I was holding off posting for a while because i thought that people would get around to saying at least most of my favorite stories. The first 50 posts had people sayin basically the same 10-15 games/series. With only one or two mentions of the stories i feel really compelling and immersive. So here's mine in no particular order (Of course, there are others, but the following stand out, nostalgia notwithstanding. Also, the Half life series is just a given , im not even going to go into it, the story is at least one of the best of its era.)
-=Hitman series {2000-Present}=-
How can this only be on 3 or 4 lists? Geanted, at this point, the gameplay has lost its novelty, but what keeps it going is that the series' plot is a huge jigsaw puzzle made of flashbacks and re-tellings encompassing all 4 titles, ((In chronolical order, Codename 47, then Silent Assassin, then the first part of Blood Money, then Contracts, then the rest of Blood Money.)) but each game is a stand alone story AS ITSELF. Hopefully, the latest revelations in the story will allow them to inject some new gameplay elements, like Diana as your GPS spotter in real-time, co-op hits, etc. But, whatever they do, ill come back just to see what happens next, proof enough of its great storytelling.
-=I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream {PC 1995}=-
Now, im seeing all this about Buldur's Gate and Thief, so i can tell the posters aren't spring chickens i.e. "the first game i ever played was Mario 64" So how did this slip through the radar?
If you have never played it just do two things and you'll agree its one of the best game stories ever.
FIRST: read the short story . "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" By Harlan Ellison, recover your senses.
SECOND: Remember that Ellison not only helped design the game, but expanded on the original story and voiced AM.
That's it. You don't even have to play the game! You know its going to have be among the most expertly crafted storylines ever. However, he DID cheese up one of the endings to be more upbeat because publishers didn't want to put out such a "depressing" game. In the context of best game story, its akin to asking Aurthur Miller to read aloud "Death Of A Salesman" while a white dot bounces around the screen, automatic masterpiece, at least story-wise, and that's the point, right?
[Thankfully, i wont have to say so much for the rest of them because my sentiments are echoed throughout the thread, so here those are]
-=FFIX{PS 2000}=-
I was really about to put FF7, but FF9 just barely edged it out, merely because it had MORE of a story. FF7 didnt have much to tell, to be expected from a compay's first foray into uncharted territory, but told it DAMN good. What gave FF9 the edge is that the world felt so organic, to much more fleshed out than FF7, i actually FELT like i could run door to door and learn the entire life stories of every NPC, which in turn, allowed me to suspend disbelief and immerse myself in the stories and invest in the characters.
-=MGS Series{1987-Present}=-
'Nuff said. They are basically Michael Bay movie flicks mixed with a Tom Clancy screenplay (think Hunt for Red October, not Rainbow Six). Kojima blends personal plights with political conflict and allows you to associate your character's struggle with the overall goals in the game. Just altogether solid storytelling, can get a bit preachy though.
Honorable mention
-=Air Force Delta Strike/Deadly Skies 3 {2004 PS2}=-
Yeah, yeah i know Ace Combat gives the same gameplay, and the main story in the game is a bit cliche. However, in terms of the character arcs, there are 15+ characters who develop and evolve throughout the course of the game, almost all of them you can use. And all this in basically an Ace Combat clone. its not super good, but its better than many give it credit for, especially a flight arcade combat game.
-=Front Mission 4 {PS2 2004}=-
Basically all the story of Metal Gear w/o the stealth and the gameplay of Faselei: Politically-driven, yet personal. Also has two seperate storylines that merge near the end and other plot devices that are cool if you're a creative writing major nerd like me. =P
Those are the one's that at least warrant the most exposistion but there are many more games that have great storylines, albeit they take alot of imagination. like
HONORABLE honorable mention
-=Maniac Mansion {NES 1987}=- Really funny, great dialogue
-=Megaman X-2 {SNES 1993} The first 4 seconds=-: See the green reploid that's riding with X to the Maverick base? to a 9 year old kid, it makes your imagination spin off into freefall "Wow!! is like Mega is in control of a squad?! and each one has special powers and personal-...?" he blows up and you realize its just another Mega Man game.. =(
