Are video games better without stories? (Gaming)

by ManKitten, The Stugotz is strong in me., Wednesday, April 26, 2017, 17:41 (2556 days ago) @ Cody Miller

Imagine everything about the last of us being he same, except the story was stripped. Literally every level the same, but no story. Imagining it? Then ask the question the author did. And you'll see it's obviously a worse experience.

Either I'm just not getting this conversation or I'm coming at it from a different viewpoint. Maybe the word that is throwing me off is "better". Better than what...video games without stories? You have to consider the point of the game.

Look at Mario. Does it have a story? A princess was kidnapped and you have to save her. I wouldn't call that a story, it's a reason. Mario is an awesome game but the point of if wasn't to tell a story. There are tons of great games that fall into this category of having a reason instead of a story.

In this modern time of video games, it seems you HAVE to have a story. Everything has to have a reason and a narrative to explain why you are doing something. Most of the time, either the story OR the game play suffers. They have to bend one of those to fit the other. Halo is the only game I've played that nailed it on game play AND story. A close second is Assassins Creed Ezio Trilogy, and even then the game play was monotonous and cut/paste. When you strip away the cutscenes and in-between items, every game has the same principle. Start level, play level, end level, receive instruction, repeat...whether it's Mario, Halo, Assassin's Creed...that's how video games work.

It's a video game...the primary function is to be a video game. If it has a great story...that's awesome but it doesn't necessarily make it "better". So in a current time where game makers are focusing so hard on a story, instead of game play, I say...

Yes, video games are [WERE] better without stories.
Bring back reasons.