And the game with the best storyline goes to....

[Marcicus]

I gotta say, after playing Arc The Lad: Twilight of the Spirits there isn't too many games that have a more appealing storyline.

What game do you guys think has the best storyline? That's one of the main reasons I play video games.

[Burginator]

As far as story lines go, FFT easily takes the cake. Assuming you can read on a collegiate level and can understand convoluted stories.

But as far as more readily understandable story lines go, I would put Tales Of Symphonia near the top of the list. The story was quite good, and the big twist with Mithos was one of my favorites in a video game I've played recently.

[MikedeeFenrir]

FFT had a great story line, and the best game system (imho). Only game that comes close to game play is the Disgaea series.

[Kaylia]

A lot of game had complex and kick ass story, but they didn't get old too well when you replay years after.


My personal favorite is Xenosaga (the whole trilogy). There is more character development in it than most games, hundred of symbolism ranging from meaningless to really important, a huge world that is more detailed than in any other game.

[BRP]

There is no best, just favorites.

[SephYuyX]

The NIS universe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nippon_Ichi

[Correction]

in general I don't find RPGs to have very strong storylines because of the minefield of cliches they inevitably tread, and as such short of Chrono Trigger I don't think I've found much on console RPGs that really, truly deliver on storytelling, writing and characters I care about. The PC on the other hand is rife with this, especially if you go for older games like Fallout, Planescape: Torment *cough*ZORK*cough*, games where the actions taken in game have dramatic impact on how the story turns out.

The storytelling elements of other console genres has been fairly weak in my experience, and serve mostly as a carrot to people who navigate twitch-reflex gameplay and give you a spot to breathe.

So yeah, I'm often dissatisfied on the narratives of most console games, the lone exception being horror genre games. Silent Hill games have a rich and awesome mythology behind them and it PAYS to see everything and go everywhere you can. It's incredible with the atmosphere to read about/see all the dark little things that go on outside of the main game line. I also had a fondness of Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem (FINISH THAT FUCKING SEQUEL ALREADY) for the same reason. In spite of the 'slash zombies till they stop moving' game it was the stories and how they connected you with the characters on screen were phenomenal.

Since then though I don't think I've been particularly impressed with the story of most video games. Maybe I don't buy enough to know better, but I've played video games long enough to know when a new game is largely derivative in its storytelling and I'm just playing it for the gaming aspect of it. Not a horrible thing, the extreme the other way would be a return to the Sega-CD/Phillips-i age of 'interactive multimedia game' where it was the same kind of 'game' as Dragon's Lair (loved it) or Sega's Holographic Time Traveler (rubbish) where everything is story and nothing is game.

[MikedeeFenrir]

The NIS universe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nippon_Ichi

I regret ever playing La Pucelle: Tactics...

[Unklemonkey]

I'm just waiting for somebody to come in here and say FFVII so I can take a bat to their knees

[Matricide]

i havent played many games, mostly stuck to Squaresoft.. but FFX was really interesting to me. the story and the history.

[neighbortaru]

I'm just waiting for somebody to come in here and say FFVII so I can take a bat to their knees

i get second swing

my favorites (aside from those already mentioned)
MGS1
MGS3
Ultima 7

[RustyMetal]

FF7 was the best storyline

[Byrd]

The storylines that stood out to me most:

Arcanum (PC game about 7-8 yrs old)
Ninja Gaiden (NES, first game I played with real "cut scenes")
Fallout

[Makore]

I loved Xenogears ♥

[Guyverarmor]

FF7 was the best storyline

*takes a Bat to Rustys legs and beats him to death*

[neighbortaru]

FF7 was the best storyline

*takes a Bat to Rustys legs and beats him to death*

/swing

[Carbon]

Golden Sun. <3

Legends of Legaia <3

[Septimus]

I'm just waiting for somebody to come in here and say FFVII so I can take a bat to their knees

Final Fantasy 6 (3 in the US) on the other hand...

[Kross]

Yeah I must say that Fallout 1 and 2 were my fav.

Xenogears a close second.

Best opening line goes to Fallout: ''War, war never changes.''

[MikedeeFenrir]

I'm just waiting for somebody to come in here and say FFVII so I can take a bat to their knees

Final Fantasy 6 (3 in the US) on the other hand...

Weak final boss other than that an amazing game ahead of its time.