I love the MGS games but I would not take this game as the best example of a great story in a videogame...

Even if you don't consider the narration (with some great stuff, Deus Ex style, or Shadow of the colossus, half life, whatever) but just the plot itself, there are some great stories in games. Planescape Torment would be a fine example...

Well what else should I be including in "story"? Events and surprises are what I would consider the most important elements of "story" for a video game, because those are engaging, and because "plot" can often get scewed up by player actions (shooting a security guard in Half Life).

I don't - the most important element of story in a videogame, for me, is how it's told or how well it fulfills what it set out to do. It's why I hold Gears of War as being roughly equivalent to The Dark Knight, making one of those hate game-to-movie comparisons: a great action experience that delivers everything you could want.

Storytelling, the act of telling the story, is just as important in any medium as the story itself. In games this is more true, because it is more intrinsic to the experience.

Probably could have said that during the Pong Era

To be honest, I pretty much never ask myself that question unless I'm playing a Bioware title.

I'm pretty much used to just playing for the gameplay and watching a story unfold.

I think most video games should be sold in airports, with how crappy and disposable they are.

Ironically this is the kind of mindset that makes Shadow of the Colossus so fantastic for people who don't have this mindset.

Well most of them are. There are a few out there that really shine though.

Well, there is a lot of bashing to games like MGS4, though I think its story is good(and the game is one of the best I have played), some fans certainly make it look like its something from another world, thats why I think it also gets bashed.

I like stories in games like ICO and shadow of the colossus where I ask myself what is the game story and when things are clear to me in the end. The game pushes you to feel interested in what is happening and why.

I also like stories in games like Folklore too, more narrative.

In the end what makes us think that the videogame stries are better than theones in movies or books is the amount of time we get in the characters place or "live" with them, we get more emotionally attached.

This added to music that is something books cant have, enhaces the amount of emotion and makes average or OK stories feel like they were better than any book out there.

Anyway, sometimes is good to get involved and sometime we enjoy just sitting and listening to the story the game creator prepared for us, with all its atmosphere(graphics, sound, music, VA).

Funnily enough Half-Life 2 doesn't really limit your choice. he only times your choices are limited is either killing off the good guys or you are actually restricted IN THE GAME as well. That's why I praise it so much when it comes to story telling.