Those who don't play video games sometimes just can't appreciate the medium. They might be very skeptical about the writing, for instance, and whether it could possibly compare to that of a great TV show or movie. The fact is, though, some games boast dialogue that's deep, philosophical, potentially even life-changing. In other cases, it's downright hilarious, and that's completely valid too. JRPG villains have some great ones as well.
37 Games With The Saddest Storylines, Ranked
Games have, over the decades, evolved to place greater emphasis on their narratives, and here are some which deliver stunningly emotional stories.
You've got to understand the lines for them to have the most impact, of course. Context is key, because what does "the cake is a lie" mean in and of itself? Absolutely nothing. Here are some similarly brilliant quotes from games that make no sense without that crucial context.
In providing that context, there will be some spoilers for some of the games discussed!
7 "I'm You. I'm Your Shadow."
Metal Gear Solid
Now, many of us have had our share of sibling strife. In fact, "shadow" is quite an apt way to describe a sibling who follows you everywhere and copies your every move. However, this line, spoken by Liquid Snake at the beginning of a late-game boss fight against him in PS1 classic Metal Gear Solid, speaks of family drama a little more serious than that.
The engimatic Liquid utters this line from the cockpit of his Hind D helicopter, when the player has finally made it to the roof of Communication Tower B in pursuit of him. Solid Snake, on foot and unprotected but armed with some very convenient Stinger missiles, is bemused as to why Liquid refers to him as "brother," and asks who exactly he is. The above is Liquid's response, and he elaborates only with "ask the father that you killed." This is a reference to the Les Enfants Terribles project, in which scientists used DNA from the infamous Big Boss in an attempt to clone formidable soldiers. Both men were the result of that project. Much of Liquid's fury stems from the fact that he believed himself to have received Big Boss's recessive genes, and Solid Snake the dominant ones, though we learn during a post credits sequence that this was actually not true. Later in the series, we would learn of Solidus, the third Son of Big Boss.
6 "No Cloud, No Squall Shall Hinder Us."
Final Fantasy 9
Sometimes, Final Fantasy titles are quite subtle with their nods to other games in the series. A recurring weapon such as the Save the Queen, for instance. This weapon does appear in Final Fantasy 9, but so do some much more direct callbacks to previous installments. In a weapon store in the game, Zidane examines a huge sword on display and comments, "I remember a guy with spiky hair who carried something like this." It's difficult to miss the reference to Buster Sword-wielding icon Cloud Strife, but he and the other PS1 protagonist, Final Fantasy 8's Squall, are referenced in the game's dramatic denouement.
During another play performance, echoing the game's opening, characters Marcus and Princess Cornelia are lovers troubled by the latter's royal status. They plan to leave together to make a life for themselves, eschewing Cornelia's status as a princess for their love. In this effort, Marcus promises, "no cloud, no squall shall hinder us." It's quite a delicate and poetic way to namedrop the two prior heroes, a moment made all the more poignant when we see that the mysterious robed figure playing Marcus is actually Zidane, who also survived the aftermath of the final battle. The series is full of fantastic quotes, and this is one of the best.
5 "Seven Minutes Is All I Can Spare To Play With You."
Resident Evil 5
The Resident Evil games aren't averse to delving into a bit of melodrama when the situation calls for it. B-movie silliness and questionable voice acting are a proud part of its legacy, after all. At the center of a lot of this is recurring villain Albert Wesker, who is perhaps at his obnoxious best in Resident Evil 5. His overarching plan to unleash the Uroboros virus is advancing nicely (read: horribly) in Chapter 5:3 of the game, when he and Jill Valentine, manipulated by Wesker via an implant that controls her thoughts and actions, fight Chris and Sheva in the elaborate setting that is the Monarch Room. Not before, of course, a little pre-match trash talk. To highlight the fact that he thinks the pair beneath him, Wesker suggests that the momentary distraction might be fun, but notes that he has just seven minutes to toy with his enemies.
Resident Evil: 7 Best Albert Wesker Quotes, Ranked
Every evil mastermind needs to have their fair share of iconic quotes, and Wesker has more than a few very memorable ones from Resident Evil.
