YU-NO - one of the best video game stories ever told!

That has to be one of the shittiest lists of the supposed best stories in gaming that I have ever seen. In what dimension would you seriously put Arkham City or Half-Life or just about any of those games over Planescape Torment?

lol looking at the screenshots alone I thought this was a h-game from the 90s...

The God of War series is just as bad with sexual content and yet no one has a problem with that game or other games with such content.

Heck The Witcher 2 has more revealing sexual content than YU-NO.

Well you would be right but that doesn't negate the well crafted story and characters.

Speaking of which, Kana Little Sister is one of the best crafted stories I have seen in a video game. It's also one of the few H-games that would not have suffered if the x rated scenes was censored.

A Japanese game whose protagonist is a high-school student who lost his mother at a young age? Crikey, how original.

Either way, Cryostasis is the correct answer.

I dunno about this one. It was pretty ok at the time I guess.

@Vaasman: Arkahm Asylum/City get credit for having the best story of any copyrighted property ever. Even if it wasn't related to comics, it still holds its own with the best. Planescape Torment is really, really good, but I wouldn't even list it in the top 10. Top 20? yes, yes indeed. I just find the blatant fanboyism to be way to obvious. And how can you complain about HL1/2s story? Easily one of the best of all times, and both HL1-2 are among the greatest games ever made. Just stating facts. MGS4/FFVII/TLOU >> any game story.

Way too outdated for my tastes.

Also no i am not reading that wall of text.

best place to order visual novels besides playasia, op? and are there any visual novels that are widescreen friendly?

Color me interested.. I looked for it and could not find it.. still searching

@Mozelleple112: Are you freaking kidding me? Nevermind that the best "copyrighted" stories are probably either baldur's gate 2 or kotor, but to say that arkham city deserves any kind of story awards is complete nonsense. It's an unfocused, hypercheesy thriller with predictable twists carried by one single not-so-predictable twist. It's fun to see a big list of cameo's and action, but that's all it is. Hell, it pales even in comparison to arkham asylum, where they at least kept up a central villain and brought up some batman character development. As for the rest of the stuff you're mentioning like mgs4 and half life, they are good, some great, but nowhere near the best that gaming has offered. Saying mgs4 is the best story in gaming makes me think you're just a ps3 fanboy who started gaming 5 years ago. I'd be surprised if you've even touched planescape given the provided list of games.

@ Vaasman

What about the non-interactive cutscenes ?

The Japanese version of the Saturn version is dirt cheap on ebay. I guess that is the version I will be going with. Thanks for turning me onto this game TC!

On an aside. I think whether these are games or not is besides the point. The real question someone should be asking is how does it benefit from being a game rather than being a manga or audio drama? If you can answer that then it makes sense as a game because it leverages something unique about videogames (which isn't just control).

The Saturn Version has no english subs in it though.

Also the Saturn version butchered the art and music audio.

The art is butchered because of the heavy compression and the low resolution.

The music is messed up because they didn't code it correctly when porting it over for the sound chip in the Saturn.

Basically the music in the Saturn version sounds horrible and is missing a lot of the individual sounds that were used in the PC-98 version.

The Windows version is currently the best version because of a patch that adds in the PC-98 music and the voice acting from the Saturn version while still keeping the art from the PC-98 version.

If you want to see how bad the music is just compare YouTube videos of the Saturn version to the PC-98 version.

I do have a comparison screenshot of the artwork though.

Top screenshot is the Saturn version and the bottom is the PC-98/Windows version.

I put the image in a link because gamespot uses heavy compression on images uploaded to their own site.

Sega Saturn vs PC-98/Window screenshot link

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And I agree with your second point.

Games like YU-NO work best as a game because they can accomplish stuff that other mediums could not do in one package.

A movie would be too short.

A tv show would be lacking in dialogue and descriptive content.

A comic book or manga would be lacking in music, voice acting and certain aspects of dialogue.

There is much more than that to the story.

But if I tell you why it would ruin a lot of major piece of the plot so I will refrain from doing so.

I have played Cryostasis and while it has great atmosphere it's plot is no where near the quality of YU-NO and that is understandable given the type of game Cryostasis is.

