30 Days of Video Games - BONUS: Why Do You Play Games Pg. 142

[Sami]

The biggest disappointment for me in getting rid of the "Favorite Setting" question (for the sake of redundancy) is the fact that I won't be able to talk about NieR. I looooove that game's story.

 

Still gotta play Majora's Mask too. Holding out strong for a remake. I know it'll come.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Day 14: Favourite Story

 

 

Demons Souls

 

Ok so, Instantly my mind turned to Demons Souls, then I thought... Well... I've already mentioned it and will likely mention it again, also the last time I spoke a lot about it's story so... if you wanna know or have a hint why I think Demon's Souls is one of my favourite stories, go give that a read, or read the testimony a few posts ago, it says more or less what I want to.

 

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Spec Ops: The Line

 

So here's another that's been talked about a few posts ago, and again, its worth talking about. Spec Ops the line is a very important videogame, everybody should probably play through it, even if they don't enjoy it, because it's important. Why? 

 

Well... probably because if you pay attention to it, chances are you'll take something from it, and it won't be the usual 'war' message that games tend to give you. 

 

That look he just gave you? Is he looking at you? Or something else? Are those characters talking to you? Or to your character. The mission is clear? Isn't it?

Why are you reading this spoiler?

Is this a game I'm supposed to enjoy? Or hate?

There isn't a spoiler in this section of my post

?

What is the story here? Is this a rescue mission? This is a rescue mission? Am I actually here? Or did I cross the line long ago? 

 

Why are you still clicking spoilers? I told you... there's nothing here?

 

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Silent Hill... ... If you've seen the Movie Jacobs Ladder.

First of all... you need to go watch the movie Jacobs Ladder to understand my reasoning for this.

Secondly, you need to play through Silent Hill without a walk through to understand just how damn clever this game is with it's story.

 

Silent Hill as we all know is the story of Harry, searching for his daughter after a car crash, theres a mysterious town which is transported between the real world and hell, theres a big conspiracy involving religion, and there's a chance Harry's daughter isn't actually his daughter and has more significance.

 

You find her, save her, and everyone is happy... right? 

 

Well... actually...

 

Silent Hills story is much more clever, it assumes you'll play the game without a walkthrough.

 

If you do, odds are you'll get the very bad ending... and then you are treated to one extra scene which tells you something very special.

 

Harry does not survive the car crash.

 

Harry is dying, you are playing through his journey into either hell or heaven.

 

You see, the film borrows heavily from the film Jacobs Ladder. And like that movie, Harry is trapped in a limbo. He can't go to heaven or hell because he's trapped. He needs to find peace before he can move on. The peace being his daughter.

 

Harry knows he's dying, he knows he's doomed. But he also needs to find his daughter. So what is happening? The game has multiple endings with different outcomes. You play through Harry's last dying moments as he tries every possible scenario ranging from the tragic (bad endings), successful (good endings) to the absurd (UFO ending). Every scenario he can think of, you play out.

 

As Harry (you) try one scenario... the game repeats... Harry (you) try a second scenario, you do things differently... until...

 

You get the very good ending... and there's a subtle change... it's no longer Harry's wife waiting for him... it's Cybil.

 

So go watch Jacobs Ladder, then play Silent Hill.

 

However... this game... Gets my top vote.

  

 

Tearaway

 

Tearaway is wonderful. Many people joke "Oh the Vita is a £150 Persona 4 machine" these people need to play Tearaway... immediately. 

 

Tearaway is wonderful.

 

And it's story is very clever... because for the most part there doesn't appear to be one. You play as Iota, he has a message for you, will you help him deliver it? And that's pretty much it. On the way you find other characters who you interact with, who pretty much try to find out who you are (yes you the player), You rescue various creatures and NPCs. 

 

Now I'm going to try and keep spoilers down to a minimum but... 

 

And then you get to the ending... now I won't spoil it for you but... the ending recaps your entire journey through Tearaway.  And... the way it does it. You realise "Oh god! I've just been on this journey with this character! We've endured so much and I don't want to leave him!" 

 

And you read his message... and it's perfect

 

If you love videogames, and love a game with a story that really has an impact. You need Tearaway.

[Phantomime]

Still catching up on the post I missed. Here's day 10.

 

Most Immersive Game: Fallout New Vegas

 

 

 

It's not hard to see why this is a game I can keep coming back to. Obsidian clearly put a ton of effort into making the world cohesive and interesting. There's tons of detail and stories to almost everywhere in the game. It can be all kinds of creepy, and the atmosphere in general is really great. FNV also feels much more like a place that could actually exist than anything in Fallout 3.

 

It's really easy to get into the world, and it's good at keeping me immersed. Strangely enough, despite the stuff like Super Mutants, living plant-men, enormous mutated chameleons, and other weird sience-fiction stuff, my suspension of disbelief was never really broken. 

 

 

 

Favorite Story: Mother 3

 

 

 

Just saying in advance that I'm not very good at talking about stories. I should probably get better at that. 

 

This game's story was great. The characters were likable, the setting was bizarre and cool, the pacing was mostly good, and the plot was well executed. The buildup to the ending was great, and the way the final battle resolved the story was fantastic. I don't want to go into much detail (I know some people here haven't played it yet), but the main reason I recommend this game is for the story, so check out the free fan translation. 

[MegasonicZX]

Took a while to think about but I think my favorite story would probably be tales of the abyss (with symphonia coming a close second), its a story I hold very dear to my heart because not only were the characters really good but the plot was just told in such a good way (besides returning to daath for the 100th time ) that it compelled me to really finish what I had started with this game.

