Post examples of good Writing in RPGs

[MeshGearFox]

Some people that shall not be named think that RPGs don't have good writing.

Go eat a dong made of dongs, dad. And buy me some !@#%ing Easy Mac from Giant Eagle while you're at it >:(

(ps u still a total-hundred-percent bro)

- PS:T despite using the word "ichor" a few times. Also despite the stabbing fear that somebody murdered the entire writing staff because none of the other infinity engine games were nearly as good. They weren't BAD in terms of writing, but I mean...

- Ultima 7.

- Vagrant Story. I barely played any of this but what I saw was pretty good and I assume the rest of the game is the same. This is what Odin Sphere tried to do, stylistically, and failed at. I think, anyway.

- SMT: Nocturne. Also contains hardly any writing at all which is nice because I tend to think that less is more.

- FFIX. I have a lot of reasons to second guess myself on this and the *plotting* had issues that, like, the other games I mentioned didn't, but in terms of writing and characterization, I really liked it.

- Earthbound. Earthbound is maybe the only game that I feel was really written from the heart.

Persona 2: EP is supposed to be pretty good in that area too, but I'm not far in.

Okay honestly I thought EP's writing was sort of awkward and honestly I don't think the translation was much better than P1's. Yeah, they kept all the Japanese stuff in it. No, it didn't really sound any less stilted or awkward.

[xXMelancholiaXx]

Some people that shall not be named think that RPGs don't have good writing.

Persona 2: EP is supposed to be pretty good in that area too, but I'm not far in.

Okay honestly I thought EP's writing was sort of awkward and honestly I don't think the translation was much better than P1's. Yeah, they kept all the Japanese stuff in it. No, it didn't really sound any less stilted or awkward.

Not "all" of it. They still insisted on referring to Tamaki and all the characters from the original Persona by their Americanized names including the setting. Though they seemed to largely be more fateful to the original material then they were with the localization of the original. Which was absolutely horrendous...

[Danku]

I second Dragon Quest 8.

[Gen Eric Gui]

Mother 3 and Earthbound definitely.

Although I have to say, most of the best games I've played haven't exactly had the best writing.  SMT: Nocturne's writing isn't exactly stellar, it's all the other parts of the game that make it good.  Videogames are not a purely word-based medium, you have to take into consideration a very large amount of other factors.

[Sagacious-T]

Lost Odyssey's dreams were great. Hell I'd recommend reading just those even if you haven't played the game.

[Aeolus]

Dragon Quest V

FFT deserves a nod as well for managing to not have terrible pacing unlike everything else from Squaresoft back then.

[MeshGearFox]

Nocturne's writing is great because there's hardly any of it, which is a lead I wish most videogames would follow.

[Sagacious-T]

"You all know the mission, and what is at stake.
I have come to trust each of you with my life -- but I have also heard murmurs of discontent. I share your concerns.
We are trained for espionage; we would be legends, but the records are sealed. Glory in battle is not our way.
Think of our heroes; the Silent Step, who defeated a nation with a single shot. Or the Ever Alert, who kept armies at bay with hidden facts.
These giants do not seem to give us solace here, but they are not all that we are.

Before the network, there was the fleet. Before diplomacy, there were soldiers!
Our influence stopped the rachni, but before that we held the line!
Our influence stopped the krogan, but before that, we held the line!
Our influence will stop Saren; in the battle today, we will hold the line!"

Nocturne's writing is great because there's hardly any of it, which is a lead I wish most videogames would follow.

You are dumb

[Lard]

I'm not sure if any Tales games would qualify in my books..

They don't.

I second Suikoden 2. Whether you think the translation was crap or not, the actually story was really good.

Also - KOTOR

[badsanta]

I'm not sure if any Tales games would qualify in my books..

I second Suikoden 2. Whether you think the translation was crap or not, the actually story was really good.

That brings up a notable point; are we talking about story, just the writing, or both?

[ValendianKnight]

Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy XII, SMT games from Nocturne and up, Mass Effect 1&2, Dragon Age, KOTOR, The Witcher, and there's probably more out there I forgot about.

[Starmongoose]

I'm not sure if any Tales games would qualify in my books..

I second Suikoden 2. Whether you think the translation was crap or not, the actually story was really good.

That brings up a notable point; are we talking about story, just the writing, or both?

I've been thinking it's good story combined with good presentation. If the game is well translated, with perfect spelling and grammar , but fails to connect, or comes off to dry, I would consider it a failure in writing.

[insertnamehere]

I'm not sure if any Tales games would qualify in my books..

Well, it's sort of an arbitrary question.

I don't think games have ever sounded like Shakespeare to me. :P

War of teh Lions?

[Annubis]

Not sure if it's an RPG (hey, I see HP, MP, exp, levels, weapons and role playing)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrevRK5pNMQ#t=04m01s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EprKVdDzkl4&NR=1

Pretty much everything in there is well written and well translated.
I guess that's the difference between a 4 hour game VS a 100 hour game.

[Kup]

Lately it's been Nier or Lost Odyssey - both of which almost had me in tears (expecially the dreams in LO).  Strong stuff.

Closely followed by the Mass Effect series.  Then again, Infinite Undiscovery is probably the best example of a game with strong writing.  That part where the twins start dancing and singing about dinner was really powerful.

Spot the lie.