Who said convoluted was a bad thing? Go look up the definition of "convoluted". It could also be a good thing buddy. That's why I LOL every time someone uses that word. It's not even an insult.

Well in this case it is a bad thing.

Maybe if Kojima hired an editor it would have been better.

Besides that the story is full of unnecessary retconning with an unrealistic and cheesy script.

If this was a comedy then that would be fine but when the story is trying to be serious it just doesn't fit.

The brilliance of Cryostasis is not only in its plot, but in the way in which it is integrated into the gameplay. That's what it is about: being able to capitalise in full on the strengths of the medium. It's not difficult to tell a great story in a video game when you bereave it of most of the elements that make it a video game in the first place.

The degradation between the two versions is about what I expected (Eve Burst Error was downgraded around that much when it made the jump to the Saturn).

I'm happy to play the game in Japanese so that isn't a problem...and the thing is the PC version of the game is so rare now that it has become expensive (from what I can tell). From what I can tell it doesn't seem to have a digital version on outlets like Vector either.

People always say that but there are hardly any games which have well written stories.

I don't mean to say that all games should have outstanding stories but I wouldn't say the opposite either.

Some games I play for the gameplay and some I play for the story.

Both serve different purposes.

Some people get the impression that because I say a game has a bad story that means I am saying the game sucks which is false.

A game can be a hell of a lot of fun to play even if the story is crap.

But a game can also be entertaining and engaging if it has a great story but poor gameplay.

Some say that if a video game lacks too much gameplay then it should be a book or movie but there are some things a game can do with a story that none of those other mediums can accomplish as a whole.

@ RyviusARC

So how does YU-NO make better use of interactive storytelling than Cryostasis does ?

Does it matter?

Cryostasis is a great game in it's own right but the amount of interaction does not negate how good a story is.

My claim about YU-NO was not about gameplay but story.

And before you mention that it shouldn't be a game if it's mainly just reading look at the post above yours so I don't have to keep repeating myself.

@ RyviusARC

It matters to me (and many other "normal" people). I Wouldn't read the Da Vinci Code book on a large silver screen at the cinema, its a good fucking story but how it is told/experienced does matter and I wouldn't game for the story if the story is not told interactively, theres other mediums/platforms that specialize in that sort of thing. Theres no halfways or in betweens, use the medium properly or descent into redudancy. Its why I loved Heavy Rain so much despites its god awfulll story quality. Seriously its horrible but as far as interactive story telling goes it used the platform/medium well.

Yeah I saw the adventure elements and multiple plot paths, But you didn't describe the ratio of exactly how much of the game is played and how , much of it is just turning pages. I gave MGS 4 the same critism, the time spent playing the game is above most games but the ratio was lower than the average. Even though it has more gameplay than the average game its gameplay is overshadowed by its story/cutscenes, the 3 hour game, Journey, has a better gameplay/story ratio despite being 10 times shorter. Pretty straight foward I think.

God.......why do I have to repeat myself when I just pointed it out in a previous post.

There are some things that games like YU-NO do that cannot be done as well in a book or movie and I have already explained why.

If you can understand Japanese then go ahead with the Saturn version.

But you will be missing out a little because the music was one of the things that made YU-NO more engaging and the Saturn version ruined a lot of the music.

The music in the Saturn version is more muted and misuses some of the soundfonts.

I uploaded one song from both versions just for a comparison.

First video is the Saturn song.......around 0:38 and 1:39 is when it really gets ugly.

Be sure to listen to it in 1080P for the higher quality audio bitrate.

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Here is the PC-98/Windows version.

@ RyviusARC

I hear ya. But perhaps it didn't do enough of them. I'l use MGS 4 as an example again, the game does allow you to play sometimes which is something movies definately cannot do, but its not enough to make a difference so it may as well just shouldve been a movie.

Take that same concept and apply it to YU-NO.

Basicly its like saying "ostriches are technically, temporarily flying if they flap their wings alil when they jump" . Its true, and pointless.

Horrible analogy.

YU-NO couldn't be done well enough as a movie because a movie is too short and doesn't carry the same pacing.

It would also be missing a lot if it were adapted to a book or comic.

YU-NO is best represented by the current medium it is in.

