Let's Be Reality: The Writing In Western Games Is Just As Bad As Japanese Games

videogame game scripts in general are awful. max payne 3 had some of the cheesiest, cringe-worthy dialogue i've ever heard. skyrim was jrpg status to me..unintentionally funny, dumpster-level writing. people always crap on metal gear's writing, but its better than most game writing.

we're all going to be reality? does that make me a god?rilpas

Cats: All your base are belong to us.

lol, no And Metal Gear is not most Japanese games.vashkey

people always crap on metal gear's writing, but its better than most game writing.

black_chamber99

I would'nt call them awfull as such.

As compared to what? if the bar of quality is set by movies and tv shows, I'd say they're on par.

As in: I'm not generally intellectually or emotionially stimulated.

Edit:

I consider Bastion and Binding of Isaac, highlights. Bastion for it's immersing and engaging narrative and Isaac for it's evocative imagery.

Editedit:

Really unclear post... The idea that Japanese development has stagnated, as opposed to western games, makes no sense to me.

Quality of writing is about the same too. I consider Eastern imagination, richer and more creative; while western developers strike me, as controlling their narratives better.

These are obviously extremely broad strokes and only meant for sw mentality.

There is good writing in western games and there is good writing in japanese games.
There is bad writing in western games and there is bad writing in japenese games.

Personally, I don't find much of a difference in quality between either.

Wait...are we not all reality already??

Wait...are we not all reality already??

Darth-Samus

don't get all philisophical on me bro

Planescape Torment and the Longest Journey both disagree with you.

Writing (and storyline in general) is usually so weak in video games it's embarrissing. It's part of the reason why I feel games haven't been accepted as a true art form yet by the main stream. Most games have sucky storylines, that's why video game movies are so bad, the stories are sh!t.

A lot of games don't even have stories, Modern Warfare doesn't really have a story, it's just "I'm a Marine and I kill people". Rockstar however has good storylines, I think they could pull off getting respect, same with Naughty Dog and Bioware (just KOTOR and Mass Effect).

There's not many games I'd say the story captured me, but there's a few worth mentioning:

Chrono Trigger was great for its day. Haven't played it since the SNES glory days but I've got it for the PSP, kinda scared to replay it, though. Lunar: Silver Star Story on the Sega CD had a great story. I have it on the PSP as well, again kinda scared to actually play it, though what I've seen of the redone graphics looks gorgeous. It's a different translation, though, and I don't want my fond memories of the Sega CD version marred. But damn, back in the day both Chrono Trigger and Lunar were what you mentioned when someone said "games..blah blah blah...writing sucks".

Grim Fandango has the best narrative of any game I've ever played. Both Homeworld and DA: Origins had me for a minute, but fell apart in the last half. Half-Life 2 had too many head-scratching moments, like when you meet Eli Vancefor the first time in 5 years and he talks to you for like a minute and then everyone just starts doing their own thing in the lab like you weren't even there. The episodes were quite a bit better, though.

Of course, there's always Baulders Gate, but I shouldn't even have to mention that. Fallout: New Vegas has great dialog, even if the story arc itself is a little underwhelming. Morrowind had awesome writing and a great atmosphere, but the combat sucked.

I wish I could say something about Neverwinter Nights 2, but I've not been able to get through a game yet without the glitches and dumb party AI pissing me off.

I haven't been into consoles since the 16-bit era, so I can't really comment on many modern games beyond what I've read. The most modern JRPG I've played through is Ys Seven, and it's bouncy and light-hearted and purposely makes no attempts at complex dialog.

Game development is still in its adolescent stages. Electronic gaming has really even been around for a half-century yet. We haven't had ourCasablanca yet, but we will.

Writing (and storyline in general) is usually so weak in video games it's embarrissing. It's part of the reason why I feel games haven't been accepted as a true art form yet by the main stream. Most games have sucky storylines, that's why video game movies are so bad, the stories are sh!t.

