I'm not talking about puzzle games so don't include them. I'm wondering what games had stories you felt were intelligent and seemed clever in some way to you; games that didn't pander to the lowest common demoninator or convolute the story with immature jibberish hidden behind big words or "adult situations". I've been thinking about this for awhile and was shocked at just how few titles I actually came up with when I was done.

1. Fallout 2
2. Psychonauts
3. Grim Fandango, though I really need to replay this game to see how it holds up after nearly a decade.
Honorable mention: Half-Life, because Valve kicks so much ass.

So, what are your choices?

I don't play any games that challenge me mentaly , as long as they have excessive violence , mild nudity and some good music it's a purchase.

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.

Myst without a doubt.

This is a difficult one to nail down, because for some reason I think you'll disagree with most of my list Rocket. That said, to me my top three have to be Xenosaga, Psychonauts, and MGS3.

Eternal Darkness.

Phoenix Wright series.

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

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.

How on Earth did I forget Portal?

*hangs head in shame*

HOW can u put HALf LIFE ?

Even if this game was amazing some years ago, the story was common and poor. You may have been seduced by the fact the story takes place directly in the FPS view (no cinematic) but it doesn't change the story is poor.

my choose :

(very hard in fact because you are looking for high standard rejecting 99% of the videogames ...)

Planetscape Torment

They are also plenty of games with epic (immature or not) story and great character that were pretty good to me including FFVII, FFT, MGS, SH, AnotherWorld, System Shock, Vagrant Story and maybe some others I dont remember right now

If I understand correctly what you mean, FE:RD definately takes the first place for me. No question about that one.