Is gameplay being sacrificed at the altar of cinematic storytelling?

As I twiddled my thumbs through yet another banal cutscene in Darksiders II, I couldn't help but agree with John Carmack's infamous take on Id Software's predilection towards excuse plots. "Story in a game is like a story in a porn movie. It's expected to be there, but it's not that important," quipped Carmack, as he downplayed the need for a narrative altogether. Old school gamers would concur, while pointing out how Id Software's games were little more than thinly veiled engine demos meant to push the envelope of technology, and not achieve high art. In fact, they may be onto something here. Is it really necessary for games to have a story told through elaborate FMV (Full Motion Video) sequences?

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