A lot of games don't even have stories, Modern Warfare doesn't really have a story, it's just "I'm a Marine and I kill people". Rockstar however has good storylines, I think they could pull off getting respect, same with Naughty Dog and Bioware (just KOTOR and Mass Effect).

ShadowMoses900

What

I would'nt call them awfull as such.

As compared to what? if the bar of quality is set by movies and tv shows, I'd say they're on par.

As in: I'm not generally intellectually or emotionially stimulated.

Edit:

I consider Bastion and Binding of Isaac, highlights. Bastion for it's immersing and engaging narrative and Isaac for it's evocative imagery.

Editedit:

Really unclear post... The idea that Japanese development has stagnated, as opposed to western games, makes no sense to me.

Quality of writing is about the same too. I consider Eastern imagination, richer and more creative; while western developers strike me, as controlling their narratives better.

These are obviously extremely broad strokes and only meant for sw mentality.

MlauTheDaft

I hope you're not talking about games being on par with tv shows (let alone actual movies) because, please, who are you trying to kid?

videogame game scripts in general are awful. max payne 3 had some of the cheesiest, cringe-worthy dialogue i've ever heard. skyrim was jrpg status to me..unintentionally funny, dumpster-level writing. people always crap on metal gear's writing, but its better than most game writing.

black_chamber99

I think Max Payne 3s writing was supposed to be cheesy...

eh.... both can be bad (I give JP games the edge in bad writting tho) but they are bad in different ways.

Usually western writting can be too boring and too serious and JP writting can be trying to be funny and may have whinny characters

videogame game scripts in general are awful. max payne 3 had some of the cheesiest, cringe-worthy dialogue i've ever heard. skyrim was jrpg status to me..unintentionally funny, dumpster-level writing. people always crap on metal gear's writing, but its better than most game writing.

black_chamber99

Writing (and storyline in general) is usually so weak in video games it's embarrissing. It's part of the reason why I feel games haven't been accepted as a true art form yet by the main stream. Most games have sucky storylines, that's why video game movies are so bad, the stories are sh!t.

A lot of games don't even have stories, Modern Warfare doesn't really have a story, it's just "I'm a Marine and I kill people". Rockstar however has good storylines, I think they could pull off getting respect, same with Naughty Dog and Bioware (just KOTOR and Mass Effect).

ShadowMoses900

It certainly can be, but I'd say Japanese games tend to have worse writing on the whole. I don't necessarily blame that on the writers either; between the godawful set of English dub voice actors (all eight of them) and bad translations, it would be hard to know if the writing for a JRPG or what have you was genuinely good in the first place.

videogame writing as a whole is in dire need of improvement. games that have a good script are rare, games that manage to have a good script and tell the story efficiently through a game are even rarer, games that use the inherent potential of games as a storytelling medium to tell a decent story (as in, use the things that only games have, like, you know, GAMEplay) are damn near impossible to find.BrunoBRS

Silent Hill Shattered Memories is a good example of game that tells a lot of story through gameplay. While it tells most of the storythrough cutscenes, the environment, player choices and even the most basic gameplay mechanics are used to further the story. You know, metaphors, symbolism, imagery and all that awesome stuff.

You are right though, far too few games use the unique storytelling abilities of games to their fullest, or at all infact.

Nope

Games in general usually suffer from horrible writing

My hand is copper.
My brow is lead.
Suffer me in a red patina,
swept along in a molten flow
to a sad eternity.

My stride interrupted.
My thoughts untimed.
My tears are become drops of silver
and shattered the crystalline fern.
I plead the wind to sweep us away.

My alabastrine limbs, useless and tired,
My carnelian heart, beatless and mired.
I pick the gilded apple from the iron tree.
I wipe the rust from my brow.

The earth rejects me, foul and changed,
The wind refuses me, unsightly and maimed.
My voice is corrupted, my tongue unwind,
My pulse is mercurial sickened, it slows.

Destiny and danger are stil focused on the one,
the renegade who is both brethen and betrayer.

Beware the spider, for he weaves both labyrinth and lair.

