Opinion Fest 2008: Best Story

RPG fans are usually divided on whether an RPG’s story or gameplay is more important. I’m going to weigh in on the matter and say that both are integral to a good RPG. A fantastic story is undermined by poor gameplay, and incredible gameplay is meaningless without a good story. However, it seems that stories are harder to make than gameplay, so when a game with a good story comes along, I listen up.

The winners of the Best Story award managed to create a narrative that I found not only worth my time and interest, but also provided memorable experiences and lovable (or hate-worthy) characters.

Honorable Mention: The Last Remnant – Square Enix – Xbox 360

The Last Remnant tries a few new things with JRPG storytelling. Many of them work, a few do not. However, the game presents an interesting story that often gives the player a sense of urgency. Certainly deserving of an honorable mention.

3rd: Persona 4 – Atlus – PlayStation 2

I haven’t been able to spend as much time with this game as I would have liked, but what I have played has convinced me that P4’s story is much more intriguing, much more mature, and much more immersive than its predecessor.

Focusing on a strange string of murders in a little rural town, Persona 4 manages to tell a tale steeped in mystery and occult all the while not taking itself too seriously. The story is much more central to the game’s theme than P3’s was, though still forces you to continue living a normal life for most of the day.

2nd: Tales of Vesperia – Namco Bandai – Xbox 360

I am a sucker for anime-style storylines, and Tales of Vesperia manages to pull out all the stops. Though ToV retains the light-hearted interactions and situational comedy that the series is known for, it also explores one of the most controversial and mature themes ever seen in a JRPG: are truth and justice the same for everyone?

An ever-deepening thrill ride of laughter and tears, ToV manages to bring the series to a new level of maturity and emotional involvement, and will keep any player interested in its characters, world, and narrative all the way through.

1st: Lost Odyssey – Mistwalker, Microsoft – Xbox 360

Though Mistwalker’s masterpiece is a little slow starting off, Lost Odyssey is a game that becomes more intriguing, more epic, and more involving the further you go. The story of the immortal Kaim Argonar, Lost Odyssey is, on one hand, the story of a struggle to protect a world that an outsider grew to love, and on the other, a fascinating look into the human heart over 1000 years of experience.

Lost Odyssey is a story for every RPGamer who has ever felt connected to a game’s world or characters, and provides the best JRPG narrative not only of 2008, but perhaps as the modern epitome of game storytelling. This emotional and epic journey easily claims the Best Story award of 2008.