I absolutely hate when this happens. So many games have such good stories but you'd never know if it weren't for google lol. Blazblue is a good example.

Painters need to also stop this, write a damn description! Especially you Pablo Picasso!!!

What a shallow opinion piece.

Strongly disagree with the authors viewpoint.
I cannot really care if other players are not in an exploratory mood
(and find themselves unable to read item descriptions),
that in itself does not constitute a game design flaw to me
(or to other like-minded hardcore gamers).

I absolutely praise FROM SOFTWAREs approach to storytelling,
its one of the best aspects of the game
It defies the norm,
and presents itself as a truly unique experience, challenge-wise, and storytelling-wise.
Bloodbornes rich Nightmare Themes, tragic character story-lines, endless hunts, eldritch horror themes UNRAVEL as you manage to involve yourself with them.

I would say that its masterful minimalistic narrative is perhaps even DESIGNED to present the story as a form of exclusive reward, only for players who have what it takes to brave its horrors (and read item descriptions).

I say this to anyone who cares: if you find yourself incapable of exploring the AVAILABLE lore, and draw frustration due to that...
you would perhaps be more at home playing games that better conform to the industry's standards of mass-appeal. Where storys are spoon-fed to you as if it was a movie....
This is a hardcore GAME man, an Interactive Entertainment Experience no less,
in souls games you are CHALLENGED to be more than a spectator, if you wish to unravel the story.

And in reality, Dark Souls and Bloodborne both have SUBLIME stories, probably better than most out there,
and presented in a magnificent way...
How could you manage to say nothing about Artorias of the Abyss????
And his profound and selfless sacrifice?
His corruption and eventual redemption?
Do U even read item descriptions BRO?

Its a game first, a story second. That's why narratives aren't at the forefront of most games. I'd rather play through a great game with a crappy story than a bad game with a great story imo.

Story isn't going to keep me coming back for more. The gameplay will though.

I am a sucker for a good story but I also see why people like games like the Souls series cuz of the mystery and discovery aspect but imo there has to be a right balance between the two, a sweet spot if you will. That creates both a sense of discovery and mystery but also provides you with a good story to keep you invested in the game.

The Souls series narrative works for what it's trying to achieve: to immerse the players completely in its world. Cutscenes constantly interrupting the flow of gameplay would just end up diluting the experience. Story has never been the first priority in these games anyway; it's always been the gameplay.

Wow, what an incredibly stupid article. Developers, stop elegantly weaving your narrative into gameplay and level design elements and force it down our throats damnit! This isn't about developers trying to hide their stories like they are somehow embarrassed, these are game developers that are finding the most powerful and elegant methods of telling a story through the medium of games (And for that last part I'm only refering to Dark Souls, certainly not Metal Gear Solid). It's also a shame that he failed to mention environment design as a story-telling method in Dark Souls.

There are many different ways to immerse a player. The souls game series have a way of telling a story that fits with the way one learns to master the game.

Like it or not but a game must, at least to a certain degree, respect its genre and when an epic space opera like mass effect would try to tell it's story like a Souls game then the game wouldn't make sense. Heck it wouldn't even work since dialog is such an important pillar of the game mechanics.

This game delivers story different? Burn it at the stake.
Authors like these need to stop writing about games.

I don't know what to say...