Recommend games with a strong story?

[aaksheytalwar]

Alan Wake

 

[turn_pike]

To me NWN2 Mask of the Betrayer is the modern Planescape Torment.

Other than that, if you are okay with old school RPG you should try Spiderweb's products. I played Avadon and immensely enjoyed it. The whole five episodes of Geneforge saga are available for around 6 bucks from the Indie Royale Bundle but I have never played it myself.

Dear Esther is all story and graphics, rather short though.

Psychonauts is one of a kind.

Bastion sold the story through the narrator and the best soundtrack ever.

The Walking Dead is supposedly very good, its more of a choose your story kind of game. All five episodes were sold for 15 bucks during the steam sale but its back to 25 now. Havent played it.

Sometimes the plot is less important than the setting. I find Stalker - Shadow of Chernobyl to be very intriguing, but imo one needs to complement the game info with info from wiki to understand and enjoy it. Metro 2033 has similar setting and has tighter, focused and much easier to understand plot but its also less intriguing as a result. Enjoyable still though.

Choice of Games offers lots of choose your own story type text-games. I really enjoyed them but the replayability is almost nonexistent. OTOH its free

 

[Clinkster]

Bioshock is a must.

KOTOR 1 if you don't mind early-mid 2000s graphics.

Psychonauts is quirky fun.

Batman Arkham Asylum and Batman Arkham City are fantastic and should be played by all.

 

[frozentundra123456]

Agree. Kotor 1 is a great game with a great story. Recommended.

The Witcher is good too.

Another vote for KOTOR 1. It is for sure one of my top five favorite games I have played. Not only was the story great, but it was just technically well done, great soundtrack.

A friend I play with actually liked KOTOR 2 better than the first one, but I thought the plot was full of holes and the ending was terrible.

The story was not particularly outstanding but another RPG that I really liked for the gameplay was Dragon Knight Saga. Be sure to get the release that contains both the original game and the expansion though. I believe that was Dragon Knight Saga.

 

[12andy]

As a Star Wars fan, I particularly enjoyed the Force Unleashed series as well.

 

[exdeath]

Xenogears.

 

[thespyder]

Another vote for KOTOR 1. It is for sure one of my top five favorite games I have played. Not only was the story great, but it was just technically well done, great soundtrack.

A friend I play with actually liked KOTOR 2 better than the first one, but I thought the plot was full of holes and the ending was terrible.

The story was not particularly outstanding but another RPG that I really liked for the gameplay was Dragon Knight Saga. Be sure to get the release that contains both the original game and the expansion though. I believe that was Dragon Knight Saga.

I'd definitely agree that Kotor series was worth picking out. I recognized the flaws in KOTOR 2, but wasn't ever really "Bothered" by them. You can still enjoy the story and the game without much problems if you don't ask too many questions.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Mass Effect has been the only games that I have been so emotionally hooked to the characters.

 

[frozentundra123456]

Mass Effect has been the only games that I have been so emotionally hooked to the characters.

Mass Effect would have been one of my suggestions also based on the first 2 games. However, the ending to the third game basically ruined the entire series for me. Very unfortunate. Some people who are more interested in just game-play can still accept it, but I was very disappointed at an ending that was not really influenced by your choices (as promised by Bioware) and that really brought no closure at all.

 

[frozentundra123456]

I'd definitely agree that Kotor series was worth picking out. I recognized the flaws in KOTOR 2, but wasn't ever really "Bothered" by them. You can still enjoy the story and the game without much problems if you don't ask too many questions.

I know what you are saying. Like I said, a friend that also played both games liked KOTOR 2 better. He is more into just playing the game and is more tolerant of plot holes and unfinished endings. OTOH, I tend to expect a game with a coherent ending that brings closure to the game. Just a personal preference I guess.

 

[Dkcode]

Dragon Age: Origins as previously mentioned, tactical combat and solid, involving story.
Max Payne 3 has a solid well acted plot and its a great action game as well.
The Witcher 2: Much more polished than the original, well acted and crafted story.

Of course there are the obvious older 'gems' like the Baldurs Gate series, Fallout 1 & 2, KOTOR. Get yourself over to GoG.com and just explore what they have to offer.

 

[Craig234]

MMORPG's do have some of the best story lines in gaming IMO.

 

[Dkcode]

MMORPG's do have some of the best story lines in gaming IMO.

Please give me an example?

Not contesting what you are saying, want to know just for the record.

 

[OCNewbie]

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines ?

It's a great RPG, and I suppose how the events unfold is fairly interesting.

 

[Dkcode]

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines ?

It's a great RPG, and I suppose how the events unfold is fairly interesting.

I seriously need to start this game next, had it for ages and never got round to playing it for more than 10 mins.

 

[OCNewbie]

I seriously need to start this game next, had it for ages and never got round to playing it for more than 10 mins.

Just make sure you get one of the 2 community patches first:

http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=38278&sid=78fda81ac96c377877eb3d46c25a108e

I'd recommend the Tessera's True Patch, as it strictly focuses on fixing bugs, and leaving the game as close to the original as possible. The Wesp patch, even the one that is said to be "bug fixes only" still relocates some NPC's, and a number of other alterations that aren't consistent with the original game.

 

[Dkcode]

Thanks, its been that long since I installed and I am sure I installed a big community patch. I think I would have chosen bug fixes only as I don't like to screw around with the original content much.

I'll double check at some point.

 

[fabiencolombo]

if you like to read than I can't recommand "Katawa Shoujo" enough.

Best story ever, if you like the genre (visual novel), and it's free, google it.

And my all time favourite, it's an old point 'n' click:
"I have no mouth but I must scream".
Here is the wiki page for a short resume:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_No_Mouth,_and_I_Must_Scream

 

[rumpleforeskin]

Thanks for all the recommendations.

I replayed the last few hours of mass effect 3 now the extended cut is out
Then played Braid - some frustrating puzzles there.

Now im playing the witcher 2, which is great as it has not cost me anything as i have had it sitting on my shelf for months.

I dont know why i never got into it the first time i tried, i remember hating the combat and giving up before the prolouge.

Now im just getting into act 2 and really enjoying it, so im pretty happy i gave it a second chance. Guess that will keep me away from the DIY for a while