Games with great plot and story lines.

Retr0gamer

Male Shepard is just utterly bland to me. The actor does a good job but the problem is kind of the crappy dialogue. Jennifer Hale who does the female shepard on the other hand is a totally different level of voice actor and just makes the role hers. She is very believable as a gruff military type who has been in the military for a number of years and seen it all already and there's just a whole lot more nuance to how she delivers those lines. The male shepard is just generic hollywood lead 101.

SeantheMan

SeantheMan wrote: »

I could never bring myself to play as female Shepard. I've played through the trilogy 3 times (once on each console + PC ) ...always Male.
I guess I want him to be 'me' basically..and I ain't no woman :P
But I have heard from numerous sources that the woman voice actor was a lot better.

That's the exact same as me.. when I play games that involve any form of character customization, I usually build it to look as much like me as possible. So with those games, I largely play as male.

Penn

Deleted User wrote: »

That's the exact same as me.. when I play games that involve any form of character customization, I usually build it to look as much like me as possible. So with those games, I largely play as male.

I'm the opposite nowadays and will select a female character if given the choice, mainly because every character customisation of a male I do always looks the exact same, or just somewhat generic. Plus to see what differences there might be in terms of story, dialogue etc as a result of picking female (where the majority would probably pick male).

Is there ever a noticeable difference with regards to male and female characters in games with regards to story? Which ones had?

Penn

Deleted User wrote: »

Is there ever a noticeable difference with regards to male and female characters in games with regards to story? Which ones had?

Probably not, most keep the dialogue fairly generic to suit both. But every now and again there may just be a line where you think "Wonder if that line would be the same if I was playing as the other gender..."

Generic Dreadhead

People should stop recommending Bioshock Infinite to people full stop, it was a poor game.

Linear gameplay, unimaginative enemies, no exploration, useless Vigors/Powers (complete the game using 2 or 3 stalwarts), terrible Gun levelling system, overly convoluted story.

The only redeeming factors are the visuals, the world they created and the NPC you're guiding around (who is one of the best in any game full stop)

Those are not good enough for it to be help up against Bioshock 1 in anyway shape or form.

Would have made a better Telltale game, there I said it.

The gameplay was really not on point at all at all. It's all rose tinted glasses and echoing bias reviews.
The fact that was considered a a game of the year is laughable frankly.

Links234

I seriously enjoyed Bioshock Infinite, thought it was a fantastic game.

Retr0gamer

You get different romance options... I think. I think that's where the main problem with role playing a female came in. I wasn't role playing, more so getting protective of her and was like 'get your filthy hands off her you generic space marine!'. It's probably why I barely explored any of the romance options in the game.

Generic Dreadhead

Links234 wrote: »

I seriously enjoyed Bioshock Infinite, thought it was a fantastic game.

Ya see, you think that, but maybe if you wait 2 years and go back and replay it you'll see what i'm on about. :P

Whereas I came to Bioshock 1 about 5 or 6 years after release and was absolutely floored. Infinite will not hold up like that, mark my words.

I was seriously let down.
The Gun/Vigor balance was just all over the shop. Having 2 sets of pretty much the same guns was dumb.
The linear/open world balance 1 and 2 got so right was out the window, turning the game into a rail-shooter.
The story was trying WAYYYYY to hard, let's be honest. It was a good story but was just a bit too silly, a bit too M.Night.Shamalany

The world, characters, setting, landscape.... all Wonderful.

But I consider that stuff on par with a Walking Simulator (see Telltale) type game

Retr0gamer

Thought Bioshock Infinite was kind of boring and the story was rubbish as well. It's alright making a statement about videogames being generic and boring but it doesn't work if the game itself is nothing more than a generic boring shooter.

Generic Dreadhead

Came here expecting to continue my one-man war against Bioshock Infinite, what happened next shocked me :eek:

ionapaul

Gotta say I loved Bioshock Infinite and going back to what the OP is interested in, that game immediately sprang to mind.

