Tempy, just copy and paste Andys essay.

It's not even a good example here, but I find it hard to compile lists without shoehorning it in.

@adkm. I enjoyed your post on the last page. Interesting.

Ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffpatroitismffffffffffffffffff


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Brothers had a nice use of gameplay mechanics mixed with storytelling later on. Spoilered for safety:

I'm not sure I'm sure of what you need exactly buuuuut

Silent Hill 2? Slight spoils praps.

I'd already used it once before.

Unlikely wrote:

Do your own fucking homework.

Well, this. 

But I like how well Advanced Wars tied characters to abilities...
And Persona 4 is probably the very best example of what you're alluding to...

nnnnkitty

Brothers, for sure. The control scheme is half the story.

Slightly less clear, I think the city and the way you interact with it in No More Heroes is quite important, in reinforcing the idea that Travis can only view his predicament in terms of consumerist escapist fantasies.

Dragon Quest IX - each town has a particular story about death, grief, succession and so on. As a guardian angel, your character goes off to the local dungeon to slay monsters to help the town, but all your actions can do is bring some comfort to people, rather than actually stop bad things from happening. So, effectively the gameplay is about you playing the hero, as usual, but the limitations of that role, and doing the normal JRPG stuff adds to the point of the story. (I probably haven't explained it well.)

Again, not sure if this works, but what about Final Fantasy 7 (and most JRPGs)? You start the game weak and face the boss earlier on, but don't have the skills or experience to stand a chance. You then grind through the game, getting stronger along the way and it isn't (from memory) explicitly made clear in the story that you are getting stronger - it's just clear from your expanded attacks/spells, etc. So, through game play and mechanics the story of how Cloud is getting stronger is told. Sorry if I'm bang off track here.

the fact that Wii Sports utilises motion control to mimic real-life sport movements while you play, so that in improving your high scores you contribute to your personal narrative of actually getting better at sports.

Gameplay and story integration is purdy good in games whose story seeks some overarching revelation. Two examples: 1) strangers wrath's second act is mirrored by a nearly wholesale gameplay shake up. 2) kotor II story explains gameplay mechanics to do with choice and influencing of squadmates.


Could add BioShock and linearity to that list.

Otherwise setting is key. Gameplay can build tension in a way visual media simply can't. That can lead to awesome setting payoffs. Half life 2's final on rails act is so good because of all that tension. All those enemies that were so hard to beat, all these people who died to help you.... And here are thousands more.

All those sand bugs that are soooo annoying.... Are now fighting for you.

All those combines that take up precious ammo to kill.... Are now fodder for the supercharged gravity gun.

It's the same feeling as the payoffs / tension scenes in films and TV... But you are doing all of the work. It feels qualitatively different, unless you are a joyless, soulless hater of half life 2 you have to admit it is a work of genius.

So few games understand. It's sad.