Narrative has become increasingly important in games as time has gone on, but though the state of video game storytelling is stronger than it has ever been, some games still fumble with it every now and then. That hurts more than most with games that are otherwise excellent- games that, from a gameplay perspective, are among the very best their respective genres have to offer, but falter with their storytelling.
METAL GEAR SOLID 5
It’s heartbreaking that a Metal Gear Solid game has to be the one that kicks off a list about disappointing stories, but that’s just the way it is- The Phantom Pain is a masterclass in emergent, system-based gameplay, with stealth mechanics that stand as the very best even to this day. But it’s a game that sheds the story-heavy focus that the series was always known for. Cutscenes are few and far between, while some of the most important storytelling bits are relegated to optional cassette tapes and missable events- don’t even get us started on the ending.
