Your favourite story told in a video game!

[Spyrone]

I'm surprised no one has kindly mentioned Bioshock

I did, actually.

 

[iamthemilkman]

That'd be tough. It's probably between Lost Odyssey, Bioshock, and Nier.

 

[squarezero]

Hands down, Silent Hill II – the original (haven't tried the remake). Probably one of the best explorations of guilt in any medium. Played around the time it came out, without knowing much about it, and let's just say that the growing realization of what was going on kinda wrecked me.

Honorable mentions to Deus Ex (the original), Beyond Good and Evil, Bio Shock 1, Chrono Trigger, and Persona 4 (mostly because I loved the characters to bits).

 

[Cardboardtubeknight Cardboardtubeknight]

I did, actually.

Oh my bad

 

[Taukyrie]

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, it's not even close and it's a crime I haven't seen anyone in this thread mention it yet.

Other than that, I'd probably say Live A Live, especially the remake.

 

[Teone]

https://retrogametalk.com/threads/a...-hidden-continuity-of-fumito-uedas-games.474/


ICO + SotC + Last Guardian

 

[zacharinolongpants]

A few really stand out to me: Disco Elysium, Final Fantasy Tactics, Xenogears, Metal Gear Solid 2, Final Fantasy 7, Lost Odyssey, and Pentiment. These all just came to me at like the same time so I'm just gonna spew these ones out haha.

 

[Bakuma1997]

The Entire Mother series could be redone as a Graphic Novel and i woulnd't mind, the third one especially, they would need to tone it down a lot though

 

[Caped_Plumber]

Katana Zero

Yes! Respect!

 

[Cu-Neo]

MGS 2, I really liked how the game trolls you by repeating events of MGS 1 and the messages that the game tell to the player are still important to this day. Another story that I really enjoyed this year is the one from Caligula Effect overdose, I was really immersed with the musician storyline and the concept of betraying your original group and helping the bad guys that in reality are no that evil as the game introduce them.

 

[ArkenDev]

A week ago I played through and finished the original NieR on the PS3.
It instantly became an instant all-time favorite due to combining a lot of my favorite story writing aspects.
A memorable main cast with charming chemistry between them, a proper setup for the main goal of the game, mixture of both serious and funny moments, a massive plot reveal that recontextualizes the whole game, and a story element that interacts with the medium of being a video game in a major way that leaves an impact on you as a player.
This is one of those special games for me where it left a permanent mark on me and I'll be thinking about it long after I've already moved on to other stuff.

(also the Father Protag is miles better than the Brother Protag, I will die on that hill with a handgun in-hand private ryan style.)

 

[Caped_Plumber]

My favorite stories in gaming are probably the Red Dead Redemption and BioShock games. RDR I & II are some of my favorite westerns out of any media form (it's up there with Big Jake, the Tarantino version of Django Unchained and A Fistful of Dollars) and Arthur Morgan is my favorite Rockstar protagonist, while the BioShock series has some of the best villains in gaming in the form of Andrew Ryan, Sander Cohen, Frank Fontaine/Atlas, Sofia Lamb and Booker DeWitt/Zachary Hale Comstock. It's a shame both of them are owned by Take-Two, who recently beat out EA and Activision for the title of shittiest gaming publisher IMO.

I played the first RDR and yes, it was amazing. Talking of Fistful of Dollars, please watch it’s sequel, For a Few Dollars More, if you haven’t already. Probably my favourite western ever.

Post automatically merged: May 18, 2025

• GTA IV
• Max Payne
• Bully
• Manhunt 2
• Black Ops II

Max Payne… not only a great story about tragedy/ vengeance but told in such a unique way through comic style stills, with such superfluous hyperbole that became so iconic. Great choice!

Post automatically merged: May 18, 2025

https://retrogametalk.com/threads/a...-hidden-continuity-of-fumito-uedas-games.474/


ICO + SotC + Last Guardian

Phenomenal choice(s) here and yes these are all spiritually linked.

Post automatically merged: May 18, 2025

A week ago I played through and finished the original NieR on the PS3.
It instantly became an instant all-time favorite due to combining a lot of my favorite story writing aspects.
A memorable main cast with charming chemistry between them, a proper setup for the main goal of the game, mixture of both serious and funny moments, a massive plot reveal that recontextualizes the whole game, and a story element that interacts with the medium of being a video game in a major way that leaves an impact on you as a player.
This is one of those special games for me where it left a permanent mark on me and I'll be thinking about it long after I've already moved on to other stuff.
View attachment 70644
(also the Father Protag is miles better than the Brother Protag, I will die on that hill with a handgun in-hand private ryan style.)

Much much respect for this choice. The original Nier with the father as protagonist is so damn effective.

Very beautiful setting and oddly beautifully bleak - that will make more sense to those who have played them.

I very much enjoyed the experience and plot of both Nier games (I played this very one on ps3) and also automata… I was careful not to let them get to me because they are quite bleak… they’ve got something very unique…

Great choice. The father protagonist from the first Nier… powerful stuff! Good stuff!

 

[shadowcat]

The first Shadow Hearts game. The way the story, atmosphere and character writing all intertwined just hit me in the right way.

 

[Burzuru]

no more heroes
travis' whole character, his development as a person, and his interactions with the other assassins are always great to watch.

 

[Caped_Plumber]

Thanks for all the replies. There are a few things here that I have no clue about and I look forward to researching them all. Thanks!

