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Video games with great lore
- Thread starter Solemn_In_Berlin
- Start date
Cave Johnson
Member
Shenmue.
While I rather enjoy detailed lore in books funnily enough with games I prefer those with a lighter, gently touched on lore.
I'm thinking of games like Ico and Shadow of the Colossus that impart almost nothing concrete in writing or dialogue, yet via their design and careful use of specific visual tropes create the sense of very real locations with a strong sense of implied history and actions.
Similarly I like Half Life and Portal a lot and love the sense of depth hinted at.
I also liked the world of Dishonoured - the use of the voice over from the heart was fantastic mechanic.
I know Mass Effect and Elder Scrolls and other games have very deep lore but for some reason it all feels artificial in those games for me (even though I enjoy them) whereas with a game like Ico it just feels natural and unforced, perhaps because it's all delivered via visual design (and sound too).
I'm thinking of games like Ico and Shadow of the Colossus that impart almost nothing concrete in writing or dialogue, yet via their design and careful use of specific visual tropes create the sense of very real locations with a strong sense of implied history and actions.
Similarly I like Half Life and Portal a lot and love the sense of depth hinted at.
I also liked the world of Dishonoured - the use of the voice over from the heart was fantastic mechanic.
I know Mass Effect and Elder Scrolls and other games have very deep lore but for some reason it all feels artificial in those games for me (even though I enjoy them) whereas with a game like Ico it just feels natural and unforced, perhaps because it's all delivered via visual design (and sound too).
well then, yeah, it seems, I said similar because that's what people told me, even though I have never played it.
(I plan to, someday)
I like it a lot too too, but at times I do not like that most of it seems like taken from other authors or other people that have alredy made the stories and not done by itself.
I like when the games make the lore all by themselves, new, fresh, even when it has a certain influence by others.
Red Mage
Member
Suikoden is a fantasy game where, instead of gods, there are these things called the True Runes:
Although not all of the True Runes were revealed before the series ended, they were apparently based on the Tarot + 5 Elemental Runes (Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and Lightning).
InfiniteCombo
Banned
I always thought that for a fighting game series, The King of Fighters has some outstanding lore, especially everything related to the Orochi storyline. It was definitely the first game series that made me want to explore more about the characters, their lives, their pasts, etc. I beat many of the games work different team combinations just to get as much of the story and lore I could. This all culminated with the ending of the Kyo/Iori/Chizuru team in KoF 97, which I still consider the best ending of any fighting game I've ever seen.
Once the Orochi storyline took an "intermission" of sorts during KoF 99 - 2k1, I thought they couldn't improve on the lore, but alas, the NESTS storyline proved me wrong! Although not as appealing as the Orochi storyline (because it was "technology"-based, as opposed to the more... "mythological/spiritual" feel of the Orochi lore), it still made me want to find out more about the characters, their relationships, their views on the whole KoF tournament stuff, etc.
When a video game constantly makes me care about the story as a whole, the characters, and even seek out other in-universe works related to the game, I feel that the writers have done a good job of establishing an appealing lore.
Honorable mention: Guilty Gear, in particular the story mode of XX.
Once the Orochi storyline took an "intermission" of sorts during KoF 99 - 2k1, I thought they couldn't improve on the lore, but alas, the NESTS storyline proved me wrong! Although not as appealing as the Orochi storyline (because it was "technology"-based, as opposed to the more... "mythological/spiritual" feel of the Orochi lore), it still made me want to find out more about the characters, their relationships, their views on the whole KoF tournament stuff, etc.
When a video game constantly makes me care about the story as a whole, the characters, and even seek out other in-universe works related to the game, I feel that the writers have done a good job of establishing an appealing lore.
Honorable mention: Guilty Gear, in particular the story mode of XX.
Chilli_Axe
Member
Probably Demon's Souls for me. Dark Souls' lore was great, don't get me wrong, but Demon's had a really strong moral message that resonated throughout most of the lore that made it really compelling for me.
SuperSonic1305
Member
The Witcher
Fallout
Mass Effect
Dragon Age
Warcraft
Fallout
Mass Effect
Dragon Age
Warcraft
RespectThySole
Member
Halo
Bioshock
Mass Effect
Fallout
Metroid
Bioshock
Mass Effect
Fallout
Metroid
Tye The Czar
Member
Surprised no one made a Destiny joke yet.
