Games and Storytelling: Is Story in Video Games Necessary?

A look at the role choice and story play in game experiences. Examples of games doing it right, and games doing it very wrong indeed.

[jay2]

Absolutely, I mean they'd be nothing to do, it would be uncompleteable, you'd just wonder round aimlessly until you turn it off.

[kalkano]

Only if they plan on selling the game.

[wishingW3L]

nope but I prefer them with it. Just look at Pacman, Tetris, Minecraft and Angry Birds... 4 of the most successful video games of all times and none of them have any story at all.

[KentBlake]

Not always, but my favorite games all have excellent (or at least entertaining) stories: BioShock, Assassin's Creed, Fallout, Uncharted, Mass Effect, inFamous, Heavy Rain, Gears of War, God of War. The narrative is what keeps me going.

[ApolloTheBoss]

Story's the only reason I play video games. Multiplayer just complimentary. If there's no plot then there's no point in playing.

[GSAmy]

I think they did a good job of discussing games that didn't have much of a plot and did it right, as well as games that should really have picked it up in the story dept.

Most of my favorite games have stories, but they are ones you can encounter as you wish to (like Oblivion Elder Scrolls), not paths you're forced to follow.