@ RyviusARC

what about a TV Show, or 6 movies ?

Nope.

Both a tv show and movie have different amount of pacing compared to YU-NO or most games like it.

For example the first 30 minutes after the opening of the game basically has you talking with the school nurse who is your homeroom teacher.

It might sound boring but the pacing is just right for this type of game.

It takes quite some time to create the setting and introduce the characters.

There is also a certain style of narration in the game that wouldn't do as well in other mediums.

blog

I'm genuinely interested. The only thing I'm wary about is whether the game has hentai elements in it. Does it? If yes, then I'll pass.

It does have them but you are missing out for such a small reason.

That is like passing out on God of War because of the part where he beds those ladies.

Anyway you can skip the hentai scenes by holding down the ctrl key.

Those scenes are few and far between anyway.

@Mozelleple112:

@ RyviusARC

"For example the first 30 minutes after the opening

of the game basically has you talking with the

school nurse who is your homeroom teacher."

It does ? You sure its not the player just click next as the homeroom teacher talks ? If not then how does this scenario play out for the player ?

More importantly the reason TV Shows don't do long opening monologues is because its a TV Show, they can get the exact same message through without losing velocity because an image says a thousand words, so video can do that 30 minute opening section way more effeciently, if you just play by the rules and make use of all that video has to offer.

Its just like Da Vinci Code, the book took me 48 hours to finnish but the movie only took 2 hours. I think you underestimate the power of movies/mini-series the same way YU-NO underestimates the power of Interactive Fiction.

How do the Arkham games have great stories? I played Asylum and the story was little more than a setup for the game. It didn't explore the characters or pursue themes. It wasn't about anything. It was just Batman, on Arkham Island, stopping the Joker. It wasn't a great story. Neither is Arkham City, as far in as I am. There are far better stories. Far better Batman stories, for that matter.

Also, the Half-Life games don't have great stories either. Great story presentation, yes. But not great stories. The same goes for Uncharted 2.

So by no means are those stories better than Planescape: Torment.

@ PannicAtack "the story was little more than a

setup for the game"

Well yes it was, and if it was a better story then they'd be no reason to attach it to a game. If you allow it to be good enough to survive on its own, theres a word for it: Ludonarrative Ignorance, Final Fantasy and JRPGs in general have this problem, the story goes its own way while the gameplay does something totally different, regardless of how good one or the other, or even if both gameplay and strory is good, it means nothing if they ignore each other and do their own thing ofcourse since I like trolling Kojima I'm gona go ahead and say this is another thing Metal Gear Solid struggles with.

Anyway:

Arkham Asylum only has one unique and truly powerfull gamestory section, the player's encounters with the Scare Crow were deffinately the Narrative highlight of the entire Arkham Trilogy from an Interactive Stand Point, The Joker was absolutely Dogshit compared to the Scare Scrow.

I gobble up 800 page books so I am not ignorant on that subject.

And like I said a TV show couldn't do YU-NO as well.

It isn't about showing but telling.

I really can't explain it to someone like you who hasn't played such games.

A game like YU-NO just wouldn't work as well in other mediums.

You could transfer it to other forms of media but it would be lacking.

@ RyviusARC

Showing is telling in visual form.

And its already lacking in its current form. I just believe it could lack less in others. ;)

Forgot to mention that the acting cast for this game are all pretty well known in Japan.

This was surprising for such a game especially since it was in the 90s.

They have done roles in shows like Yu Yu Hakusho, Oh My Goddess!, Ranma 1/2, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ghost in a Shell, Sailor Moon, Claymore, Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, Dragon Ball, Full Metal Alchemist, Excel Saga, Fruits Basket, Full Metal Panic, Bleach, Pokemon etc. etc.

Not sure how many people watched anime so that may mean very little to them.

But they did do voice work for a lot of video games as well such as, Soul Calibur, Armored Core, Metal Gear Solid, Guilty Gear, Tales of Destiny, Tales of Symphonia.....pretty much most Tales of games, Disgaea, Xenogears, Xenosaga, Dead or Alive, Tekken, Grandia, Valkyrie Profile, Kingdom Hearts, Onimusha etc. etc.

