Destructoid.com Top 50 Videogames of the Decade

[_y_]

I can't really agree with anything rmoxon is saying regards to story in games.

Uncharted 2's narrative is, as a story, pretty pathetic; it is saved by the fact the characters - although lightweight and flimsy - are sympathetically drawn with a degree of charm and wit. The voice acting is good, which obviously helps; the cut-scenes have terrific production values behind them, which elevates them slightly. But as an actual story, it's clearly nonsense and not interesting.


And the story in Planescape Torment "not half as interesting" as the one in Dragon Age? This is plainly silly: Dragon Age is a fine game, but the basic narrative is uninspired and generic; Planescape Torment has some of the most sophisticated writing in all of gaming, and does something different in the western RPG template.

And you're off the mark with Shock 2 and Deus Ex as well. The story in Shock 2 is remarkably well-implemented, to use your own terms; the lack of live NPCs not only makes the gameworld chilling, but it means the story is imparted fully within that world. You do not break for dialogue. You see others' warnings scrawled in blood on the wall, you hear their last pleas ringing out in your ears as you're hunted down. What was actually remarkable about Deus Ex was its mechanics as opposed to narrative: the story was reasonably interesting, but was essentially a lot of Illuminati, conspiracy-based nonsense which declined into absurdity in the final hours. But the solidity of the mechanics, which allowed you to approach the same problem with myriad approaches, is what really endures and makes the game part of the canon.

And briefly: I do not "expect" a story of the quality of the LucasArts '90s classics in modern videogames, because they simply are not there. Can you really say you've played a new game with a story as strange, unique and tender as Grim Fandango? Or, to use your words again, do you "expect" that "most games" would boast a story and cast of characters this exceptional? Because I certainly do not.

EDIT: I know this is a bit brief but I wanted to get something down about it this morning, so apologies if it seems abrupt or rude.

[Guts]

i dont think the story in planescape tpourment is half as intresting as the one in Dragon Age

Cannot. Compute.

The story in DA is straight out of 95% of fantasy novels ever written.

Decent list. Would of liked to see Portal in there and maybe Battlefield 1942.

Portal is number four.

[hudson]

My eyes.

[Brats]

I can't really agree with anything rmoxon is saying regards to story in games.

Uncharted 2's narrative is, as a story, pretty pathetic; it is saved by the fact the characters - although lightweight and flimsy - are sympathetically drawn with a degree of charm and wit. The voice acting is good, which obviously helps; the cut-scenes have terrific production values behind them, which elevates them slightly. But as an actual story, it's clearly nonsense and not interesting.


And the story in Planescape Torment "not half as interesting" as the one in Dragon Age? This is plainly silly: Dragon Age is a fine game, but the basic narrative is uninspired and generic; Planescape Torment has some of the most sophisticated writing in all of gaming, and does something different in the western RPG template.

And you're off the mark with Shock 2 and Deus Ex as well. The story in Shock 2 is remarkably well-implemented, to use your own terms; the lack of live NPCs not only makes the gameworld chilling, but it means the story is imparted fully within that world. You do not break for dialogue. You see others' warnings scrawled in blood on the wall, you hear their last pleas ringing out in your ears as you're hunted down. What was actually remarkable about Deus Ex was its mechanics as opposed to narrative: the story was reasonably interesting, but was essentially a lot of Illuminati, conspiracy-based nonsense which declined into absurdity in the final hours. But the solidity of the mechanics, which allowed you to approach the same problem with myriad approaches, is what really endures and makes the game part of the canon.

And briefly: I do not "expect" a story of the quality of the LucasArts '90s classics in modern videogames, because they simply are not there. Can you really say you've played a new game with a story as strange, unique and tender as Grim Fandango? Or, to use your words again, do you "expect" that "most games" would boast a story and cast of characters this exceptional? Because I certainly do not.

EDIT: I know this is a bit brief but I wanted to get something down about it this morning, so apologies if it seems abrupt or rude.

I couldn't really argue Rmoxon's points because I haven't played Uncharted 2 or Dragon Age yet, but those games I listed stand in my memory as the pinnacle of storytelling in games and (imo) they have yet to be beaten, even counting stuff like Ico and SOTC.

I can't even remember the story in Deus Ex. I remember the gameplay, but not the story.

But all the games I listed as examples of good story were still great games imo. However the 'game' parts of many of the games in Destructoid's list didn't really grab me. They weren't bad, but they weren't the best either. The most extreme example is Silent Hill 2 which does have a very good story, but I found the gameplay horrible and I had to force myself to stick with it.

[rmoxon]

I can't really agree with anything rmoxon is saying regards to story in games.

Uncharted 2's narrative is, as a story, pretty pathetic; it is saved by the fact the characters - although lightweight and flimsy - are sympathetically drawn with a degree of charm and wit. The voice acting is good, which obviously helps; the cut-scenes have terrific production values behind them, which elevates them slightly. But as an actual story, it's clearly nonsense and not interesting.


And the story in Planescape Torment "not half as interesting" as the one in Dragon Age? This is plainly silly: Dragon Age is a fine game, but the basic narrative is uninspired and generic; Planescape Torment has some of the most sophisticated writing in all of gaming, and does something different in the western RPG template.