My heart it ceases.
My breath undrawn.
My eyes forever focused
on the sanguine metal dawn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQlXurcQ4tk

Thief: The Dark Project and Thief II: The Metal Age have one of the best writing in videogames ever. No japanese game comes close to that.

I would'nt call them awfull as such.

As compared to what? if the bar of quality is set by movies and tv shows, I'd say they're on par.

As in: I'm not generally intellectually or emotionially stimulated.

Edit:

I consider Bastion and Binding of Isaac, highlights. Bastion for it's immersing and engaging narrative and Isaac for it's evocative imagery.

Editedit:

Really unclear post... The idea that Japanese development has stagnated, as opposed to western games, makes no sense to me.

Quality of writing is about the same too. I consider Eastern imagination, richer and more creative; while western developers strike me, as controlling their narratives better.

These are obviously extremely broad strokes and only meant for sw mentality.

MlauTheDaft

Is Skyrim a Shooter or an RPG?

My hand is copper.
My brow is lead.
Suffer me in a red patina,
swept along in a molten flow
to a sad eternity.

My stride interrupted.
My thoughts untimed.
My tears are become drops of silver
and shattered the crystalline fern.
I plead the wind to sweep us away.

My alabastrine limbs, useless and tired,
My carnelian heart, beatless and mired.
I pick the gilded apple from the iron tree.
I wipe the rust from my brow.

The earth rejects me, foul and changed,
The wind refuses me, unsightly and maimed.
My voice is corrupted, my tongue unwind,
My pulse is mercurial sickened, it slows.

Destiny and danger are stil focused on the one,
the renegade who is both brethen and betrayer.

Beware the spider, for he weaves both labyrinth and lair.

My heart it ceases.
My breath undrawn.
My eyes forever focused
on the sanguine metal dawn.

Thief: The Dark Project and Thief II: The Metal Age have one of the best writing in videogames ever. No japanese game comes close to that.

RyuRanVII

that sounds like something i'd read in my 14-year old sister's poetry book

Well writing in games is bad in general.

But I cant really say since I don't know Japanese. If you're comparing the translated Japanese games to Western games then Japanese writing comes off as a bit worse.

Yea they are both pretty bad. I still find jrpg to be worse in general though

Writing (and storyline in general) is usually so weak in video games it's embarrissing. It's part of the reason why I feel games haven't been accepted as a true art formyet by the main stream. Most games have sucky storylines, that's why video game movies are so bad, the stories are sh!t.

ShadowMoses900

Don't you ever say that. Mass Effect 3 is a piece of art and Bioware has artistic integrity. Their piece of arts are so great that normal people like us can't even understand them.

Planescape Torment and the Longest Journey both disagree with you.

Whiteblade999

Most Game studios just don't have any good writers to make a proper script for them, regardless of area.

[QUOTE="RyuRanVII"]

My hand is copper.
My brow is lead.
Suffer me in a red patina,
swept along in a molten flow
to a sad eternity.

My stride interrupted.
My thoughts untimed.
My tears are become drops of silver
and shattered the crystalline fern.
I plead the wind to sweep us away.

My alabastrine limbs, useless and tired,
My carnelian heart, beatless and mired.
I pick the gilded apple from the iron tree.
I wipe the rust from my brow.

The earth rejects me, foul and changed,
The wind refuses me, unsightly and maimed.
My voice is corrupted, my tongue unwind,
My pulse is mercurial sickened, it slows.

Destiny and danger are stil focused on the one,
the renegade who is both brethen and betrayer.

Beware the spider, for he weaves both labyrinth and lair.

My heart it ceases.
My breath undrawn.
My eyes forever focused
on the sanguine metal dawn.

Thief: The Dark Project and Thief II: The Metal Age have one of the best writing in videogames ever. No japanese game comes close to that.

black_chamber99

that sounds like something i'd read in my 14-year old sister's poetry book

Writing in video games is all around awful. Even in games that try to do it well like uncharted its still worse than any other medium.

Scripting is bad in genral for video games.

Well they're both bad, most of the time.

All I want is writing and VA that doesn't make me cringe and I'm sastified. lol