It’s good historically. Publishers and developers didn’t really care much about story in their games before then (2013). “Video Game story” was often horribly bad, like porn acting; but more often it was just forgettable. Like mandatory lubricant to keep the gameplay going, rather than a feature to make good. Think, Far Cry 3, Borderlands 2, Dishonored, etc. They’re ok, but they don’t make you really “feel” something. Mostly you just go around killing everything until it’s done. Heck, speaking of which, even Doom Eternal (2020) has a coherent storyline and lore.
After The Last of Us, publishers suddenly realised that people actually really like it when their videogames have good stories, that make sense narratively, have twists, low plot holes, emotional investment and climax, etc. Now we have even better stories like Ghost of Tsushima, Expedition 33, Baldur’s Gate 3, etc.
It’s a bit dated now, but 13 years ago gaming was very different. It’s actually expected nowadays for games to have a reasonably good story. Today, I would probably recommend the TV show instead for most people, or maybe a Let’s Play.
Edit: I’ve triggered the gaming circle jerk “all retro games were perfect” rose tinted glasses crowd again. Seems to happen a lot
Edit 2: if you can’t be bothered to actually read this comment properly, please don’t reply. I don’t care about your dumbass vibe-based opinions presented as “facts”. Just downvote and move on, or enjoy the existing comments that already misread this. Your opinion is probably reflected somewhere below. Thanks.
You didn’t even read my comment properly. If anyone’s wrong here, it’s objectively you, since the comment is still there for anyone to read and compare; in it’s original, non-misinterpreted form. You and the other commenter somehow read one thing and ended up with a completely different conclusion, and then smugly make fun of / attack my comment based on those incorrect interpretations. So forgive me for forgoing the pleasantries in the face of unpleasantness.
So: what, specifically, in my original comment is factually incorrect? Not paraphrasing. Actually carefully read my comment and directly quote the part you disagree with. Also, since apparently I’m not just of an opposing opinion to you, but actually completely “wrong”, explain how it’s wrong, exactly. No vagueness.
Publishers and developers didn’t really care much about story in their games before then (2013). “Video Game story” was often horribly bad, like porn acting; but more often it was just forgettable
Notice the qualifiers. “didn’t really care much”, “often horribly bad”, “more often it was just forgettable”. None of those are absolute terms talking about every goddamn publisher and every game made before then.
You also use that word “objectively” without giving any counterpoints. I don’t think that word means what you think it means; you can’t have an objective opinion piece. So kindly fuck right off with your high horse “ignorant”.
Was it really that good? It was just jump scares and ego-gun-tripping…mixed with decent voice acting…
It’s good historically. Publishers and developers didn’t really care much about story in their games before then (2013). “Video Game story” was often horribly bad, like porn acting; but more often it was just forgettable. Like mandatory lubricant to keep the gameplay going, rather than a feature to make good. Think, Far Cry 3, Borderlands 2, Dishonored, etc. They’re ok, but they don’t make you really “feel” something. Mostly you just go around killing everything until it’s done. Heck, speaking of which, even Doom Eternal (2020) has a coherent storyline and lore.
After The Last of Us, publishers suddenly realised that people actually really like it when their videogames have good stories, that make sense narratively, have twists, low plot holes, emotional investment and climax, etc. Now we have even better stories like Ghost of Tsushima, Expedition 33, Baldur’s Gate 3, etc.
It’s a bit dated now, but 13 years ago gaming was very different. It’s actually expected nowadays for games to have a reasonably good story. Today, I would probably recommend the TV show instead for most people, or maybe a Let’s Play.
Edit: I’ve triggered the gaming circle jerk “all retro games were perfect” rose tinted glasses crowd again. Seems to happen a lot
Edit 2: if you can’t be bothered to actually read this comment properly, please don’t reply. I don’t care about your dumbass vibe-based opinions presented as “facts”. Just downvote and move on, or enjoy the existing comments that already misread this. Your opinion is probably reflected somewhere below. Thanks.
Lol, lots of games before The Last of Us had fantastic stories.
Oh no, not another one
You didn’t trigger a circle jerk. You’re just wrong. And based on your other comments in this thread, not a very pleasant person.
You didn’t even read my comment properly. If anyone’s wrong here, it’s objectively you, since the comment is still there for anyone to read and compare; in it’s original, non-misinterpreted form. You and the other commenter somehow read one thing and ended up with a completely different conclusion, and then smugly make fun of / attack my comment based on those incorrect interpretations. So forgive me for forgoing the pleasantries in the face of unpleasantness.
So: what, specifically, in my original comment is factually incorrect? Not paraphrasing. Actually carefully read my comment and directly quote the part you disagree with. Also, since apparently I’m not just of an opposing opinion to you, but actually completely “wrong”, explain how it’s wrong, exactly. No vagueness.
Publishers and developers before 2013 did not care much about the story.
This is the claim that is objectively and philosophically ignorant
That’s both misquoted and out of context.
Notice the qualifiers. “didn’t really care much”, “often horribly bad”, “more often it was just forgettable”. None of those are absolute terms talking about every goddamn publisher and every game made before then.
You also use that word “objectively” without giving any counterpoints. I don’t think that word means what you think it means; you can’t have an objective opinion piece. So kindly fuck right off with your high horse “ignorant”.
Qualifiers are just a weak defensive delimiter but you didn’t want to know when you asked, you just wanted to whine