Best story driven single player FPS on current-gen systems?

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Golfman

Golfman

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As much as I love online blasts against other players, I do long for an FPS with an engrossing storyline to get my teeth into. Both Modern Warfare games, although good, were obviously designed with online in mind. As a single player experience, I have yet to play one on the PS3 that matches The Orange Box, even though it was an average conversion. You cant really mention Far Cry 2, Oblivion and Fallout 3 since they are open world games that only follow the story when you want to. All in all, my top 5 single player FPS adventures on PS3 are:

1)Orange Box
2)Killzone 2
3)Modern Warfare 1
4)Call Of Duty: World At War
5)Resistance 1

Remember this has nothing to do with the overall quality of each game(if it were, Killzone 2 would be no.1), but to do with the quality of the story you play through and what you do to get to the end. From the opening scene to the cliffhanger ending, the Orange Box left me wanting more.

What's everybody else's top 5?
 
I presume in this context Orange Box is collectively referring to Half-Life 2 and its episodes. And I wouldn't really classify HL2 as an FPS... sure, it's a shooter and it's first-person but it's more of an action-adventure than pure FPS.
 
Resistance: Fall of Man is an incredibly fantastic game. R2, while a great game in itself (for different reasons) did not even come close to it. RFoM had the ambience, the story, the creepyness, the lenght AND difficulty to make it one of the best PS3 shooter games in my book. 👍
 
Yes, the Orange Box is a set of games but i was referring to Half-Life 2 and it's episodes, played in order from start to finish. It's a long, engrossing adventure. Agree with Coxis that Resistance 1 is better than it's sequel. R2 was made as an online game first and a single player game second - in fact the campaign seemed to be added as an afterthought.
But I did forget about 3 games that I think should have been there, so my amended list is now a top 10:

1)The Orange Box - Half Life 2 and it's episodes
2)Killzone 2
3)Bioshock
4)Bioshock 2
5)Fear 2: Project Origin
6)Modern Warfare 1
7)Resistance 1
8)Call Of Duty: World At War
9)Modern Warfare 2
10)Rainbow Six Vegas 2

I understand that there may be games on other platforms, but since i havent played PC, 360 or Wii then you must accept my ignorance. Please feel free to mention them anybody!
 
Overall I agree with orange box collectively having the best story. But I also loved MW1 and MW2 stories, absolutely epic with a cliffhanger..
 
I would say Uncharted 2, but it's not really a FPS, more of a third person action adventure game. But never the less it's worth mentioning. I'm might be out on a limb here but it is the best story driven game I have ever played, it almost plays out like a movie. Very well structured and I can't think of a time during the game were I was bored. The story takes so many twists and turns it just makes you not want to stop playing to find out what happens. Very movie-esque. But as mentioned it is more of a third person shooter. So taking that into account then Killzone 2 is probably the best in my mind, the story line was really well structured and kept me hooked right from the beginning not to mention the fact that the game completes the excellent storyline by giving you superb graphics which makes it just a little bit more believable.

I personally wasn't keen on CoD Modern Warfare 1's storyline, it wasn't gripping enough to make me want to keep playing it. That said I haven't played the second yet so I have no idea if the story carries on from the first one. I felt the same about Battlefield Bad Company, it was good but felt a little short lived at times and again I haven't really played the second one's campaign mode (apparently it is better though).
 
MildAshers
MW1 and 2 - absolutely epic with a cliffhanger..
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As I said, the MW games were good, but I wouldnt say they were epic. Online shooters first, single player games second. MW2 was particularly weak in the single player/story. And it also had a couple of what seemed like tacked-on bits that made no sense and didn't belong: the stupid snowmobile chase near the beginning and the equally dumb boat race at the end. Straight out of a bargain bin arcade racing game. What the hell were IW thinking?
 
Speedster502
Uncharted 2, but it's not really a FPS, more of a third person action adventure game.... Very movie-esque.
Modern Warfare 1's storyline, it wasn't gripping enough to make me want to keep playing it. That said I haven't played the second yet
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See my posts in this thread. Think I should start one for adventure games in general. Uncharted 2 would win cos it's the best story in any game ever made.
 