And you're off the mark with Shock 2 and Deus Ex as well. The story in Shock 2 is remarkably well-implemented, to use your own terms; the lack of live NPCs not only makes the gameworld chilling, but it means the story is imparted fully within that world. You do not break for dialogue. You see others' warnings scrawled in blood on the wall, you hear their last pleas ringing out in your ears as you're hunted down. What was actually remarkable about Deus Ex was its mechanics as opposed to narrative: the story was reasonably interesting, but was essentially a lot of Illuminati, conspiracy-based nonsense which declined into absurdity in the final hours. But the solidity of the mechanics, which allowed you to approach the same problem with myriad approaches, is what really endures and makes the game part of the canon.

And briefly: I do not "expect" a story of the quality of the LucasArts '90s classics in modern videogames, because they simply are not there. Can you really say you've played a new game with a story as strange, unique and tender as Grim Fandango? Or, to use your words again, do you "expect" that "most games" would boast a story and cast of characters this exceptional? Because I certainly do not.

EDIT: I know this is a bit brief but I wanted to get something down about it this morning, so apologies if it seems abrupt or rude.

You can say I'm off the mark, but I personally dont feel I am, system shock 2 WAS a really engaging game, but it was more to do with the atmosphere than the story. I also disagree about Uncharted 2's story, sure its typical adventure movie nonsense, but thats not why its impressive, its impressive becuase of the way its blended with the gamplay. As you say the voice acting isnt bad either, and the characters are generaly fantastic, it has the best story telling in its genre, which was my point. I was stating how it has shown we can have that kind of quality story implementation in action games now.

As for a more recent game with a story as strange, unique and tender as Grim Fandango?, how about Psychonaughts?, and thats not even a story focused game like Grim Fandango... Hell, if you really look at it that way Silent Hill 2 is actualy all those things for that matter. Lots of games have been over the last ten years in truth. Though really I'm not sure why a story has to be strange and tender to be effective anyway....

[Barla Von]

What a strange list, there the inclusion of some of the JRPGs in there is baffling, I've played maybe 10 in the last decade but everytime I come to play one nowadays I realise that bar the stories there is little to seperate them, the whole genre has been stagnent for a long time now.

As much as i like RPG's i think the english voiceovers from those originating from Japan are awful. I'd rather have no voiceovers at all in the game or just keep the original Japanese voiceovers with english subtitles.

The voiceovers in both Persona 3 fes & Persona 4 really do ruin great games. I hate stupid american voiceovers (or any for that fact) when they aren't correctly implemented.

[EvilBoris]

Definately, I imagine that in the original JPN games there is a very specific way of voice acting for anime which is why so much of it sounds so similar. I get the impression that they are trying to artificially replicate the same sound/tone in the american voices but often it goes horrible wrong.

[Barla Von]

Definately, I imagine that in the original JPN games there is a very specific way of voice acting for anime which is why so much of it sounds so similar. I get the impression that they are trying to artificially replicate the same sound/tone in the american voices but often it goes horrible wrong.

Absolutely, also i heard on a podcast (i'll try and find it again and if so i'll post it on here) that there is certain elements of the Japanese language that can't be implemented into the english version of games. I think that's why RPG's from the west do a much better job at voiceovers than their japanese friends.

Edit: Found the podcast on the topic. Link.

[FelixofMars]

To be fair the list isn't too bad, there isn't anything that offends me but I feel there probably are a few token inclusions because someone on the team liked them or its a recent game. But then again what can you expect? I thought IGN did something like this recently? Personally I thought theirs was pretty terrible.

[losersclub]

As much as i like RPG's i think the english voiceovers from those originating from Japan are awful. I'd rather have no voiceovers at all in the game or just keep the original Japanese voiceovers with english subtitles.

Haha my thoughts exactly, and the main reason i don't play many modern JRPG's but love 16 bit/32 bit ones. Tales Of Symphonia was an exception and i really enjoyed it once i realised i could turn all the voices off.

[losersclub]

There's some nice hires texture and model packs which improve a lot of it. Played through it last year and it's still an incredible game.

Whereabouts did you get them from if you don't mind me asking? Been looking around the net but can only find that HDTP work in progress one that's been promised for ages

[smouty]

I used the ones linked HERE
Don't expect too much though.

[Barla Von]

I really hope Sony are going to do an Ico and SOTC double HD Blu-Ray like they've just done with God of War.

If they don't both Ico & SOTC prices will go up, quickstyle, just before (and after) the release of The Last Guardian.

I can see it already...?100+ for each game on Ebay.

Unfortunately, ebay has it's fair share of cowboys.

[rmoxon]

If they don't both Ico & SOTC prices will go up, quickstyle, just before (and after) the release of The Last Guardian.

I can see it already...£100+ for each game on Ebay.

Unfortunately, ebay has it's fair share of cowboys.

You can actualy get a sealed copy of Ico (version with the art cards I imagine) from amazon for £99.99 so apparently thats the normal price of the game now! .

They also have the original Suikoden for about £125, probabaly some other things for outrageous prices too, have they always sold rare items like that? I rarley actualy use them.