 

The main character is a guy named luke who is basically a spoiled rich brat who is soon shifted outside of his home due to an accident during a raid by the female lead tear and from there the story kicks off, at first the story is a bit slow yeah but after a couple of hours, things really start to happen and make this games story shine. I can't really say much else about this without spoiling anything so you can experience this amazing story yourself.

[Chaos Incarnate]

Well, this is definitely a hard question for me to answer. I was tempted to go with Mass Effect, but eh, I thought I would go with something that I wasn't even expecting to blow me out of the water, at all.

 

 

Holy hell, was Assassin's Creed 2's plot a GIANT step up from the first game's. While still following an admittedly traditional revenge set up, it's the characters that make the heart and soul of the events that unfold. So, half of his family has been unjustly assassinated by The Templars, and it's up to Ezio to stop them from conquering Rome, while trying to strike vengeance on their leader, Rodrigo Borgia. Travelling to numerous cities and locations over the years, we meet several allies and friends along the way.

 

• Good old Leonardo Da Vinci, Ezio's best friend that crafts weapons and other items to assist our protagonist along the way.
• Uncle Mario Auditore, who trains Ezio and provides warm hospitality to his remaining family, under an abrasive exterior.
• Antonio Maffei, leader of a band of pirates in Venice, fighting for a free, independent city. I see myself in him at points, and I give him props for his love of Coffee. 
• Sister Teodora, whose stance on how religion ties into her activities makes for an intriguing philosophy.

Score one for also having one of my favorite protagonists in gaming, Ezio Auditore de la Firenze. He starts off as a brash yet charming young man that dives into situations headfirst, in a naive manner, before we get to see how he grows and matures into an experienced and respected Assassin. I really appreciate that Ubisoft allowed us to experience the growth and change of a character by watching the years of their life unfold.

 

There's also the Present Day setting that serves as the backbone as to why we're going through the Animus as Ezio. It's not really the meatiest of side stories, but I like just about all of the cast here as well, and there was much story potential in Lucy guide Desmond through his training as an Assassin. I was intrigued by some of the new content adding to the lore as well, such as the mystery of the first civilization.

 

So, as I've already stated earlier, while Assassins Creed 2 isn't a perfect plot, nor is it one of the deepest around. It's just nice to see the life of a main character in full so we get to see them develop, which makes for a game with an incredibly likeable cast. 

[Jango]

Aaaaand I lost 2 days... damn! Really, my college + work schedule screw me over.

 

Anyway, let's proceed, I'm still on the game!

 

Day 12: Fondest Next-Gen Experience

 

 

 

When my father connected the PSOne on my TV and turn it on. The volume was SO high, we actually got scared with the SCEA start up sound (that was already pretty loud!)

 

The next hours were of pure joy, you might know why:

 

The graphics, the music, the movement, everything was magic.

 

---

 

 

Day 13: Most Disappointing Game

 

 

I try to avoid disappointment in games by reading a lot about them before spending my hard money...

But sadly, there were times in the past that I couldn't do that... and so I got this for my PS2:

 

 

This game... is not Tony Hawk's. I don't know what the fuck Neversoft was smoking, but after great games such as American Wasteland, both Underground and for an extend, Project 8, THIS GAME CAME TO BE. This was the point were I stoped caring about TH games. It's a total pile of bullshit. Five minutes of loading screen, all the exploration gone, bad soundtrack, glitches... I don't know what went wrong.

---

 

Day 14: Favorite Story

 

 

That one is easy as pie:

 

 

It's the best worst story in a video game ever. The characters, the writing, the jokes and movie references, this game is the funniest we've ever played in my life. I love Conker and his cocky, yet naive personality. The ending actually got me the first time I've finished the game!

[-blank-]

This is going to be kind of short, as I don't have much time for a long post. But anyway...

 

My favorite story? Easy;

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mario games have never been known for their stories. But Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door is a bit different in that respect. As an RPG, it is a bit more plot-heavy than your typical Mario game. And my god, what a plot it holds.

 

You wouldn't really expect the story in a Mario game of all things to be dark and serious, but it is. The hub world for instance, aptly named 'Rogueport', is filled with criminals and other such ne'er-do-wells. In that you've got implications of a gang war of sorts going on between two groups, one of which was probably inspired in part by the Mafia, plus there is a gallows in the center of town, complete with a freaking noose. Also we have this;

 

 

This is only in the Japanese version, but still, that's kind of messed up.

 

Other areas of the game have somewhat of a creepy aura to them, most noticeably Twilight Town and it's surrounding forest, as well as Riverside Station and the Palace of Shadows. Not to mention that the individual chapters tend to have some dark undertones. The best example I think comes from third chapter, the Glitzville one. So, it mostly keeps pretty light-hearted. But then you have the boss of that chapter using a machine to suck all the life out of people to keep himself younger. When you think about it, that's really freaking messed up. Plus, you have the main baddies of the game as a whole, whose plans could quite possibly bring about world-ending repercussions.

 

But, at the same time, this is also one of the most hilarious games I've ever played. Witty jokes, fun character humor, the occasional fourth wall break, it's all there. And the darkness that's in the game does not distract from it in the least. I think it's because of it's subtly that it can still fit. See, I've always believed that you can indeed have dark and serious moments and stories in a cartoon-esque series like Mario - you just need to make sure it actually, yanno, fits with the series as a whole. This is where games like Shadow the Hedgehog failed, but Thousand Year Door succeeds because with it, I still felt like I was playing a freaking Mario game.

 

Plus you've got some pretty good characterization going on and you add that up to form what is pretty much my favorite story in a video game.

