Best Story-Driven Games You Should Try – Part 3

And finally, the list of the best Story-Driven Games in part 3 will be shown as below:

33. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction

The stories in each of the Splinter Cell games have been fascinating, but plugging in quick-time events for this installment was a risky, unexpected, and perfect addition to the saga of Sam Fisher. As expected, the plot had a lot to do with a terrorist coup.

It’s what was unexpected that made this game so brilliant. The protagonist’s life takes center stage as players finally get to dig deep into the life of America’s greatest infiltrator. It’s fan service for anybody that has been following the series since the beginning.

34. NieR: Automata

The underground smash hit of 2017, NieR: Automata tells the story of two androids caught in a war between their own kind, engineered by the enigmatic humans, and the robots who invaded Earth eons ago. The story is so deep that completing the game involves the same story retold from different perspectives each time, adding more complexity to an experience that is already rich with details.

NieR: Automata might not be the prettiest of games on a technical level, but it makes up for that in spades with its intense and thought-provoking narrative that leans heavily on deep philosophical debates. As our protagonists, 2B and 9S, discover more about their origins and the truth of the war, it becomes very difficult to put the controller down.

35. BioShock

Set in an underwater city build to exist as separate from all other societies, BioShock tells the story of Jack, a man who has become trapped in the city of Rapture after it has fallen into disrepair by riots following scientific experiments gone wrong.

You must uncover the history of the city, its creator, and its residents, and also begin to face the nature of narrative in video games as a whole. Yes, this game gets extremely meta as it goes on, bringing into question the role of the player taking control of the protagonist. It’s a fantastic narrative to be enjoyed by anyone who needs a good story and mystery to motivate their progression through a game.

36. The Last Of Us

Here’s a game whose mechanics and design are built around survival in a fairly linear fashion. You move from location to location, avoiding or killing zombie-like enemies, looting to find materials, crafting weapons, and simply getting from A to B in one piece.

Without its stellar story, this game would not be the milestone we deem it to be today. The Last of Us put truth to the statement that a game’s narrative can drive its plot when its gameplay only has so many tricks up its sleeve. Telling the tale of a man who must keep a valuable young girl alive, bonding with her, and learning to warm up his cold, cold heart along the way, their relationship is what keeps us from turning off this game.

37. Horizon Zero Dawn

The genius of Horizon Zero Dawn isn’t just the intensely unique world or the beautiful graphics. Gamers who play this game with their eyes and hearts open will understand that Horizon Zero Dawn isn’t just a great story; it’s two great stories.

From the beginning, protagonist Aloy is confused and curious about her past and unravels that mystery as the game goes along. But just as important is her immediate surroundings. Aloy is deeply connected to the post-apocalyptic world as much as the pre-apocalyptic one. The cast of characters is diverse and each one has unique and believable motivations and perspectives.

38. Assassin’s Creed 2

Assassin’s Creed games have become marred by bloated worlds and contrived, boring plotlines. That’s a shame because the writing and story in Assassin’s Creed 2 were on an entirely different level from the series. Ezio’s incredible fighting style sold the gameplay enthusiasts, but it was his story and character that left a mark in gaming history.

Ezio is not like the other preachy, shrouded assassins of his time. His tragic story and recovery also make him different from other brooding, rogueish archetype characters. He has a heart for even his enemies and a desire to share the wisdom of freedom with a world in desperate need of it.

39. Detroit: Become Human

In 2019, Detroit: Become Human saw its PC release after being a PlayStation 4 exclusive for some time. As one of the strongest titles to have come out in 2018, it was a massive addition to the ranks of games with robust storylines the player could actively influence by making specific choices.

The game takes players to the near future, where androids serve every whim of mankind. However, underneath the surface androids are rising up to protect their rights and fight against their masters. By controlling each main character the player gets to decide the fate of androids.

40. Knights Of The Old Republic

The game with the best plot twist of all time (don’t worry, we won’t spoil it here) was only able to pull it off thanks to a story that completely absorbs its audience. Knights of the Old Republic is a masterpiece that encourages players to explore the light, the dark, and the great side of the force.

Choices abound in a tight-knit group of compelling characters that join the party at various times. It can’t be overstated: If Knights of the Old Republic were a movie, it would be recognized as the greatest Star Wars movie ever. Even with the 2003 graphics.

