HL2 EP2: Grey Mod.

[Ghieri]

what you need to do is do what Monolith Did with the First NOLF, and
balance the 2, first your create your Plotline , who is whom, were they
go and why, and what happens to them. then you create the gameplay to
fit inside that plotline, then you create the story, you flush out who
those people are, what happened in there childhoods that makes them who
they are today, how what happens in the game, to them and the world in
general, Affects them Emotionally, what personality "quirks" they may
have, etc, and then, and ONLY then do you work on creating all the
spectacular effects and graphical eye candy. that is the correct way,
IMO, to make a game.

I can attest to this. Currently working on a project that revolves around story and the environment and it's a LOT easier if you do it this way. An Addendum would be that you could try to create a dynamic between the player and another character. Not just on a superficial level. Have the character be involved in the gameplay and the world, reinforce the idea that each of them have their backs and work through everything. If done properly, the player could create an emotional attachment. That's when you could have something truly memorable. At least, that's the theory that I'm working under, so I hope I'm right!