One of the themes I've had bouncing around in my head for the last week or so is how games have to increase their sense of reality to the player and vastly improve upon storylines. I've heard that you can measure a game on whether or not it makes you cry. I personally disagree with that, two of my favorites Deus Ex and Ocarina of Time did no such thing. I find myself much more satisfied when I leave the game and find myself considering what my life in that universe would be like. Just what kind of ship would I want to fly in Freespace and could I really live with myself if I had multi-colored hair like in Rock Band?

But let me deviate for a paragraph. I've been listening to the Lord of the Rings soundtracks a great deal while studying for my upcoming finals. Besides motivating me they also stir up a great deal of emotions. Songs like "Concerning Hobbits", "The Rings Goes South", and "The Bridge of Khazad Dum" paint Middle Earth in my head. And when I consider them further I realize they aren't just brilliantly executed fluff. Without the score many of these scenes would lose a great deal of value. And that is how I'll transition into characters in video games.

The characters in video games are extremely vital, one of the most important pieces of the game fabric in my opinion. Sure you can have the perfect main character who experiences hostility and grows from it but what if his supporting cast is weak? Sure great gameplay and graphics will get people playing and keep them there but personally I want more from a great game. I have yet to play Mass Effect but I feel like its the wave of the future. If developers won't force a character on you then they should be prepared to weave all of your actions and their consequences into the story.

For narrative purposes I prefer controlling a character that's been forced onto you. I don't want to be playing a movie but I do want to get a sense of my characters motivation and what some of his goals are. Unlike some I don't "play to see the next level or cool animation" as Gabe from Penny Arcade put it. I don't ache for a high score or every achievement but I do want to see a story unfold. Give me intrigue, give me deception, heartbreak.

When I look back at a game I want the story to be inseparable from the fun I had with the game just like the Lord of the Rings soundtrack was to the movie. They should go hand in hand and help enhance each other. I hear a lot about games becoming more than the sum of their parts but I'd love to see a game that does that while each part is excellent on its own. Then maybe we can finally have our own Citizen Kane.