Spinning out of the yesterday's "Video Games Need Better Stories" column is this week's gaming list: the top ten gaming stories of all time. The title is pretty self-explanatory. These are the games with the most gripping narratives that pull at the heart strings, make you laugh, make you cry, and, most importantly, make you care for the character you're interacting with. These ten titles stand as shining examples of how to properly balance gameplay with a story driven experience.
10. Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)
Shadow of the Colossus does not spoon feed narrative exposition to players throughout the adventure. Gamers have to be perceptive in order to truly grasp the magnitude and emotional punch that Team Ico's Shadow of the Colossus strives for. But for those willing to commit to piecing together the "why" behind the game's desolate environment, they will discover a rewarding story that is truly heart-breaking in nature. By the time you realize what a mistake it's been to go off and slay all the massive colossi scattered throughout the landscape, it's far too late.
9. Halo 2 (Xbox)
Many a gamer has cried foul at Halo 2's shift in narrative focus away from cookie cutout Master Chief to a, dare I say, more "human" Covenant martyr. But the move was the best thing Bungie could have done for the Halo series. Not only did the inclusion of the Arbiter give more weight to the overall war engulfing the galaxy, but it also expanded the entire mythology of the Halo-verse, giving some much needed motivation for the bad guys outside of "they're evil, kill them all." So say what you will about Bungie's decision to have gamers play more than half of Halo 2 as the Arbiter. Truth is, no game in the Halo series would be on this list if it weren't for him.
