StoryScan: Weak Points

Notable Weaknesses in Individual Game Stories

Chrono Cross:
Plot

Chrono Cross’s story struggles to get off the ground due to a lack of goals, stakes, and urgency.

DEATHLOOP:
Endings

An incurious protagonist punts DEATHLOOP’s key questions to its endings. 

Death Stranding:
Pacing

Heavy use of exposition and disparate chapter lengths cripple Death Stranding’s narrative pacing. 

Far Cry 5:
Character

Far Cry 5’s use of a silent protagonist hamstrings the development of the other characters.

Final Fantasy VIII:
Setup and Payoff

Final Fantasy VIII’s most infamous plot twist is a failure of both setup and payoff. 

Mother 3:
Pacing

Although Mother 3 is a much-loved cult classic, its irregular structure, perspective switches, and time skips result in an inconsistent pace. 

Octopath Traveler:
Setup and Payoff

The disconnect between setup and payoff in Primrose’s portion of Octopath Traveler leads to a stale, repetitive story with nothing new to say.

Persona 5:
Structure

Persona 5 has all the elements of a strong story, but a bloated third act keeps it from reaching its full potential. 

Postal 4:
Dialogue

Budget constraints and dated jokes lead to luckluster dialogue in Postal 4.

Resident Evil:
Dialogue

Resident Evil has a lot of positive qualities, but its infamous dialogue leaves something to be desired.

Silent Hill 4: The Room: Character

A flat protagonist limits the effectiveness of the horror in Silent Hill 4: The Room.

3rd Birthday: Aya

The 3rd Birthday:
Plot

Combining amnesia and time travel gives us a story with no goals, stakes, or urgency.

To the Moon:
Tension

To the Moon tells a compelling story, but too many false mysteries strain the audience’s credulity.