What are some good story games?

[maniacalpha1-1]

Like Dragon Age, but it does not have to be an RPG. RTS or turn based games are OK too if they have a good storyline. Bear in mind I usually set these games to easy mode so I can zip through for the story, and go back later and play on hard if any of the levels were fun. I especially did that in the Hitman games, can't wait for Hitman 5.

I just finished Mafia 2, I liked that, but it only lasted like 10 hours. Maybe I'll go back and look for more Playboys. I also liked The Longest Journey 1 and 2(Dreamfall, can't wait for Dreamfall Chapters). I have the Witcher and Oblivion but for whatever reason I haven't been able to get into them. Maybe I will try them again someday.

My list is currently DA 2, then ME 1 and 2, after that I'm not sure. Prefer games 2008 or newer, older is OK if it will definitely run on Windows 7.

 

[KaOTiK]

Even though it is old, Planescape Torment is a must. You can get it on GOG as well.

 

[Red Storm]

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (the only one in the series worth playing!)

... actually, I'm not sure how good the story was, but I had a blast playing it.

Baldur's Gate I & II (with the widescreen mod of course, and tutu for BG I)

 

[datalink7]

Planescape: Torment is the best of all time IMO.

 

[Red Hawk]

My recommendations: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 1&2, Mass Effect 1&2, Alpha Protocol.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Planescape: Torment
Star Wars KOTOR 1 and 2
The Witcher
Neverwinter Nights 1 (campaigns 2-3 more than the original)
Neverwinter Nights 2 and its Mask of the Betrayer campaign
Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines
Fallout New Vegas

 

[Powermoloch]

fable: the lost chapters :thumbsup:

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

Fable! Yes, I have been meaning to get Fable III if it ever comes out for PC. Has anyone played it on console? I played KOTOR 1, but I actually lost the disks to KOTOR 2 years ago and I was about 75% into the game. Maybe I should buy it again...

 

[dmoney1980]

Fable! Yes, I have been meaning to get Fable III if it ever comes out for PC. Has anyone played it on console? I played KOTOR 1, but I actually lost the disks to KOTOR 2 years ago and I was about 75% into the game. Maybe I should buy it again...

I played Fable 3. very dissapointed, a big step down from part 2. Oversimplified combat system, limited spells, weapons, and clothing, and it ends in about 8 -10 hours. Fable 3 is an average adventure game trying to be a dumbed down RPG. Sorry...

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

Would you recommend Fable 2 if I could bum an Xbox 360? How long would I need it ? 2 weeks? However, for Fable 3 remember I mostly like the story - I will turn it down to easy to get through it, so if the combat is simply not fun that's Ok, but is it outright annoying?

 

[frozentundra123456]

Fable! Yes, I have been meaning to get Fable III if it ever comes out for PC. Has anyone played it on console? I played KOTOR 1, but I actually lost the disks to KOTOR 2 years ago and I was about 75% into the game. Maybe I should buy it again...

There is finally a release date for sometime in May for Fable 3 I believe. My friend played in on the console and liked it fairly well. He rented the game and finished it in one weekend, so it may be kind of short.

I definitely want to get the game, but will probably wait for a sale/price drop.

 

[Barfo]

Starcraft 2 has a pretty good story.

*in before the haters*

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

Starcraft 2 has a pretty good story.

*in before the haters*

I liked it...but I've already played it through

What about Starcraft 1? Would I puke at trying to go back to those graphics? Assuming I could even get it to run?

 

[a123456]

Most of the RPG games seem to have been covered.

For adventure games, have you played through some of the classics? Not sure if comedy is your cup of tea.

Gabriel Knight series
Broken Sword series
I heard decent things about Sam&Max but haven't played it.

They do work in Win7 x64 but you may need to grab the dosbox installer.

I do try to check adventuregamers once in a while but nothing new looks that great really.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

I liked it...but I've already played it through

What about Starcraft 1? Would I puke at trying to go back to those graphics? Assuming I could even get it to run?

