Nowadays, games have become so advanced graphics-wise that it's almost the norm for any new game to package itself in shiny aesthetics and realistic physics modeling. Most games out on the market now look unbelievably good - and as some have said, they look even better than real life.
In an effort to differentiate themselves from the competitors, many games now focus on intense, plot-driven single-player modes with storylines penned by accomplished writers. Here are five games (in no particular order) that should be made into movies for their solid, breathtaking stories.
#01: Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos + The Frozen Throne
We've all heard the story of the fallen hero countless times since Darth Vader was revealed to have been Anakin Skywalker before succumbing to the intrigue of the Dark Side. This strategy game, the third in the Warcraft series, takes on that theme brilliantly.
Prince Arthas Menethil is the people's hero, a handsome warrior dedicated to the protection of his kinsfolk. But when the shadow of darkness falls across the land, Arthas' brash hotheadedness eventually takes him from virtuous knight to royal outcast, and finally to the champion of darkness who brings about the fall of humanity.
As the wayward prince leads a massive undead host to lay waste to the land and its innocent populace, the threat of a demonic invasion looms on the horizon. Soon the mortal races learn they must strive to put aside their differences and face this new enemy, or perish together if they remain divided.
#02: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
In a chilling story ripped straight from today's headlines, the fourth installment of the venerable Call of Duty first-person shooter series takes place in the modern world.
In the near future, a civil war has broken out between the Russian government and the opposition Ultranationalists. The world watches uneasily as a brutal tug-of-war for supremacy tears the nation in half, with the Ultranationalists determined to seize victory and restore the country to its former glory as the Soviet Union.
Days later, a ship containing a nuclear shipment is sunk. Then, the charismatic Khaled Al-Asad and his brutal terrorist organization seizes control of a Middle Eastern nation in a violent coup, executing its President on international television.
Frankly, it's amazing so much work is being put into developing rich and complex storylines for games these days.
As the United States mounts a counter-offensive to Khaled's extremists, the question is asked: are these seemingly random, isolated incidents connected somehow? Follow the trail of clues left behind to expose a conspiracy that stretches across continents, threatening to engulf the free world in a nuclear firestorm...
#03: World in Conflict
This intense real-time tactical thriller is set in an alternate reality where the Cold War escalates into World War Three. It's unique in the sense that it focuses on the human cost of the war a lot - such as American soldiers' heartbreaking conversations with their families, as well as the difficult situations that arise in the bleakness of war.
A dying Soviet Union is pushing for supplies from America and its European allies, failing which it will launch an all-out assault on the rest of Europe. The refusal of NATO to surrender such vital material leads to the outbreak of World War Three, and America sends its troops to prevent the European continent from falling into the clutches of the Soviet Army.
While a stalemate rages in Germany, the Soviets seize the advantage - by launching a sneak attack upon the United States itself! As Seattle burns and the Reds push aggressively deeper and deeper into the country, a handful of ordinary soldiers find themselves isolated in the midst of the Soviet incursion - and upon their shoulders rest the fate of the United States itself.
#04: Starcraft: The Great War + Brood War
Yes, this game is old. It's been ten years since
Starcraft was released, and to date people are still addicted to this strategy game set in a bleak future where mankind must do battle with two fearsome alien races. This game's storyline has it all - betrayal, love, loyalty, war, fear, honor, and courage.
In the distant Koprulu Sector, mankind is ruled by the iron fist of the Terran Confederacy. Suddenly, the fragile peace is shattered by the arrival of a strange, bug-like race of bloodthirsty monsters known as the Zerg. As the Terrans attempt to contain the Zerg infestation, a strange fleet of warships arrive in orbit over the planet of Chau Sara, obliterating it in a hail of cannon fire. In time, a seething rebellion makes itself known, and challenges the authority of the beleaguered Confederacy in the Sector.
#05: The Halo Trilogy
Halo and its successors have been attributed to the massive success of Microsoft's XBox gaming console (and the subsequent XBox 360), and for good reason! This game delivers a solid storyline worthy of the silver screen - and a
Halo movie is already in the works, though things have stalled temporarily.
In the not-so-near future, humanity has taken to the stars, but in our exploration of the unknown we have come across a race known as the Covenant. Having declared our race as an affront to their gods, they waged war against us across the vastness of space. However, in the wake of a sudden assault on the fortress-world of Reach, a lone space cruiser makes a random jump to escape its Covenant pursuers.
Unfortunately, the escape fails and the cruiser, the
Pillar of Autumn, crashes into a strange ring-world known as Halo. Follow the adventures of the Master Chief as the humans attempt to discover the hidden secret behind Halo - and why the Covenant covets it so much.
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In the days running up to the beginning of the semester, I underwent the Orientation Week (or Minggu Aluan Siswa, MAS for short) program as a facilitator. I must say though those two weeks were terribly hectic - it was probably the first time I'd broken down over work - it has turned out to be an extremely satisfying and gratifying experience. 
