The best video game storylines transform interactive entertainment into true works of art. Modern developers create narratives that have an emotional impact on players, which is just as strong as the best movies and books, and sometimes even surpasses them, thanks to the unique immersive experience of gaming.
We’ve put together a list of the best video games that set new storytelling standards.
What makes a game story outstanding
A great story for a video game builds on a number of pillars.
The main pillar is the development of meticulously detailed characters with realistic motivations and internal conflicts. Players should not only control the character but also feel genuinely concerned about what happens to them.
Other important elements are moral dilemmas and significant choices. The best narratives don’t offer simple solutions and make players think about the consequences of their actions.
Originality and unpredictability also play a role. The best plots surprise players with unexpected twists, yet these twists should also be logical outcomes of prior events.
Finally, emotional engagement is what sets a good game apart from the best. The best narratives make players laugh, cry, and share feelings of anger and happiness with the characters.
How story and gameplay combine
In the best video games, the narrative isn’t separate from gameplay, it’s woven into the process organically. The mechanics become a way to tell the story, not just entertainment.
In the RPGs, for example, the development of characters is reflected in their emotional growth, while in horrors, the mechanics intensify the atmosphere of fear, and in adventure games, every obstacle is plot-driven. This approach creates a holistic gaming experience, where each element serves the common goal of immersing the player in the realm of the video game.
The influence of the player’s choice on how events unfold is also important. The best video games give players the opportunity to influence the course of the story by making them active participants in the narration. Let’s take a look at some of the best games.
Top-20 games
Chrono Trigger
Genre: JRPG
Release year: 1995
Developer: Square (Dream Team)
Platforms: Super Nintendo, PS, Nintendo DS, PC, and mobile devices
Chrono Trigger. Source
This time-travel story remains one of the best examples among JRPGs to this day.
The story tells the story of young Crono, who accidentally ends up in a vortex of temporal paradoxes and needs to prevent a global catastrophe. The developers created a narrative of incredible depth and emotional power.
What makes this game special is that it not only uses the concept of time in the game mechanics but also employs it as a tool to tell the story. Players see the underlying reasons and consequences of their actions in different periods, understanding how their choices affect the fate of entire civilizations.
Grand Theft Auto V
Genre: action-adventure with an open world
Release year: 2013
Developer: Rockstar North
Platforms: PS3/PS4/PS5, Xbox 360/One/Series, and PC
Grand Theft Auto V. Source
The plot of this criminal saga intertwines the fates of three protagonists in the series: Michael, a former bank robber trying to start a new life; Franklin, a young gangster hustling on the streets and striving to make it out of the ghetto; and Trevor, a psychopathic criminal living in the past. The developers show how LA’s different social classes meet and interact in the criminal underworld.
The interaction between characters creates a dynamic narrative, full of conflicts and surprising twists.
Disco Elysium
Genre: RPG, detective
Release year: 2019
Developer: ZA/UM
Platforms: PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series, and Nintendo Switch
Disco Elysium. Source
The story follows a detective who wakes up in a hotel room with total amnesia and has to investigate a murder in the city of Revachol. But the true narrative core is the main character’s inner journey, his struggle with addictions, depression, and his search for his own identity.
The game employs a unique skill system that manifests as different voices in the character’s head, each of which represents a different aspect of his personality. Intellect, Psyche, Physique, and Motorics participate in a continuous internal monologue, painting a detailed psychological profile of incredible depth.
Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: RPG
Release year: 2010
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Platforms: PC, PS3, and Xbox 360
Fallout: New Vegas. Source
The story begins with the main character, a courier, being left to die in the desert after trying to deliver a mysterious package. After recovering, the player character sets out on a journey through the wasteland of the Mojave Desert, where he encounters various factions, each of which has a distinct vision of the region’s future.
The main conflict unfolds between the New California Republic, representing democratic values; Caesar’s Legion, the epitome of a totalitarian dictatorship; and Mr. House, a visionary technocrat. The player can side with any of these factions or choose the Independent path led by Yes Man.
Every decision has far-reaching consequences.
SOMA
Genre: survival horror, sci-fi
Release year: 2015
Developer: Frictional Games
Platforms: PC, PS4, and Xbox One
SOMA. Source
The game’s story transports the player to the PATHOS-II underwater research complex, where all that remains after a comet strike that wiped out life on Earth are human minds uploaded into machines. The main character, Simon Jarrett, wakes up in this nightmare realm and needs to do his best to figure out what happened to humanity and who he is himself.
The game raises philosophical questions: what makes us human—the body or the mind? Can we consider a copy of someone’s consciousness the same person? Do machines with human memories have the right to exist? Every discovery in the game makes you reassess your concept of self and the surrounding world.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Genre: action-adventure, stealth
Release year: 2025
Developer: Ubisoft Quebec
Platforms: PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S
Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Source
The story follows two characters: the African samurai Yasuke and a female shinobi called Naoe. Their stories intertwine in the Azuchi-Momoyama period—an age of changes, when Japan experienced wars and political upheaval. The developers did their best to study historical documents and the cultural features of the period to create an authentic setting of feudal Japan.