I thought some of the earlier CODs set during WWII had decent plots; it was nice for the writers to be able to draw from a historical narrative that almost all of us already know and that can easily framed as an engaging good-vs-evil story!

Would also give another vote for Portal 2.

Cina

I never got the massive hype for Bioshock Infinite. I mean its core gameplay was flawed to the extent that Elizabeth wasn't actually supposed to be invincible against enemies but they had to make her so cause her AI was so rubbish. The story also wasn't that good either.

I think The Last of Us is probably as close as a game has gotten to great movies both in terms of plot, acting, setting and characters. It didn't feel like it was just a game, it felt like a lot more than that.

In terms of making me laugh, Portal always wins, and Portal 2 has its moments, too.

Just to make it clear I was talking about Bioshock 1 (Post war theme / Sanders Cohen )
and I agree infinite was a let-down

FortuneChip

The Uncharted games are very by-the-numbers in terms of plot, but their execution sets them apart from other games.
There's so many memorable characters, lots of great dialogue moments that seem very organic. Just flat out enjoyable.

TLOU is fantastic.
SnakeEater is easily the best MGS in terms of story.

Potatoeman

Cormac... wrote: »

Ya see, you think that, but maybe if you wait 2 years and go back and replay it you'll see what i'm on about. :P

Whereas I came to Bioshock 1 about 5 or 6 years after release and was absolutely floored. Infinite will not hold up like that, mark my words.

I was seriously let down.
The Gun/Vigor balance was just all over the shop. Having 2 sets of pretty much the same guns was dumb.
The linear/open world balance 1 and 2 got so right was out the window, turning the game into a rail-shooter.
The story was trying WAYYYYY to hard, let's be honest. It was a good story but was just a bit too silly, a bit too M.Night.Shamalany

The world, characters, setting, landscape.... all Wonderful.

But I consider that stuff on par with a Walking Simulator (see Telltale) type game

I finshed it but HATED the limited two weapon system. I only used the rocket launcher and rifle as they are all purpose weapons.

Generic Dreadhead

Potatoeman wrote: »

I finshed it but HATED the limited two weapon system. I only used the rocket launcher and rifle as they are all purpose weapons.

Honestly, that was my biggest problem with the game, once I realised that it was designed that way my mood soured. I don't mind limited weapons, but I remember having to do some boss fights with total sh!t weapons as those were the only ones the trash mobs were dropping

Cormac...

Cormac... wrote: »

Honestly, that was my biggest problem with the game, once I realised that it was designed that way my mood soured. I don't mind limited weapons, but I remember having to do some boss fights with total sh!t weapons as those were the only ones the trash mobs were dropping

I hate the way it pissed away the rpg elements present in bio 1 & 2

Generic Dreadhead

M!Ck^ wrote: »

I hate the way it pissed away the rpg elements present in bio 1 & 2

It was like 3 completely different Sheep!

I liked Bioshock 2 more

*Drops Mic*
*Runs*

Retr0gamer

M!Ck^ wrote: »

I hate the way it pissed away the rpg elements present in bio 1 & 2

I hated the way Bio 1 and 2 pissed away the RPG elements of System Shock 2 :pac:

Retr0gamer

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I hated the way Bio 1 and 2 pissed away the RPG elements of System Shock 2 :pac:

True too to an extent but it didnt completly remove them. I enjoyed both. Bioshock had some great options though even if it was stripped back from ss2. I completed the game with my wrench in a certain playthrough. But infinite solidified the direction the industry was moving in. Too simplified and generic with all these elements removed.

the_syco

Loved the old Command and Conquer short videos, that tied in with the game play.

johnny_ultimate

Don't think I'll ever be able to get behind the idea of watching a collection of cutscenes unless we see a stark increase in quality, given I can't think of any game I've played where either the direction or content of the cutscenes would match up to even a fairly ho-hum film. Even in the most exceptional cases (and they're rare) I feel you'd miss a lot if you weren't playing along, however inconsequential said gameplay is to how the story actually develops. The Last of Us would hit much weaker if it wasn't for the moments of downtime and relationship building that occur while you're actually playing the game.

