Author Topic: Your 5 favorite game stories  (Read 3210 times)

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Himu

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Your 5 favorite game stories
« on: June 12, 2007, 04:16:33 PM »
In the troll thread in the general chat forum or whatever, we were discussing game stories and I got to thinking. What are 5 game stories that are excellent, and stories that you'd like to revisit again at any time. Many so called game stories are absolutely garbage. There are few game plots worth talking about. It's hard trying to strike that balance. With many western games, the stories sometimes try TOO hard to go for the ultra serious. When it comes to Japanese games, they don't know what the hell they're trying to do and often fit ridiculous things in to their plots; Japanese game stories have MANY deus ex machinas.

The number of bad game stories that try to take themselves seriously (MGS2) is so staggeringly high that it's almost embarrassing. Thus, we shall henceforth compile a list of worth while game stories. List the names of these games and why you feel they have something to say.

Personally speaking, I can't stand overly convoluted game stories. I don't see the point. The BEST game stories are the most SIMPLISTIC game stories. These games often mold the story into the gameplay. In Silent Hill 2, for instance, the main character chokes his wife to death. To reinforce this theme, as a way of punishment, the majority of the puzzles and enemy attacks in the game have to deal with choking, or being choked. To me, a good game story is not created by the cutscenes that drive the plot per se, but the themes that make up the game. Since games should be about...well, playing games first and foremost, we don't really care or think about having cutscenes, this is why themes are for more important than a cutscene in a game. When developers realize the more subtle and simplistic stories are the way to go, it'll be for the better.

Even the artsy fartsy games like ICO and Shadow of the Colossus barely have cutscenes. Why? Because they remember that they're games, and emphasize THEME rather than shoving a cutscene down one's throat every 5 minutes. That's how it should be.

Here's my list in no particular order:

1. Grim Fandango
2. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
3. Psychonauts
4. Grand Theft Auto III
5. Silent Hill 2

Honorable mentions:

System Shock 2, Deus Ex, The Curse of Monkey Island, The Longest Journey, Metal Gear Solid 3, Killer 7, Shadow of the Colossus, Out of this World/Another World.

I'm about to head out. I'll list my reasons later.
« Last Edit: June 12, 2007, 04:24:51 PM by Himuro »
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Robo

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #1 on: June 12, 2007, 04:29:18 PM »
1. BAD DUDES  :punch
2. ...
obo

Solo

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2007, 04:31:53 PM »
Games have stories?

Vizzys

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #3 on: June 12, 2007, 04:35:52 PM »
萌え~

tiesto

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #4 on: June 12, 2007, 04:47:31 PM »
Phantasy Star 2 and Dragon Quest 5. I also liked Live A Live's, how it was a bunch of smaller, more basic stories, all based on obvious story tropes, with a single overarching theme.
^_^

Van Cruncheon

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #5 on: June 12, 2007, 04:51:55 PM »
Games have stories?
.

so you enjoyed earthbound for its deep combat system, nerd?
duc

Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #6 on: June 12, 2007, 05:17:43 PM »

 Not too much into game stories haha, but a few caught my attention.

#1 Badboys Miami Takedown
#2 PSI - Ops
#3 Sonic Adventures 1 & 2
#4 Revolution , rare FPS Game
#5 Deus EX War and part 1

Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #7 on: June 12, 2007, 05:19:04 PM »
1. BAD DUDES  :punch

I remember that game, well i think i do. Or you are talking about 2 crude dudes?

demi

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #8 on: June 12, 2007, 05:19:42 PM »
Are you a bad enough dude to save the president, U2K?
fat

Cheebs

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #9 on: June 12, 2007, 05:32:34 PM »
KOTOR's story was corny shit filled with starwars fanboyism EU nonsense but praised only for its twist (a good twist I give it that). But other than that it is pure star wars novel nonsense.