[JayRaR]

Favorite Story

 

 

 

This game has probably got what I'm looking for in a story. A great main cast of characters, a great plot, great villains, a rich overworld, and great lore. I tend to like stories that dip into the fantasy genre, and usually the Tales of stories are right up in my ally. Although Luke may not be the best main character imo, I do love how he matures during the story. He becomes a whiny, uneducated, unlikeable brat at the very beginning of the story and morphs into a kind, self-aware, and respectable person who tries to justify his actions after the fall of Akzeriuth. Tear is a good love interest and has a juxtaposing relationship with her brother, the main antagonist of the game. Guy is a great character and a great friend to Luke, putting up with his selfish and demanding personality as they grew up right until Luke vowed to become a better person. His phobia of women was humorous, but also quite something when he explains why he has it. Natalia was alright, being a noble and highly regarded princess but at the same time quite naive. Anise is a great, funny character to me. She might be somewhat annoying at the beginning hours of the game, but I find the humor in her speech which is like a mix of politeness and downright rudeness at times. And Jade is probably the funniest character in the game. I love how he just trolls with the main cast and his former friend Dist. He's just too awesome for me to put in the right words, he's just written so well!

 

I love the villains in this game. Their main goal is to destroy the world and make it anew, and they have their own reasons for it. Most of the God Generals oppose the main characters ie Tear to Legretta, Anise to Arietta, or Jade to Dist. Once you know the reasons for their actions and why Van recruited them, you become sympathetic. They are regular people who just didn't have the greatest luck in their past and feel that the world and its people are just vile.

 

I love the world represented in the game. I loved going to every town and talking to the people there as I really feel like a part of their world. Once the maisma comes to Auldrant, I can feel the despair, hopelessness, and optimism of the people that are affected by it. This world truly feels alive and I have a motivation to stop the miasma and stop Van's insane plan of killing everybody for the sake of their world to be reborn with replicas.

 

It's a dramatic ride with twists and turns from start to end. 

[Endy]

Day 14: Favourite Story

 

To be honest I've never really played games for the stories. Most of the time I can't find myself caring about the plot enough to get invested in it and I just want to get into the action. So I don't really have much to say for the plots I do like.

 

I like Kid Icarus' Uprising's plot alot. It has very likeable characters (and an AMAZING villain), and enough decent twists and turns along the way to keep it interesting and varied. The constant fourth wall breaking can get a bit annoying and distracting sometimes, but its nothing game-ruining.

 

I like the stories to The Wind Waker and Majora's Mask. The Wind Waker was good fun because of its great characters (even though I still hate that Tetra becomes a useless slob after her true identity is revealed), fitting dramatic moments from time to time and a Link with somewhat of a personality. Majora's Mask on the other hand is dark and twisted, perfectly fitting for the game. I like all of the stories involved with the side quests the best because thats where the game truely feels alive.

 

Some other games I like are Superstar Saga and Rhythm Thief.

[NGw00d]

Day 14: Favorite Story

The Wolf Among Us

 

The story isn't even finished yet and its probably still my favorite story in video games, unless they completely fuck it up in the last 2 episodes, but I can't see that happening. I pretty much picked this one up on a whim. I knew who Telltale Games was, I knew about the Walking Dead games, I heard they were awesome but I just never got around to playing them. But then I heard about this around the time episode 2 was released, not sure if right before or right after, but nonetheless, I bought it, played it, and loved it.

 

First off, Bigby Wolf is a badass. The beat up face, the scruffy stubble, the rolled up sleeves, the being a werewolf. Grade A badass, no doubt. That's the main thing that sucks me into the story, the characters. There's such a wide variety of them, too. From anthropomorphic toads to trolls to witches and everything in-between. They're all so full of life, unique, and well designed that I can't help but be interested in what they're all involved in.

 

The second thing that drags me in is the fact that its a murder mystery. Fables are getting killed, and its your job as sheriff to find out who's behind this mess. You gotta make all the tough calls because no one else is there to make them for you. Since you are actually making the decisions, it does affect the story, so the journey is gonna be pretty different for each person who plays through it. It also adds some replayability to the game as in your second, third, maybe even fourth playthrough, you're discovering new and different things each time. Its so well written and there's so many twists and turns throughout your investigation that you're changing who you suspect to be the killer every couple minutes.

 

As much as I wanna get to the end of the game, I feel like the breaks in-between episodes add even more to the story. It adds to the mystery and the speculation. It makes you try and piece the clues you've been given so far together to find the answer to your question. It makes you think, and I really enjoy that aspect of it.

[kalion]

Day 14: Favourite Story

 

Some other games I like are Superstar Saga and Rhythm Thief.

My picks exactly. I'm surprised someone remembered and thought of Phantom R as well. I'm saving it for later tho'

[Strickerx5]

Day 14: Favorite (Shut up, this is an important part of a game!) Story

 

 

 

So yeah, a pretty obvious choice but I can't say it isn't true. If it wasn't for the narrative here, I probably wouldn't of brought myself to see the game to it's end. The gameplay has some great mechanics, but the story is the real fuel for this one. I remember just spending a good week during the summer playing this game as soon as I got home just to see where it would go. There were moments where I literally had to pause to comprehend what just occurred on screen. It's bleak, dark, and depressing world gives way for a cinematic tale that is as engaging as it is frightening. Naughty Dog took so many risks with this one in a category that a good amount of individuals in the industry love to mock and I truly believe this game justified all of them and more. That ending still makes me think about it all to this day. Not to mention the DLC that was released a couple months back.

 

And since we're on one of my favorite topics in gaming I'd never forgive myself if I didn't at least mention some other notable titles..

 

Batman: Arkham Origins- A very engaging and action packed tale. Each encounter with an enemy from the universe feels exciting and unique. It's too bad it was a prequel (we already know the ending before the game starts).