Trials in the Sky (or the Kiseki series as it's known in Japan) series. Infamous for inducing despair in XSEED translators.
Quite a few meaty games out already, but Falcom are still not close to being done.
One of the few series where I really cared about the lore. It also helps that most of it is included directly in the game and not in other media.
Damn, can't believe that I forgot the witcher.
Vulcano's assistant
Banned
I really love Zelda, but it really doesn't qualify, far too inconsistent and unplanned in a big scale. It's good, but not "one of the best" good.
and yeah, DnD games is cheating,.
and yeah, DnD games is cheating,.
Unparalleled_Mediocrity
Neo Member
Although Metal Gear Solid dleivered its lore through verbal diarrhoea in monumentally long cutscenes, and began to get ridiculously convoluted with MGS4, it was the first video game world I was truely immersed and interested in. The fact it spans 40-50 odd years helps with the epicness.
I get confused when people say Halo. I've played 1, 2, 3 and Reach and it doesn't seem to be all that deep. Do you need to read the books and comics as well? Or has it all just horribly gone over my head.
I get confused when people say Halo. I've played 1, 2, 3 and Reach and it doesn't seem to be all that deep. Do you need to read the books and comics as well? Or has it all just horribly gone over my head.
I always liked the lore in the Gabriel Knight series. Each game digs into the mysterious cultural aspects of a location thoroughly and applies it to Gabriel, his family and his inherited role as Schattenjäger. Voodoo mythology in New Orleans, the relationship between King Ludwig and Wagner in Germany, the Knights Templar and the Holy Grail in Rennes-le-Château. Lots of background to dig into throughout the series that ties fantastical and historical elements together in entertaining ways.
ScottSullivan
Member
Agree. The lore and history behind Killzone is so cool, but it's wasted with shitty storytelling, bad plotlines, and pointless characters
Train of Midnight
Banned
I can spend all day reading Elder Scrolls lore.
But Zelda's lore is awful and doesn't even much sense if you start to connect the games.
Seems Bungie has a tendency to have great world building and lore but never do it justice in their games.
Halo is the only video game series where I bought the outside book fiction for. Really cool stuff in that universe.
Destiny also has very interesting universe concepts but its virtually non-existant in the game. The Grimoire cards have really interesting snippets despite them being poorly handled. In a way, Destiny tried to do a sort of Dark Souls esque lore story telling. I had to watch youtube videos to understand dark souls lore. Feels like I have to do the same with Destiny.
Halo is the only video game series where I bought the outside book fiction for. Really cool stuff in that universe.
Destiny also has very interesting universe concepts but its virtually non-existant in the game. The Grimoire cards have really interesting snippets despite them being poorly handled. In a way, Destiny tried to do a sort of Dark Souls esque lore story telling. I had to watch youtube videos to understand dark souls lore. Feels like I have to do the same with Destiny.
ProphessorX
Neo Member
So basically which games I enjoyed reading in, which are Dishonored and The Witcher 2. I liked that they incorporated buying and reading books in the actual gameplay quests. Made me feel like a witcher, all that readin and stuff.
pinkurocket
Member
A game series which is rarely brought up in these threads, but has amazing lore, is Ar Tonelico. The world-building in these games is fantastic and unique, for example they feature multiple languages, each with their own rather well-developed grammar and unique quirks.
It's too bad really that many people who would probably appreciate the world building are turned off by some of the other staples of the series.
It's too bad really that many people who would probably appreciate the world building are turned off by some of the other staples of the series.
skLaFarebear
Member
The Drakengard/Nier series. It's amazing how well everything is connected, yet so distant from each other when you play the games.
Hell, there are actually books written that give you even more lore if you want something more after finishing the games.
Hell, there are actually books written that give you even more lore if you want something more after finishing the games.
ZeroGravity
Member
As mentioned many times before, Metroid Prime. It's still the definitive example of how you can craft a story and a narrative entirely through gameplay experiences, and all of it very interesting on top of it.
jackissocool
Member
Really great lore. Sort tragic and creative takes on classic monsters and fairy tales. It all ties really well into the central theme of sacrifice, power, and corruption.