Interesting note. KOTOR is one of my top 5 favorite xbox 1 games

Cheebs

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #10 on: June 12, 2007, 05:32:58 PM »

 Not too much into game stories haha, but a few caught my attention.

#1 Badboys Miami Takedown
#2 PSI - Ops
#3 Sonic Adventures 1 & 2
#4 Revolution , rare FPS Game
#5 Deus EX War and part 1

FREE PARIS

bluemax

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #11 on: June 12, 2007, 05:40:13 PM »
1. Tie Fighter
2. Bubble Bobble
3. A Boy and His Blob
4. Duck Hunt
5. MLB 07 Road To The Show
NO

The Sceneman

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #12 on: June 12, 2007, 06:13:10 PM »
Quote from: himuro
The number of bad game stories that try to take themselves seriously (MGS2) is so staggeringly high

Well youve listed one game.... Im going to need more examples if this list really is 'staggeringly high'

Anyway game stories I like

1. Killer 7
2. FFVII, VIII and IX
3. MGS 1, 2 and 3
4. Silent Hill series
5. BAD DUDES the ending twist in the game is OMG

spoiler (click to show/hide)
Thanks for saving me dudes. Lets go out for a hamburger! hahahahah
[close]
#1

Himu

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #13 on: June 12, 2007, 06:32:13 PM »
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Junpei the Tracer!

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #14 on: June 12, 2007, 06:46:04 PM »
1:Xenosaga
2:Xenosaga Ep.2
3:Xenosaga Ep.3
4:The Bouncer
5:Metal Gear Solid 2
Boo

Himu

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #15 on: June 12, 2007, 06:47:17 PM »
:lol
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The Sceneman

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #16 on: June 12, 2007, 06:56:17 PM »
The eerie thing is, Junpeis list probably isnt a joke post  :-\
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Oblivion

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #17 on: June 12, 2007, 07:47:18 PM »
I'm not gonna list mine cause you guys will make fun of them.  :maf

Madrun Badrun

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #18 on: June 12, 2007, 08:15:26 PM »
Metal gear stories are the only ones I care about.

Maybe next, I  :heart Katamari - the grandpa king was so mean  :'(

demi

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #19 on: June 12, 2007, 08:25:51 PM »
I'm not gonna list mine cause you guys will make fun of them.  :maf

QUIT BEING A PUSSY AND POST THEM

here's my list

Dead Rising
Advent Rising
Scratches
Shivers
Bubble Bobble
fat

Himu

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #20 on: June 12, 2007, 08:28:29 PM »
BUBBLE BOBBLE :bow
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The Sceneman

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #21 on: June 12, 2007, 08:46:06 PM »
I forgot God Hand, that shit is awesome
#1

Ichirou

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #22 on: June 12, 2007, 09:23:57 PM »
Games stories are always cliched...but if a game is able to achieve a certain level of characterization so that you care about what happens to the characters within the story, then I consider it a success.
PS4

Robo

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #23 on: June 12, 2007, 09:28:48 PM »
2. TRACK & FIELD 
3. ...
obo

tiesto

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #24 on: June 13, 2007, 09:12:42 AM »
Lufia 2... awesome characters. Tales of Destiny 1 had some cool characters too.
^_^

Stocky

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #25 on: June 13, 2007, 12:47:48 PM »
Warcraft. All of em.

hyp

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #26 on: June 13, 2007, 12:56:46 PM »
double dragon's story rocks

especially when you play co-op and you have to kick the other dude's ass at the end to get some ass.  best story ever.
pyh

hyp

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #27 on: June 13, 2007, 12:57:29 PM »
I forgot God Hand, that shit is awesome

i find god hand's story to be very entertaining as well.  maybe it's just the cheesy "B" movie style of it that appeals to me. 
pyh

bud

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #28 on: June 13, 2007, 02:15:21 PM »
4. Grand Theft Auto III

what :lol

-guy gets betrayed
-omg plottwist
-end

1. gtaiii has no story
2. you picked gtaiii over vc/sa??

rufflez

zzz

Solo

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #29 on: June 13, 2007, 02:35:16 PM »
Games have stories?
.

so you enjoyed earthbound for its deep combat system, nerd?

