Best video game company for story telling

[repeating integers]

Not sure about this topic...

Bioware tells some great stories, but the storytelling itself could use some improvement (it's basically all exposition-cutscenes). Valve may have done the whole "story-without-cutscenes" thing, but I'm not convinced that worked - the story of Half-Life 2 (which I just finished today!) was very thin and basic until the last few levels, but then again that could be for any number of reasons not related to first-person storytelling, so I guess they deserve some credit. Bungie tells quite compelling stories, but that's mostly a bonus - the Halo campaigns are gameplay-driven, not story-driven. Relic made Homeworld, which had a simple-but-great story, but... I haven't heard good things about the stories of Homeworld 2, Dawn of War 2 etc., so I'm hesitant to give this to them. Those are the only companies that come to mind when I think "story in games!" - in fact, I'll just divide this award up into four equal pieces and give one piece to each of them. Much easier that way.

 

[Irridium]

Obsidian. They try to make your choices actually effect how things turn out. Instead of going the Bioware/Bethesda route of simply saying thats what you do, but in reality it has little effect on anything.

Doing that, and actually having it work out well is a huge-ass risk.

Just wish they would actually test their damn games though.

Depends what you mean by "story". If you mean the plot and narrative, Obsidian takes the cake, no doubt. I have yet to play another games with the narrative depth of KotOR II. If you mean the way that the story is told, that goes to Bioware. Their plots tend to follow somewhat generic archetypes, but you cannot tell me they don't execute it brilliantly.

I was mainly referring to how they give us the ability to manipulate the story, and still have be told well, without any part feeling tacked on or lacking. Its done really, really well up until the ending in most of their games. Which is a shame.

But Alpha Protocol was the best in that regard. Its ridiculous at how much you can change up the story, and still have a pretty solid narrative. I've gone through the game 3 times and had pretty distinct experienced in each one. And all felt well done.

 

[4173]

Black Isle -> Obsidian

 

[irani_che]

Bioware will give responisblity of storywrtitng to a small bunch of writers and give them full authority.
They prefer innovation and new stuff to sticking to the usuall
this means there story's may be good, may be awful, but are different

 

[Woodsey]

Valve, and Ubisoft when they did The Sands of Time (but that's the only time).

 

[irani_che]

Bioshock and Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines are some of the best stories I have ever encountered in a game

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Valve, and Ubisoft when they did The Sands of Time (but that's the only time).

Damn Sands of Time was good. What happened to Farah in two thrones? She sucked!

 

[Woodsey]

Valve, and Ubisoft when they did The Sands of Time (but that's the only time).

Damn Sands of Time was good. What happened to Farah in two thrones? She sucked!

I only got a couple of hours into TTT - wasn't really feeling it.

And for people who prefer Warrior Within? They shouldn't be allowed to play games, good fucking lord. I turned the music totally off within 5 minutes. Sands of Time was a pretty dark game in places, it didn't need to cut its wrists and listen to metal. The writing in it is just exquisite, as is the character interaction between the Prince and Farah.

Amazingly, barely any developers took note on how to develop a relationship between two characters - one that genuinely felt real.

Valve managed it with Alyx in HL2, but that's different in that the relationship is really between you and Alyx, not Alyx and Gordon.

 

[Satsuthegreat]

Square enix - final fantasy series & Kingdom hearts (die-hard fan here. As you can probably tell by the avatar). Emotional in-depth storylines, enough in some to bring a tear to the eye. Also excellent build up of relationships between characters in-game and between the hero/heroine and the gamer. All round package imo.

 

[Axolotl]

Bioware will give responisblity of storywrtitng to a small bunch of writers and give them full authority.
They prefer innovation and new stuff to sticking to the usuall
this means there story's may be good, may be awful, but are different

You're right, look at Mass Effect where you're an elite soldier fighting ancient alien robots that are trying to destroy the galaxy, wow that concept just oozes originality. Or Dragon Age where an army of evil degenerate monster led by a demon and they're trying to destroy the world. I mean I can't think of anything like that ever. Or Neverwinter Nights where a group of ancient lizardmen are trying to take over the world, now that idea is unique in all media.

Seriously even if you love the execution you can't really argue that Bioware's plots are original.

 

[TheFPSisDead]

Atlus all the way.

Team Ico a close second.

 

[70R4N]

Best - Obsidian (If you haven't, play Mask of the Betrayer NOW!)
Second best - Bioware (which is kind of sad when you think about it...)

 

[Mallefunction]

The best story came from 2K in the form of Bioshock...but if we're talking about taking risks...then honestly, I think Ubisoft just because they had the Pope being attacked during a Sunday sermon in the middle of the Vatican XD I know that doesn't SEEM racy, but I'm honestly surprised that people protested the Golden Compass of all things...and not this game for that scene.

 

[lucky_sharm]

Bioware is good, but they're main plots suck.

Reapers and Archdemons? Pfft.

But the planet/town specific plots are very good. Like with Feros in ME1, and the Redcliffe castle quest in DA:O. It's just the main plot holding it all together that is weak.

But aren't all main plots pretty lame? It's not how complex or original the plot is, it's how good the storytelling is. If the story isn't told in an interesting or compelling way, then the plot probably won't be very gripping for you, either.

 

[irani_che]

Bioware will give responisblity of storywrtitng to a small bunch of writers and give them full authority.
They prefer innovation and new stuff to sticking to the usuall
this means there story's may be good, may be awful, but are different

You're right, look at Mass Effect where you're an elite soldier fighting ancient alien robots that are trying to destroy the galaxy, wow that concept just oozes originality. Or Dragon Age where an army of evil degenerate monster led by a demon and they're trying to destroy the world. I mean I can't think of anything like that ever. Or Neverwinter Nights where a group of ancient lizardmen are trying to take over the world, now that idea is unique in all media.

Seriously even if you love the execution you can't really argue that Bioware's plots are original.

agreed the overall plot is out of a lidl own-brand can of movie plots

however, the dialogue, and small bits within the main story are where is orignality comes from

 

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

Remedy...

I have a penchant for the Max Payne games. They're silly, but very involving.

 

[Julianking93]

Atlus and Square.

Can you tell I love JRPGs?