DiipuSurotu
Banned
Nah, not quite. Matsuno wrote Vagrant Story as an original story, unconnected to Ivalice. It was the first chapter (titled "The Phantom Pain" at the start of the credits) of a brand new franchise. However, years later, when FFXII was in development, Square Enix retconned VS into Ivalice in order to build up hype.
https://twitter.com/YasumiMatsuno/status/85846703474872321
https://twitter.com/YasumiMatsuno/status/85824025993035776
orthodoxy1095
Banned
The Elder Scrolls is the obvious choice, but it's too easy to say, so I'll also throw Warhammer and Myst out there.
Forgot about these, but heck yes. Great lore there.
I'd say Dark Souls is the closest thing. You can beat the game without knowing much about why you are doing what you're doing but you can dig deeper (much much deeper) and a lot of vague-at-first connections seem to become clearer. And after reading/watching videos regarding some lore points, you finally begin to understand that your character is only a part of a much larger puzzle, one that has been played for a long long time...
Omnipunctual Godot
Gold Member
Dark Souls has, perhaps, the greatest mythology I have ever explored, historical or otherwise. Though the true beauty of Dark Souls lies in its subtle, blink-and-you-will-miss-it brand of storytelling, I cannot think of any other videogame title or series that matches the depth and interconnectedness of the Dark Souls lore.
Some may scoff at this sentiment, but, to me, the final portion of Dark Souls handles questions of existence in a very elegant way. (Spoilers)
While many other (lesser) narratives would simplify the choice at the end of Dark Souls by categorizing it as saving the world or failing to do so, Dark Souls makes great strides to ensure that the player views the decision with more complexity than the typical good or bad ending of a videogame.
The world of Lordran is colored by death and the dying, but because the land is cursed, all of its inhabitants continue to exist through death as perverse versions of their former selves. The Chosen Undead is literally surrounded by memento mori, with the enemies and architecture of Lordran constantly serving as reminders of the death that consumes the world. However, delving further into the game's lore, it becomes evident that the enemies are, in fact, victims of a plague that slowly and cruelly removed their original identities, replacing them with those of monsters. This, I believe, can be viewed as a metaphor of prolonged, real-world diseases that steadily destroy the mind and the soul, such as dementia. It is why the game's living NPCs serve as a bright spot and sigh of relief in the overly oppressive world of Dark Souls, and it is also why watching their slowed and agonizing descent into madness can be especially heartbreaking to the player. He sees first-hand the inevitable path of the Undead Curse, the cycle that linkers of the flame perpetuate, and he understands that all of the piled corpses which stood between himself and the First Flame were merely victims of the absurd world into which they were thrust.
I could go on, Lord knows there is much to discuss in terms of metaphor and philosophy in regard to Dark Souls, but I will simply say that, in the end, Dark Souls tells a very human, universal story from a pessimistic, but honest, perspective.
Some may scoff at this sentiment, but, to me, the final portion of Dark Souls handles questions of existence in a very elegant way. (Spoilers)
When the Chosen Undead defeats Gwyn, Lord of Cinder, he is essentially given one of two choices: perpetuate existence, cursed though it may be, by sacrificing his body to the flame, or bring about the destruction of known life by allowing the flames to flicker out; thus ensuring that a world of darkness will take its place. Neither choice serves as a simple solution to the problems of Lordran, and it could be argued that letting the flames die, which in my view represents suicide, is the only true choice that the protagonist can make: breaking the unending cycle of cursed existence in the only way possible—by destroying existence itself.
While many other (lesser) narratives would simplify the choice at the end of Dark Souls by categorizing it as saving the world or failing to do so, Dark Souls makes great strides to ensure that the player views the decision with more complexity than the typical good or bad ending of a videogame.
The world of Lordran is colored by death and the dying, but because the land is cursed, all of its inhabitants continue to exist through death as perverse versions of their former selves. The Chosen Undead is literally surrounded by memento mori, with the enemies and architecture of Lordran constantly serving as reminders of the death that consumes the world. However, delving further into the game's lore, it becomes evident that the enemies are, in fact, victims of a plague that slowly and cruelly removed their original identities, replacing them with those of monsters. This, I believe, can be viewed as a metaphor of prolonged, real-world diseases that steadily destroy the mind and the soul, such as dementia. It is why the game's living NPCs serve as a bright spot and sigh of relief in the overly oppressive world of Dark Souls, and it is also why watching their slowed and agonizing descent into madness can be especially heartbreaking to the player. He sees first-hand the inevitable path of the Undead Curse, the cycle that linkers of the flame perpetuate, and he understands that all of the piled corpses which stood between himself and the First Flame were merely victims of the absurd world into which they were thrust.