To those who mentioned tales of symphonia - defo on my to do list! One day!

Shadow hearts ps2 I presume? I played that years ago and yes,,, it had something special… I enjoyed it very much.

glad to see MGS series mentioned a few times… any of those entries from 1-5 are quite frankly top tier and respectable choices in my view…

Someone mentioned Deus Ex - I completed Human Revolution (ps3) years ago - brilliant. A well crafted world that is buzzing with energy. A proper sci fi/ cyber punk story and truly great gameplay.

Surprised there has been no mention of Mass Effect. I know the first entry had a lot of repetition by way of side missions and the buildings / layout etc… but man oh man… the foundations for the series were laid out and the world was crafted in that first entry… the citadel, the different species and their roles… the lore and history,,, the building up of the story and working towards the climactic end sequence… the characters (I absolutely loved Garrus and Wrex, and I always chose them to be in my party - such different personalities from two species that don’t necessarily get along - brilliant stuff and occasionally they would have what felt like unique dialogue with eachother - loved it) … the world they created and the story was nothing short of an epic adventure… if you took the time to read up on the codex about each species and get to understand abit about them and their stories, it was something very special. A lot of thought went into making that world. I never expected to like Mass Effect as much as I did. In terms of plot it’s top tier in my view. Get over the mechanics and enjoy it for what it is. It’s more than an action game - it really is a phenomenal space epic…. Also (minor spoiler) anyone remember landing on the moon and while exploring, being able to see planet earth?

And to the person who mentioned blood omen. You could also add Soul reaver. That was legitimately one of the best stories ever told with an intro that hooks you in immediately … and the dialogue was so well written and quite possibly the best voice acting of any game ever.

 

[_-_AceDragon_-_]

For me, FF7 tells the greatest and most epic tale through a video game.

And also ocarina of time… but that’s more like the greatest adventure. It’s not as much of a narrative as ff7 but it’s more like the greatest adventure experienced through a video game…

Those are my personal greatest stories/ adventures…

What is your favourite story told through a video game?

I think my choices would be FF7 and OOT too. They have an amazing start, middle and end.
To be honest nothing compares to those two lol.... But I'll give a few others:

Alundra (the first one. Of course.)
Soul Reaver.
Metal Gear Solid 1.
Mafia 2.

 

[DrunkGecko]

Favorite story? That definitely goes to Bloodborne
I love Cosmic horror

 

[Turbo Kid]

Off the top of my head I would say,

- Final Fantasy VI
- Valkyria Chronicles (way better than the one in VC 4)
- To the Moon
- The first Metal Gear Solid game
- Okami
- Ico
- The Darkness
- The Darkness II
- StarCraft
- The Oddworld games
- Soma
- A lot of the Mortal Kombat lore is pretty interesting, or at least it used to be years ago.
- Beyond Good and Evil, despite the cliffhanger ending
- Mass Effect 1 & 2
- Star Wars KOTOR
- Nier Automata
- Soul Reaver
- The Sexy Brutale
- Max Payne 2
-Skies of Arcadia: Legends
- Grandia
- Valiant Hearts the Great War
- Until Dawn
- The Dynasty Warriors series - When you realize these characters are based off of a classic Chinese novel that is based off of actual Chinese history you'll get very invested in the characters and stories. I could say the same about the Samurai Warriors series actually.
- Dust an Elysian Tail
- The Sly Cooper series
- 13 Sentinels
- Vagrant Story
- Jade Empire
- The entire Mega Man franchise -The continuity between each series of games is interesting as we move through different eras of time.
- The combined lore of the Messenger and Sea of Stars is pretty amazing
- The Ninja Gaiden series on the NES
- Super Daryl Deluxe - A lot of it is just silliness and comedy, but it works. You're not meant to take it too seriously.
- Shadow Tactics Blades of the Shogun

Those are all stories and characters that have stuck with me

 

[TinRattler]

The Warriors bloody love the story of trying to bop home

 

[ThunderBoy]

Snatcher

 

[Bakuma1997]

Undertale Yellow fixes most problems regarding Undertale's Morality and forgiveness themes

 

[Caped_Plumber]

Nice to see mention of alundra on ps1… I got quite far but never finished it as a kid (it was difficult) but I will do. Love the soundtrack and the story was great - your illusive and powerful arch nemesis ala Sauron/ ganon etc gaining power and biding their time while the little guy sets out to save the world. It’s like a distant, darker, more mature cousin of a link to the past. Lovely pixel art.

The Darkness. Yes That was pretty darn impressive for its day. How immersive and atmospheric it was being in the subway etc and speaking to people. It looked and felt a mini open world segment and the bustle of people / the guy playing the harmonica etc .. they were onto something there I wish more games replicated that feel of small open segments that mimic life but don’t waste time being overly expansive.. just enough freedom to enjoy the atmosphere and crack on with the actual game…

Thanks for all the feedback guys!

Sly cooper may not be the best story ever but thanks for the reminder that’s something I’ve wanted to play for a while. (I’m a big into banjo kazooie/ Mario 64 etc etc the great 3D platformers). Sly cooper is more linear but it’s got that clever cartoony charm, vibrant characters and good platforming.

Snatcher. What an intro. I mean, it’s pretty much the definition of ambitious cinematography for the megadrive / genesis. I gotta do that one day. I hope to be able to get the Konami justifier so I can use it for the shooting segments.

Post automatically merged: Tuesday at 12:29 AM

Thanks guys!!