Didn't play or enjoy it period, geek.

bud

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #30 on: June 13, 2007, 02:39:21 PM »
i think he was talking to viz
zzz

Van Cruncheon

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #31 on: June 13, 2007, 03:00:54 PM »
i was talking to viz, hippie!
duc

Vizzys

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #32 on: June 13, 2007, 03:17:53 PM »
Games have stories?
.

so you enjoyed earthbound for its deep combat system, nerd?

didnt see this one coming,



oh wait yes I did. I was joking good sir. And yes I enjoyed earthbounds story, simple as it was. Oh and combat system as well.
萌え~

GilloD

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #33 on: June 13, 2007, 03:24:22 PM »

Here's my list in no particular order:

1. Grim Fandango
2. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
3. Psychonauts
4. Grand Theft Auto III
5. Silent Hill 2


What?
wha

Vizzys

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #34 on: June 13, 2007, 03:26:43 PM »
Himuro likes crime stories...



oh and anime. :lol
« Last Edit: June 13, 2007, 03:29:46 PM by Viz »
萌え~

Himu

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #35 on: June 13, 2007, 03:47:36 PM »
4. Grand Theft Auto III

what :lol

-guy gets betrayed
-omg plottwist
-end

1. gtaiii has no story
2. you picked gtaiii over vc/sa??

rufflez



GTAIII is more about the people you work for, more than the character you plays as. With GTAIII, I feel as if my actions don't seem all that damn bad, because I'm working for people who are a hell of a lot worse, which includes cannibals, drug dealers, and the like. GTAVC and SA don't make me feel this way, because you have a character that talks, and the characters you work for are less influenced in crime, thus, they are far less interesting. Plus, GTASA's story sucks. It makes no damn sense, it goes from Boyz in the Hood to fucking James Bond where as GTAIII is consistent through out regarding its themes. When I play GTA, I want it to be about crime period.

Plus, GTAIII's story isn't just the cutscenes that you watch. Those rarely pop up. It's about the whole package: the radio, the bulletin boards and ads, the kick in the nuts that is a satire on modern American life. Did you read anything what I wrote in the first post regarding games with theme having more substance going for them than ones with tons of cutscenes?
« Last Edit: June 13, 2007, 03:52:57 PM by Himuro »
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bud

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #36 on: June 13, 2007, 03:55:49 PM »
gta has always been about the whole package, be it all the different kinds of gameplay or the whole atmosphere so i can agree with you on that and i have read your first post but it's just that gtaiii didn't do anything for me, storywise. i liked some of the characters but it's basically about going from character a to character b and killing people in the process.

i agree with radio and whatnot adding to the atmoshepere but the basic storyline is absent.

as for mgs2 - the theme in the game is that you're raiden and you don't know what the fuck is going on. you have to find stuff for yourself to believe in (or something like that). i can agree that you're basically watching mgs3 for 50% of the time and that the plottwists could've been more spread out but to me it was fucking awesome.
zzz

Himu

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #37 on: June 13, 2007, 03:57:42 PM »
That is why I prefer III to VC and SA. I've replayed III from beginning to end 6 times and I'm working on my 7th. I have tried to replay VC and SA multiple times, and I've just recently successfully replayed VC for the first time ever. I don't know what it is, but I prefer the story in III to VC and SA. I think it has more going for it.

