Best Game Story / Plot

[Dovenwolf]

I'd have to agree that just about every game mentioned (that I've played through, anyway) is outstanding in the plot department. However, I haven't seen mention of Namco's Breakdown. Not the best game known to man by any means, never cured cancer or anything, but so far under the radar that the American government could easily deny any involvement in contracting it to spy on China... allegedly

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I liked a good portion of Breakdown, but I never finished it, interface annoyed me too much.

Though apparently I'm the only one on this entire forum that plays the Suikoden Games.

 

[Anton P. Nym]

Marathon and Marathon 2: Durandal. Before I played the games I read the "terminal" text; it worked even without the gameplay, and with the gameplay to add additional context (and the challenge of finding it!) it was awesome.

Bioshock worked the same way; you had to find the story yourself and piece it together.

Psychonauts had great storytelling... the plot was almost standard issue, but the characters and delivery were excellent.

-- Steve

 

[BillBarilko]

The Half-Life series is getting way too few kudos here. No other game's story has engaged me the way HL's has - though Portal comes mighty close.

I fuckin loved the Max Payne stories, am praying for a sequel.

The story that goes with the COD4 single-player campaign is pretty cool, though I totally agree with what Yahtzee has to say about the ending.

Call of Juarez seemed ok - too bad I got bored playing it (the only time it gets really fun is when you're playing as the mad old reverend; the stealth sections are too long and dull)

I haven't played it yet, but considering the way so many people are creaming themselves over GTA IV, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned it here.

 

[bissettm]

If you play through all of the Onimusha series, it gets fairly complex, but in a fictional samurai series kind of way (you have to actually pay attention to the scrolls to get the full story)

 

[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

Mass Effect's story is one of the best told that I've seen in a game.

Lost Odyssey is pretty good, though the dream sequences go more for "cheap shot, cry sucker".

I love FFIX's story, and if I said that anywhere else, I'd get lynched.

Bioshock's plot was told really well, but outside of the plot twist, was pretty meh, to me. On a side note, I still can't get over the fact that if the main character is

Spoiler

Andrew Ryan's son

, then his name is

Spoiler

Jack Ryan

.

Now, for the lynching...I thought the story in Everything or Nothing would have been a really good James Bond plot.

 

[Anarchemitis]

Half-Life, Metal Gear Solid, Ratchet & Clank.
I nominate Star Wars Battlefront for worst.

 

[L.B. Jeffries]

I love FFIX's story, and if I said that anywhere else, I'd get lynched.

You are, without question, the first person I've ever seen say something nice about that game. I played it and beat it, thought it was fun but that the series was having some kind of identity crisis. What'd you like about it?

 

[LackingSaint]

Best story based on characters: The Jak and Daxter series
Best abstract story: Psychonauts
obligatarily: Portal
Best overall story: Half-Life series.


Also City of Heroes if you count 'making up my own awesome back-story'.

 

[UpInSmoke]

I really enjoyed the first KoTOR storyline.

Halo gets my vote for the most inane storyline.

edit: Indigo Prophecy was also a GREAT story up until it took a turn towards the supernatural.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I love FFIX's story, and if I said that anywhere else, I'd get lynched.

You are, without question, the first person I've ever seen say something nice about that game. I played it and beat it, thought it was fun but that the series was having some kind of identity crisis. What'd you like about it?

I loved FF9, until it became a lame rehash of Final Fantasy 1. Funny characters who made me laugh, fun battles, great graphics. Up until the 3rd disc it was one of my favorite final fantasies, I definately like it better than 8 at least.

 

[Foolish Mortal]

Portal has almost no plot. Yet it manages to suck you in anyway. So nomination there.

Same with Half-Life. God damn the G-Man and his incomprehensible goals. I'm still analysing his opening speech in HL2. Also kudos for making you love every single random NPC you come across (especially Griggs and Sheckley).

Bioshock. SPOILER! REALLY! SPOILER!
You know you're playing something special all the way through, but then you enter Ryan's office and... you know, I didn't expect that. They took a seemingly hackneyed 'your best friend is evil' twist and turned it into something unique.

Also the original Grandia. Nobody has heard of it. I cry.

 

[Imperator_2]

Both of the Kingdom Hearts, the first KOTOR(II had a chance but Lucasarts screwed it up), Mass Effect, and Paper Mario.

 

[Mstrswrd]

I enjoyed Jak and Daxters simple story (it fit well), and I really enjoyed Jak 2's, not so much for Jak 3's (good game anyway, though). I also enjoyed the simple yet effective story in "A Link to the Past," and the deeper story in "Majora's Mask." No story comes even close to the MGS series (except, if Yahtzee is to be believed, Silent Hill, but I hate that series, so... yeah), so, obviosuly, that has what I think to be one of th ebest stories in any form of entertainment, not just games.

 

[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

I love FFIX's story, and if I said that anywhere else, I'd get lynched.

You are, without question, the first person I've ever seen say something nice about that game. I played it and beat it, thought it was fun but that the series was having some kind of identity crisis. What'd you like about it?

The fact that the main character was actually well-developed and not emo, and the fact that just about every character got their time in the spotlight of awesomeness. I only had four problems with the game: Zorn and Thorn, Quina, and the Trance system.

 

[spazzattack]

Final Fantasy 10. Hands down the best story in any game I've ever played. Second place is the EPIC God of War story.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

Final Fantasy 10. Hands down the best story in any game I've ever played. Second place is the EPIC God of War story.

I'm glad somebody said FFX, I actually really liked that one as well, ballsy ending (if you ignore the aftercredits and FFX2) that made me very sad the first time I saw it.

 

[TheMadDoctorsCat]

How come nobody's said System Shock 2? The first and still one of the best real plot "twists" in a game... my only complaint being that the reveal goes on (and on and on) a bit, and that the office in which it takes place really looks nothing at all like an office, more a stage set. Still, it's awesome, as are the numerous subplots in the game (does anybody remember a game with actual subplots before that one? I have to go back to text-based adventures to name one...)

 

[L.B. Jeffries]

How come nobody's said System Shock 2? The first and still one of the best real plot "twists" in a game... my only complaint being that the reveal goes on (and on and on) a bit, and that the office in which it takes place really looks nothing at all like an office, more a stage set. Still, it's awesome, as are the numerous subplots in the game (does anybody remember a game with actual subplots before that one? I have to go back to text-based adventures to name one...)

Are you serious? Not about SS2 being good, but that it was the first game with subplots or a major plot twist.

 

[twilight_dweller]

Chrono Trigger
StarCraft
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

I actually think Majora's Mask is better than Ocarina of Time. Sure the 3 day system was a bit irritating, but it had a fantastic plot that I just loved.