What game do you think has the most well executed story?

[Scarim Coral]

Mmm maybe Last Window although it maybe far fetched since all of the incidents and most of the character back stories are revolve in that one apartment building.

 

[Archangel768]

Interestingly enough, I was just arguing in another thread over whether Halo Reach or Uncharted 2 presented (or as you say 'executed' it's story)

I argued for Uncharted 2 as I had never seen a so carefully constructed game where everything is designed and placed perfectly within the level for the story to progress fluently. When someone new and interesting came up, it didn't have to give a lengthy tutorial to explain it, there may have been just a button prompt and that was it.

I found the story to be engaging, the puzzles to give a good sense of complexity without being frustrating and there were never real 'slow' points where things got all boring. Each set piece was carefully constructed so that you would progress through it smoothly. The gameplay itself and the environment complemented each other perfectly. The one loading time added greatly (I think) to the fluency of the game overall.

It's kind of hard to explain it all if you haven't played the game itself.

For me, it the only game that managed to pull of such an experience. That being said, it's still not my favourite game but, none the less impressive.

Also, from what I gather, you mean 'well executed' as in the game just flowed really well. That is how I interpreted it.

I did not mean to say the game has a "better" storyline but rather a 'well executed' storyline.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

This is such a confusing question? What does "well executed" mean in this situation? It could be interpreted so many ways. So I'll give three...

BEST OVERALL STORY, PERIOD: PLANESCAPE TORMENT

"And it ain't even close"...although Mask of the Betrayer gets an honorable runner up. I've not played another game that even comes within shouting distance of Planescape's plotting, imagination, or thematic depth. But is it "well executed"? The game demands a lot of reading, and employs a cumbersome engine.

BEST PRESENTATION OF A SILLY STORY: MASS EFFECT SERIES

The tale of the space cowboy who saved the universe from robot monsters from beyond with the help of his motley collection of anthropomorphic sidekicks. The plot is pulpy, hackneyed trash, but it's a story beautifully told, with incredible cinematic flair and high production values.

BEST ATMOSPHERE CONDUCIVE TO EMERGENT STORYTELLING: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - CALL OF PRIPYAT

This is a game soaked in atmosphere. STEEPED in it. There was some crazy Russian narrative going on in the background, but it was never a priority. Just being in the zone...living in it...that was the story. The story of one man's desperate struggle for survival in a bleak and terrifying frontier.

ADDENDUM:

BEST TOOLS FOR CREATING YOUR OWN STORY: TOTAL WAR - MEDIEVAL 2

I wanted to say "Sims" here, but to be honest I think Medieval has it trumped. It takes a liberal application of imagination, but the stories are there. The story of the ugly, pious despot who runs your country's economy into the ground, his lazy, feckless son who dreams of conquest but is far more adroit with a wineskin than a sword, his charming but obstinate daughter who marries into a foreign alliance and opens the throne to the threat of a litany of Hungarian pretenders...the role playing aspects that arise from that game's exhaustive library of character traits are hugely underrated and under appreciated.

 

[Deadyawn]

As a certified valve fanboy I feel that it is only right half life 2 is brought into account. Valve as a company have better than anyone else perfected the art of intergrating storytelling and gameplay. Whereas some other games may have extremely powerful singular moments (bioshock), Deep interesting plots(mass effect) or simply an envolving, immersive experience (fallout) the fact is that half life 2 has managed to make it's story indistinguishable from it's gameplay. It never takes control away from you from the moment you start the game till it ends, the story is elaborated through the scenery and the setting, allowing you to take it in on your own terms, and even though the story isn't sprawling and complex, the story that it does have is extremely well paced and portrayed in interesting and meaningful ways. That is why Valve is awesome.
...I may have been gushing a bit there, sorry.

