Elder Scrolls has the best lore, but Bioware is much better at actually telling a story within their lore. Even Dragon Age 2 (which admittedly had many problems) told a much more cohesive and compelling story than anything Bethesda has done.
Poll: The best at medieval fantasy lore
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Dark Souls
It's got the usual knights, castles, and dragons, but twisted and warped to such a degree that it becomes completely unique. In the world of games it has the most visually imaginative classic Fantasy setting I've ever seen.
I don't know shit about Blizzard and I don't care, but all I've ever seen from Bethesda and Bioware is standard mediocre Tolkien fare.
It's got the usual knights, castles, and dragons, but twisted and warped to such a degree that it becomes completely unique. In the world of games it has the most visually imaginative classic Fantasy setting I've ever seen.
I don't know shit about Blizzard and I don't care, but all I've ever seen from Bethesda and Bioware is standard mediocre Tolkien fare.
I think Bioware made the best medieval fantasy game with Baldur's Gate 2. It has the greatest Lore of any game I've ever played and its probably better than any of those games you mentioned.
But I couldn't give my vote to Bioware for that, although they probably made up a lot of lore for that game, it was all based on existing Forgotten Realms lore which they didn't create.
So my vote goes to Bethesda, seen as they actually created the universe and made up the lore entirely themselves even if its not quite as good as Baldur's gate lore, but a little better than Dragon Age, mainly because they've had more games to create the lore with.
Never played a Blizzard game and I don't intend to, so I can't say nothing about them.
But I couldn't give my vote to Bioware for that, although they probably made up a lot of lore for that game, it was all based on existing Forgotten Realms lore which they didn't create.
So my vote goes to Bethesda, seen as they actually created the universe and made up the lore entirely themselves even if its not quite as good as Baldur's gate lore, but a little better than Dragon Age, mainly because they've had more games to create the lore with.
Never played a Blizzard game and I don't intend to, so I can't say nothing about them.
None of them are really medieval, but I definitely prefer TES, it just seems a lot deeper than the other two.
I'd say Blizzard and specifically the Diablo universe, because its not the same stale old orcs, elves, dwarves, etc template.
But all of this lore:ResonanceSD said:
<a href=http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Books>Daggerfall
<a href=http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Books>Morrowind
<a href=http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Books>Oblivion
<a href=http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Books>Skyrim
does exist in-game, including the teachings of Vivec and the secret of CHIM. Plus all of that is just the literary lore that exists in the games, more background on NIRN can be gained by speaking to characters too.
OT: I reckon Bethesda (surprise), simply for the sheer volume of literary lore available in-game. With a lot of games the lore and setting is explained as the player progresses through the main campaign, but with TES whilst a goodly amount of lore is revealed through quest completion there are entire libraries of lore that a player can uncover without so much as, say, delivering a package to Balmora. The keys to understanding the game worlds are placed in the game worlds themselves, not doled out in cutscenes by NPCs. The player can uncover as much or as little as they like about the background of NIRN and so tailor their gaming experience to their tastes, and at their own pace too.
i personally like (nerd love) the Warcraft 3 lore/universe ...
it's got some of the most memorable characters in gameing. The overall journeys, even the loading screens contain lore and a map of the surroundings(not only just showing off the destination but also unrelated towns and such.
The no good, no evil, just choices (which thankfully aren't in the player's hands) and the insane amount of conversions and transitions of sides and mistunderstood actions and...
it's just the best story/lore ever.
(my favourite game is PoP: SoT though)
it's got some of the most memorable characters in gameing. The overall journeys, even the loading screens contain lore and a map of the surroundings(not only just showing off the destination but also unrelated towns and such.
The no good, no evil, just choices (which thankfully aren't in the player's hands) and the insane amount of conversions and transitions of sides and mistunderstood actions and...
it's just the best story/lore ever.
(my favourite game is PoP: SoT though)
Eh.
Bethesda... In game there ain't a ton of lore to be said. Well, not entirely true. There is a lot of lore, but very generic and only half baked, until you read wikis. IMO, no reading of a wiki should be required for detailed lore.
DA is hugely generic, but Origins did it very well. Detail is in the game, and can be gained both by talking to people and by reading the codex. IMO, its the most real feeling fantasy world due to all this.
Warcraft plays off every fantasy cliché in the book. On top of that, it just doesn't feel serious, which makes it feel that much less real. Diablo... Never played it.
Out of this lot, Bioware. Out of all... IDK.
Bethesda... In game there ain't a ton of lore to be said. Well, not entirely true. There is a lot of lore, but very generic and only half baked, until you read wikis. IMO, no reading of a wiki should be required for detailed lore.