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The main character in the game even did the voice of Link in The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask.

Here is a full list of the actors/actresses and when you click on their names it takes you to a page that shows all their voice work.

Link to Voice Cast

How can you say it's lacking when you never played the game.

And you just don't seem to get that the amount of dialogue and pacing would not be good for other mediums.

Showing would not be as good in the style that the game is going for.

In the game you build a connection with the main character as you feel you are a part of him and control his actions.

That would be lost when transferred to other mediums.

Also some parts of the game are better left to being read and others spoken, having all one way or the other detracts a bit from the story.

@ RyviusARC

Not only have I not played the game, The Entire Genre is uncharted territory for me. :) More importantly a milion words is alot for any platform. Infact you are absolutely right about some things getting left out during the transfer, but that may actually be a good thing, you gotta ask yourself what does this really contribute to the experience ? Does it really fit there or was it added as Fanservice ? Be honest.

And theres not many things that are better read than spoken, viewed or interacted with and vice versa, 90 percent of everything can jump and change without much difficulty.

ah here it is, 4 days ago somebody brought up the topic of leaving things out. Sorry about the formatting

kotaku.com/are-we-ready-for-shorter-video-game-experiences-1456549811

A million words is a lot and to put that into perspective if you add up all Harry Potter novels together it would barely be over one million words.

Like with anything there is some added filler in the game but it's very little actually.

Most of the filler is just certain things you can click on and inspect but those things can give more information on the characters and setting which can add more depth.

The lengthy dialogue actually helps make the characters more convincing.

For example at the beginning of the game your homeroom teacher is coming to speak with you to see how you are handling your father's death.

They could of cut down the script and basically make it a short conversation with the teacher saying, "sorry about your father's death are you doing alright?" And the main character (Takuya) could just say, "yes I am" then leave.

But this would remove a lot of the character building and the characters would feel stilted and less human.

Instead the game carries a longer conversation introducing lots of information about each character without feeling like an info dump.

Information such as:

The father was a well known historian and researcher.

Even though his father was confirmed dead they never found his body.

Takuya didn't get along with his father.

He says he is fine but he distances himself from others and even quit the kendo club that he was president in.

The Homeroom teacher is new and just started working at the school 2 months ago.

She is foreign, has very little knowledge of fashion, likes to smoke and is usually not in the nurses office where she should be.

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All this information is key to the plot even the minor details such as the homeroom teacher liking to smoke or being foreign is very important to the story.

That is one of the reasons I like the game so much.

Most of the smaller details in the game have some meaning to the plot.

Instead of spoon feeding you the author leaves a lot of the details in the conversations characters are having between one another and this way feels a lot more natural.

The author was very careful on constructing the plot.

Unlike most games the story feels whole rather than a bunch of random ideas forced into a plot.

Characters do not contradict themselves when further information is revealed in the plot.

The author wrote the story knowing how it would end and made sure the events match up.

A lot of the time in video game stories the author starts a plot without knowing how it will end and then never goes back and rechecks everything to make sure it properly fits into the story.

This thread was deleted about a week ago but a mod restored it when they found nothing wrong with it.

I have edited my first post to add more information to the voice acting section.

While searching through the list of voice actors/actresses I noticed the Japanese voice actor for Solid Snake from Metal Gear Solid has a major role in YU-NO.

Always thought that badass voice sounded familiar.

Damn you've got me interested. I might just have to watch that playthrough. Shame though, because I would definitely rather play it myself. I love these types of games, but I need to get into more. Other games like Ever17 and Saya no Uta have me really interested. 999 has my first taste of visual novels and I fell in love. I'm just not sure where to download or get them. Wish they released more on the DS/PSP in the west.

The dialog is alternately dull and cringe-inducing. 80 hours of that sounds like torture.

Also it's a lot easier to tell a good story when you have the absolute minimum level of interactivity and player agency.

Slowly, but surely, more and more of them are showing up on PC here in the west.

Here's a handful of games from within that realm. Easily available on Steam. Practically any computer can run them.

Magical Diary

Long Live the Queen

Analogue: A Hate Story

Hate Plus

Dysfunctional Systems: Learning to Manage Chaos

Cherry Tree High Comedy Club