Starcraft has a better story. Depends on your tolerance. Anything worse than say Might and Magic 3 (not heroes of) I can't play so starcraft looks awesome to me : p

 

[Barfo]

Yeah Starcraft's story is better. I remember there was some program that let you change the resolution, graphics aren't too bad that way.

 

[Dankk]

I'll second The Witcher. Best current RPG I've ever played, and the storyline was a big part of it.

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

What about Drakensang?

 

[DaveSimmons]

What about Drakensang?

I'm playing it now (in the first town after the tutorial village), but I'm not feeling very motivated to continue.

The graphics for characters are a bit cartoony but are OK. Landscapes are better,

The story is generic so far, and your companions don't have much personality -- none of the flavor of Bioware and Obsidian companions.

I'm tempted to start Jade Empire or Fable 1 from my unplayed stack, or even re-play something from my list above rather than continue on with it.

 

[Via]

Gothic's story doesn't have many surprises, but the setting is top notch.

I enjoyed the cyberpunk storyline of Deus Ex.

I second BG and KotoR; what a great story those games have.

 

[Zenoth]

The problem with this (potentially) is that most "good story" games are old games, and most players (usually) requesting good story games are younger players who are getting sick of "good looking" games with nonsensical stories (or without a story per se), now the thing is that those young players do like and usually want good graphics (or "today's graphics"), and sadly nowadays and since the past couple of years good/up-to-date graphics rarely fits in anywhere near a good story in the same game.

So yeah...

I could suggest:

Baldur's Gate 2
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic
Shadow Man
Fallout 2
Planescape Torment
Half-Life
Freespace 2
Homeworld
Command & Conquer 2
The Longest Journey
Beyond Good and Evil
Red Faction

And so on and so forth... but then again I wonder how would most players out there stand their graphics for more than ten minutes before quitting due to them not looking like Crysis. I know, there are exceptions, and some players out there do appreciate a good story beyond old-looking graphics, that's cool... I'm just saying something out loud that most people still don't seem to agree with for some reason, old graphics is a turn-off for the majority, good story involved or not.

Bottom line is good luck finding a game with a good story nowadays, wake me up if you see one. The last one I played myself which I do believe has a good story and is still relatively recent (depending on what's your definition of being "recent" in our fast moving digital era, of course) was the original Mass Effect, and a bit more recently with Dragon Age: Origins, other than that... I'm still looking. I bought games since then of course, but none of them have a "good story" really, they are entertaining on their own however, they're just not meant to be story-tellers.

 

[motsm]

I just finished Mafia 2, I liked that, but it only lasted like 10 hours.

Try the first Mafia.

I'd typically have a sizable list, but most of my favorites that I can think of right now have been listed already. The vintage crowed already struck.

I'll add System Shock 2, Arx Fatalis, and Undying. Their stories may not be interesting in the same way a Bioware game is, but they have finely crafted presentation and pacing that draws the player in. So while their is lesser outright development sequences, the presentation of the world makes the story that is there, much more interesting and meaningful than most games.

 

[EvilComputer92]

Why has no one said DEUS EX!

The only other competition that even comes close is Planescape Torment. Everything else is way below.

 

[a123456]

The problem with this (potentially) is that most "good story" games are old games, and most players (usually) requesting good story games are younger players who are getting sick of "good looking" games with nonsensical stories (or without a story per se), now the thing is that those young players do like and usually want good graphics (or "today's graphics"), and sadly nowadays and since the past couple of years good/up-to-date graphics rarely fits in anywhere near a good story in the same game.

Seems that way, doesn't it? The problem's only there if you're seeing the old school graphics for the first time. If you're re-playing an old game, then you kind of know what to expect and the old graphics are tolerable.

But shifting from modern graphics to 1990s graphics is tough.

 

[motsm]

Why has no one said DEUS EX!

Someone did say Deus Ex. Just without the large bold font.