 

Halo Reach- This was truly something special. It put the series in a new (more grounded like ODST) light and absolutely shined in it. Though my main problem with it is the same one I had with Origins. Prequels just kill the suspense.

 

Kid Icarus Uprising- I absolutely love the writing and characters in this (though I do think Palutena came off as a needless jerk at some points but that's really a topic for another day). If it wasn't for it's scattered plot and use of certain characters it probably would of been my favorite.

 

Super Smash Bros. Brawl- Yeah, I'm bringing up Subspace. XD While it had it's fair share of flaws (both in gameplay and plot) I absolutely loved every second of it. It's really the only time a story has been made in a game with that large of a cast and I absolutely love the idea of it. I'm still kind of peeved that a more traditional story mode like it was cut from the new SSB.

 

Uncharted 2- While not really having the best plot line around, Uncharted two mixed it's narrative and gameplay excellently and managed to keep me fully engaged even when I sat my controller down to watch a scene. Not to mention having some extremely clever and witty dialogue as well.

[Sonictrainer]

 

Day 14 - Favorite Story

 

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky

 

 

What's that?

 

A Pokémon game that has a story? What you talking about Sonictrainer?

 

 

You wake up one day and find out you're now a Pokémon. You also have amnesia. A Pokémon that found you lying on the bed becomes your friend and tells you their dream about becoming an apprentice of Wigglytuff's guild and finding out the mystery of their lucky charm. Unfortunately, they're a little scared to go alone, so you decide to join them to form a brand new Exploration Team. However, as soon you make friends, a Zubat and Koffing swoop in, ambush your friend, and steal their lucky charm. Your adventure starts by going after them and getting the lucky charm back.

 

After getting the lucky charm back, you both go and become apprentices of Wigglytuff's Guild. At first you only go on regular missions but eventually other events will take place, such as discovering your secret power, defeating your first outlaw, and even going on a expedition with the entire guild.

 

However, as you're learning and growing with your Partner in your Exploration Team, someone is stealing the Time Gears, special items that even Outlaws and Villains don't even try to mess with. With the Time Gears gone, time will eventually stop, bringing the world into Chaos.

 

This game has a lot of good moments that were funny, sad, and serious, and the characters, which are in fact all Pokémon, are written well. Even after you beat the game, there's whole set of arcs in the Post Game.

 

What's special about EOS is that it had Bonus Episodes for other characters, so you can find out what happens before and after your adventure starts in this world.

[turbojet]

 

 

Spec Ops: The Line is one of the many works inspired by Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.You would think moral ambiguity would be a really obvious plot point to center the plot of a military shooter around, but most prefer "You are the physical embodiment of truth and freedom, so kill those guys and don't ask questions". SO:TL is exactly a criticism of that theme.

 

I can't think of a game since Bioshock or Fallout: NV - Lonesome Road that has managed to be so subversive with its message. In truth, Spec Ops was pretty boring initially. Visually stunning, and I was enjoying the characters, but it was repetitive. Some have said that it was Yager's intention to not make it fun to a point, so I guess they succeeded. But as the story ramps up, that all kinda just got pushed to the back of my mind.

 

When talking about an experience, juxtaposition is key. A storm is at its worst when you enter it. Spend some time in the storm and you' get used to it, reducing the feeling of a threat. This is Spec Ops began getting rougher at chapter 5, slowed a bit down again, and ultimately made you hate yourself immensely as you create this path of destruction. In the end you're in even ground with the antagonist: following orders and trying to do the "right thing" as opposed to what was necessary, crossing a line you couldn't live with.

 

It's pretty much the antithesis of the typical shooter vibe. All the characters are human and flawed, the protagonists are broken, physically and emotionally, throughout the whole narrative. It offers you choices that you decide real time in gameplay, but not by pushing a "Yes/No" button, but deciding if you want to go on (the same conflict as the protagonist). There's not even an actual antagonist - all the characters legitimately feel what they are doing is right.

 

The developers accomplished something truly unique; simultaneously doing social commentary, a savage indictment of the modern military shooter and a tale of a soldier's encroaching insanity. Using the videogame medium like this to convey something nuanced and meaningful is something I'd love to see more often.

 

This game right here gives me the chills. 

 

The shooting is mediocre, but who cares? This contains one of the most chilling scenes that ever has been in video games sheerly because of the fact that you take this action for granted in another video game(*cough*Call of Duty*cough*). You ever wonder about the horrors of war? How a mission that is for a great cause turns into a giant war crime just as easily? This game will show you.

 

What is great about this game as it is subtle with it's story and it slowly incorporates them in the gameplay. Throughout the game, you are playing a clean cut, professional marine with some likewise other marines as your squad. They yell out commands professionally in the beginning. When you melee, they are professional and non-lethal. They are your ideal marines. But as the story gets fucked up, the marines change personality. Every other word they utter is "fuck" or "shit." When the melee, it is no longer about being efficient or clean, sometimes it is downright brutal and torturous. As you play, you are slowly controlling mad men who no longer give a fuck. And the game lets you know that what you are doing, for entertainment, is not right. It is Fight Club meets Call of Duty. This game will have you feeling fucking horrible for playing it and not stopping.  It has the nerve to ask you this question.

[SIXTH-RATE SOMA]

Day 14: Best Plot

 

There are role-playing games that leave you reeling, and then there's...

 

 

Planescape: Torment

 

Planescape is not just a dissection of RPGs; it's very nearly a dissection of storytelling in general. But first, I suppose, comes the setting: You play as The Nameless One, a dead man who finds himself... not so dead. In fact, for one reason or another, death seems to have abandoned him. He is now a resident of the Planescape, a world between world, host to the grotesque and broken souls from across reality. Not only will he discover his original self, but dozens of them, to either overcome or be consumed by his past forever.

