Atmospheric games with great stories

[hwdoble]

My preference is 3D games which follow the metroidvania formula... some survival horror and soulslikes fit within that. I also like Devil May Cry and God of War type hack and slash action games. Also open to platformers.

Some of the absolute cream of the crop for me includes Metroid Prime, Bioshock, Dead Space, the Batman Arkham games, Cave Story, Portal, Another World, Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee, Mirror's Edge, Mass Effect, God of War 3, Half-Life 2, Dante's Inferno, and Parasite Eve 2, to give you an idea.

Thank you.

 

[ciro64]

Gonna agree with you on Cave Story and Portal.

 

[Action_Hank]

>metroidvania
>great stories

This has got to be one of the WORST genres as far as story goes. Up there with bullet hell and fighting games. I'm sure there are some indie metroidvanias with stories that help to justify the endless backtracking, but metroid and castlevania aren't known for any twists or turns.

My pick is Ni No Kuni.

 

[Clippy]

Astlibra Revision might be up your alley. It's 2D but I can vouch for it being one hell of a good metroidvania with a good story with a bunch of twists.

 

[happymasksalesman happymasksalesman]

Bioshock

Well I like bioshock too.
I suggest you "my friend pedro"
A bit weird but had a good gameplay and story.
About souls like all ds series except 1. This one was a completley crazy!
Evil within and re4 if you haven't play them yet.

 

[ciro64]

This has got to be one of the WORST genres as far as story goes. Up there with bullet hell and fighting games. I'm sure there are some indie metroidvanias with stories that help to justify the endless backtracking, but metroid and castlevania aren't known for any twists or turns.

I'll make a case for Metroid Prime 1, a game I barely played but youtube essayers told me it's great, that it's more about the environmental story telling rather than cutscenes or character interaction. It's about about exploring a world that you feel that has a real history and ecosystem, in the eyes of Samus.

 

[Action_Hank]

I'll make a case for Metroid Prime 1, a game I barely played but youtube essayers told me it's great, that it's more about the environmental story telling rather than cutscenes or character interaction. It's about about exploring a world that you feel that has a real history and ecosystem, in the eyes of Samus.

I don't hate the idea of "atmopheric/environmental stories", I just don't think it makes a great story. A great story should put you in the shoes of the main character. You should experience things for yourself, not through diary logs or some other medium.

As far as storytelling goes, Metroid Prime was nothing but a horror movie in space. A true story makes you feel AND think. Not instinctual thoughts, which are also the domain of the simplest of organisms, but higher thoughts. A great story should foist principles, morals and virtue at the player and then destroy them utterly. "SPACE IS SCAAAWYYY XD" is not a great story.

 

[happymasksalesman happymasksalesman]

Well as they say "if it made it one,then it will make it forever"
Simple story can be good as they are simple for player to understand.
To much complicated parts and well i would put the game away and read other people lore sometimes.
Like in ds1 dark wreath in fextralife,someone is talking about curse on sun dialoge for them and some more lores.
Complicated isn't bad but they should be separated for player to get them one by one.

 

[ciro64]

I don't hate the idea of "atmopheric/environmental stories", I just don't think it makes a great story. A great story should put you in the shoes of the main character. You should experience things for yourself, not through diary logs or some other medium.

As far as storytelling goes, Metroid Prime was nothing but a horror movie in space. A true story makes you feel AND think. Not instinctual thoughts, which are also the domain of the simplest of organisms, but higher thoughts. A great story should foist principles, morals and virtue at the player and then destroy them utterly. "SPACE IS SCAAAWYYY XD" is not a great story.

What would be a game you consider a good or the best example of having both types of storytelling?

For me it's Portal 2. While Chell is your usual self-insert silent character exploring an environment, Glados, Wheatley and Cave Johnson talk and interfere with the story a lot, communicating their emotions and desires along the way.

 

[Action_Hank]

For me it's Portal 2. While Chell is your usual self-insert silent character exploring an environment, Glados, Wheatley and Cave Johnson talk and interfere with the story a lot, communicating their emotions and desires along the way.

yes! Portal is an example of great sci-fi storytelling. It gives a true sense of mystery and foists difficult questions on you!
As I said, Ni No Kuni is my example. It is a beautiful story about grief and the beauty we can close our eyes to when we are in low spirits.

