Why is it that for at least RPGs, the stories are...

no longer completely immersive and emotionally gripping? The only game in years to have sucked me in and left me with any type of feeling aside from indifference has been MGS4. Have we reached an age where video games are only about graphics and extras?

People will try pointing towards Lost Oddessy, which had a decent story, but in all the emotional gripping segments...were optional reads.

Other people (idiots in my opinion, at least in the realm of story crafting) will point towards Mass Effect, which...while being a slightly above mediocre game had the most cliched science fiction story around with barely any depth to it, most probably because of the very featured hailed by all its fan's it's "choices". And i understand that all stories are in large part borrowed and rehashed, but its the mixing of those new ideas to bring about something fresh that truly matters.

Well to shorten this geeky little rant, do others feel as me that perhaps the golden age where games could have been considered works of art in terms of story telling, as well as visual art, is perhaps gone?

or does anyone know of any future games in which a revival could surge forth from?

I saw that most western devellopers tend to focust more on gameplay and graphics than Japanese one. So I'll wait for some heavy weight JRPG to come out before screaming the end ... But it certainly feels empty right now.

I have hope in

- Valkyria Chronicle
- White knight story
- Disgaea III
- FFXIII and FFVXIII

Hopefully I won't be disapointed

You bash Mass Effect.. Its an amazing game.Matt-4542

i didn't bash it. it was a good game, but it wasn't as amazing as everyone tried to make it out to be....

Your topic is more a hit on XBOX360 games than complaining about stories in games.Star650

Wanna name some Sony games OP? Those are the games that seem to TRY to dwell into the heart a little more than Lost Odyssey/Mass Effect.Symphonycometh

and to the two above quotes, as much as i love BOTH the 360 and PS3 (i have them both, and like them both...i'm not some sony fan boy...at all) the 360 has had more games this generation that fit the bill on what my message was trying to convey. thats the sad part, for the ps3, i can't really even begin to think of any games aside from the aforementioned MGS4 that match to what i was saying. and thats really sad, last generation i would have agreed with you symphony, that the ps2 went for the heart while microsoft went for the fun party factor. But now...ps3 while having a few stellar games, does not have the influx of games the 360 has which hopefully will change soon seeing as how the release of MGS4 is sort of the first of their hard-hitters being released.

eh i went off, point is, this generation seriously flags behind in games attempting to "dwell in our hearts". For both consoles.

and again, the only reason i mentioned more 360 games is because right now thats the console where more games have been released that tried capturing our emotions.

haha but you see even when i look towards the games yet to be released i see game series that seem to be emphasizing combat and visuals over the story (IE the next two FFs, which is a series in which mainly i always found to have good stories but not great ones...i'm a xenogears fan haha).

The game that i'm sort of looking forward to at the moment to see if they do anything good with, is the next tales (which is again, sadly on the 360-i miss having the playstation for RPGS lol)

*crosses fingers* let us hope. :)

by the way, seeing as how i don't visit this site as much anymore is there any news of a new Saga Frontier, Chrono, or any of square's old series?

*crosses fingers* let us hope. :)

by the way, seeing as how i don't visit this site as much anymore is there any news of a new Saga Frontier, Chrono, or any of square's old series?

IdtheGreat

Then let us hope that FFXIII blows everything away. :PSymphonycometh

I'm very excited about this game, if only Square could show us some gameplay or new trailers of the game at E3.