 

It's hard for me to explain just what Planescape does so right. The characters are good, the atmosphere is excellent, the world is complex and interesting. More than anything, tho, Planescape is one of the few works I've seen that has both true depth and applicability. I think the Rock-Paper-Shotgun article I posted earlier put it best: Planescape seems to have wandered in from some alternate dimension where a sturdy story goes without saying, and where the real draw comes from what it means to the player. Like Pathologic, you can find yourself in Planescape if you let it take you, but what you find may not be pleasant.

 

My words here don't do the game justice, honestly. Go play for yourself, and discover one of the most off-beat RPGs in recent memory.

[Soniman]

 

Xenoblade Chronicles.

 

Ive never been so invested in a story a long time.  The history of the world is fascinating, having a great amount of lore to it that you interested while going through the main plot at hand. The characters, albiet not particularly deep, are brimming with personality and charm, and each one of them (save for Rikki) has a well told character arc that they really makes you care for all of them? And my god the story throws you for a loop so many times that I was genuinely blown the fuck away by a lot of the twists, because they're so well hidden that they're very hard to see coming. Combine that with very sincere and touching emotional moments and you have a story that really does a good job at getting you invested..

 

I also love the overall theme of the story of overcoming pre-determined destiny and carving your own future. Yeah I know this kind of thing isnt exactly new to RPGs but again, as a person who's kinda bleh towards stories that have a hero be a hero BECAUSE the gods or whatever told him that he would be a hero, this is a refreshing change of face, being about SPITTING in the face of said gods and doing whatever the fuck you want.

 

Runners Up are Final Fantasy X for it's beautiful world and history with a decidedly existential theme that is explored very interestingly. And Wind Waker, because Wind Waker

[Tori Himemiya]

DAY 14 OF PRESIDENT CROW READING STORIES!

Yeah I've missed a few days because I've been so busy with a trip happening and me being too tired to do shit so here I am back in the action. While I wanna say Brutal Legend for this, I'm gonna avoid saying it this time and go with...

Odin Sphere!

Odin Sphere has a very complicated story. It all starts with a prophecy and a war torn land that takes a lot of inspiration from Norse Mythology itself. Basically the prophecy foretells great disaster that will cause the world to end after certain events happen. And while it would be hard to keep up with everything, one thing very unique about Odin Sphere is that you can explore the story through the view points of different characters and see their roles in the story. So basically Odin starts a war between the Fairy Kingdom and wants the power to win the war but he gets set backed a lot, from a character disabling the very thing he needs to having the said thing out of reach. His daughter Gwendolyn does everything she can to please her father by going off to get the ring that activates this cauldron that Odin wants. Of course she goes all over the place and makes several important moral choices along the way. And that's just one part of the story.

Other stories are about a prince who gets transformed into a beast and gets involved with a conspiracy that's larger than his kingdom. A fairy princess who suddenly has to take her role as queen while facing both Odin's forces and possible civil war. A knight of darkness who seeks out his true purpose in life while avoiding his ultimate fate which is death. And a witch who is one of the last survivors of a fallen kingdom who follows the prophecy by heart. The story is rich and its very well done. I'm just abridging it because I want you, who's reading this to go out and experience this game for yourself just for this story because I don't want to spoil everything for you. Its on PSN for 10 bucks now so you don't have to hunt for the PS2 version. Its a great game I can tell you that.

Anyways, I want to get to the days I've missed for those who are curious about my answers so I'll leave them here in spoilers as to not take up room for everyone else.

Most Immersive Game!: Brutal Legend!

Brutal Legend made an awesome, yet beautiful world to explore in. The sky and weather are constantly changing and its almost never blue at all. There's a lot of landscapes in the world as you can see hear and you'll see them everywhere. But they all may seem like just stuff there to be METAL but there's a lot of history in this game as well as there's an explanation for everything in the game. From how Ironheade formed to the legacy of the fire beast and demons. You get to explore this open ended world and see how much detail they've put into this game and its fantastic. I can go on and on about this so let's move on.

Fondest Next Gen Experience!: The Gamecube and Luigi's Mansion!

Oh boy. I remember when the Gamecube was going to be the next best thing in gaming. I've read a lot about it in Nintendo Power and caught up with the news. I actually got to demo Luigi's Mansion around the time of its launch and I had fun even though I didn't know what I was doing at the time and I loved it. I remember getting my first gamecube for my birthday with this game and I never went back to being a hardcore gamer I am today. I just loved how the game felt and what it was. I never had enjoyed video games consoles much since I've been poor so owning a gamecube felt great. Good times.

Most Disappointing Game!: Disgaea 2!

Disclaimer: This isn't a bad game at all. Let me explain first.

Alright so Disgaea and Nippon Ichi has been known for making wacky games involving demon overlords and angels being otakus. While there are a few notable exceptions like Phantom Brave and the later Soul Nomad, they're generally funny and keep the silliness up to a certain point. So I've played up Makai Kingdom which is probably my favorite Nippon Ichi game which went all out wacky, more so than Disgaea and then when I saw they made a sequel to Disgaea I was hyped to play it, hoping to see more wacky adventures of Laharl and friends. When I got home the night I bought it I was disappointed it didn't continue Disgaea 1's story and had some other people fighting an Overlord instead. While the Disgaea charm was there, it felt overshadowed by all the seriousness of the story. Adell won't shut up about doing the right thing and his family and Rozalin lacking common sense and bragging about her dad all the time. It felt more like a straight up anime than a Disgaea game and I wonder if that made Axel the most popular of that game since he was the silliest.