Plus, III being in a modern era is more appalling than VC's 80's or SA's 90's. I was a little kid during those time periods, so I appreciate III a lot more since I'm not nostalgic (aside from certain things) when it comes to VC or SA.
« Last Edit: June 13, 2007, 04:03:03 PM by Himuro »
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bud

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #38 on: June 13, 2007, 04:00:34 PM »
overall, i liked the missions in vc and sa a lot more than those in gtaiii.

robbing the bank in vc was so fucking awesome, it gave me goosebumps when i played it the first time and i never got that with any of the gtaiii missions. the only one that me on the edge of my seat was where you had to use your sniper when 8ball is on that ship but that was probably because of the time limit :p

as for my favourite gta - vc is my favourite gta not only for the missions but because of the whole atmosphere. miami + 80s music + ray liotta =  :bow
« Last Edit: June 13, 2007, 04:10:17 PM by bud »
zzz

Himu

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #39 on: June 13, 2007, 04:05:13 PM »
Storywise, what I love about III is that you're just an underdog and you work your way up the food chain, yeah. But it feels like you've brought every goddamn gang in the city along with you. In VC there's like...2 notable gangs: Haitians and Cubans. In III there's the Mafia, Southside Hoods, Yakuza, Columbians, Triads, Diablos;etc. and along the way, you're going to fuck up every single one of these mother fuckers. It was bliss working for Kenji, and then getting a job from Donald Love where you have to assassinate him, causing a gang war. SA and VC just didn't have shit like that.

Mission wise, I'd say VC takes the crown. It's also the most non linear GTA since GTA2. In VC, half way through I loved how in order to continue the story, you had to get a certain amount of property. What made it so awesome was that the game didn't tell you where all of this property was, and you had to explore the city to scope out every single place you can buy to do more missions, and the best part was that you could tackle these missions in any order. Fucking genius. I had like 5-7 mission brackets to choose from all at once. :bow
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Himu

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #40 on: June 13, 2007, 04:08:13 PM »
Christ Himu I'd be embarrassed to admit that.

I'm not ashamed.
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Madrun Badrun

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #41 on: June 13, 2007, 04:09:23 PM »
I forgot chrono trigger.  so simple so lovable. 

bud

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #42 on: June 13, 2007, 04:19:17 PM »
in terms of mgs stories i would say: mgs>mgs2>mgs3.

mgs had the best mix of simplicity and complexity in its storyline whereas mgs3 was too simple probably because of the backlash for mgs2.
zzz

Himu

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #43 on: June 13, 2007, 04:21:19 PM »
I don't think MGS3 was too simple. I think it was just perfect.
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bud

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #44 on: June 13, 2007, 04:22:37 PM »
mgs was perfect while mgs3 felt a bit off. though it was cool that at some point you were playing the for 5-6 hours straight with no codec interference or cutscenes.
zzz

Himu

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #45 on: June 13, 2007, 04:27:58 PM »
I find MGS1 and 3 to be pretty good, but I found MGS3 to be more personal. It also didn't feel like Kojima wanted it to be a movie, like in previous MGS'. Plus, the ending is good stuff.
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bud

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #46 on: June 13, 2007, 04:29:15 PM »
mgs3's ending was awesome, yes.

big boss crying :(
zzz

FatalT

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #47 on: June 13, 2007, 07:11:12 PM »
I loved the one where you were the warriors and you had to save the world from the bad guy. Best story I've ever heard!

GilloD

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #48 on: June 13, 2007, 11:50:16 PM »
Storywise, what I love about III is that you're just an underdog and you work your way up the food chain, yeah. But it feels like you've brought every goddamn gang in the city along with you. In VC there's like...2 notable gangs: Haitians and Cubans. In III there's the Mafia, Southside Hoods, Yakuza, Columbians, Triads, Diablos;etc. and along the way, you're going to fuck up every single one of these mother fuckers. It was bliss working for Kenji, and then getting a job from Donald Love where you have to assassinate him, causing a gang war. SA and VC just didn't have shit like that.