Golfman
See my posts in this thread. Think I should start one for adventure games in general. Uncharted 2 would win cos it's the best story in any game ever made.
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Yeah I saw the posts. I personally don't think you should create a new thread for it, just change this thread to be more open. So instead of this being a "Best story driven single player FPS on current-gen systems" change it to be "Best Story Driven Single Player Game on Current Gen Systems". Means it's more wide and allows for other games than just adventure, or just FPS's etc.

And you might want to learn how to use the multi quote tool, or learn to edit your posts. It's not seen as a good thing here to do multiple posts in a row on the same thread. Just giving you the heads up seeming your post quality seems quite good. 👍
 
Golfman
As I said, the MW games were good, but I wouldnt say they were epic. Online shooters first, single player games second. MW2 was particularly weak in the single player/story. And it also had a couple of what seemed like tacked-on bits that made no sense and didn't belong: the stupid snowmobile chase near the beginning and the equally dumb boat race at the end. Straight out of a bargain bin arcade racing game. What the hell were IW thinking?
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i loved the snow mobile escape. specially the bit where your screaming down the hill faster than what the machine was made to go.

but, perhaps what they were thinking is that not everyone, every time, try to escape on foot?
 
[empty space];3876694
i loved the snow mobile escape. specially the bit where your screaming down the hill faster than what the machine was made to go.

but, perhaps what they were thinking is that not everyone, every time, try to escape on foot?
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Yeah, why run? Snowmobiles were there, in reality, you just would, quick escape n all that. Likewise at the end, bad guy getting away on boat, hmm, take a boat:P both sections were really fun, and felt really dramatic.

On another note, I should really pick up Killzone 2..
 
Fallout 3, most FPS have no story what so ever or it's a really lame. At least Fallout 3 is a RPG in FPS clothes so you get a story and action.
 
A single player FPS with a really good storyline, interesting setting, interesting gameplay, and good length?

Bioshock is your best bet. It's also about $20 or less by now.
 
Speedster502
And you might want to learn how to use the multi quote tool, or learn to edit your posts. It's not seen as a good thing here to do multiple posts in a row on the same thread. Just giving you the heads up seeming your post quality seems quite good. 👍
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Apologies. I will soon.
 
Why don't you say Half-Life series and Portal? Because TF2 doesn't have too much online support T-T
 
The single player campaign in Battelfield: Bad Company 2 has greatly improved over the first one... Although I dont know if thats what the OP is looking for... It isnt as "Hollywood" as the MW2 single player and you play all over the world from the desert to snow ridden mountain tops... :) Just a tip... and my 2 cents :D
 
Best story driven FPS. No specific order
1. Bioshock 1
2. Half Life 2
3. Fallout 3
4. Fear 1
5. COD WAW
 
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oops sorry I just replied to a similar thread in the xbox forums about best single player games. :dunce: Mass Effect 2 is also not a FPS so I will just edit my post above.
 
Story driven?

1)Killzone
2)Fear
3)COD WaW
4)Halo
5)Resistance 2

But aren't Story Driven games' main appeal is the story? Heavy Rain and Killzone are good examples of story driven games. Without the story the games would be mediocre. Fallout 3 is not story driven, its too non linear. It has a story but its irrelevant to the actual game design.
 
LaBounti
Fallout 3 is not story driven, its too non linear.
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So what if you escape out of a vault and find out that you could randomly kill people people like you did in the vault. When you punch them...they weren't sleeping. Also running around Washington D.C and finding out that your a hero.
 
Like I said, both Oblivion and Fallout 3 should not be included here because, although they are first person games, the actual story is something that can be ignored for as long as you want. They are first person RPG's. I played Oblivion for around 60 hours after excaping the sewers before actually starting the main quest! With Fallout 3 it was around 20-25 hours because I found simply wandering around too hazardous and needed to find some decent weapons/equipment.

Anyway, the bottom line is I prefer games with decent stories. I would rather play an average-to-decent FPS with a good story(FEAR2) than a high quality FPS with a dull story (MW2).
Very few games manage to achieve both. Killzone 2 is an example of how to do this right.
 
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