But anyways, Laharl and Flonne do get glorified cameos while Etna is in the plot somewhere which is fine I guess. The game is definitely solid to the point I think its my favorite gameplay wise of all of them and I've played the hell out of it for sure. I got up to Zetta which means something. I was just disappointed by the overall tone compared to the other games. Disgaea D2 did filled that hole in my heart for a direct sequel I suppose and I guess I learned to love and tolerate this game a bit more over the years. So yeah there's some more of my answers.

UNTIL NEXT TIEM SSMB!

[T-Min]

Day 14 - Favorite Story

 

Um

 

Uh

 

PERSONA 4

 

Mmmyeah. To be honest, I have a lot of favorite stories in games - more than this post can probably contain. I don't know if this would necessarily constitute as my number one, but it's at least way up there. Persona 4 is a supernatural-ish murder mystery in which people are getting thrown into this TV world to have all their most Freudian insecurities put on display. And once that's done, they get killed. Yeah. So you as the main character must team up with your friends to rescue the people getting thrown in while also uncovering details as to who the killer may be. There are twists, there are turns, and as it's all woven in so well with the general immersion of the experience, it ends up very engrossing.

 

But, as I said before, one of the biggest strengths here is the writing. All of the characters you meet and their struggles are completely unique and completely realistic, and all fit into the theme of coming to terms with uncomfortable truths. Much as the world around you feels totally immersive and real, so do the characters you spend the whole game hanging out with. The dialogue and the voice acting are so...spot-on and expert that it's almost ridiculous. The murder mystery plot is super well-constructed even engrossing. Some people would complain that the story drags on a bit too much at times, but for me personally, I...couldn't disagree more. On the contrary, I thought the pacing was perfect - it's slow, but that's how it's meant to be. You're living an actual life in this game, and life isn't always packed with big moments and revelations. There are a lot of scenes that have the characters just sort of casually talking or participating in some fun event that's superfluous to the main plot, and I love that. This game lets you savor every moment that there are...things...happening. I don't know if I've really explained this eloquently, but in any case, I loved it. I loved every moment I was with these characters, just watching them hang out and talk, quite possibly as much as I loved putting together the next piece of the big plot puzzle. Everything about this game is just glorious, and the story quite possibly most of all.

 

While on the topic of the Persona series, I think Persona 3 deserves more than a passing mention, but I'm not sure if I would quite put it in the top tier like P4. Its story definitely explores some great themes as well, the atmosphere is phenomenal, and there are some absolutely brilliant moments to revel in, but unlike P4, I do feel like the pacing is a bit shaky at the beginning. And while the characters of P3 are certainly awesome, I can't say they stand up to P4's...utterly inexplicable cast. I liked P3's characters from the beginning, but it took some time for me to grow to love them. In P4, I loved pretty much everyone from the get-go, and I think that's something special. Either way, both games are delightful, but P4 gets the edge in my book.

 

Anyway, guess I'll say a piece for a few "more than honorable" mentions here.

 

METROID PRIME

 

Honestly, I could have put this game down for "most immersive", now that I think of it. Either way, I love the very...subtle way the game explains its world to you. You're abandoned on this alien landscape, all alone with not a creature on its side, but in the remnants of civilization you do find (and within the confines of your enemies' bases), you find the lore of an era past. The story of Metroid Prime is like its own puzzle to solve - the more lore you find and the more you read, the more the picture becomes clear. If you just play straight through the game, you'll probably have no idea what's going on, let alone why you should care. But as you read the lore the Chozo have left lying around, you really start to feel a connection to the dying landscape, almost a...sadness for it. The sense of loneliness you get from the game is haunting on its own, but knowing why you are alone here and what was going on before cataclysm struck is almost powerful. The Pirate Logs are really fascinating, too, and add yet another extra spark of world-building that makes the story all the more captivating. It's just an awesome, awesome thing.

 

Metroid Prime is really one of the best games ever made.

 

OTHER NOTEWORTHY STORYLINES

 

The Last of Us - Yeah, Discoid just about summed it up for me. It's incredible.

 

Final Fantasy VII - I would have a whole paragraph or two to write about this one, but I can't say I can explain what makes it so lovely to me. When I was a kid, this game left a hard impact on me, pretty much dictating my tastes in storylines forever, so I guess that has something to do with it. I love the surreal mind screw-iness to it, and how everything seems to change so much about halfway through the game. It's a bit hard to understand and the translation's muddy, but...man...I don't know. I love it. I haven't found many storylines that have given me the same feeling FF7 did as a kid.

 

Tales of the Abyss - Not sure what to say about this one, really. It was very original, definitely, and had an excellent scope. Plus, the characters and I don't know, it was great.

 

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - Lots of people have pretty much summed this one up, so eh...

 

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - Pretty much summed up why I loved it in my post for day 2. So yeah. There.

[KHCast]

Wow, after reading some of these, I definitely gotta try out these games! (Persona, Mother, Spec Ops, and TLoU to name a few) But anyway, time for my choice. No it's not a Kingdom Hearts or Sonic title. My game is Halo 4.

Now I've loved the Halo mythos for quite some time. The characters, the atmosphere, the actual story, its all amazing to me. So when I played Halo 4 I was a little worried about how it would turn out due to it being handed to 343 industries. And I was surprisingly surprised! Everything I liked about the stories was there, and cranked up to 11! We had the characters like John an Cortana, who had been givin much more life and character which helped build upon there bond that they had. We also had new characters join that we're welcome additions that expanded the story and made it feel more grand.

The atmosphere remained Halo like, with ancient ruins, desserts and jungle areas with lots of vegetation. The addition of the Promethean's didn't feel all that radically different or unnatural either. We had known about the forerunners for quite some time, so finally having them show up in force was very nice.

