Games don't need stories.

[tarheel91]

WereKitten said:

tarheel91 said:

Seece said:
L4D is a prime example of a game that doesn't need a story, but would greatly benefit with one.

L4D having a story wouldn't change my enjoyment at all.  It's really a non factor for me.  I could care less why I'm enjoying some awesome platforming in a Mario game.  Honestly, the game could just have a level select screen and the levels themselves and it wouldn't change my opinion of them.  My issue has always been that, while it's certainly possible to create an engaging story that could add to one's enjoyment, there's never been a story in a game anywhere near good enough to do that.  Anyone who thinks there are some awesome stories in video games needs to read more literature or watch more cinema.  Thus, give me a barebones backdrop (e.g. Save the Princess!) and I'm good.  It's all about having fun. 

A story doesn't need to be laid out like in a book nor to be plot-heavy to add value and -dare I say it?- depth to a videogame. So to say that games have "not good enough" stories sounds like trying to hammer a square peg in a round hole.

One of my favourite games of all time - Shadow of the Colossus - has a quite understated narrative. I found that it made for a wonderful experience, whereas other player didn't even get most of it. It surely isn't much if you try to summarize it into a plot, and it doesn't try to be literature nor cinema. Still, it's great storytelling.

Just to clarify, a decent story (relative to video game stories in general) doesn't take away from a game, but it doesn't add to it from me.  I haven't played SotC (no PS2), but good story telling seems to conflict with good gameplay, generally.  As is already mentioned, video games are about giving you control over the situation and overcoming some challenge.  Enjoyment comes from beating it through your own skill.  However, by giving you power, developers are giving up power of their own (in terms of controlling what happens and, in turn telling a story), and this limits what they can do in terms of story telling.  It's not impossible, but it certainly makes good story telling more difficult.