I could go on, Lord knows there is much to discuss in terms of metaphor and philosophy in regard to Dark Souls, but I will simply say that, in the end, Dark Souls tells a very human, universal story from a pessimistic, but honest, perspective.
Halo for sure. The 'story' of Halo is a deep well if one is inclined to look beyond the games,
Fallout's lore is fairly well developed as well. Fun - particularly in an alternate history sort of way.
I do like the Gears of War lore. The history of the pendulum wars and the notion of a nation where entire generations know nothing but being at war.
Fallout's lore is fairly well developed as well. Fun - particularly in an alternate history sort of way.
I do like the Gears of War lore. The history of the pendulum wars and the notion of a nation where entire generations know nothing but being at war.
jackissocool
Member
Also I think Gravity Rush is a series with a ton of potential for an amazing lore. The first one really gives the impression of some deep mysteries about the origin of the world and the nature of reality. It seems pretty clear that the shifters and creators are gods from another, higher reality and they are somehow connected to the nevi. I can't wait to see what kind of stuff the sequel gets into.
Solid Samus
Banned
before that mile long image gets reposted into oblivion, i too have to ask
How on earth does Zelda's lore get anywhere even close to touching some of the series in here
Seriously what makes Zelda lore impressive
How on earth does Zelda's lore get anywhere even close to touching some of the series in here
Seriously what makes Zelda lore impressive
Irishmantis
Member
Although doesn't have the best main story (really good 4 a FG)
Mortal Kombat. its Lore is fantastic, so much detail they can almost make their own full fledge RPG from it
Mortal Kombat. its Lore is fantastic, so much detail they can almost make their own full fledge RPG from it
Deified Data
Banned
Nothing beats the depth and breadth of Elder Scrolls' lore. You could immerse yourself in the lore of Tamriel and Nirn for hours - moreso if you want to get into the semi-canon "apocryphal" stuff.
mentallyinept
Banned
The overall arc of the hero and Ganon? That isn't the impressive part.
To me, it's the secondary, peripheral characters. They are so damned memorable. The picture that everyone re-posts shows that clearly.
pixellated_man
Member
Problem with Zelda lore is that they only work well within the context of an individual entry in the series. As soon as you attempt to connect the lore across the whole series it becomes apparent that:
a) it doesn't make much sense
b) they didn't really bother to make it so
a) it doesn't make much sense
b) they didn't really bother to make it so
First time I played MP on the GCN, I pretty much ran through it without scanning much (besides enemies). Bought the trilogy recently and can't believe how great the lore is. It is so detailed and so wonderfully distributed. Really made one of my top 5 games already, even better.
Pro from Dover
Member
Suda51's Kill the past games.
Moonlight Syndrome
The Silver
Flower, Sun, and Rain
Killer 7
I would also add the two No More Heroes games and Killer is Dead as supplementary if not to straight up cap it off (still sorting it out).
Hell, I played Killer 7 when it was new and to this day I still take those puzzle pieces out to place rearrange repeat.
Moonlight Syndrome
The Silver
Flower, Sun, and Rain
Killer 7
I would also add the two No More Heroes games and Killer is Dead as supplementary if not to straight up cap it off (still sorting it out).
Hell, I played Killer 7 when it was new and to this day I still take those puzzle pieces out to place rearrange repeat.
Agree completely, so many questions still unanswered, but enough is there to make your own assumptions.
+1 towards Dark Souls 1 (Not as much Dark Souls 2)
Also, I might be bias but the Homeworld series have impressively fleshed out lore.
pixellated_man
Member
Yes. Love how coherent it is, despite the complexity, unlike some other games (and even films) that attempt the same. It's grounded in reality and takes it's inspiration from real history (particularly, English history), which makes it more relatable. Oblivion's world was really immersive to me largely because of the lore, making up for the rather weak main storyline.