Wesker cannot be defeated at this point, and the most practical approach is to evade his attacks and counter via fast inputs, while using as little ammo as possible. What really matters about this fight, though, is that Jill can be restored to her old self if Chris and Sheva work together to destroy the device that Wesker has attached to her. As for the villain himself, it isn't long until he finally gets his explosive comeuppance at the end of the game.
4 "Would You Kindly?"
BioShock
This phrase was very carefully planted in Atlas's dialogue throughout the game. The developers needed a line that would be innocuous enough to be barely noticable, until the big reveal when we learn the power of those words. From the moment Jack arrives in the once-magnificent Rapture, Atlas is just about the only friendly voice he hears, offering guidance and reassurance through a radio link. We're told that Atlas's family survived the chaos in the city and that we have a chance of rescuing them, but Andrew Ryan, the city's creator, puts a stop to that. This is around the point we learn that Jack is not in Rapture by chance. He was called there by Atlas, who is actually Frank Fontaine, a criminal believed to be dead who had brought Rapture to ruin by leading a sort of civil war.
Fontaine has conditioned Jack to obey him, and "would you kindly" does not denote a simple request. It is the phrase that activates his conditioning. Through its use, "Atlas" was able to lead Jack to his arch-enemy Ryan, resulting in his death. It's only after this power over him is removed that Jack is able to fight and defeat Fontaine.
3 "Fear The Old Blood."
Bloodborne
Being a FromSoftware game, it's not surprising that context can be a little tricky to come by in Bloodborne at times. If you aren't attentive to documents left around the environments, item descriptions in the menu, and conversations with NPCs, you may well wonder exactly what's happening with the game's increasingly bizarre story. One of the rarer lengthy cutscene begins with the Hunter reaches out to touch the skull in the Grand Cathedral. The flashback scene is of Master Willem, of Byrgenwerth's college, disagreeing with a student of his, Laurence. Willem states that his pupil is betraying him, but Laurence states this isn't the case and he's leaving because Willem is too stubborn to accept him seeking new ideas. He still promises, though, that he'll remember Byrgenwerth's motto: "We are born of the blood, made men by the blood, undone by the blood. Our eyes are yet to open. Fear the Old Blood."
5 Soulslike Games With Better Combat Than Bloodborne
Bloodborne has become a benchmark for Soulslike combat, but in the ten years since its release, these other games have surpassed it.
As players will know, this mysterious blood is key to events prior to the start of the game. It was Byrgenwerth that discovered the Old Blood in the dungeons beneath Yharnam, through its Tomb Prospectors, and Laurence's Healing Church would go on to use its regenerative powers to cure essentially any ailment. The Great Ones' blood, however, also resulted in the plague of beasts. In the expansion The Old Hunters, a formidable boss battle against Laurence, the First Vicar shows where his dedication to the blood took him.
2 "You, Sir, Are A Fish."
Red Dead Redemption 2
If you haven't played Red Dead Redemption 2, this might look like one of those obscure insults in a Shakespeare play that just doesn't translate for a modern readership. If you have, though, you'll know that Arthur and John are eager fisherman who can't help but admire a significant catch.
There's not a lot of depth to this one, it's just a simple, endearing line in celebration of a success. There is, however, considerable depth to the game's fishing mechanics, in which different varieties of lure and types of body of water need to be experimented with to catch every variety. Veteran anglers can also try their skills at catching a legendary fish of every species, too. The weather conditions can also have an effect. While keeping all of this in mind, you'll need to manage direction, reeling strength, and careful timing to land some of the tricker fish.
1 "It's Dangerous To Go Alone! Take This."
The Legend Of Zelda
The original The Legend of Zelda isn't the most player-friendly of titles. It's a product of its time in that regard, and it can be tricky indeed to know where to head. On the very first screen, you'll notice a small cavern, and it's in Link's very best interests to guide him straight towards it. On doing so, you'll find a kindly old man in a rather eerie-looking room lit only by torchlight. In front of him is a blade, and he utters the immortal line above.
And so begins one of the greatest adventures in gaming history. It has been ongoing, in various different guises, for decades. Later games, like Ocarina of Time, would send you off on a bit of a fetch quest to acquire your sword and shield, but the first game was immediate and direct in that regard. Whether you can work out where you're supposed to be going next is a different matter, however.
The Complete Chronological Order of the Legend Of Zelda Timeline
More than three decades of Legend of Zelda history can be arranged in chronological order to see the plot progress from one game to the next.