The Best Videogame Stories Ever

gamesradar.com posted the best 15 videogame stories according to them. (note: this was posted before MGS4 came out)

Do you agree or disagree with this list?

I personally agree with them on MGS1 story. But I will also add to that list MGS4.

I'm glad to see Planescape Torment, Fallout2, and The Longest Journey on that list.

But ASTRO BOY?? Good lord.

How can they NOT put the Halo games on their? I dont agree with this list.linklb4130

halo had a story?

How can they NOT put the Halo games on their? I dont agree with this list.linklb4130

-Comedian...

I may be a bit biased -but having just finshed Sons of Liberty, gotta rank that slightly over the original MGS. A little grander in scope, which worked for me, at least.

Silent Hill 2? Good.

But... San Andreas? It's an okay story, but not one of the best ever... >_>;

no oblivion?

wtf???

Grim Fandango, The Longest Journey, Beyond Good and Evil, FF6, Planescape: Torment...GABRIEL KNIGHT!!!!!
That's a surprisingly epic list - everyone always forgets to incluse Gabriel Knight, for some reason.

I'd disagree with Portal or Fallout 2, however - they had superb writing, but there wasn't much of a story in either.

no oblivion?

wtf???

snoopeymaster

I sincerely hope that you are being sarcastic there - Oblivion barely had a storyline, and what little it had wasn't very good.

The Metal Gear Solid franchise, of course.

The original MGS on PS1 and MGS3 were the only flawless ones of the series. MGS2 had a lot of great things, but unfortunely, Plot Twists #4509 and #4510 brought it down a lot.

And while I haven't played through all of MGS4 yet, I've already read the story for it, in specific detail, numerous times, and to be honest, as an individual game / story, it sounds like the least pleasing of the bunch. A disappointment, even.

The Metal Gear Solid franchise, of course.

The original MGS on PS1 and MGS3 were the only flawless ones of the series. MGS2 had a lot of great things, but unfortunely, Plot Twists #4509 and #4510 brought it down a lot.

And while I haven't played through all of MGS4 yet, I've already read the story for it, in specific detail, numerous times, and to be honest, as an individual game / story, it sounds like the least pleasing of the bunch. A disappointment, even.

KevinLockard

why would you read what happens in a game your playing

The Longest Journey, Knights of the Old Republic - cream of the crop as far as game storytelling is concerned. Very happy to see Portal in there, fantastic story that deserves every ounce of recognition.

San Andreas has a good story, but I wouldn't put it next to the games I just listed. Vice City, on the other hand, yes.

BioShock, God of War...not really. Barely good, I would say.

I think Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars deserved to be on there.

Does The Legacy of Kain get no love because is spans so many games?

If I had to pick one, it would be Soul Reaver 2. You don't get the true impact of the story if you just stop where Soul Reaver ends.

The Metal Gear Solid franchise, of course.

The original MGS on PS1 and MGS3 were the only flawless ones of the series. MGS2 had a lot of great things, but unfortunely, Plot Twists #4509 and #4510 brought it down a lot.

And while I haven't played through all of MGS4 yet, I've already read the story for it, in specific detail, numerous times, and to be honest, as an individual game / story, it sounds like the least pleasing of the bunch. A disappointment, even.

KevinLockard

You READ the story?! Wow! That's fun. I've played all the MGS games and MGS4 had the best storyline because it wrapped up everything so good. Every last detail was mentioned. The storyline in MGS4 was made purely for the fans. That's why MGS4 has the best storyline ever!

[QUOTE="KevinLockard"]

The Metal Gear Solid franchise, of course.

The original MGS on PS1 and MGS3 were the only flawless ones of the series. MGS2 had a lot of great things, but unfortunely, Plot Twists #4509 and #4510 brought it down a lot.

And while I haven't played through all of MGS4 yet, I've already read the story for it, in specific detail, numerous times, and to be honest, as an individual game / story, it sounds like the least pleasing of the bunch. A disappointment, even.

Hypochondria9

why would you read what happens in a game your playing

Because the story is why I love MGS. Same goes for most MGS fans.

