We are getting to a point where story in video games is rivaling movies

What I mean by this is we are getting to that point where stories can, do, and should have the capability to fill us with emotions. What kind? Well when a character you like actually dies, it's heartbreaking for the main character and for you. I was watching the ending for Halo 4 when Cortana dies, it was heartbreaking. This is the first time anything involving Halo's story has moved me, before I thought Halo's story was terrible. Back around the time of Final Fantasy VII, when Aerith died. It moved people, people were saddened by her loss. This was a character you cared about, therefore their death was in a way, tragic and impacting. It seems more and more throughout the years that stories like this for video games, and even other things about a game's story are getting better. They can rival movies. To me the best movies are the ones that can get me emotional or have a deep meaning, they're the most powerful if they can make the watcher/player feel something. Assassin's Creed is another game I'd like to point out, I was emotionally invested in Assassin's Creed II. Learning what life was like for Ezio the first hour, but then everything turned and a tragedy happened, and I was like "No you killed them", like putting yourself in his shoes. Basically, video games are becoming emotional investments. Not just mindless fun, like movies all ready are (if it's a good movie).

Not just mindless fun, like movies all ready are (if it's a good movie).Valkyriareaper1

No, they're miles behind. But they're getting better. Although I have to say, your examples are horrible.

No, movies are leagues ahead of video games in the story department.

I've always thought games told BETTER stories than movies. You can only do so much in 2-4 hours, while some great games go on for 30+ hours, notably zelda, final fantasy and other RPGS.YoshiYogurt

Journey was one of the best experiences I've had with any form of entertainment and a movie could never do anything the way that it did. Games should be looking to tell stories in ways that movies or books can't, instead of some typical Hollywood bullcrap.

Journey was one of the best experiences I've had with any form of entertainment and a movie could never do anything the way that it did. Games should be looking to tell stories in ways that movies or books can't, instead of some typical Hollywood bullcrap.

Sstrawberryjam

What I mean by this is we are getting to that point where stories can, do, and should have the capability to fill us with emotions. What kind? Well when a character you like actually dies, it's heartbreaking for the main character and for you. I was watching the ending for Halo 4 when Cortana dies, it was heartbreaking. This is the first time anything involving Halo's story has moved me, before I thought Halo's story was terrible. Back around the time of Final Fantasy VII, when Aerith died. It moved people, people were saddened by her loss. This was a character you cared about, therefore their death was in a way, tragic and impacting. It seems more and more throughout the years that stories like this for video games, and even other things about a game's story are getting better. They can rival movies. To me the best movies are the ones that can get me emotional or have a deep meaning, they're the most powerful if they can make the watcher/player feel something. Assassin's Creed is another game I'd like to point out, I was emotionally invested in Assassin's Creed II. Learning what life was like for Ezio the first hour, but then everything turned and a tragedy happened, and I was like "No you killed them", like putting yourself in his shoes. Basically, video games are becoming emotional investments. Not just mindless fun, like movies all ready are (if it's a good movie).

Valkyriareaper1

Journey was one of the best experiences I've had with any form of entertainment and a movie could never do anything the way that it did. Games should be looking to tell stories in ways that movies or books can't, instead of some typical Hollywood bullcrap.

Sstrawberryjam

Eh, I've recently been playing the Walking Dead and while it has the best story telling I've seen in games in a while, the writing is still a bit below the quality that I would watch a TV show or movie for. That said it doesn't need to be quite as high quality, the way it's told and the way you interact with it still made me care about some of the characters and feel guilt in a way I seldom have from movies.

TC, you should use spoiler tags. Just saying.

[QUOTE="Sstrawberryjam"]

Journey was one of the best experiences I've had with any form of entertainment and a movie could never do anything the way that it did. Games should be looking to tell stories in ways that movies or books can't, instead of some typical Hollywood bullcrap.

Lulekani

It's a shame that there aren't more games like it, it did more without words than most games ever could. Honourable mention for Rockstar as well, kings of depressing satire.

Halo 4 and Mass Effect 3 spoiled in a week, nice.

I gotta say, some of the JRPGs I've played have been a lot better than some of the anime I've seen. But as for movies. Hm...that's complicated. I'm not a big movie buff so I don't know if I could speak accuratley on which is better. It also depends on the movie and game you're comparing.

Compare Twilight to Heavy Rain or Metal Gear Solid.

On the flip side, compare Call of Duty and Battlefield to Saving Private Ryan or Apocalypse Now.

Video games stories are coming a lot farther. Companies are beginning to hire proffessional writers to do their stories now. But as a whole I think games need to do a lot more maturing before we can say that they are on the level of movies.

Also, spoiler tags man! Jeesus....

I think's dangerous to make direct comparisons between movies and games. But I do get your points. In terms of evoking emotion, I agree.

Also, I believe that games have started to really play to the strengths of its unique medium, a medium that movies, TV and literature just can't replicate. Someone already mentioned Journey which is a fantastic example. Then there's The Walking Dead and To The Moon which just couldn't have as strong as an impact without the interactivity.

That's an exciting direction that I hope games continue to follow.

I've always thought games told BETTER stories than movies. You can only do so much in 2-4 hours, while some great games go on for 30+ hours, notably zelda, final fantasy and other RPGS.YoshiYogurt

I can't say I agree here, if you're going strictly by longevity. Even in the games you mentioned, Zelda has a largely paper thin story (with lots of inconsistencies at that) and Final Fantasy games are loaded with unnecessary dialogue and somewhat convoluted plots. I do love both series' for what they are but to say that their stories are better than what are found in say, the above average movie, is a bit of a stretch.

Thanks for spoiling the Halo 4 ending brah.

Thanks for spoiling the Halo 4 ending brah.

jim_shorts

I got very emotional playing GTA IV and Saints Row the Third, but I'm not sure that's a good thing.

Also, I believe that games have started to really play to the strengths of its unique medium, a medium that movies, TV and literature just can't replicate. Someone already mentioned Journey which is a fantastic example. Then there's The Walking Dead and To The Moon which just couldn't have as strong as an impact without the interactivity. That's an exciting direction that I hope games continue to follow.VoodooHak

No. they are different medias. You can not compare one to another.

No. they are different medias. You can not compare one to another.

wiouds

They certainly have the potential to have stories as good as movies, but publishers know their primary audience is in the 12-18 age demographic and they're well aware that the vast majority of those folks get bored with emotion and intrigue and plot complexity real fast.

I do think games are getting better and better.

Just speaking of two games specifically, Call of Duty : Black Ops 2, and Spec Ops : The Line both tell some of the best crafted military shooter stories yet, and both for very different feelings and reasons. and i give Spec Ops The Line the edge, i seriously wanted to put down the controller when i reached a certain point. [spoiler] it's when your trying to get to 'the gate' and you find an army encampent, your character makes the decision (he chooses not you in this case) to get through it via white phosporous mortor rounds. when you are all done, you find out that part of the place had refugee's, and you just see scores and scores of charred burned flesh of men, women, and children. It wasn't your objective, you thought from on high it was the bad guys... just the way that scene went i was just stunned never quite had that feeling of 'oh $hit we fvcked up....' [/spoiler]

and i've played Medal of Honor : Warfighter, which was horrid in the story department. nevermind Battlefield 3 series. Seriously if it were not for the fact that Call of Duty games very slowly go down in price, i'd of probably had all of them on discount just for the campaigns. and i don't even care for the multiplayer.

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But back to the stories, for the most part games stories seem to fit under the umbrella of the summer blockbuster action movie. and with that in mind, most of the big triple AAA games i think meet or exceed the stories being told in the summer blockbuster.