Dialogue-heavy games can be some of the best experiences in gaming if handled correctly. Effective dialogue can tell an engaging story, deliver emotional character moments, or even provide choices that lead to different paths. On the other hand, poorly-executed dialogue can make parts of a game feel like a chore.
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Ultimately, it all boils down to taste. Genres like RPGs and visual novels are expected to have lots of text, and some of their scripts are longer than the world’s most famous books. While some games handle dialogue better than others, it’s fascinating to see the remarkable effort that goes into video game storytelling.
10Metal Gear Solid 4 Has The Longest Cutscene Of All Time
If you can’t decide whether to play a game or watch a movie, play Metal Gear Solid 4. Solid Snake’s final adventure featuresthe longest cutscene in video game history, spanning a staggering 71-minute runtime. That’s long enough to qualify it as a feature film.
Anyone who’s played this game knows that the characters talk a lot. Despite being overly wordy, the dialogue is intriguing and offers thought-provoking commentary on war and morality. Hideo Kojima strived to make theMetal Gearseries as cinematic as possible, which he certainly accomplished here.
9Dragon Age Inquisition Has A Complex Dialogue Wheel
Dragon Age Inquisitionfeatures a complex dialogue wheel that leads to many optional conversation paths. If you add those to the several hours of cutscenes, you get a whopping 80,000 lines of dialogue.
There are over 20 ways you can respond during conversations, creating extensive dialogue trees. The options you’re presented with are based on various factors, including your class and whether you’ve been consistent with your answers. You can restart this game repeatedly and still hear new conversations. It’s an excellent way to make you feel like you’re playing the role of the protagonist.
8Fallout 4 Has Way More Dialogue Than Its Predecessor
Brace yourself.Fallout 4has more dialogue than Fallout 3 andSkyrimcombined. If you add up all the lines from the cutscenes and conversation trees, they total 111,000 lines of dialogue. That’s almost triple the amount in its predecessor. Not only that, it’s also the first game in theFalloutseries to have full voice acting for the protagonist, including all the optional dialogue.
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Thankfully, the large amount of dialogue is put to good use. The story in Fallout 4 is engaging as you explore a post-apocalyptic world in search of your missing son. There are tons of characters to talk to and dialogue options to choose from, making every replay feel a little different.
7Grand Theft Auto 5 Uses Dialogue For World Building
Grand Theft Auto 5stands out for its use of dialogue to make an immersive experience. This game features about 160,000 lines of dialogue spread throughout the main campaign, several hours of cutscenes, andmany side missions.
Rockstaruses dialogue to make the world feel real and alive. Characters mutter to themselves as you walk past them, and they react to the things you do. For example, driving on the wrong side of the road will elicit a few screams and less-than-kind words from your fellow drivers. This makes for a hilarious yet vividly real experience.
6Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic Has An Epic, Yet Wordy Story
Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republicis one of thelongest Star Wars games ever, featuring over 200,000 lines of dialogue across its 29-hour campaign. In 2011, it was awarded the Guinness World Record for Largest Entertainment Voice Over Project Ever.
There are many dialogue options to choose from on your galactic adventure, and your decisions affect whether you align with the Light or Dark Side. Unfortunately, the story events remain relatively the same regardless of your choices. Nonetheless, it’s a cool concept that delves into the inner conflict of the main Jedi.
5Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy Has Three Long Stories
It’s impossible to discuss dialogue-heavy games without mentioning at least one visual novel. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy is an HD remaster of the first three games in the series. Each game contains around 80,000 lines of dialogue, totaling a whopping 240,000 lines for this remaster.
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That number may seem intimidating, but it’s actually not that bad. A lot of dialogue is optional, and the required dialogue is funny, fast-paced, and intriguing. The hilarious writing, endearing characters, and fascinating mysteries make the time fly by quickly.
4Disco Elysium Has About One Million Words
Talk about dialogue-heavy. This indie detective game has roughly one million words in its script. Developer ZA/UM does an incredible job of using those words to paint an engaging picture.Disco Elysiumhas a fascinating story, which won it Best Narrative at the 2019 Game Awards.
You’re a detective with amnesia tasked with solving a murder. Not only does dialogue occur when you talk to a character, your actions are constantly narrated by an unseen narrator, which contributes roughly half of the game’s dialogue. The narrator is played by Lenval Brown, who recorded a staggering 300,000 lines. If you’re a fan of text-heavy games, this is a must-play.
3Final Fantasy 16 Has An Unbelievable Amount Of Cutscenes
Final Fantasy 16has one of the most epic stories in the series, featuring 11 hours of cinematic cutscenes. If you add the dialogue outside of cutscenes, it totals about 18 hours. To put that into perspective, you can beat Final Fantasy 4 in that amount of time.
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Thankfully,Square Enixmakes excellent use of the dialogue. The story is filled with twists and turns as Clive tries to navigate through a war while searching for his brother’s killer. The dialogue will keep you engaged throughout the whole journey.
2Persona 5 Royal Is Widely Considered A Visual Novel
Persona 5 Royalis one of thelongest JRPGs ever, and it’s packed with dialogue. This game has so much talking that it’s widely considered a visual novel. Dialogue happens during cutscenes, dungeons, battles, and free time. There are even long portions where the gameplay is just advancing text. But that’s not a bad thing.
The story in Persona 5 Royal is a large part of why it’s so beloved. Bonding with your confidants is one of the best ways to spend your free time, and learning about their lives adds so much depth to the experience. It’s definitely wordy, but it’s worth it for one of the best JRPGs of all time.
You may want to sit down for this one. The team behind Red Dead Redemption 2 had the monumental task of recording 500,000 lines of dialogue spread across over 1,000 voice actors. The effort here is outstanding, providing incredible dialogue withmany memorable quotes.
This action-packed western shines largely thanks to its Honor System. The choices you make throughout the story will impact your level of honor and change the dialogue you hear. Sometimes the change is so subtle that you won’t even notice, such as going from “I’m only just getting started!” to “That’s just the start of it!” The attention to detail is phenomenal and makes for one of the best uses of dialogue in a video game.
