Many would argue that video games should be judged for the gameplay because that is their ultimate selling point. I'd say that's true for the first 10-20 hours. A fun gameplay will still feel boring if you repeat it for 60+ hours. When you reach that point, a well-planned plot is the only reason to keep playing until the last second. That's the kind of game I'm looking for.

 

Any suggestions? (Aside from the Final Fantasy titles, which we have discussed in another thread.)

I really love the Fable games. They both have great plots that I am super into. It also has a lot of room for side missions and free play. I like that the things you do in the game, like cheating on your spouse or eating certain types of food, will affect your character. It adds a fun twist to things.

That sounds lovely! I like it when a game has a great basic plot, but even better when the side missions are also worth pursuing. The gaming experience becomes so rich. Similar to that beat is the Persona series. The central mystery is very interesting; most times can't be guessed until late game. Like in the real world, what we do in our free time affect our performance at school, work, and our social relationships.

To be honest, I never pay attention to the plot and have never given it thought. It sounds like I've been missing out by rushing through things. I'll have to try some of these games if they are still available and work with modern software.

Half-Life 2 had a great story, but it's pretty old and I haven't tried the newer versions. Escape the room style adventure games usually have a compelling plot. They were super popular a year or so ago and there's lots to choose from.

Exactly, @North. You should give Fable a shot and let me know what you think! I had a lot of fun playing to the "good" and "bad" extremes.

 

I used to hear good things about Half-Life 2 but never got around to playing it, @ShadowEdge. It's one of those games I've been meaning to try for forever. Maybe that's something I can play while I wait for Kingdom Hearts III.

 

@Ogmore You might just be playing games that aren't plot-heavy. There are a lot of those around and they can be really fun as well! The Fable games are available on the Xbox One Marketplace if you happen to have an Xbox. I think Steam has at least one of the Fable games for sale.

I've heard many good things about the first three games in the Silent Hill horror game series, specifically Silent Hill 2. The narrative and ambiance really takes precedence.

 

And while I'm not too familiar with the Drakengard series, I've heard it's very story driven, covering mature and dark themes, and each of the games actually necessitate repeat playthroughs to unlock all the story. I've heard that many of the games suffered from lacking combat and performance on their hardware, but the most recent game, Neir: Automata was developed with the aid of the acclaimed developer PlatinumGames, known for their action titles, so this entry has both a strong gameplay and narrative identity. Sounds like this would be good to play for its story.