...Classic masterpieces of gaming tell a great story playing the game itself, without the need of neverending cutscenes. In Deus Ex and Planescape: Torment your actions modify the story, in Morrowind the main quest is a thin thread around which you can quite freely build a somehow loose story choosing sidequests and interaction with NPCs, Thief series doesn't give the same freedom of the former games about shaping the story, but nevertheless playing the games themselves you unfold their mistery stories and you've got a nice degree of freedom about how playing each mission, the same happens with Myth I and II and a lot of other great games. A story can be complex but still be contained in the game itself, not glued on it as long cutscenes.

You are more or less preaching to the choir. It's some most developers that should be reminded that a good story can be told without using a lot of cut-scenes.

Yes, sometimes I try to delude myself that developers could become again able to do that...

Although one thing must be said: we tend to remember "classics" and remote "golden ages" that always look better than the present because past garbage tend to fade away from our memories, and only the best are remembered (besides also some past crap so bad to become colourful and that we remember chuckling).

i like the use of alot of cutscenes or speaking events in general as long as their done right. A story can be told in many ways and so long as the events are done correctly the method at which their done should be done correctly also. The games you talked about are al or mostly all pc games and are pretty old i doubt they would use the exact same techniques today if they were to make sequals look at the new deus ex it looks like its gonna use nice amount of cutscenes but if done right that shouldnt matter. Though it can easily be done another way and still be enjoyable. I really don think its a problem that a developer uses alot of cutscenes (Ex. metal gear series) more its just not gonna appeal to everyone. so its not really a flaw imo.

I disagree, the Metal Gear Solid series which is the pinnacle of storytelling in gaming uses cut scenes, thats how I love to see a story unfold.

Thats not to say your preferred method is bad!

MGS4 FTW!

Final Fantasy VI has IMO the best story ever in a game and that isn't heavily laden with FMVs at all

It takes an incredibly talented developer to make a game of the quality of Deus Ex or Half Life, though. Cutscenes are a decent substitute for developers who can't weave a story into regular gameplay.

It tears at me that you are able to hold Metal Gear in this kind of esteem after playing some of the games you've played.

Is it even possible to weave story and gameplay perfectly?

This question isn't completely pertinent, but can you actually have a game where the story happens alongside with gameplay? Like as you're fighting some stupid, boss story is happening.

I don't think any game has done that so I'll say this:

A game littered with small cutscenes does not do a better job of telling a story than a game with long cutscenes.

Although I don't know how Deus Ex and Half-Life and Planescape tell stories. But in games like Mass Effect and Elder Scrolls, the gameplay may help mold the story, but that does not equate to it having a better story.

Shadow of the Colossus does more or less what you describe, wherein the gameplay itself is the primary mode of storytelling - though segments are punctuated with cutscenes, those are there primarily so you can take a breath. The same is true of ICO.

The storytelling in some games - like BioWare and Black Isle/Obsidian games - is centered around interactive conversations, which is another way of integrating storytelling into gameplay itself.

The same is actually true of Super Mario Bros., where outside of five-second breather cutscenes at the end of each world, the primary mode of storytelling comes in the areas you play.