And then the actual story. The story focuses mainly around the bond Cortana and the Chief have had over the series, and tests both of them to extremes. Cortana having her rampancy an being on the verge of death, and Chief desperately trying to save one of the only people that he can call a true friend. It's a emotional ride for a lot of the time, and both of these characters are much more fleshed out and human compared to previous entries. This is a vey good thing that actually in a way, serves as a plot element at times for the duo. In the end, I ended up caring much more for John and Cortana, and actually cried a bit. Well done 343. Well done.

Honorable mentions:

Brother

Bioshock Infinite

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

Final Fantasy VII

[Blue Swallow]

Day 14 - Favorite Story

TEKKEN 2

I love TEKKEN 2's story. Nina sent to assassinate Kazuya & Anna assigned as his bodyguard which strengthens there rivalry. Ganryu hoping to get a date with Michelle, who's entering the tournament to rescue her mother, who Kazuya kidnapped, to lure Michelle in to entering the tournament to steal her pendant. Kazuya's struggle with the devil and angel within. Jun entering to arrest Kazuya for animal trafficking, and to vanquish the evil inside him. There's so many others, it's just a Fantastic story, the best story any fighting games ever had (in my opinion of course).

[jords]

Day 14:

 

The last of us

 

They really done a good job on telling a story. The game play was okay, not the greatest. But the story kept me going, like it was a movie When Joel and Ellie didn't really like each other when they first met, but they were forced to travel together and then things kept happening that kept them to stay together. The part were it Joel gets really fucked by getting a pole through his stomach and Ellie had to work her but off to keep him alive. Which is still a mystery since I still didn't get the DLC. The winter part is were I thought Joel, really thought she was her daughter. Saving her from the maniac that was gonna cut her up but managed to kill him. And Joel comes in the scene were Ellie was slicing him up like crazy and after hugged him to cry. Then Joel started calling her baby girl, which made me think he is really attached to this girl. The bond they grew just felt real and the plots made sense too, there was not one point were I was confuse on whats going. But damn there were parts were it was so damn hard. 

 

I hope a sequel is on the way.

[Jimbo]

Day 14: Favorite Story

 

I was never really too interested in stories when playing games growing up, so there aren't very many choices here. I'm probably going to have to pick Tales of Vesperia, mainly because it's one of the only stories I actually paid attention to.

 

This was the first (and only) Tales game I've played so far, but I can say that I was impressed enough to want to play the other games in the series. The game is too fresh in my head to get into non-spoiler details, but I can say that the game is split into three parts. The story is is introduced in the first part, and really fleshed out in the second part. The climax occurs at the end of the second part, and the third part serves more as an epilogue.

 

I can say that I did not expect the story to go where it did. Part 1 starts out with the main character, Yuri Lowell, searching for a thief that stole the aqua blastia core from the lower quarter of the capital, Zaphias.  (For anyone who is unfamiliar with the game, this core provides the people with clean drinking water. It's pretty much essential for them to live). From this starts a long journey that I don't want to spoil for anyone who plans to play the game (or a certain somebody who GOT BURNED OUT WHILE PLAYING IT).

 

If you have an Xbox 360 and haven't tried this game, I suggest looking into it. It's available for fairly cheap and definitely worth it.

[Sean]

It's impossible for me to discuss Ghost Trick's story without spoiling anything that happens after the first chapter, so instead I'm going to talk about my reaction to it.

This game consumed my every waking thought for the entire week I spent playing this game. Having to pace myself so that I didn't finish it in a single weekend was torturous. Whenever I took a break from playing, it was out of sheer reluctance and I went to bed every night wondering what the fuck was going to happen next. And when I finally did beat it, I spent the entire following week thinking about it, fondly recalling my favorite moments, the plot twists that got to me the most, and how I missed the characters like crazy and was almost desperate to find out what happens after the game is over while still appreciating it as a standalone story that I feel does not necessitate a continuation.

You can probably figure out from my investment that Ghost Trick has some of the best writing I have ever seen in a game of its kind. The plot keeps you guessing, the characters are great and give you more than enough reason to care about all of the major and even some of the minor ones, the comedic timing is lifted straight from Ace Attorney, and the emotional punches resonated with me far more than I ever anticipated. I wish it were possible to wipe my memory and re-experience this game exactly as how I did the very first time.

[Gregzilla]

Day 14 - Favorite Story

 

It's Portal 2, but I talked about it extensively in the last 30 day topic and I wanna keep things interesting.

 

And what better way to encourage variety than to talk about a game I mentioned twice already? WOO

 

 

 

Silent Hill 2

 

James Sunderland is fucked up.  Everyone he comes across is fucked up, everything finds  is fucked up, and the town of Silent Hill is incredibly fucked up because of how fucked up James perceives it to be.

 

If that eloquent description doesn't sell it for ya, I'll elaborate.  The first Silent Hill is a great experience, and it deals with hellish occurrences as a result of occult activity.  That's a setup that I can always get behind if done well, and pretty much anything in that vein is right up my alley.  But while SH1 is fantastic, SH2 is a huge step forward in pretty much every aspect.  While the first dealt with nightmarish monstrosities as a result of some horrid rituals of the town's past, SH2 is a much more psychological piece of horror entertainment.  In many ways the horrific atmosphere is very similar to the first, but it is thematically much stronger, delving into the town, and pretty much reality itself, being a manifestation of the protagonist's failings and personal torment.