Two games I've enjoyed a lot recently have been Wheels of Aurelia and Three Fourths Home, which combine conversation-based narratives with light driving elements (very light in the case of TFH) - a simple combination that nicely enhances the connection between the player and the unfolding dialogue.

Aurelia is particularly interesting. It's set in 1970s Italy, and starts with two women driving along the coast of the country. Depending on what route you take, the dialogue options you choose, or the hitchhikers you opt to pick up, the story diverges in a whole range of directions - one path might lead to a drag race, while another will end with you embroiled in some sort of political coup, and a third could focus on a character's reasons for fleeing home. The script is smartly written too, with the casual, conversational tone allowing the characters to clearly develop while addressing quite a broad range of intelligent themes and subjects in the process. Helps that each playthrough only lasts about 15-20 mins.

The game came in a Humble Bundle recently, but it's only Beta and think the developers are ironing out a few kinks before full release, but highly recommended for whenever it becomes more widely available as it's a novel and clever approach to an interactive narrative.

Cormac... wrote: »

But I consider that stuff on par with a Walking Simulator (see Telltale) type game

Just to be pedantic, Telltale games wouldn't be classed with the sort of games classified as 'walking simulators' (whether pejoratively or just for lack of another description)

Generic Dreadhead

^ I should have just said "Story Games", it's not a pejorative, I couldn't think of the word, I just meant games where you are either 1) A passenger or 2) have mainly story (as opposed to action) driven control inputs....

So don't start bringing up the ole Stanely Parable again :P

I like Telltale and I've enjoyed SOME more artistic games, Dear Esther and such wouldn't do it for me though tbh

Retr0gamer

I really fail to see the difference between 'walking simulators' and your standard 'story tube' game like last if us or call of duty. Said walking simulators probably reward the player for actually exploring.

Generic Dreadhead

It was just a misuse/typo. We all knew what I was on about :P
Let's not go down the Indie/Walking/Story/Linear/WhatMakesAGameAGame/TheTermGamerIsBad rat-hole again

EDIT: I should have said "messing around interacting with some things/people and not much else simulator: WARNING may still contain great narrative and story but has you think more and platform/shoot/axe-smash less"

johnny_ultimate

As I said, I'm merely being pedantic, but IMO there is a fundamentally different design philosophy between the likes of Telltale Games and Dear Esther, Gone Home etc... The former are more like choose your own adventure stories where the player has a role in the branching narratives and the way things play out, whereas with the other category we're being told stories without much in the way of input.

Both have value of course, although I'd love developers to pretty sharpish either stop being so obsessed with "choice" or develop more sophisticated methods of integrating the concept. It needs to get beyond 'yes or no' type moral dilemmas that shout 'THIS IS A BIG DECISION' (Clementine will remember this) - after all, it's been a long time already since the likes of Bioshock and Spec Ops deconstructed and critiqued that whole design philosophy (and Life is Strange has just finished up explicitly commenting on it too). There's undoubtedly technological and practical barriers at the moment, but when games start adapting to the player's actions more organically and behind-the-scenes I think there'll be a whole new category of interactive narratives to appreciate.

That said, there'll always be an important place for the games where the writers are confident enough to just tell us a story within the medium, and not feel like they have to be able to let the player dictate events

Corvo

All of you, come here.

*clips everyone around the ear*

Not one mention of Star Wars - Knights of the Old Republic.

Frankly, ye are all worse than Hitler.

brianregan09

+1 on that it gave a new and original dynamic the whole Sith/Jedi thing and the reveal at the end was ****ing genius had that been Episode 7 or 8 the reveal would have been a massive cinema moment and that same character is still revered because of it

Knights of the Old Republic

aaronjumper

I'm quietly and most likely in vain hoping we get a single player offline Knights Of The Old Republic number three at some point in the future.
Maybe with the combat being more like Jade Empire than letting the computer and hidden dice rolls do the combat for you.
Maybe Force Unleashed in combat and KOTOR out of combat.