Any Thought Provoking Games

All I've ever heard is that Far Cry 3's story is terrible and messy. Anyone care to weigh in on this?

The key to enjoy Planescape: Torment is to play it like an adventure game - put most of your points into intelligence, wisdom and charisma and lower the difficulty to the easiest settings (it only affects the combat). You can avoid combat 9 times out of 10.

The gameplay is all about interaction with the beautiful hand-painted environment, puzzle solving (both environmental and dialogue) and just exploring the Nameless One and his companions. Basically, you need to BE the Nameless One, to role play him.

I have no idea why you thought the D&D formula was horrible, because it almost does not exist. Planescape: Torment is an adventure game built in the Infinity Engine. Also, add the mods i suggested. Playing the game in 720p is a infinitely better experience than playing in 640 x 480.

Deus Ex's Social Scenarios caught my eye.

How do they work exactly ?

details people !

Silent Hill 2. A guilty man, really made to look in the mirror.

Silent Hill 3. Chooses to understand the creepy religious zealots on some level, even when you have to kill them.

Good psych horror and curious themes. That town is a real psycho trip. ( in its better iterations of course )

The underlying message in HR is the emergence of technology, giving man the power of gods (not literally of course). You can choose how to augment your character but to be honest it has little change on the story other than the play style you use; stelth, gung-ho or a mixture of both.

Many of the choices in Deus Ex are pretty black and white really. just simplistic moral decisions.

When faced with an angry terrorist, who has a hostage do you a) just attack him b) try and reason with him c) trick him into releasing said hostage... then attack him.

Another scenario sees you inside a prison where a deadly toxin is about to be released. You are given a choice: save the doctors below or the prisoners above, taking into consideration the doctors have been involved in some less than savoury practices. As a third (cop out) option you can save both but it takes a lot longer.

Almost every conversation gives you the option of being forthright and compassionate or being aggressive and generally unpleasant. Sometimes the wrong response can lock out some mission in the game so it's more the illusion of choice but a choice non the less.

In the end you are literally given a straight decision. Do you a) expose the world to the harsh truth about human augmentations knowing full well it will lead to the world abandoning science and resulting in a second dark age for man b) Lie about everything and protect the corporations giving them free reign over the future development of the human race c) half-lie: tell the truth but keep out key aspects. Namely the secret organisation behind the recent atrocities. This gives those in power full control over who get's access to any augmentations in the future. d) blow yourself and everyone else up as you can't really decide.

What about the Social Enhancer, "CASIE" ?

Lets you "read" a person and gives you clues as to their character type (alpha, Beta or Omega) you can then use pheromones to your advantage to persuade them.

Despite playing through the game 7 times I still can't get the hang of it myself. Even now I can blow a conversation when lights seem to pop up for 2 distinct types. It is worthwhile and opens up a number of new dialogue choices but for me is a bit hit and miss.

@ withe1982

It definately sounds more interesting then what Heavy Rain or Mass Effect did. I have to play this game. :D

Video games can be remarkable for different reasons, I guess: gameplay options, graphics/design, narrative, even soundtrack.

For instance, games (I played this year) that stood out through their narrative have been The Last of Us and Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, but other ones that seem extraordinary in gameplay or design are Bioshock: Infinite or Blood Dragon.

On the other hand, neither of these games is my GOTY so I don't think that a video game has really to be "outstanding" in one of the above-mentioned aspects in order to be great.

@ VintAge68

The Last Of Us's Narrative did not stand out not even alittle bit perhaps you mean its plot

and Infintes gameplay is clearly better than its predecessors but its design structure is severely flawed, broken even.

You'll allow me to have my proper opinion about this, no?

@withe1982: Indeed, those games go above and beyond philosophical questions. Sometimes there just isn't an easy solution.

@ VintAge68

So long as you allow me to have mine. :D oppinions are funny that way.

Did anyone mention Red Dead Redemption yet?
The game and especially the ending makes you think about whether one can escape his past or not. I thought Rockstar weighed on that pretty well.
Also, there's Spec Ops The Line. The game itself is pretty mediocre stuff but it's probably the only plausible depiction of war and it's effects on people in video games.