 

[Zantos]

Here's a couple which I think stand out:

Mass Effect 1
ME1 is damned near perfect in its execution of the storyline, even with the huge amount of choice given in it. The primary mystery unfolds as the game goes on, with each of the four primary missions (after Eden Prime) holding a piece of the puzzle: Feros gives you the ability to make sense of the vision, Liara on Therum determines where to go, Noveria is how to get there, and Virmire has the second half of the vision you got at the end of Eden Prime. The whole time the game is also building the setting & mythos, as well as unveiling some other activities Saren is up to besides his primary objective. Everything (you have to do) has purpose in the game, and it's done well.

Final Fantasy IX
I suspect FF9 is frequently underrated, but it's largely because it doesn't stand out from the other games in the series aside from being very nostalgic... and one of the reasons why is because its story is that well-executed. There's nothing too jarring as far as pacing or plot-twists, events naturally flow from one thing to another without missing a beat; the story-telling of the game is flawless. Sometimes the highest praise something can receive is the fact it isn't acknowledged at all (at least while the player/reader/viewer is busy with it), parts which seamlessly blend the whole together; FF9's storytelling is so good that you get immersed in what's happening without even noticing. Still, that doesn't mean it has the best story... just the best-executed one.

Final Fantasy IX is unique in the FF series for me, I find it to be the only one that doesn't need a big nostalgia shield to still be a fantastic game. Actually I'd say it's probably one of my top favourite ever made games.

OT: I'd say the shouts for Halo and Mass Effect are really good ones, and after a quick browse through my game collection I'd like to bring Gears of War to the table. It, like Halo, has a lot of detail and a fantastic backstory. The best thing is it doesn't feel the need to hold it right up into your face for most of the game, it's there if you want it and there are loads of support materials, but it doesn't feel the need for everyone to blurt out their life story the moment you say hello. I'm looking at you Mass Effect.

 

[synobal]

The Legacy of Kain series, fantastic story telling, great voice acting and awesome atmosphere in all the games. The story isn't afraid to be complex and doesn't assume it's readers are simpletons.

 

[Chucker]

Beyond Good and Evil had it's story working well between each level, I can definitely remember being motivated to get through the game to save that lighthouse with all the orphan kids, as well as just exploring the fun Hillis world.

 

[Magicmad5511]

Portal and Portal 2. Simple yet spectacularly effective.

 

[similar.squirrel]

Portal and Portal 2. Simple yet spectacularly effective.

Especially Portal 2. Literally everything was perfect about that game. It has sort of ruined everything else from this generation for me.

 

[OldKingClancy]

I have to give it to Red Dead Redemption, John Marston was such a great character and his quest to atone his sins of the past was amazing. Dutch's final warning was a highlight but everything about it was brilliant, the ending was sad and Jack sadly following his father's footsteps was a gut punch to John's legacy

 

[shadow_Fox81]

simply for execution using primarily storytelling techniques unique to the games industry (if my friends read this they'll rub my nose in it because they love valve and i don't) I'd have to say Half life 2 or portal.
They don't bog you down in dailogue nor do they arbitrarily use cinematics as the primary narative device.
They expertly use environmental cues, well considered character interaction and nonintrusive scripted events to realise a narrative.
plus there's nothing narative telling wise that i can point out and say is overwhelmingly poor.

 

[HazelrahFiver]

Red Dead Redemption would take second place in my ranking. While I do consider it a terrific story, the game deliberately draws the telling out to extend the gameplay. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they did and I have no complaints. I want to play as much RDR as possible, but that doesn't change the fact that the story gets punched a bit in the process because of this.

Bioshock however has an extended story that also gets interrupted by gameplay, but you do not notice. The story specifically comes about in spurts of telling while the world itself is compiling it's own story around you, that of survival in a strange land.

 

[Instant K4rma]

Everybody here is a idiot because they didn't say metal gear solid

Well, we did say games, not movies.

OT: I think I shall cast my vote for Red Dead Redemption. It's been a while since I've found myself that invested in a game's story in a long time, and I was thoroughly impressed every step of the way (aside from the herding missions).

 

[aba1]

Everybody here is a idiot because they didn't say metal gear solid

Well, we did say games, not movies.

lmao well said however I would argue that it's only really number four that is so bad it can really be considered as such if you play the first it will have lots of long cut scenes but nothing like that.