41. God Of War

The game that took home the Game of the Year prize in 2018 was a narratively-focussed single-player experience exclusive to the PS4. God of War is a sequel/reboot of the classic blood-spattered action franchise, containing far less blood and far more narrative, dialogue, character growth, and plot progression.

The genius of this game comes with its refusal to sacrifice gameplay and world design for storytelling, proving that gamers can have their cake and eat it, too. Here is a game with a tremendously private and intimate story of a father and his son both coming to terms with the death of the boy’s mother, all while delivering a rich world to explore and deep combat to enjoy.

42. I Was A Teenage Exocolonist

The number of genres that I Was A Teenage Exocolonist fits into is staggering. It’s a card battler, roguelike, RPG, life-sim, and more. At the core of everything is a story that players can shape. The indie title punches well above its weight and understands that big money doesn’t craft great gaming stories, players do.

While players are building up relationships and making decisions, they’ll find that choice matters deeply. As players grow up, what they did as kids will change the entire landscape of things as teenagers and adults. Each playthrough sheds light on each character, their personal struggles, their goals, and perhaps what their future could be.

43. Persona 5 Royal

Speaking of meshing styles together, with Persona 5 Royal, developers Atlus has managed to blend two disparate genres: the life (and sometimes dating) simulator, and the dungeon-crawling RPG. This is an intense and long story of a game, with 100 hours of story content to experience — not a single hour of which could be accused of being filler.

Set in Tokyo, Persona 5 Royal tells the story of a young boy, codenamed Joker, who sets out to right the wrongs of corrupt officials, artists, and businessmen by changing their hearts. When he’s not doing this, he’s surviving school exams, making friends, and falling in love. The game juggles two narratives: that of the Tokyo teenager and that of the world-saving protagonist.

44. That Dragon, Cancer

Expectations going into That Dragon, Cancer were low; gamers knew that the game was developed by a small team with almost no budget and would feature the story of two parents who lost their 4-year-old son Joel to cancer. Only a handful of people can truly experience this kind of heartbreak.

Even fewer are capable of writing, speaking, and artistically communicating such a difficult experience. Game developers and parents of Joel, Ryan and Amy Green, shatter every expectation, especially regarding the story. Their use of symbolism and interactive events are expert-level. Words cannot express this kind of tragedy and Numinous Games is keenly aware of that, which is why the game designs scenes that help players understand the sinking lows and fleeting highs of doing battle with a cancer and a dragon that can’t be defeated.

45. Mass Effect: Legendary Edition

If this list was ranking character creation and development, this entry would be top billing with second place a comfortable distance away. Characters aside, the story itself is an unbelievable achievement; a quest to save the entire universe that never misses the forest for the trees.

Individually, each entry of the three entries in the trilogy would qualify as a top ten competitor, but when BioWare combined them all and released them in a single game (a gift to other worthy story-driven games). The plot is so rich that players will sometimes forsake ideal squad combinations so they can hear the companions they build a family with speak memorable lines as they rescue an entire galaxy from demise.

46. Red Dead Redemption 2

Now that those on PC also have the pleasure of experiencing the imaginary Wild West world of Red Dead Redemption 2, there’s no better time to praise its impeccable storytelling. Despite being an action-packed game at its core, the gorgeous world and all of its rich details create the setting for perfect stories that are bound to leave no one cold.

Players step into the shoes of Arthur Morgan, who works for the Van der Linde gang along with John Marston. His life is guided by numerous quests, often pitting him against outside forces like other gangs. Again, the player has control over so many of Arthur’s choices, which is what makes this game so beautiful in terms of story.

47. Dragon Age: Origins

When it comes to story, nobody can touch the tale that Dragon Age: Origins was able to craft. The game completely altered the landscape of RPGs back in 2009 and has set the golden standard for player choice ever since.

Though one might be tempted to dismiss yet another Tolkein-style clone, it’s clear from the first few minutes of playing that BioWare was re-crafting these familiar motifs with unparalleled creativity. The story can be changed in hundreds of meaningful ways, and even the worst of these tales would be the number one ranking on this list.

“Thegamer”