Most people think that modern day video games are about all about killing, shooting, and trying to achieve end game. Unfortunately, it's player-base that causes games to be like this; they skip over everything that is story based to just get to the actual game. Some of these games, even the most mundane of first person shooters, have a story or a semblance of one. A lot of people miss out on a compelling story just so they can just play the game, while the game is the main feature, the story that is placed into a game can explain a lot about the purpose of events and actions in the game. Some games cast the story aside and others actually have a story that could be drafted into a novel they are so compelling.

Let’s give some examples here, the first one: Grand Theft Auto IV. Now most people load up the game just so that they can use some cheat codes, blow some stuff up, and just cause all sorts of chaos. When in actuality, it has a very compelling and interesting plot. The main character, Niko Bellic, is an immigrant from Slavic Europe who has come to America to start a new life and to meet up with his old cousin Roman. Yet, when he comes to America, he learns that the man who betrayed his unit back during the war is somewhere in Liberty City, and life in America isn’t exactly what Niko had expected when he first set foot off the boat; not only that, but because of the war there isn’t much employment for those who come from Niko’s background. In order to put his mind at peace and make a living for him and his cousin, Niko must pick up the gun one last time, climb up the criminal ladder of Liberty City in order to make money, get connections, and exact the revenge he has waited for. If people wouldn’t skip the cutscenes and actually pay attention to the story, they will see the actions Niko does isn’t just for kicks, he does it because he has to, and for his own personal long awaited reasons.

Another story that people just skip through is in one of the best selling games of 2009, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Most people either skip all the scenes they can or focus on just playing online, if someone actually booted up the campaign to try their mettle on single player mode, they will find an interesting story full of conspiracy and intrigue. Modern Warfare 2 has you cast as a few different soldiers in the SAS, Army Rangers, and then in the elite Task Force 41. Once the conflict between a large PMC owned by a man named Makarov (one of the deadliest weapons dealers and EX-Military officers in Russia) and Forces in Europe and the US, things take a turn for the worse. An American soldier is framed for the slaughter of innocents in a Russian airport, which the country then uses as an excuse for war. Later, Russian moles are discovered in the US government, an attempt at a global thermonuclear war is made and a betrayal by the most unlikely person is made at their attempt for financial gain. The story isn’t the most compelling, but it is interesting and will push you through the games eight hour campaign.

As you can see, two of the most popular and most controversial video games in the industry each have reasons for their actions and an interesting story to match. Not only do these two have interesting stories that people skip, others have them as well. With some games such as Mass Effect, Final Fantasy, and Uncharted, they are 100% story driven and those who skip the exposition and elaboration on what is going on really miss a lot in the actual game. So if you’re playing the next installment of your favorite violent video game and a cutscene comes up, don’t skip it, allow yourself immersion into the world of this game.