Introductory interactive storytelling

[Starp]

I've been thinking more about games as a new storytelling medium recently, and I got thinking- if you were given the chance to show someone- someone who had never played anything more advanced than Snake- the true merits of interactive storytelling, and the concept as games as art, what games would you show them? Ones that really involve the player in the story, or at least give that impression.
My suggestions would be Portal, Bioshock, probably Mass Effect and maybe World of Goo, but there's surely more than that.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

You could start a little simpler, and hand them Heavy Rain or Indigo Prophesy, which are (IMO) the true definition of interactive story telling.

However HR has tits and IP has sex. Well...

 

[MagnetoHydroDynamics]

Aquaria, low on Game mechanics (well, at least simple), high on Charetarization and Storytelling. Oh, and effing GORGEOUS.

Spoiler: Gorgeous

[img=http://www.g4g.it/g4g/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/aquaria_demo_01.jpg]
[img=http://games.softpedia.com/screenshots/Aquaria-Demo_2.jpg]
[img=http://www.pixfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/aquaria-2-forma-energetica.jpg]
[img=http://www.bit-blot.com/images/blog/aquaria-scr-0001-big.jpg]
[img=http://origin.arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.media/ars_aquariamac_1_thumb.png]

Spoiler: Eargasm

 

[talenos]

Something like an interactive novel would be a good start.

 

[oplinger]

Myst! do iiit!

>.> ...what? I liked its story.

 

[MasterOfWorlds]

I agee, Heavy Rain is good for that. If it had to be a video game, I'd choose Heavy Rain, or if they wanted something a little more action oriented, maybe Mass Effect or Fallout 3.

If it didn't have to be a video game, I'd suggest any of the various pen and paper games like DnD, Whitewolf and so forth and so on. All you need then is a good imagination and a good GM.

edit: Bioshock is good too.