DA is hugely generic, but Origins did it very well. Detail is in the game, and can be gained both by talking to people and by reading the codex. IMO, its the most real feeling fantasy world due to all this.
Warcraft plays off every fantasy cliché in the book. On top of that, it just doesn't feel serious, which makes it feel that much less real. Diablo... Never played it.
Out of this lot, Bioware. Out of all... IDK.
I vote for Blizzard. Though I don't like in which direction the Warcraft lore goes since WoW, I really enjoy Diablo's. This Heaven/Hell conflict may not be the most original idea, but I still prefer it over the Dragon Age and Elder Scrolls universes. I kinda like... dark fantasy or how it's called. The only downside is, most of it is only mentioned through the novels (e.g. the Sin War trilogy). I'm excited how much background information we get with Diablo 3 or if they will mention stuff from the books.
Indeed. This, IMO, is where Tolkein failed (alright, so appendix =/= wiki, but close enough). However, Skyrim is actually chock full of books you can choose to read within the game which provide detailed background information, as well as NPCs you can talk to.Joccaren said:
On my first exposure to TES lore, I'm liking it. I haven't played Dragon Age, and Warcraft? Seriously? So TES gets my vote.
I vote Bethesda. I was reading a history book on the Vikings, and the way Bethesda create their lore - well, you could have replaced everything in the Vikings book with Elder Scrolls-created characters and events, and it would still have been as thick, as interesting AND as believable.
Tolkien's elves are superior to humans in practically every way. Bethesda's elves are vile, abhorrent little shits with a superiority complex. Elves are universally admired in Middle-Earth. Elves are abhorrent little shits with a superiority complex on Nirn. Tolkien's elves are mysterious, wise and powerful beings living in grand buildings in picturesque locations. Bethesda's elves are abhorrent little shits with a superiority complex living in abhorrent little cesspools that they assure me are beautiful.
Windhelm is the only place to treat those elves properly. Not those other places that let them run free and frolic. Fucking things. I swear, if there were no elves in the Elder Scrolls, everybody would live happily ever after. Humans may be greedy, clumsy apes who accidentally open dimensional rifts and destroy their world, but elves? Elves do that shit on purpose.
Tolkien's elves are superior to humans in practically every way. Bethesda's elves are vile, abhorrent little shits with a superiority complex. Elves are universally admired in Middle-Earth. Elves are abhorrent little shits with a superiority complex on Nirn. Tolkien's elves are mysterious, wise and powerful beings living in grand buildings in picturesque locations. Bethesda's elves are abhorrent little shits with a superiority complex living in abhorrent little cesspools that they assure me are beautiful.
Windhelm is the only place to treat those elves properly. Not those other places that let them run free and frolic. Fucking things. I swear, if there were no elves in the Elder Scrolls, everybody would live happily ever after. Humans may be greedy, clumsy apes who accidentally open dimensional rifts and destroy their world, but elves? Elves do that shit on purpose.
TES, the lore has a ridiculous amount of depth. Admittedly I wasn't a fan of adding dragons so prominently into the lore with Skyrim, but it's still a brilliant load of work for a game series.
For me, it's Bioware. While Bethesda has the most assessable lore, this is due to the benefit of an open world, filled with so many quests. It gives them the opportunity to show the lore off.
In contrast, by focusing on tight narrative and deep characters, Dragon Age limits itself. It has good law that often cannot really be accessed besides snippets of information. The law given in game must have some relevance to the particular quest you are on, continuing the idea of condensed, well developed and focused game play. Bethesda lacks this focus. I haven't played any blizzard game, so I'm in no position to discuss.
In contrast, by focusing on tight narrative and deep characters, Dragon Age limits itself. It has good law that often cannot really be accessed besides snippets of information. The law given in game must have some relevance to the particular quest you are on, continuing the idea of condensed, well developed and focused game play. Bethesda lacks this focus. I haven't played any blizzard game, so I'm in no position to discuss.
For me, Bioware's lore just winds up being a fantasy take on what I'd call The Bioware Monomyth: there's some sort of vast, encroaching darkness threatening all that's good and you, the hero, must assemble a band of allies to cock block the apocalypse. Don't get me wrong, I love Bioware, but their games have really begun to resemble each other.
I like Bethesda's lore. I think it does a pretty good job of setting itself apart from the standard fantasy setting. However, I would agree that lack of focus on character development and a tight, compelling story often makes makes it feel a bit distant, as though the PC were watching the whole thing through a layer of plexiglass.
I like Bethesda's lore. I think it does a pretty good job of setting itself apart from the standard fantasy setting. However, I would agree that lack of focus on character development and a tight, compelling story often makes makes it feel a bit distant, as though the PC were watching the whole thing through a layer of plexiglass.