Best writing in video games

[Special K 0]

No particular order.

 

Planescape: Torment. A very good plot, ar more in depth than any other D&D computer game I've played; witty asides from Morte, and the "three wishes" 'joke' is awesome.

 

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the father. A very cool plot, 'specially since I was living in NO, and witty dialogue between the two leads. Gotta love voodoo and double entendres. And Tim Curry.

 

Final Fantasy VI: Great plot devices (including, the most shocking twist I had seen at that time) great characters (stupendous villain) and a really good translation.

 

Silent hill 2: The narrative is sort of convoluted, but it has just a crazy, sad plotline when it eventually is revealed.

 

Suikoden II: Only a mediocre translation, but two of the best villains ever, ever. And some very affecting scenes.

 

Honorable mention: FFIV, because it was the first game I played to have a decent plot.

 

You?

[World's Worst Man 0]

I don't know about the writing per se, but Suikoden V probably had the most well executed plot in any RPG I've played. Just a well-developed, slow burn plot.

 

FFVII's plot is pretty great if you got the whole story. Having the "whole story" as an easily missable optional cutscene was a mistake though.

 

Metal Gear Solid 3's plot was pretty great, even if it was standard spy movie stuff. The presentation made it as good as it was, including the best video game ending ever.

 

Shadow Hearts: Covenant had maybe the best "little" plot twist at the end. The plot as a whole was fairly neat too, even if it wasn't executed as well as some other RPGs.

[MrRant 0]

Clearly Clock Tower and Clock Tower 2.

[Jer 0]

Tekken and Mortal Kombat, no doubt.

 

For real, probably Suikoden 2. Even with the bad translation it was pretty moving. Jowy is just such a great character.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

Metal Gear Solid I think had some great writing. Nice plot, interesting characters, generally good characters.

 

MGS2, less so.

[Special K 0]

True. My badass, ROTC rommatte cried over Sniper Wolf's death. Like, crieously hard.

 

I do think that FFVII has a really good plot, but A: it was very, very badly transaltted. B: There was a computer magazine, at least three fucking months before FFVII that had the entire Aeris death scene. SEriouslt the whole scene. From Stabbity to the whole sad song, bounce, bounce Holy scene. I was so pissed.

[The Man in Blak 0]

Silent Hill 2 is a perfect mention for this thread because, even though the gameplay is a bit of wreck, the storyline makes it an experience. Far and away the best writing of its time and still probably the best in gaming today.

 

On a tier below, I think Special Peru has it right with Final Fantasy VI, Suikoden 2, and Planescape: Torment in there. Another couple of games that come to mind are Fallout and We <3 Katamari; the latter may seem a little bit out of place, with all of these RPGs, but the storyline (with all of the meta-references to the original game) is pretty funny and the videos that detail the King's origin are deliciously surreal.

[naiwf 0]

This isn't so much writing from a plot/storyline related sense, but I think the Laharl character in Disgaea (and all of his other bonus appearances in NIS games) is as well executed a character as I've seen in anything lately.

[Special K 0]

When the plot was revealed in Silent Hill, I was like *disgusted face* "Jesus Christ, that is really sad and fucked up". I will say I got the best ending, which is based off of completely random actions.

 

I really need to buy I <3 Katamari, especially since the first one is the most fun way you can run interference with kids while your parents are having a Holiday Party. (*bloop bloop bloop* "Hey you just picked up the entire world! You're really good at this!")

[Thoth 0]

Psychonauts and the Phoenix Wright series.

 

Some of the dialogue in these games just slays me.

 

Also, I just saw a YTMND reference in Phoenix Wright 2.

[Red Baron 0]

Completly agree with Silent Hill 2 and FFVI.

 

Most likely to get flamed for this, and will be called overrated by many.

 

Halo

 

and also

 

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.

[daileyxplanet 0]

I second KOTOR.

[Art Sandusky 0]

The film noir patois was a little overbearing at times, but the first Max Payne is the best game I've played myself, storywise. FFII/IV ruled when I was a little kid back before I knew about the tendency of Japanese games/cartoons/whatever to spiral absurdly out of control. I was like "the moon? What the fuck! I was just starting to enjoy the over/underground stuff!"

[Craig Th 0]

I am not a big fan of storylines in games. I just want to play the game, not follow a damn story. If I want a story, I'll read a book.

[dubq 0]

...yeah, and we really care because?

 

 

Anyway, I second the votes for FF 6 and Silent Hill 2. Actually, I haven't played it in forever, but I always enjoyed Chrono Trigger's story.