That being said, you don't really judge Portal and Metroid Prime to be of similar story quality.... do you?

 

[ciro64]

That being said, you don't really judge Portal and Metroid Prime to be of similar story quality.... do you?

No, I mentioned Metroid Prime for its similarities regarding the environment, but Portal does indeed have a narrative weight that Metroid doesn't.

 

[happymasksalesman happymasksalesman]

Well now I remember,did you know in last fight of portal which you send evil robot to moon there is a mechanic which make your shot on moon,no matter where you shoot?
I think player after find that feel developers says "well done bro!but you done nothing in end!"

 

[Action_Hank]

No, I mentioned Metroid Prime for its similarities regarding the environment, but Portal does indeed have a narrative weight that Metroid doesn't.

And like I said, I don't hate atmospheric story-telling. It just needs to be paired with a real narrative to be defined as GREAT. I hate how people throw that around all day like it means "enjoyable".

 

[ciro64]

Well now I remember,did you know in last fight of portal which you send evil robot to moon

This is probably my favorite moment in all of gaming. It's an climax so absurd yet it's coherent within its own established rules. My movie counterpart to this would be Monsters University.

there is a mechanic which make your shot on moon,no matter where you shoot?

Yeah, I think the gun snaps back to the moon's center when you shoot at aim at any spot at the moon (you have to be at least aiming at it I think), but you do indeed reach Apollo 11's landing no matter where you shoot

I think player after findtaht feel developers says "well done bro!but you done nothing in end!"

Chell did made a new friend at the end! :3

And like I said, I don't hate atmospheric story-telling. It just needs to be paired with a real narrative to be defined as GREAT. I hate how people throw that around all day like it means "enjoyable".

I see your point.

 

[hwdoble]

Gonna agree with you on Cave Story and Portal.

I'm replaying Cave Story at present. I absolutely love it.

 

[EthyLongHair]

My preference is 3D games which follow the metroidvania formula... some survival horror and soulslikes fit within that. I also like Devil May Cry and God of War type hack and slash action games. Also open to platformers.

Some of the absolute cream of the crop for me includes Metroid Prime, Bioshock, Dead Space, the Batman Arkham games, Cave Story, Portal, Another World, Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee, Mirror's Edge, Mass Effect, God of War 3, Half-Life 2, Dante's Inferno, and Parasite Eve 2, to give you an idea.

Thank you.

idk if you'll like Cyberpunk or not, but im really into the way they made a futuristic scenery. i just cant explain why but it just clicks with me so much. story wise yeah its prettty sick but im not as informed as others so you'll have to ask someone else for the story lol.

 

[hwdoble]

idk if you'll like Cyberpunk or not, but im really into the way they made a futuristic scenery. i just cant explain why but it just clicks with me so much. story wise yeah its prettty sick but im not as informed as others so you'll have to ask someone else for the story lol.

I really liked Deus Ex: Human Revolution and enjoy cyberpunk in general, I should play it. I don't know if Watch Dogs is similar but that is one I was considering.

Post automatically merged: May 4, 2025

I don't hate the idea of "atmopheric/environmental stories", I just don't think it makes a great story. A great story should put you in the shoes of the main character. You should experience things for yourself, not through diary logs or some other medium.

As far as storytelling goes, Metroid Prime was nothing but a horror movie in space. A true story makes you feel AND think. Not instinctual thoughts, which are also the domain of the simplest of organisms, but higher thoughts. A great story should foist principles, morals and virtue at the player and then destroy them utterly. "SPACE IS SCAAAWYYY XD" is not a great story.

I'll give it to you that Metroid Prime has a shallow plot in some ways, but it definitely hits those atmospheric notes in a way few other games do for me. I'd say the same thing with Dead Space.

You are selling it a little bit short. But genre writing and video games have always existed in a sort of storytelling ghetto so I can't blame you for thinking that way.

 

[EthyLongHair]

I really liked Deus Ex: Human Revolution and enjoy cyberpunk in general, I should play it. I don't know if Watch Dogs is similar but that is one I was considering.

i have heard good things about Watchdogs honestly. never checked it out myself but im guessing its good