 

One of the most interesting things about this game to me is the voice acting.  On the surface it isn't great - in fact, I'd guess most people would categorize it as fairly bad - but in my opinion, this actually adds to the game.  The characters never seem to talk like real people do, and while in other games this would be a negative, I think the sorta awkward acting makes everything seem further removed from reality, and it makes the conversations between characters uncomfortable.  I find this fascinating, and feel that it keeps the player from getting relaxed when they see a friendly face, because they never seem totally on your level and you aren't quite sure what to make of it.  I find that horror is often weakened when the protagonist is accompanied by a friend, but not here, because every person you meet ranges from questionably motivated to just plain nuts.  And James, the main character, rarely has a lot of emotion in his voice, even when he's incredibly distressed.  This just accentuates the idea that there's something wrong with him, and pretty much everyone.

 

All of this is of course backed up by excellent plot with plenty of interesting twists and turns.  Every side character is very interesting, and the protagonist, James, is probably one of the most intriguing main characters ever.  This is because pretty much everything in Silent Hill is a reflection of himself, and the result is some absolutely stellar symbolism that is both interesting to ponder as well as potent on the surface level, getting strong emotional responses as soon as it shows up on screen.  Pyramid Head, the long stairway, the nurses, etc. all add to our understanding of the main character's psyche, as vague and frightening as it may be.  And the side characters get some great symbolic imagery as well, with some particularly disturbing images relating to a woman with severe parental issues.

 

Silent Hill 2 is incredibly disturbing, but it's also beautiful in its maturity.  Never does it push the violence or sexual themes too far or state things too obviously, nor does it have its head up its ass with messages.  It's simply a fantastically deep study of characters and the worlds they create for themselves.  Check it out for yourself.  The town calls to you.

[Goldenlink64]

Day 14: Favorite Story

 

I know a lot of gamers out there don't have much patience. Least that's
what Bishop, the dude at the video store said.

 

So I'm at the register, then I realize... I got no money. I was seriously broke. Why? Cuz I met
        this smokin' hot chick last night at the Death-Match bar. Man, she
        smelled good! So being the gentleman I am, I bought her a drink.

 

        Anyhoo, I decide to get a job. The gig: assassinate the Drifter. So I

        went where I was supposed to and waited for the guy to show up. And
        there he was. This cat. Well dressed, cool. Couldn't tell if he was
        "the shit"...or just plain ol' shit.

 

Yeah, so he's stylin', fast,
        aggressive and packin' heat. Bada Bing! Or at least it was supposed to
        be... Til she showed up. Her name: Sylvia Christel. An agent with this
        whatchamacallit Association.

 

"Congratulations. You are certified as the 11th-best hit man. How about

        getting rid of the ten killers above you and aim for the top?"

 

I wanna be number one. How's that? Short and simple enough for you?

        It's gonna be a long, hard road. But who knows? Could kick ass... Could
        be dangerous. Could totally suck. Whaddaya say, bro? Join me. Let's see
        how far we can take this. And for you there holding the Wii Remote
        right now... Just press the A Button. Let the bloodshed begin!

 

No More Heroes

 

No More Heroes is a personal favorite game of mine this gem. While the gameplay is solid and fun, what REALLY sold me was the strong writing, fantastic voice acting and its unique presentation Suda 51 was known for. While the whole "Beat/Kill 10 guys above me in Rank" might not be the most unique story, it's just how its handled though. Ya see, unlike most bosses these days that just come and go, this game builds these Assassin's up to something more than just a "boss".

 

This game makes you fall in love with each and every Assassin you fight. The amount of development and character you get from these people from the limited amount of screen time they have is insane and really makes them all feel like realistic characters with actual families/motives/personalities. Hell, even if you weren't really crazy about the character, the game still has you feel bad once it's time to kill these real living people by the time the fight is over.

 

In a way, it reminds me of the same feeling you get from Shadow of the Colossus after you take a Colossus down. You didn't want to do this. No, you didn't want to end another precious life you just grew attached to, but if you're going to go through with your goal, you have to pull through and finish what you started. And there's no backing out either.

 

No More Heroes to me honestly feels like a modern day Metal Gear Solid with how it handles its characters and boss fights. Like MGS, the bosses are the star of the show here (both gameplay and story-wise) and it's just SO well written too and keeps a perfect balance between a serious narrative and not taking itself too seriously at times.

 

Hell, this is really one of the funniest games I've ever played that still manages to take itself seriously. I won't say what, but the twist that happens towards the end is absolutely crazy and totally warrants a playthrough of this gem. Definitely try NMH if possible, it's a fantastic game. <3

 

Runner Up:

 

 

I said it before and I'll say it again. Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles is my favorite movie I ever played through and this trailer was all I needed to fall in love with it. I don't care about all the hate the Resident Evil stories get, I'll always love Resident Evil 2's story to death, and as a complete cinematic rail shooter, I feel it does it justice (people complain about a remake but honestly I feel RE2 is already perfect as it is so this route was perfect for me).

 

The funny part though, my favorite part of this game was actually Code Veronica's story. I never played Code Veronica prior and yet it was so atmospheric. The soundtrack is one of my favorites in gaming (all remixed and orchestrated by the same guy who worked on Death Note!), and holy crap, they actually made this "Steve" guy I keep hearing bad things about, a very likable character (unlike in the actual Code Veronica where he's incredibly annoying).

 

There were so many things this game did right, it's a shame it was as overlooked as much it was. I figure everybody was too scared off of Umbrella Chronicles to give this rail shooter (one that actually had a huge amount of effort and budget put into it) a chance. It's a shame, but I'll always keep enjoying this game regardless.

 

Also Ghost Trick is absolutely amazing story-wise. I really need to acquire a copy of that game so I can finally finish it one of these days. I can't say much because the first chapter alone, hell the first 5 minutes are such a subversion to what I was expecting that anything I'll say could potentially spoil that... so yeah. Ghost Trick is fantastic. Play that too if you haven't yet.

 

Previously on Day 13:

Next time on Day 15: