Do games, NEED story?

[piinyouri]

I think games like CoD would be VASTLY improved if they just cut out the SP part of the game because they obviously spent little to no time on making it even half-assed.

I disagree. At least partially. I just played Call of Duty: Black Ops for the first time this morning and finished it in one sitting (The only other CoD game that I've played prior to this was World at War) and I found the story both interesting and engaging. To the point where I was annoyed that they were throwing so many guys at me to shoot because I just wanted the plot to advance already!

I agree as well. Granted I have not actually purchased any of the Call of Duty games, but, I had an encounter with the first Modern Warfare(I believe it was that one)

A copy had found itself left at my house, so because I'll try anything once, I popped it in.

It was surprisingly good. I was entertained. Hell I was enthralled, and by the time the nuke level came around(Which was totally unknown to me, not having internet back then) I was seriously into it.

Only gripe was it was too short.

 

[exessmirror]

if i have to pay more than 20 bucks on the game at the release yes

 

[Byere]

Tetris is the best game ever. Tetris has no story.

Basic casual games, like Tetris and Peggle, have no need of a story. HOWEVER, if you try to name any other game, there is always a story no matter how minute it may be. If it didn't have a story, every game would just be too basic to have any difference in them. Whether you have cut-scenes, text or any other kind of narrative or not doesn't matter. Without some kind of story backing there is no such thing as video games.

Take Doom for example. The original, I mean. No cut-scenes, a little text between each level being the only form of narrative you have. You get straight into the game. However, if you didn't have any story behind it, you would just be a stick man running around shooting pellets at blobs. Without the story to say you're a marine on Mars during an outbreak of Hell's minions, the game wouldn't be anywhere near as unique (at the time) as it was.

Without a story behind each game for it to be based around, every single game would be nothing more than Pong, Tetris or the like. It would be boring and there wouldn't be an industry for you to ask a question such as this...

 

[Sean Hollyman]

Not all games, only where it's appropriate.

I mean, puzzle games don't really need a story, right?

 

[Ryan Hughes]

I think it would be interesting to see a game where there is no spoken or written dialogue, and something of a minimalist story, where the "story" would be portrayed much like a ballet, through the actions of the characters.

That said, you can certainly kill a game with bad story, and many puzzle games have no story at all. On the other hand, great stories and characters can make even mediocre games truly great and meaningful experiences. In the end, it is up to the artist's intent, I guess.

 

[BENZOOKA]

Of course not.

I always focus a hell of a lot more on gameplay.

Most of the games I play, don't either have a story or I barely play attention to it.

You can think of it this way too; none of traditional sports have a story. It's all about playing and competing. Whether just for fun or competitively, or a mix of the two, as it usually is.

 

[IndianaJonny]

So let me give you a couple of questions, would you be ok with a devloper saying "I'm going to make a game with no story because I want to focus on the gameplay?" Would you play said game? What would you look for in said game?

Just food for thought really.

Hmm, if they're smart the 'gameplay' becomes the story: