Poll of the Day > What is an actually 'good' video game story?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Quite often, especially in regards to JRPG's, I see people talking about how terrible video game stories are. Especially how JRPG stories seem to be basically slightly below 'cancer'. I find this irritating and what-not but I'd rather not get into why JRPG stories, and video game stories in general, seem to be considered bad but, rather, what makes for an actually GOOD video game story? What does a game, regardless of genre, need to do to get people liking its story and considering it to be worthy of praise?
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I think Final Fantasy 10 had a good story. Can't quite remember the details but it seemed good at the time. Somebody back me up on this.
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I've always liked Final Fantasy Tactics. But honestly, I don't really play that for plot.

It's just freakin' fun to me.
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Bad Dudes
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Bioshock, earthbound, diablo 2, Starcraft, half life series, super Mario rpg, kotor, gta 4, grim fandango, mass effect, brutal legend, red dead redemption
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I think that's pretty subjective. Some people don't like stories just because they've seen lots of games use them. But for somebody that hasn't seen a game with that story, it might seem like a good story. And stuff like that, or how people don't like fluff. For me, I like a little mystery in the story. And enough plot to keep me interested. And something new, of possible. Make it straight forward, but don't give away too much. It's a game, so I'll work for it. Haha.
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MICHALECOLE posted...

super Mario rpg

Explain how that has a good story.
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EclairReturns posted...

MICHALECOLE posted...

super Mario rpg

Explain how that has a good story.

I just like it and think it was fun
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Psychonauts, warcraft 3, mass effect, star control 2
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Like LinkPizza suggested, it can be pretty subjective. Personally when it comes to WRPGs, Planescape Torment and Knights of the Old Republic are usually the first two games to mind for me when it comes to good video games story. For JRPGs, Final Fantasy Tactics is usually the first to mind for me.
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EclairReturns posted...

MICHALECOLE posted...

super Mario rpg

Explain how that has a good story.

Geno can shoot his hand off like a bullet
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Tactics has a good story, although I'm more a fan of the gameplay.
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The Last of Us

Okay. But why were those games good in comparison to something like HDN, X-Com, Fallout 3/4/NV, or Far Cry or even, hell, I've seen people single out stuff like Chrono Trigger and Nier. So yea... It seems like any game can be targeted. So what actually makes a game story... good?
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Morrowind had a great story. Its a complex one, and has a lot of things not stated specifically. Rather than go into it though, i'll just talk about one of my favorite parts. In Skyrim, you're the Dragonborn. You have these awesome powers right from the start.

In Morrowind, that is not the case. You have no special powers. You possess a few vague traits that could be applied to a hero of prophecy, but nothing concrete at first. As you go on you start to meet more and more of the requirements, doing things that should be impossible for everyone else.

But even at the end, when its all done.. You still don't know for sure if you're the hero of prophecy, or you just succeeded where others had failed. Through luck, ability, determination, belief.. or perhaps prophecy, You did it. And you still do not have any special powers. And I really like that sort of thing.
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Unbridled9 posted...

Okay. But why were those games good in comparison to something like HDN, X-Com, Fallout 3/4/NV, or Far Cry or even, hell, I've seen people single out stuff like Chrono Trigger and Nier. So yea... It seems like any game can be targeted. So what actually makes a game story... good?

If it makes you put down the controller and say "Wow."
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waterdeepchu posted...

Morrowind had a great story. Its a complex one, and has a lot of things not stated specifically. Rather than go into it though, i'll just talk about one of my favorite parts. In Skyrim, you're the Dragonborn. You have these awesome powers right from the start.

In Morrowind, that is not the case. You have no special powers. You possess a few vague traits that could be applied to a hero of prophecy, but nothing concrete at first. As you go on you start to meet more and more of the requirements, doing things that should be impossible for everyone else.

But even at the end, when its all done.. You still don't know for sure if you're the hero of prophecy, or you just succeeded where others had failed. Through luck, ability, determination, belief.. or perhaps prophecy, You did it. And you still do not have any special powers. And I really like that sort of thing.

Okay... But why is that good story-telling in opposition to Skyrim where you're the dragonborn? In fact, couldn't that be considered sort of the opposite? Where the prophecy got proven wrong because the true hero wasn't someone fortold but, rather, someone who just went around punching Ridge Runners until he was SO good at punching Ridge Runners he could punch out a god? All hail the wonderious story of Mr. Ridge Runner Puncher! His story? He punched Ridge Runners. Until one day he punched something else. And saved the world by doing so.
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TC demanding specific answers to a very subjective question
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What a stupid question. If you think it's good then it's good.
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idk, I enjoyed Bioshock's story despite the gimmicks. And, the more I consider it, the more I liked Uncharted 1's story (although my initial reaction was unkind)

There area lot of other stories I remember liking, but I can't remember many details, like Zone of Enders: Fist of Mars.
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System Shock, Deus Ex, Legacy of Kain series, Psychonauts, first KotOR, Spec Ops The Line, Planescape Torment, Beyond Good and Evil

but you know, first revolution was with Half Life, second with Dark Souls and yeah pretty much can never be topped
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I didn't think it would need to be said, but I have to agree with

VeeVees posted...

