The "smartest" game you ever played

[kenzomatic]

rocketpig said:

ToastyJaguar said:
I think GTAIV is pretty smart. I don't want to ruin anything, but some of the decisions in that game really had me thinking.

Bioshock is up their too, what Rapture represents and how it came to be is simply fascinating.

I initially thought BioShock was smart until I played through it again and realized that the "smart" aspect of the game is really just smoke and mirrors hidden behind a great environment and the pretense of a philosophy. Really, Irrational softballed Objectivism in that game and used it for Rapture itself and nothing else. After all, Objectivism is all about choice and power to the strong and when you reach Andrew Ryan's office, while it's a good scene, it doesn't fit because all choice is removed from the player.

Then the rest of the game after that point turns into a fetch quest with a lame final boss that doesn't really fit the rest of the game. Kinda sad IMO. So much potential wasted with that game.

As for GTA IV... Well, it has its moments. I think I made my opinion of the game clear in my editorial two days ago.

You can neglect it for the ending, but the city it's self is a character.

"You never had control! That's the illusion! I was overwhelmed by the power of this place. But I made a mistake, too. I didn't have enough respect for that power and it's out now."

 You said itellegent stories. Not game desgin or play, bioshock is not really about the character and his chocies it's about the city, andrew ryan and everyone else. your just a whitness.

Kasz216 said:

Viper1 said:
Eternal Darkness.

Phoenix Wright series.

SimCity - Ok, not really story wise but still takes some brains to make it work good.

I dunno. As awesome as Eternal Darkness is... it's a lovecraft ripoff in many respects.

I mean i'd consider the Romance of the Three Kingdoms games smart but they're based off like a book with over 1,000 pages. 

Eternal Darkness was good, and without the lovcraft elements it would suck. Recycling elements doesn't make a story dumb though. The best stories steel many elements.

Anyways to answer the question I agree with the list you have plus what I metnioned but I think the word smart is a bad word to use. 

I mean Isaac Asimov was a smart writer with "smart stories." I just don't know if your asking that or for "great stories" because they are different.