of fun.
However, the more video games grow and evolve, they rely on plot, character and story more and more.
Problem is the following... As I said before in games where you have rules, goals and players (maybe tools if a boardgame) you can appeal to a larger group than a story driven game.
Why? Because it's impossible to please everyone. There's always going to be someone (influential mind you) that's going to say it's tripe with a side of bat shit.
So in order to bring a shorter answer Are story, plot and character necessary to make a good video game? No.
Do they make the game better or fantastic when needed? Yes.
A game is just a game, wether a video game or a simple game in a playground (Hide and seek). You got your rules, your goal and your players... That's it. Tons of fun.
However, the more video games grow and evolve, they rely on plot, character and story more and more.
Problem is the following... As I said before in games where you have rules, goals and players (maybe tools if a boardgame) you can appeal to a larger group than a story driven game.
Why? Because it's impossible to please everyone. There's always going to be someone (influential mind you) that's going to say it's tripe with a side of bat shit.
So in order to bring a shorter answer Are story, plot and character necessary to make a good video game? No.
Do they make the game better or fantastic when needed? Yes.
To me yes absolutely.
but it's not a general rule. Look at the popularity of the Call of Duty franchise, oh burn.
But it depends on the game.
I love Rock Band 3 but I actually payed attention to all the memos from my travel manager and the world tour story line.
Bejeweled doesn't have a plot but it's still fun.
Burnout 3
Civilization 4
Soul Calibur 4
I wouldn't pay $50+ for a game with out a good story line.
but it's not a general rule. Look at the popularity of the Call of Duty franchise, oh burn.
But it depends on the game.
I love Rock Band 3 but I actually payed attention to all the memos from my travel manager and the world tour story line.
Bejeweled doesn't have a plot but it's still fun.
Burnout 3
Civilization 4
Soul Calibur 4
I wouldn't pay $50+ for a game with out a good story line.
I agree with the idea that games don't necessarily need stories. Good games don't need complexity, they can be pure, mindless fun. However, can you really say that your favorite games don't have stories? Story is integral to a great game. Dr. Seuss is fine to kill an afternoon, and I enjoy his work, but when I want a great book I pick up "The Great Gatsby".
nope but it sure does help. and it is necesary for the industry to get better but not ll games need a great story for example tf2, it would be shite if they pushed a story into that.
I'm aware Super Metroid had a story but so little it could have been replaced with some awesome action scenes or something abstract, and I probably would enjoy the game more if it was something really clever.Heathrow said:
SSB Melee is a special case, it's something very different taking fighting to a really interesting direction. There is a lot of depth in that game just adjusting to the game play. It's one of those games you have to experience for yourself. Besides, you can draw anyone in with atmosphere and fun challenges. I played the game for 7 years straight alone and with friends so it's done wonders for me.
To say it's impossible to make a great game without a story is just a lack of creativity to me, same with movies with no story and music with no lyrics (as someone said before).
You don't need a good story and characters to make a great game but a good story and characters can salvage a mediocre or even crappy game. For example, the Legacy of Kain series don't have the best gameplay but the great story and characters made some of the more frustrating parts more bearable. It's the same thing with Arcanum, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, Fallout: New Vegas, and Alpha Protocol.
Being of the RPG vein you might think that I would be inclined to say "YES.. everything else is irrelevant" but I know that simply is not true.
A game such as Demon's souls shows how even in a story driven realm like RPGs, that a story can easily be trumped if the gameplay is good.
HOWEVER.... I do think its very important and far too often game, typically of the shooter mold have this misconception that they can get away with making the narrative an afterthought because "who plays shooters for anything other than multiplayer amirite?"
I think people are starting to realize that notion is becoming antiquated because of how we are now starting to see the emergence of multiplayer and story elements being intertwined.
So technical answer, no. But rule of thumb that game developers need to follow at all times, is yes. Because really, crafting a decent narrative is not really that hard and if nothing else, you can use it as a fallback position, because in many cases people will overlook some bad gameplay IF the story is good. I dont think the same can be said for the inverse. Sure pure fans wont care either way, but the fringes of your market will likely be dissuaded.
A game such as Demon's souls shows how even in a story driven realm like RPGs, that a story can easily be trumped if the gameplay is good.
HOWEVER.... I do think its very important and far too often game, typically of the shooter mold have this misconception that they can get away with making the narrative an afterthought because "who plays shooters for anything other than multiplayer amirite?"
I think people are starting to realize that notion is becoming antiquated because of how we are now starting to see the emergence of multiplayer and story elements being intertwined.
So technical answer, no. But rule of thumb that game developers need to follow at all times, is yes. Because really, crafting a decent narrative is not really that hard and if nothing else, you can use it as a fallback position, because in many cases people will overlook some bad gameplay IF the story is good. I dont think the same can be said for the inverse. Sure pure fans wont care either way, but the fringes of your market will likely be dissuaded.
Only if done right. Bad characters or writing can hurt the game insted.
Look at Bulletstorm, I found it pure fun yet it only had a bare minimum plot and a small selection of characters that were over all pretty bland.
[sub]I guess you'll have to admire the dialogue writers commitment to the word "dick".[/sub]
Look at Bulletstorm, I found it pure fun yet it only had a bare minimum plot and a small selection of characters that were over all pretty bland.
[sub]I guess you'll have to admire the dialogue writers commitment to the word "dick".[/sub]
I prefer my games to have a story of some sort.
It gives it more of a reason to keep playing the game for me. (Example: BF 1942 etc. Wonderful multiplayer, and I loved it for that, but it sucked when I didn't have an internet connection)
It gives it more of a reason to keep playing the game for me. (Example: BF 1942 etc. Wonderful multiplayer, and I loved it for that, but it sucked when I didn't have an internet connection)