Best strategy game lore/characters

[Arryosha]

I get to a point in playing a strategy games where my motivation to continue begins to wane. I see the gameplay loop clearly and begin to wonder what the point is of going further. Lore or good characters, like in Alpha Centauri, can make a playthrough meaningful enough to keep me motivated. What strategy games do you think have the best lore or characters? (I would not count actual history as lore unless it is substantially integrated into the game). Thanks!

 

[Angelo85]

The Command and Conquer games (including Red Alert "spinoff") had cheesy yet fun story arcs IMHO + FMVs!

 

[Alphons]

Starcraft.

Too bad they turned Raynor into simp in 2 and made everyone team up like Power Rangers against the super ancient evil.

 

[Axioms]

Axioms Of Dominion will have the best lore of any game once it releases. Even if the lore is technically procedural. Because it simulates characters at a level well beyond even simrpgs.

Think of how people play Paradox games where even after you master the mechanics you do challenges like trying to make Poland awesome and stuff. Many players have a set of favorite countries they play incessantly. Historicy as Lore as you mention in your post. Now imagine that in a fantasy strategy game and a procedural one on top of that.

I don't think the RTS games other people, who seem to be morons, are listing are at all comparable to Alpha Centauri. The OP talks about mastering the game loop but playing because of immersion. No one plays C&C to experience it the way people do with the SMAC factions. Maybe Dominions 3/4/5 or Master Of Magic or something.

 

[octavius]

Lords of Midnight.

 

[Arryosha]

Lords of Midnight

I'd never heard of it, but it looks very unique and it's free!

 

[octavius]

Lords of Midnight

I'd never heard of it, but it looks very unique and it's free!

An epic struggle of the Free and the Fey versus the Foul.

 

[Nathaniel3W]

The Command and Conquer games (including Red Alert "spinoff") had cheesy yet fun story arcs IMHO + FMVs!

I remember playing Command and Conquer: Red Alert. The Allies campaign was pretty well thought out. Einstein travels back in time, kills Hitler, and without Germany to beat the Soviet Union down, there ends up being a huge war between the Allies and the Soviets. The Soviet campaign was very silly with lots of betrayals and assassinations and totally fake muzzle flashes pasted over the guns.

Starcraft.

Too bad they turned Raynor into simp in 2 and made everyone team up like Power Rangers against the super ancient evil.

I never bothered playing Starcraft 2. I loved the first game though. I liked all of the storylines.

When you say that everyone teamed up against the super ancient evil, does that include the Zerg teaming up with the others to fight someone else? Because if I remember correctly, the first game (and its expansion) were ultimately about the Terran and Protoss teaming up against the Zerg.

 

[Nathaniel3W]

Oh, and let me add my own recommendation here: Warcraft 3. The first two Warcraft games were pretty good, but if you're looking for story, I think 3 really stands out. Warcraft 3 had some interesting characters. Their dilemmas mostly boil down to "this thing will kill my entire race unless I sell my soul to get the power I need to defeat it," but at least Blizzard tried giving the various factions and their leaders believable motivations.

 

[Alphons]

When you say that everyone teamed up against the super ancient evil, does that include the Zerg teaming up with the others to fight someone else? Because if I remember correctly, the first game (and its expansion) were ultimately about the Terran and Protoss teaming up against the Zerg.

Yes everyone teams up against this guy.
https://starcraft.fandom.com/wiki/Amon


But before that happens Raynor completely forgets that he wanted to kill Kerrigan for murdering so many people and helps her slaughter Korhal (including civilians).

 

[octavius]

My fave strategy games are Age of Wonders and HoMM, but I can't say the lore and characters of the games interest me much.

 

[Tyranicon]

Best lore and characters around, mates:

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

[Binky]

I quite liked the lore of Emperor of the Fading Suns, King of Dragon Pass, Myth: The Fallen Lords

As for characters: some of the villains from Stronghold crack me up (the Rat, and the Pig) and the gods from Sacrifice are a hoot. Can also mention the Mentor from Dungeon Keeper.

 

[Parsimonious cook]

Myth series and Ground Control 1 had pretty great lore (I would rate Myth 1-3 as hands down the best storyfag RTS games of all time) , the main protagonists of the both GC campaigns were also fairly interesting characters (though they were only presented in briefings and few in-mission conversations).

 

[luj1]

Tiberian Sun

 

[spectre]

The cheeky answer would be, go play Icewind Dale.

Well, I never really play strategy games for the story, so I'm usually not paying too much attention if its any good.
From my vague recollections of HommIV, I believe it was pretty storyfag. HommIII could get pretty storyfag in some custom maps, but I don't really remember much from the campaigns.
I remember Homm II had a rather pronounced backstory for its campaign and V, well it was pretty cheesy.

Still, I can second the Myth series as one of exemplary cases.

