Games, beyond the "fun factor"

[TnT]

Has anyone ever played a game that is really interesting beyond the engine and other technical aspects?

Great movies are thought provoking in that they get you to wonder and ponder some sort of question. Ghost in the Shell, the Matrix and sci-fi movies want you to think, "What if the world was like that?" I think most all of us have seen one movie or another where we just leave the theater with a lot of thoughts flowing through our head.

There are movies such as Traffic and Brokeback Mountain that challenge people to look at life beyond their own world. People get to see problems they'd never face in their own life or maybe they can relate to those problems. Or the movie just brings to light world issues that are on a scale some aren't accustomed to looking at.

It's something I've been thinking a lot about, but I'm not familiar with every single game out there, so I really don't know, maybe there are some.

[lowlifecat]

system shock 2 comes to mind. damn those psionic monkeys; they haunt me still!

[TnT]

I never played System Shock 2, only heard about it, many times in comparison to Half Life.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Half-Life, but I didn't finish the game thinking about any topics it brought up, because it didn't bring any up.

Was the story in System Shock really intriguing like a good sci-fi movie? Or did it just help move the game along and keep you interested? I don't doubt the game being memorable but not quite what I'm thinking.

[lowlifecat]

nothing like HL really. a lot closer to deus ex. ..and yes the story helped out a lot.

Other games to mention; eye of the beholder series way back!

[Jessterw]

Leisure Suit Larry when I was 8

[Mehen]

I absolutely loved the characters and story in FF7. Especially all the Shinra politics and the history (with Hojo etc.), I could just go on and on about that game... cloning, global warming, everything that goes on in Wall Market

I enjoy the story more everytime I play through it.

[az]

Deus Ex. What's really scary about this game is that it was released before all this terrorist (and our reaction to it) shit that's happening right now. The engine and graphics may not be top-notch anymore, but gameplay still is, and it's very thought-provoking. One of the best games ever made. The voice acting is eerie. You really owe it to yourself playing this one through.

And don't you ever touch Deus Ex 2: Invisible War (or whatever it's called). It's nothing like the first.

Other than that, you're probably right in that there aren't enough games with a message out there

[Gurm]

Civilization, and Alpha Centauri. The story from AC was quite compelling in its "near future" theme. But the entire series really makes you think.

[lecter]

I'll throw in another vote for Deus Ex, an excellent look at the not-too-distant future...nano-implants, terrorism, growing ethnic rifts, etc.

I've also gotta say, a couple of the anti-terrorist missions in C&C: Generals managed to very faithfully reproduce some of the challenges the U.S. Army's facing in Iraq.

[Fluff]

Heard good things about Psychonauts.

[Faramir1966]

Kotor 2 made me think.That old lady had many good points (Kreia)

[omegaRED]

My vote also goes to Deus Ex. Psychonauts... Fun game, excellent in every way, but i wouldn`t say that much thought provoking IMHO. It just goes over the line for me. Although someone who`s into psychology may find it thought provoking.

[TnT]

When asking people Deus Ex seems to be fairly popular answer. My 'puter sucked back then and I never played it. If I can find a cheap copy I'll try it out.

One of the most interesting comments was from a Marine. He said that some lines and moments in Metal Gear made him question his pride and what it means to be a military soldier.

I bring this up because I think it would be interesting to have games where the player possibly changes along with the game or just causes people to make decisions differently. Movies and books can only present to the audience but a game can actually immerse you in the content. I think there's a lot more potential for games that deal with intense themes and topics.

It doesn't have to be just political or grandiose. It can be about something like human nature as well. In games people usually play the hero and everything they do is "right". Some games kind of tread on the issue of what it means to be a hero, but it's cursory to the goal of the game. I know that this wouldn't be for everyone, but I believe a subset of gamers (and possibly non-gamers) would really enjoy playing something they get more out of then just action, adventure, fantasy and escapism.

[az]

You're completely right. Computer games are a great platform for intelligent art, but most games are just entertainment (which isn't bad in itself - the lack of games that cause the player to think about the world or themselves is, though). Books and movies can only be consumed more or less passively, yet there are many thought-provoking films and literature, but almost no such games.

[Jon P. Inghram]

Planescape: Torment and FF7 come to mind.