Have you ever asked yourself why you play video games? Sure, it’s the thrill you feel when you complete every level, come out victorious in every boss battle, and in case of RPGs, traverse miles of virtual space to accomplish quests.
But it’s the stories that really matter, move the plot forward, grip your focus, and make you keep playing till the very end. They enable gamers like you to put yourself in a character’s shoes and get swept away in their drama. They explain what motivates characters to do what they do.
So, on that note, here is a top 25 list of video games with the best stories.
1. HellBlade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Kicking off the list of the best video game stories is Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. The protagonist, Senua, is a female – a refreshing change, considering how few there are in the industry.
Cursed with a terrible darkness that affects people close to her, Senua suffers from severe psychosis. Throughout the story, we see her mind being overrun by emotions and thoughts, which often paralyze her in fear and doubt.
Senua’s Sacrifice is a deep dark story that explores her confusion, sadness, and uncertainty as she fights her own inner demons.
2. Life is Strange
The name basically gives away the game’s unorthodox approach to storytelling. Life is Strange follows Max Caulfield, a high school senior, beset by horrifying visions of her town being destroyed by terrible storms. But what really sets this story apart is the perspective, in which you play a smart but awkward teenage girl, surrounded by peers who you can alienate or befriend, as you like. The story also acknowledges issues that most video games don’t highlight – sexual assault, child abuse, and suicide.
3. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
The best thing the developers from Naughty Dog did in this standalone expansion from the Uncharted series is get rid of its chief protagonist, Nathan Drake. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy follows the story of Chloe Frazer, a half-Indian treasure hunter in search of the lost Tusk of Ganesh. The narrative shows how the protagonist’s ancestral inheritance and history are tied to the culture that they are trying to uncover.
4. Soma
From the creators of Amnesia: The Dark Descent comes another game that messes with our heads. Soma is a sci-fi tale that follows Simon Jarrett as he tries to figure out how to get out of an underwater research facility, where things have gone terribly wrong. Unlike most horror games in which players are expected to use meager resources to fight off powerful opponents, the suspense in Soma is mainly down to how the story is told.
5. The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is a game about choice and an assertion that not all zombie apocalypses are equal. Based on the popular TV series of the same name, the game gives you the chance to see how you would fare in a zombie-infested world. It’s interactive, which means that the story moves forward based on the choices you make. Sure, there are plenty of zombies to deal with, but that is only part of the story’s appeal.
6. The Last of Us
Developers have released many games with great stories during the past few years. Amongst them, The Last of Us stands out. A zombie apocalypse is the game’s main theme, where you fight your way through infected bandits. The story is about Joel, a man tasked with escorting a young girl, Ellie, across the United States through this hostile environment.
Many games try to improve player engagement with the narrative, and this game is a stellar example. As the two characters bond in the game, you can’t help but fall in love with them.
7. Little Nightmares
Little Nightmares is a puzzle platform of the horror-adventure genre from Tarsier Studios. The story is about an incredibly hungry nine-year-old girl trapped in “The Maw” – a mysterious underwater vessel that hosts a number of guests with insatiable appetites for any type of meat, including the flesh of children.
The protagonist, Six, is one of many children imprisoned with the sole purpose of being food for these guests. A review on IGN calls the game, “gleefully strange, unceasingly grim, and quietly smart and a welcome fresh tale on horror.”
8. Shadow of the Colossus
Shadow of the Colossus follows a young man, Wander, who traverses a forbidden land on horseback to defeat six massive colossi in order to restore the life of a girl, called Mono. Unlike most action adventure games, there are no enemies in the game to defeat other than the colossi, no dungeons to conquer, and no one to interact with – a pretty refreshing change indeed.
9. The Wolf Among Us
The Wolf Among Us is the type of game where the Big Bad Wolf and Woodsman, who saved Red Riding Hood, talk about their troubles in a bar. You play as Bigsby Wolf, a hardened detective trying to solve a grisly murder in a town that is home to characters from fairy tales and folklore. Aside from the comic book-like artwork, the story really grips you like a good whodunit.
10. Silent Hill 2
There is a sinister touch to the storytelling in Silent Hill 2. You play as James Sunderland, who comes to Silent Hill in search of his dead wife. Monsters often crawl out of the rolling haze to attack you, while you seek help from the noticeably mentally unstable residents, which is almost useless.
Silent Hill 2 tells its story on multiple levels. The symbolism for one is pretty intriguing. Every creation James comes across is a manifestation of his twisted psyche. By the end of the game, you start wondering who the real monster is.
11. Batman: Arkham Knight
The fourth installment in the Batman: Arkham series, Arkham Knight, was released on June 23, 2015. This action-adventure video game introduced the historical Batmobile as a playable vehicle, and it allows you to roam around in an open world to perform tasks that unlock additional content. The storyline revolves around Batman, as he takes on Scarecrow, an evil mind planning to take over Gotham City. Scarecrow, with the help of the Arkham Knight, teams up with all the former foes of Batman to finish off his legacy once and for all. Take control of the Dark Knight to save Gotham once again!
12. BioShock Infinite
BioShock Infinite is, without any doubt, one of the best story-based games of all time. Being the third installment in the series, this first-person shooter video game is set in the year, 1912. Players control agent Booker DeWitt throughout the game. Booker is sent to the airborne city of Columbia to save Elizabeth, who is held captive throughout her life. After rescuing her, Elizabeth and Booker must fight against the rulers of Columbia in an action-packed adventure to escape the city. Play this best story game and find out about the mystery behind Elizabeth’s strange powers.
13. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt
If you want to pick a title that’ll take you more than 200 hours to finish, it has to be a game with the best story. The Witcher 3 has a long yet interesting storyline, featuring gods, magic, knights, and witches. Players take control of Geralt of Rivia. He is known as the Witcher, a popular monster hunter who has the ability to take down some of the evilest creatures. It’s an open-world game, which revolves around the Witcher’s quest to find his missing adopted daughter. If you want to experience an awesome adventure filled with dangerous weapons and magic, grab a controller and start playing.
14. Assassin’s Creed II
I would love to mention all Assassin’s Creed games in this list of best video game stories, but out of the lot, the second edition is a complete masterpiece. This game is known to set the tone for the series with the density of its open world. You get to travel across many cities in the quest to relive the genetic memories of Desmond Miles’ ancestor. Embark on a journey to fight for peace along with your assassin brothers against the Knights Templar, an organization striving to conquer all lands.
15. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
A surprising entry, but yes, the COD team did come up with a storyline for the game worth applauding. I wouldn’t say that all the other Call of Duty games didn’t have a story, but Modern Warfare changed the Russian bad-guy scenario and came up with something different. While playing this awesome game, you’ll feel like you’re part of a war movie. Team up with the Russian Federation, and shoot down the rebels involved in the civil war to bring back peace in Russia.
16. What Remains of Edith Finch
Winning the award for Best Narrative at The Game Awards 2017, What Remains of Edith Finch is a title with strange stories about what happened to a young woman’s deceased family members. Scoring such an award is a clear indication of how amazing the storyline of this game is. If you haven’t played this title, you should set aside some time to play this game for an experience of a lifetime.
17. Mass Effect 2
Commander Shepard is back in this Mass Effect sequel to form a new team and defeat the Collectors. The Collectors are insectoid species threatening to destroy all of mankind. The story is set just a few weeks after the events of the first game, featuring better graphics and battle sequences. One of the best things about this game is that its story is linked to the first part of the series. It is recommended that you play its prequel, as many important memories add up to the story of Mass Effect 2.
18. Red Dead Redemption
We all know RockStar for introducing the GTA series to the gaming world. However, another game that topped the charts was Red Dead Redemption. Leaving aside all the fast cars and skyscrapers, they came up with a western American game set back in the 1900s. Play this game and witness the life of the protagonist, John Marston, and his epic battle for survival. Enjoy the cowboy era with train robberies, fast draw duels, bounty hunting, and riding horses for hours all around the open world.
19. Final Fantasy VII
A JRPG classic, indeed! If you want to experience the best game stories, Final Fantasy VII is a great option. You’ll find something special in all FF games in the series, but this one is an all-time favorite because of its exciting plot. If you think I’m exaggerating, well, this game sold more than 2.3 million copies in the first three days of its release in Japan. You play as Cloud Strife, the protagonist who teams up with a group of warriors to stop a superhuman, Sephiroth. Wondering how you’ll play this 1997 game? The FF team is planning to come up with an HD version for PlayStation 4 – fingers crossed!
20. Grand Theft Auto Series
There can’t be a gamer on Earth who hasn’t tried this game. I know all the hype is about GTA 5 right now and when the next sequel will come. However, San Andreas is still considered the best in the series, in terms of the storyline. One of the surprising factors in this game was the resemblance of many real-life events like the rivalry among street gangs, the LAPD Rampart scandal, the 1980s crack epidemic, and the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. Live through all these events by controlling CJ and rule the streets of San Andreas.
21. Alan Wake
A game that appears more like a thrilling TV series, Alan Wake is a great title with a storyline that’ll swipe you off your feet. The plot follows Alan Wake, a bestseller thriller novelist, as he attempts to unfold the secrets behind his wife’s mysterious disappearance during their vacation. As the journey continues, Alan experiences plots from a book, which he doesn’t remember writing, coming to life. Spooky!
22. Halo: Combat Evolved
This game still gives me the shivers! The pioneer in the Halo series, Combat Evolved, was released as a launch title with Xbox in 2001. Even though I have played all the games of this franchise, the first one has the best storyline, hands down! It’s amazing how you start from testing your suit to grabbing a gun and spilling alien blood everywhere. The soundtrack will make you emotionally involved in this action-packed video game. An HD reboot was launched in 2010 for Xbox 360, ten years after the actual release. Live through this great storyline today and find out if Master Chief can defeat the alien forces.
23. Tomb Raider
Lara Croft is back in action with an HD game to give you an adventure that’ll be in your heart for years to come. One of the best story-driven games of all time, Tomb Raider is a reboot of the series with better than before gameplay.
Unlike other Tomb Raider games, Lara isn’t an experienced explorer this time. Throughout the game, you have to develop her skills by completing different tasks and missions. The key objective is to save her friends and escape the island before getting taken down by the violent inhabitants. Remember to keep your eyes open while roaming around jungles and caves – you never know which wild animal is planning to make you their next meal.
24. Horizon Zero Dawn
A relatively newer title on the list, Horizon Zero Dawn was released in 2017 and became the second bestselling PS4 game. The story revolves around Aloy, who is living in a world taken over by large robots called Machines. She embarks on a journey in an open world to reveal the secrets behind her being an outcast from her tribe. The adventure will feature many quests in which you may have to take down evil robots with the help of spears and ranged weapons.
25. Fallout 4
Just like the previous installments, this one hasn’t failed to live up to the expectations. With better graphics and gameplay, this title lets you explore a wasteland filled with old ruins, strange structures, and new characters to interact with. The story is set during the event of a nuclear war, in which the player survives by entering a vault only to wake up hundreds of years later to a world completely shattered and in ruins. Grab your suit and explore the open world to find out where your missing son is – that is if he is still alive!
Which ones do you think tell the best stories in video games? Share your comments.