[Craig Th 0]

Anyway, I second the votes for FF 6 and Silent Hill 2. Actually, I haven't played it in forever, but I always enjoyed Chrono Trigger's story.

...yeah, and we really care because?

[Guest Smues]

I am not a big fan of storylines in games. I just want to play the game, not follow a damn story. If I want a story, I'll read a book.

So your vote is for Zero Wing. Got it.

 

For me I'll say Suikoden 1 and 2, FFVII and X, KOTOR, and Secret of Mana.

 

And I need to mention that Star Ocean 3 could have made this list. That storyline had been begging for more each step of the way like few other games have. And then......the giant plot twist from hell happens. It's been a year since I played it and I still don't know what to make of it, and if I like it or hate it. But it certainly killed the momentum that had been building.

[Special K 0]

Chrono Trigger had a decent story, and an, like FFVI, Oh FUCK! moment early on, but I wouldn't call it a great story, really. It's still one of my favorite games ever.

 

 

FFVII did a lot of things that people look at as cliche now. But, it had a gawdawful translation, and those horrible character models. I will always like that game, but as a great narrative, FFVI is better. Plus FFVI is just a great game.

[dubq 0]

Anyway, I second the votes for FF 6 and Silent Hill 2. Actually, I haven't played it in forever, but I always enjoyed Chrono Trigger's story.

...yeah, and we really care because?

 

Try re-reading the topic.

[Craig Th 0]

Anyway, I second the votes for FF 6 and Silent Hill 2. Actually, I haven't played it in forever, but I always enjoyed Chrono Trigger's story.

...yeah, and we really care because?

 

Try re-reading the topic.

Same goes for you.

[JST 0]

Killer 7, if only for the endless interpretations the messed up story can have.

[Special K 0]

Killer 7 was one hell of a mind fuck. And everyone talked like that alien from Return of the Jedi. AbweeebwuwbuAbweeu bweeuubwuabwebweubwee bwe bwu

 

That is seriously the weirdest game ever. You go from fighting bizarre, horribly -colored aliens (called crying smiles or something) To trying to kill angellic manga things. That's the weirdest, weirdest game ever.

[muzz 0]

Most Lucasarts point-and-click adventure games, just for something non-console for a change.

[Star Ocean 3 0]

Phoenix Wright's characters are really well written. The plots, not as much, but almost everyone in the game has great lines.

 

Grandia 2 for the same thing. Ryudo could be the best-written hero yet. And FFX. I can't think of any other RPG to possibly nominate for this. Is there anything else I could say? A little help?

[The Man in Blak 0]

I can't believe I forgot Chrono Trigger. If you really look at it, from beginning to end, and consider all of the different side stories that occur along the way, it definitely deserves mention along with FFVI and Suikoden 2 as one of the best stories that RPGs have to offer.

[Special K 0]

Who is Phoenix Wright?

 

In the 'innocent adventurer goes adventurin'" Chrono and Lunar 2 definitely rule. The one thing CT lacked was a good villain. Great story, really incredible game mechanics... and then you fight a scuba-diving bulldog? WTF? THe music's good though. Also the time-shifting backgrounds. Man, was Square ever good at giving atmosphere to last boss fights.

 

Even FFVIII, which I hate had maybe the best death sequence to the last boss ever.

 

As to FFX: I liked the game, and I think they did the intimate story much better than all the Deus Ex Machina with FFVIII, but man, I just couldn't get over those character designs. The hero looked like Meg Ryan as a toddler.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Grandia 2 for the same thing. Ryudo could be the best-written hero yet.

If it wasn't for the preachy bullshit in the latter parts of the game, I'd agree.

[luke-o 0]

Who is Phoenix Wright?

 

Hes from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney on DS. Its an awesome lawyer point and click solve the mystery game.

 

I second Phoenix Wright.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

I am not a big fan of storylines in games. I just want to play the game, not follow a damn story. If I want a story, I'll read a book.

 

You're thinking of porn.

[dubq 0]

Anyway, I second the votes for FF 6 and Silent Hill 2. Actually, I haven't played it in forever, but I always enjoyed Chrono Trigger's story.

...yeah, and we really care because?

 

Try re-reading the topic.

Same goes for you.

 

Well it's pretty obvious that your intent was to undermine the topic of the discussion and to derail the thread into something else. Is this really good moderator behaviour? At least I actually commented on what I considered "the best writing in video games" and not some troll worthy comment like "if I wanted a story I'd read a book." I think it's time you got over yourself and your sideways Volcom hats...