Metal Gear Solid, good. Grim Fandango, good. The Longest Journey, good. Grand Theft Auto San Andreas... EPIC FAIL! What a complete joke this list is. Not only does San Andreas have the worst story of the GTA series, it isn't even bearable.

To continue... Beyond Good & Evil, good. Astro Boy, um... huh? Portal, good. Gabriel Knight, um... huh? BioShock... oh dear lord. *waits for appearance of System Shock 2* Planescape: Torment, good. Fallout 2, good. God of War, um... hell no. SW:KotOR, um... good but not "the best." Final Fantasy VI, good. Silent Hill 2, good. *fails to see System Shock 2* *dies a little inside*

Their intentions were good but with the inclusion of San Andreas and BioShock (without the inclusion of System Shock 2, the game in which BioShock's story mimics almost exactly), this list is made of so much failure it doesn't even deserve recognition that it included games like Fallout 2, Planescape and Grim Fandango.

What I don't understand is why so many sites like this think it is actually possible to quantifiy a numbered list of games (whether as a whole package or pieces of the whole) based on their inherent "quality." Hall of fame's work nicely since there is no absolute "best." Every game on the list is fantastic at what it does.

There are so many games missing, no 15 item list could account for them all.foxhound_fox

Honestly, SS2's story wasn't the best ever. It was the presentation that was great.

I haven't played some of them, but Fallout 2, FF 6, Silent hill 2 and The Longest Journey have rightful place in this list. However, I don't think we should include Bioshock and San Andreas, there are plenty of flaws in storyline of both game. For example, Bioshock has a dumb ending ect...

As for Kotor, it's the first time I see an article appreciate its story. Yes, it's really good indeed. I myself feel its plot somehow can rival the new movie trilogy itself.

Metal Gear Solid: yes, best story ever

Grim Fandango, The Longest Journey : no, Broken Sword series, Indigo Prophecy, had much better stories. Grim Fandango was great, but The Longest Journey for me was mediocre

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: no, GTA Vice City and Mafia had much better stories

Beyond Good and Evil: maybe

Portal !? There was barely a story ! (even though the game was great)

Gabriel Knight 1 : maybe, but Broken Sword, Indigo Prophecy and The Beast Within had better stories IMO

BioShock: no, the story was good for a FPS, but nothing special and most people that have played System Shock 2 will say that SS2 was better , Riddick has the best story in a FPS IMO

Planescape Torment: yes, a very epic story

Fallout 2 !? Fallout was a good creative RPG, but very weak in story, Mass Effect, The Witcher, Jade Empire, Fable, Vampire - Bloodlines had much much better stories

God of War!? No way, Prince of Persia, Legacy of Kain series had much much better stories

KOTOR - yes definitely, one of the best twists in gaming history (only MGS3 beats it)

FF 6 - no way, FF7 had a better story, and most WRPGs have much much better stories than it (Mass Effect, The Witcher, Jade Empire, Fable, Vampire - Bloodlines etc.)

I can't beleive MGS 3 wasn't in there

No Baldur's Gate 2? Epic Fail.

Well,If I don´t count RPGs and Adventures (which are,or at least should be about the Storyline),MGS1 (definetly not the others),Second Sight and Oddworld: Stranger´s Wrath (even if IMO the end isn´t that well executed) definetly take my Vote.

How can they NOT put the Halo games on their? I dont agree with this list.linklb4130

Considering how well hidden most of the story is I don't know if it should be on a list like that. Marathon, on the other hand...

Edit: The list seems ok, I guess if they included Fallout 2 they could have included Halo seeing how the way the story is conveyed is at least comparable. I don't really get all the love for Portal's story, it's already been done many times just as well (IMHO), as compelling as it is. I loved to see Gabriel Knight and SH2 on the list. Most of the others are quite obvious choices, except Astro Boy.

How come there's still not a single one of these lists featuring Empire Earth, the Russian campaign was fantastic IMO :(

Thats a good list, I didn't think GTA or GOW should have been on there though