Mission wise, I'd say VC takes the crown. It's also the most non linear GTA since GTA2. In VC, half way through I loved how in order to continue the story, you had to get a certain amount of property. What made it so awesome was that the game didn't tell you where all of this property was, and you had to explore the city to scope out every single place you can buy to do more missions, and the best part was that you could tackle these missions in any order. Fucking genius. I had like 5-7 mission brackets to choose from all at once. :bow

What are you going on about? It had a mute protagonist who interacted with every cliche from every mob movie of the last 20 years. Add to that a complete lack on continuity and a nonsense ending and you've got a game whose narrative is so tacked on it's in danger of collapsing in the first stiff breeze. U R DUM
wha

Himu

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #49 on: June 14, 2007, 01:25:15 AM »
Lack of continuity? What are you talking about? Nonsense ending? How is it nonsense? Maybe ur the one who's dum.
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Ichirou

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #50 on: June 14, 2007, 05:16:10 AM »
I loved the one where you were the warriors and you had to save the world from the bad guy. Best story I've ever heard!

PS4

GilloD

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #51 on: June 14, 2007, 09:42:46 AM »
Lack of continuity? What are you talking about? Nonsense ending? How is it nonsense? Maybe ur the one who's dum.

There's no advancing narrative for long segments of gameplay. Characters dissapear and reappear without warning, it's clunky storytelling. And the ending is incredibly silly "OH THAT GIRL I WAS TALKING ABOUT. YEAH SHES KILLINZ ME LOL"
wha

Bloodwake

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #52 on: June 14, 2007, 10:59:18 AM »
All three MGS games. Including 2. Fuck you guys.

Also, I've tried to re-play through KOTOR and Deus Ex recently (really hard to do with Deus Ex, my computer's running on a dual core processor and the processor hates Unreal Engine 1 or 2 games)
HLR

Himu

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #53 on: June 14, 2007, 11:17:07 AM »
Lack of continuity? What are you talking about? Nonsense ending? How is it nonsense? Maybe ur the one who's dum.

There's no advancing narrative for long segments of gameplay. Characters dissapear and reappear without warning, it's clunky storytelling. And the ending is incredibly silly "OH THAT GIRL I WAS TALKING ABOUT. YEAH SHES KILLINZ ME LOL"

What are you talking about? You quoting Maria? Because the best part of the ending is that she gets shot in the face.
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Yeti

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #54 on: June 14, 2007, 11:27:47 AM »
I just beat Phoenix Wright 2 last night, so I will chime in and say that the Phoenix Wright games have really good stories.
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GilloD

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #55 on: June 14, 2007, 05:30:41 PM »
Lack of continuity? What are you talking about? Nonsense ending? How is it nonsense? Maybe ur the one who's dum.

There's no advancing narrative for long segments of gameplay. Characters dissapear and reappear without warning, it's clunky storytelling. And the ending is incredibly silly "OH THAT GIRL I WAS TALKING ABOUT. YEAH SHES KILLINZ ME LOL"

What are you talking about? You quoting Maria? Because the best part of the ending is that she gets shot in the face.

DEEP.
wha

Himu

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #56 on: June 14, 2007, 05:38:22 PM »
Yeah, all stories need to be deep to be enjoyable!
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GilloD

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #57 on: June 14, 2007, 07:01:56 PM »
Yeah, all stories need to be deep to be enjoyable!

At least more deep than I AM A MUTE CRIMINAL WATCH ME COMMITT A CRIME LOL or I AM A NORMAL BOY BUT LITTLE DID I KNOW THE EVIOL EMPEROR WAS MY BROTHER AND NOW I AM THE GALAXIES ONLY HOPPE LOL
wha

Mondain

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Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #58 on: June 15, 2007, 03:40:17 PM »
1-Final Fantasy VI
2-Deus Ex
3-Sanitarium
4-Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines (not so much the epic quest, but for the best NPCs EVER)
5-Soulblazer

Re: Your 5 favorite game stories
« Reply #59 on: June 15, 2007, 04:57:19 PM »
I loved the one where you were the warriors and you had to save the world from the bad guy. Best story I've ever heard!

I know it was a joke, but the first thing that came to my mind was the original Final Fantasy.

You know, warriors of light and all.  :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\
野球