Some more considerations:
Endless Space has a p. rich backstory, if you're into that sort of thing, there are plenty of flavorful descriptions for all the factions, planets, anomalies, etc. And faction design and mechanics seems to be directly influenced by the lore.
Highfleet is pretty storyfaggy, basically lets you larp Paul Atreides, depending on how you conduct yourself in the random events.
Warhammer Mechanicus has some pretty well written characters. It's a bit like the first starcraft where you can really enjoy the banter.
Dark Omen also had excellent characterization and banter between missions.
Also, Homeworld. Shame on you cunts for not mentioning it earlier.

Honorable mention goes to Disciples 1 and 2 and I also remember people masturbating furiously to Black Moon Chronicles back in the day.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

Bungie's Myth series is what comes 1st to my mind when thinking about good storytelling in strategy game.

 

[asfasdf]

Best writing in strategy games is clearly Myth, AOW and Homeworld.

 

[Arryosha]

A lot of great suggestions, thanks.

Looks like I'll have to play Myth. I hope it runs okay on modern systems.

I've also been looking at Endless Legend and Dominions, as I've heard they have good lore.

 

[JarlFrank]

Oh, and let me add my own recommendation here: Warcraft 3. The first two Warcraft games were pretty good, but if you're looking for story, I think 3 really stands out. Warcraft 3 had some interesting characters. Their dilemmas mostly boil down to "this thing will kill my entire race unless I sell my soul to get the power I need to defeat it," but at least Blizzard tried giving the various factions and their leaders believable motivations.

Was I the only one who felt like Warcraft 3 was basically Star Craft's story but in a fantasy world? It's not a complete ripoff but there's definitely some characters and plot threads that feel similar.

Arthas falling to the dark side and becoming king of the undead is basically the same as Kerrigan being infested by Zerg and becoming the Zerg Queen.
The races are basically humans = terrans, undead = zerg, night elves = protoss and the campaign is even structured in the same way:
SC: Terran, Zerg, Protoss.
WC3: Human, Undead, (Orc), Night Elves

Only the orcs are an outlier, but interestingly enough their campaign feels a little more standalone compared to the others, which are more connected in story.
The campaigns of the other races roughly follows the same structure as in Star Craft.
Same with the expansion: the triumph of Arthas at the end of Frozen Throne is similar to the triumph of Kerrigan at the end of Brood War.

 

[Blutwurstritter]

I get to a point in playing a strategy games where my motivation to continue begins to wane. I see the gameplay loop clearly and begin to wonder what the point is of going further. Lore or good characters, like in Alpha Centauri, can make a playthrough meaningful enough to keep me motivated. What strategy games do you think have the best lore or characters? (I would not count actual history as lore unless it is substantially integrated into the game). Thanks!

Spellforce 3 is a good choice If you're looking for a rts/rpg hybrid with a strong story. The second stand alone expansion Fallen Gods with trolls as main characters was also great and even more like a rpg.

 

[Humanophage]

Thea 1 and Thea 2 have excellent lore and are atmospheric.

Paradox grand strategies like CK2 and Vicky 2 have nice indirect lore because you keep googling things trying to compare it to how things are going in your playthrough. E.g., you check out the parties or specific towns. They're really more about narrative building than anything else, given the ultimately easy gameplay. I also like the Civilopedia in Civ4. It's always nice to have some longer descriptions of units and tech. Those who don't like it don't have to read it anyway, but it has always upset me when strategies throw units at you without any text or with some stupid "funny" quote.

My fave strategy games are Age of Wonders and HoMM, but I can't say the lore and characters of the games interest me much.

I like the lore in AoW. It was nice in AoW:Shadow Magic when they returned proper unit descriptions. It's not that much work, but it adds a layer.

 

[JarlFrank]

Thea 1 and Thea 2 have excellent lore and are atmospheric.

Paradox grand strategies like CK2 and Vicky 2 have nice indirect lore because you keep googling things trying to compare it to how things are going in your playthrough. E.g., you check out the parties or specific towns. They're really more about narrative building than anything else, given the ultimately easy gameplay. I also like the Civilopedia in Civ4. It's always nice to have some longer descriptions of units and tech. Those who don't like it don't have to read it anyway, but it has always upset me when strategies throw units at you without any text or with some stupid "funny" quote.

Then you would love the Europa Barbarorum mod for Rome Total War (and EB2 for Medieval 2 Total War).

 

[Serious_Business]

Dominions no doubt. Stellaris I guess, but fuck that game.

Sounds like a bunch of nonsense though. What will keep you engaged in the gameplay loop is difficulty. Anything else is just your brain being tired. That's when you start longing for meaning and missing daddy telling you what to do.

 

[jebsmoker]

homeworld and original war have great lore and writing if you're into that kind of thing