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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Your Take On Cinematic Games?

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alternine on 09 August 2016
RolStoppable said:
Most cinematic games tell run of the mill stories. That might have been okay when cinematic games were still something new, but once the novelty was over, any game that put a focus on story better had to tell a great one. This is where the problem comes in: Almost all good writers work in other media because those are better for storytelling. There's not much hope for gaming.

Games have been telling better stories than most movies these days. 



"Say what you want about Americans but we understand Capitalism.You buy yourself a product and you Get What You Pay For."  

- Max Payne 3

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Dr.Vita on 09 August 2016

I like them as long as they are made good.




Dr.Vita talks about Playstation Vita in 2016!
Playstation Vita Media Create Sales (2014 vs 2015 vs 2016)
Playstation Vita Japan Retail Software Sales (2013 vs 2014 vs 2015 + 2015 LTD Edition)
Prediction: Nothing will outsell PSP anymore (except Playstation home consoles)

Hynad on 09 August 2016
Veknoid_Outcast said:
Trunkin said:

Just finally got around to laying TLOU, and I think it would have been better as a tv miniseries. I've yet to see a story in a game that I didn't feel would have been better told in another medium. I feel like the fact that I'm playing a game puts an additional wall between me and the characters somehow. I've heard the opposite said, though.

And of course there's the fact that the level of interactivity oftimes has to be compromised for the sake of storytelling. The gameplay suffers for the sake of the story, and the story suffers for the game. 

I'm playing bioshock next, so maybe that'll change my mind.

@bold: that's a beautiful way to put it. I agree entirely.

@BioShock: I think you'll enjoy it. The story is told more obliquely, as in Metroid Prime, Unreal, or Half-Life 2. You explore and see more of the world and discover audio logs. In this way exploration/gameplay is linked to storytelling. I find it a much more effective way to tell a story in a video game unobtrusively.

Bioshock would have had the exact same gameplay even if it had relied on cut-scenes. Its gameplay doesn't give you more liberty just because it doesn't follow the same storytelling structure as a game like TLOU. It's pretty straight forward in its gameplay design, and the way it tells its story doesn't limit or open gameplay features. It's a story driven single player FPS, like many others. But it tells a good story in an interesting setting. 

I don't see how the way it tells its story helps its gameplay. It may help immersion, but in no way does it make its gameplay richer. It's the same with TLOU. The way it tells its story doesn't compromise its gameplay. There are scripted parts in both games. Both presenting them from a different perspective. You may prefer one to the other, but they're not different at their core.




Trunkin on 09 August 2016
Veknoid_Outcast said:
Trunkin said:

Just finally got around to laying TLOU, and I think it would have been better as a tv miniseries. I've yet to see a story in a game that I didn't feel would have been better told in another medium. I feel like the fact that I'm playing a game puts an additional wall between me and the characters somehow. I've heard the opposite said, though.

And of course there's the fact that the level of interactivity oftimes has to be compromised for the sake of storytelling. The gameplay suffers for the sake of the story, and the story suffers for the game. 

I'm playing bioshock next, so maybe that'll change my mind.

@bold: that's a beautiful way to put it. I agree entirely.

@BioShock: I think you'll enjoy it. The story is told more obliquely, as in Metroid Prime, Unreal, or Half-Life 2. You explore and see more of the world and discover audio logs. In this way exploration/gameplay is linked to storytelling. I find it a much more effective way to tell a story in a video game unobtrusively.

Hmm, I'll see. I like what I've hard so far. I haven't played Metroid Prime either. What have i been doing with my life!?

Wright said:
Trunkin said:

I've yet to see a story in a game that I didn't feel would have been better told in another medium.

 

Unless you're specifically talking about "Cinematic games",

Y'know, I forgot about visual novels. I've played the first Ace Attourney and thought it was brilliant. I tend to look at them as their own separate thing, though -- like a really complex choose your own adventure book.  I think my issue is mainly with action/adventure "cinematic experiences." I get the feeling i wouldn't have any problems with a David Cage, or Telltale game either.

But yes, 999 and Zero escape are near the top of my to-play list. I've heard nothing but good things about them.



Wright on 09 August 2016
Trunkin said:

I tend to look at them as their own separate thing, though -- like a really complex choose your own adventure book. 

Then let me try to recommend something that isn't a visual novel in itself, which also displaying one of the most engrossing plots I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy:

 

And since this is a puzzle game, it reminded me of another one, which also had a story that left on me an everlasting sensation after I was done with it:



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Goodnightmoon on 09 August 2016
Wright said:
Trunkin said:

I tend to look at them as their own separate thing, though -- like a really complex choose your own adventure book. 

Then let me try to recommend something that isn't a visual novel in itself, which also displaying one of the most engrossing plots I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy:

 

Man, that game was brilliant, fantastic narrative and very nice puzzles, easily in my top 5 DS games.



Wright on 09 August 2016
Goodnightmoon said:

Man, that game was brilliant, fantastic narrative and very nice puzzles, easily in my top 5 DS games.

Yes, yes it was. It truly demonstrated the brilliance of Shu Takumi's videogame design. I'm not sure 100% he did the script, but the whole idea was his, so might as well say he was responsible for that too.



JWeinCom on 09 August 2016

It depends on whether or not there is a good reason for the story to be told in this particular medium. The interactivity has to add something meaningful to the experience (not just QTE events), or else it should just be a movie.



Goodnightmoon on 09 August 2016
Wright said:
Goodnightmoon said:

Man, that game was brilliant, fantastic narrative and very nice puzzles, easily in my top 5 DS games.

Yes, yes it was. It truly demonstrated the brilliance of Shu Takumi's videogame design. I'm not sure 100% he did the script, but the whole idea was his, so might as well say he was responsible for that too.

So Google tells me that appart from Ghost Trick this man is the director of Dino Crisis 1 and 2, the creator and director of the Acce Atorney series and he also worked in Resident Evil 2? He has a new fan lol.



Esiar on 10 August 2016

The level of importance depends on the genre. Something like Mario should be gameplay > sound and music > graphics = story, but cinematic games should have story at the time.



Can't wait for The Zelder Scrolls 3: Breath of The Wild Hunt!