What a stupid question. If you think it's good then it's good.

The video stories I like are good cause I like them.
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What Remains of Edith Finch
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Silent Hill 2
Spec Ops: The Line
Firewatch
Binary Domain
Virginia
Grim Fandango
Sometimes the characters are obnoxious, but Life Is Strange is pretty good.
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I liked the stories in Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs and SOMA. They may not be completely original but I think they were done very well. So I guess my criteria for good story is that it is integrated well and leaves an impression when it's all over.
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That's... just a list of games, including one of the most overrated of all time, Planescape (getting close to FFVII levels there). So, what makes them... good?
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Unbridled9 posted...

So, what makes them... good?

What makes any story good?

It's all very subjective. Gone Home gets a lot of praise, but I couldn't connect with it. Hellblade is somewhat divisive. Some fans think the story stinks. I was very moved by Senua's journey and her struggle. I think Bloodborne has an amazing plot and deep lore, but I would stop short of saying it's a good story mostly because of how the story is presented to the player. If you're not paying attention and reading item descriptions, you can miss a lot of details.

Best to play them for yourself and figure out what appeals to you.
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Bloodborne
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A good video game story meets all the conventions for quality storytelling in general (good pacing, strong character arcs ect) and does a good job of utilizing the genre by using the gameplay itself to help tell the story.
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Unbridled9 posted...

including one of the most overrated of all time

What makes it overrated?
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Tetris

Legacy of Kain
The Last of Us
Final Fantasy VI and VII
Ratchet Future trilogy
Bioshock Infinite
Metal Gear Solid (before 5, at least)
Battle Network 1-3 and 5&6
Bastion
Uncharted 2
Tales of Symphonia
Katamari Damacy
Half-Life
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I liked septerra core for its huge world building and complex characters, especially for the time. And like ff6, the game let the bad guy win
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bastion
portal 1/2
silent hill 1/2/3
mass effect 1/2
warcraft 3 up to WotLK
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Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (for its time)
Metal Gear Solid
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: The Old Republic (class stories--I love the light side inquisitor)
Mass Effect 1
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Well, I'd mention Xenogears, but that one's definitely subjective.
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MICHALECOLE posted...

Unbridled9 posted...

including one of the most overrated of all time

What makes it overrated?

The fan-gushing. At this point, unless the game makes every other game in my collection seem like its story is on-par with a childrens book and the gameplay elevates me to Nirvana, it's going to be overrated.
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Unbridled9 posted...

MICHALECOLE posted...

Unbridled9 posted...

including one of the most overrated of all time

What makes it overrated?

The fan-gushing. At this point, unless the game makes every other game in my collection seem like its story is on-par with a childrens book and the gameplay elevates me to Nirvana, it's going to be overrated.

Oh, so because people like it, gotcha
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MICHALECOLE posted...

Unbridled9 posted...

MICHALECOLE posted...

Unbridled9 posted...

including one of the most overrated of all time

What makes it overrated?

The fan-gushing. At this point, unless the game makes every other game in my collection seem like its story is on-par with a childrens book and the gameplay elevates me to Nirvana, it's going to be overrated.

Oh, so because people like it, gotcha

Not 'like it'. GUSH over it as if there is no comparison and anything else couldn't even hold a candle to it.
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Metal gear games and halo are two of my favorite stories

I'd say Witcher 3 and Red Dead Redemption have good stories. Chrono Trigger had a good story, back before literally every aspect of the story became a trope, and now any new players would feel it's just a generic JRPG story
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part of what makes Witcher 3's story so good are the character interactions, and often times there is no clear indication as to what the right choice is. Also,unlike many protagonists, the world does not revolve around Geralt.
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Unbridled9 posted...

MICHALECOLE posted...

Unbridled9 posted...

MICHALECOLE posted...

Unbridled9 posted...

including one of the most overrated of all time

What makes it overrated?

The fan-gushing. At this point, unless the game makes every other game in my collection seem like its story is on-par with a childrens book and the gameplay elevates me to Nirvana, it's going to be overrated.

Oh, so because people like it, gotcha

Not 'like it'. GUSH over it as if there is no comparison and anything else couldn't even hold a candle to it.

Oh, so because they REALLY like it and you disagree with how much they like it
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Night in the Woods
Killer 7
Catherine
Virtue's Last Reward
Metal Gear Solid 1-3
The Wolf Among Us
Parasite Eve
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There's a ton of games with a good story released every year.

If you're gonna play just one, go for The Witcher 3.
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I'm pretty sure the answer is: characters, characters, characters. The plot is almost irrelevant compared to the importance of the characters. That's what allows whatever happens to be meaningful is by having it happen with/to interesting and relatable characters.
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The Last of Us had a great story.
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Unbridled9 posted...

That's... just a list of games, including one of the most overrated of all time, Planescape (getting close to FFVII levels there). So, what makes them... good?

kek
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Spec Ops: The Line
Dead Space

Mortal Kombat 4