When a video game story is done well, it stays with you long after you’ve finished playing. Whether you want to laugh, cry, or simply be entertained, these narrative-driven games are likely to have a lasting impact.
They’re all available on modern platforms, both PC and consoles, so you can pick them up immediately.
Maybe you’ve seen the TV show, but The Last of Us began life in 2013 as an action-adventure game from developer Naughty Dog. Previously known for cheery franchises like Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Daxter, and Uncharted, the dark and unrelenting story of The Last of Us was a huge tonal shift.
It’s a risk that paid off. Set in a United States shattered by a fungal infection and swarming with creatures, you control Joel as he escorts an immune teenager across the country. The gameplay is exhilarating, mixing exploration and combat, but it’s the well written and acted story that stays with you—it made me ponder what tough decisions I’d make in a world with no clear right or wrong.
The game was remastered in 2014, but the definitive version is the 2022 remake (released as The Last of Us Part I). Once you’re done with that, the equally brilliant sequel awaits.
In Detroit: Become Human, artificial intelligence has become so advanced that human-like androids live among us. Quantic Dream’s 2018 adventure is all about the story, telling the grand tale about what it means to be alive. Through decisions and dialogue, you shape the future of three androids.
Unlike some games in this genre where the choice is illusionary, the things you say and your reactions to quick time events genuinely change outcomes, sometimes in drastic ways. It’s this, along with Detroit: Become Human‘s stylish presentation and excellent acting, that make it so engaging.
After each session, I couldn’t wait to pick up the controller and jump back into the game. Sometimes the narrative veers into clichés or is executed clumsily, but the overall result is an unforgettable success.
The Uncharted series is unabashed fun, following the adventures of treasure hunter Nathan Drake as he fights, solves puzzles, and cracks wise his way through increasingly chaotic situations. It’s basically a playable Indiana Jones, full to the brim with exotic locations and huge action set pieces.
A Thief’s End is the fourth (and, at time of writing, final) entry in the main Uncharted franchise and it went out on an incredible high. Along with his pal Victor, Drake sets out to find the pirate Henry Avery’s treasure. I’m a big fan of pirate fiction generally, so I’m always in on that angle, and the game succeeds in scratching that itch and more.
It looks incredible as you fly around the globe, the writing is unexpectedly nuanced and touching, and you will never get bored thanks to the quick pace and varied gameplay. Fingers crossed Nathan Drake makes a comeback.
Disco Elysium is one of the best games I’ve ever played, but I almost gave up on it. A couple of hours into my first playthrough, my character died and I didn’t have a recent save, so I gave up in frustration. I put the game down for a year and came back to try again, this time remembering to manually save often.
As I replayed Disco Elysium, I soon realized that failure isn’t a problem. In fact, failure often results in a funnier outcome. In this RPG, you’re a washed-up detective tasked with investigating a murder. It’s entirely up to you how you proceed with this, in terms of where you go, what you say to people, and the skills you develop—the outcome of your decisions are based on dice rolls, like a real-life role playing game.
It’s amusing, dark, thoughtful, with an insane amount of dialogue which is all voice acted—even your character’s psyche. It’s best experienced knowing as little as possible. Do yourself a favor and play it now.
It’s a crying shame that developer Campo Santo only ever made one game, but at least it was a great one. Set in a Wyoming national forest, you control fire lookout Henry via a first-person perspective as he cares for the surrounding area. When his tower is trashed, it leads Henry to uncover the mysteries of the wilderness.
Often derogatorily called a walking simulator, it’s true that Firewatch is more interested in telling a strongly crafted story in a beautiful environment than it is fast-paced, brain-bending gameplay. But it’s all the better for it, giving you time to soak up the atmosphere and evolve your relationship with Delilah, Henry’s supervisor who he communicates with via walkie-talkie.
A word of warning, though. After playing, you might be tempted to pack everything up and take residence in a fire lookout tower.
Rockstar Games pull no punches when it comes to fully realized, immersive games that burst with personality, and Red Dead Redemption 2 may well be the studio’s masterpiece. Don’t worry if you haven’t played the first, as this is a prequel.
If you’ve ever wanted to live out your gun-slinging Wild West fantasies, this is the game for you; an open-world action-adventure taking place in a fictitious 1899 America. As Arthur Morgan, you ride, hunt, and shoot your way through missions, and do what you must to survive and support your gang.
The main story path is gripping and has top-notch acting, but make sure to do plenty of casual roaming too. There are many unique individuals to interact with, collectibles to uncover, and games to play. Plus, you can decide whether you wish to abide by the law and be upstanding, or insult and rob everyone you can.
The Secret of Monkey Island is one of the most iconic point-and-click adventure games ever, charting the hilarious adventure of wanna-be pirate Guybrush Threepwood. The game was led by Ron Gilbert at Lucasfilm Games and released in 1990, with the sequel, LeChuck’s Revenge, following a year later.
Gilbert moved on to other projects, but the Monkey Island series lived on in three more games before seemingly being laid to rest with 2009’s Tales of Monkey Island. Fans had given up hope on ever seeing another Gilbert-produced entry. Until, improbably, Threepwood and friends returned in 2022 with Return to Monkey Island.
All of that backstory is important to appreciate Return to Monkey Island, which is a loving ode to those classic point-and-click games, yet one that feels modern too. With colorful 2D art, delightful characters and voice acting, and logical puzzles, it’s a fitting maybe-final game in the series that manages to cleverly reflect on nostalgia, growing old, and storytelling.
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Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is an audiovisual treat; a full on sensory experience that pulls you into the mind of Senua, a warrior suffering from psychosis who sets out to save her dead lover’s soul from Norse gods.
It’s a disorientating experience in the best way possible, and unlike anything I’ve ever played. As Senua battles enemies and traverses the land, the voices in her head make comments—sometimes helpful aids, oftentimes disparaging—which is very effective. Combat is generally straightforward, though, with this being more about the journey.
If you enjoy the game, be sure to check out 2024’s sequel, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.
When The Walking Dead launched in 2012, I knew nothing about the franchise and was apathetic about zombies, but the endless accolades the game kept receiving piqued my interest to play it. I’m glad I did because it meant I got to experience this thrilling and powerful journey; it was the first video game to make me cry.
It follows the story of escaped convict Lee as he helps a young girl called Clementine find her parents in an apocalyptic world. Your actions and dialogue choices are tracked, which alters how characters behave and how events play out.
The episodically structured game went on to span three more “seasons” and a few spin-offs, all of which were remastered and packaged into 2019’s The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series. They’re all worth playing, though none hit the dizzying heights of the first season.
First released in Japan for the Game Boy Advance in 2001, then translated into English in 2005 for the Nintendo DS, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney has spawned plentiful sequels and spin-offs—and for good reason. If you have any sort of fondness for visual novels, you need to play this charming game that sees rookie attorney Phoenix Wright work all sorts of bizarre cases.
Gameplay mixes between investigative work and the courtroom, the latter of which involves you presenting evidence, listening to witness testimony, and shouting “objection!” as much as possible. The story will stay with you thanks to its perfect blend of humor and heart—and the soundtrack is a guaranteed earworm.
The entire series has been remastered, but start with the first three games in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy.
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