The game touches on the themes of honor, loyalty, and the search of people who don’t fit neatly into the traditional social roles to find their place in the world. Yasuke, based on a real historical figure, offers an outsider’s perspective on Japanese culture, while Naoe embodies the traditions of the shinobi discipline.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Genre: action-adventure
Release year: 2024
Developer: MachineGames
Platforms: PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Source
The story is set between events from the movies Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Players travel through exotic locations from Egypt to the Himalayas, solving archeological mysteries and fighting Nazis.
The developers masterfully convey the atmosphere of classic adventure movies to create a story that is both familiar and fresh at the same time. The main character maintains all his iconic traits—wittiness, bravery, and his readiness to protect historical artifacts from those who want to use them to do evil.
Alan Wake 2
Genre: survival horror, psychological thriller
Release year: 2023
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Platforms: PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S
Alan Wake 2. Source
The story combines the stories of two characters: the author Alan Wake, trapped in a nightmare dimension called the Dark Place, and FBI agent Saga Anderson, investigating a series of ritualistic murders. Their paths cross in a small town called Bright Falls.
The game raises the theme of creation as a power capable of altering reality. Alan tries to write a story that will help him escape the Dark Place, but each of his works impacts the real world in unpredictable ways. Saga, in turn, finds that her investigation is becoming part of a bigger supernatural story.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Genre: action-adventure, open world, Western
Release year: 2018
Developer: Rockstar Games
Platforms: PC, PS4/PS5, and Xbox One/Series
Red Dead Redemption 2. Source
This epic Western saga by Rockstar Games set new standards for narratives in open-world games.
The story transports players to the year 1899, as the sun was setting on the Wild West period of American history, and it tells the story of Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde gang. Under pressure from the rapidly modernizing American frontier, the gang is forced to go on the run from federal agents and bounty hunters.
The story centers around the conflict between old and new values. Arthur, who set out to be an honorable outlaw, begins to question the morality of his chosen path. His relationship with the leader of the gang, the Dutch Van der Linde, gradually deteriorates, and the leader becomes increasingly paranoid and violent.
Mass Effect 2
Genre: action RPG, sci-fi
Release year: 2010
Developer: BioWare
Platforms: PC, PS3/PS4, and Xbox 360/One
Mass Effect 2. Source
The story begins with the shocking death of Commander Shepard after his starship is attacked by an unknown vessel. Revived by the Cerberus terrorist organization, Shepard must recruit a team for the final suicide mission: he’ll need to infiltrate the very heart of Collector territory—Reaper proxies controlling the galaxy.
A central theme in this game is the importance of camaraderie in the face of the impossible. Each of Shepard’s squadmates has their own story, motivations, and problems that the player helps solve. These Loyalty Missions are more than just subplots, they’re key elements of the narrative that affect the final suicide mission.
Half-Life 2
Genre: first-person sci-fi shooter
Release year: 2004
Developer: Valve
Platforms: PC, Xbox, Xbox 360, PS3, and Android
Half-Life 2. Source
The game transports players to an Earth that’s been taken over by an alien empire called the Combine. Gordon Freeman, a theoretical physicist and the protagonist from the first game, wakes up in dystopian City 17 and joins the resistance movement. The story is told through the surrounding environment, dialogs between characters, and interactive scenes without ever interrupting the player’s control.
What makes this game special is that it tells the story through game mechanics and the level design. Each location conveys the atmosphere of a totalitarian regime, and encounters with NPCs reveal details of the world and what motivated characters. Alyx Vance becomes more than a companion, she’s a fully developed character with her own story and emotions.
Shadow of the Colossus
Genre: action-adventure, puzzle
Release year: 2005
Developer: Team Ico
Platforms: PS2/PS3/PS4
Shadow of the Colossus. Source
This game tells the story of a young man called Wander, who carries the body of a girl named Mono to a temple in the hope of resurrecting her. A mysterious being called Dormin agrees to help him in exchange for destroying sixteen colossi—ancient guardians of the Forbidden Lands.
Each battle with a colossus doesn’t end in triumph, but in tragedy. These majestic creatures aren’t aggressive by nature, and slaying them feels like an act of transgression against beauty and antiquity. As the game progresses, Wander deteriorates physically and morally, and players begin to question whether his mission is right.
God of War (2018)
Genre: action-adventure, mythology
Release year: 2018
Developer: Santa Monica Studio
Platforms: PC and PS4/PS5
God of War (2018). Source
The plot of this installment of the series transitions from Greek mythology to the abode of Norse gods. Kratos, now the father of young son Atreus, embarks on a journey to scatter his wife’s ashes at the highest peak of the nine realms. His journey not only proves to be a test of physical strength, but also an emotional one as the two characters get to know each other better.
A central theme in this game is difficult father-son relationships. Kratos, used to violence and solitude, has to learn how to be a mentor and protector. Atreus, who grew up oblivious of his father’s true nature, gradually realizes that his family is no ordinary family. The dialogs on their journey reveal the personalities of both characters.
The Last of Us
Genre: action-adventure, survival horror
Release year: 2013
Developer: Naughty Dog
Platforms: PC and PS3/PS4/PS5
The Last of Us. Source
The story unfolds in a world plagued by a fungal infection that turns humans into aggressive mutants. Joel, who lost his daughter in the early stages of the outbreak, takes it upon himself to bring Ellie, a teenage girl who’s immune to the infection, across the entire country to a revolutionary militia group who can create a vaccine.
Joel and Ellie’s journey becomes a story of how people find family and purpose in life, even in the darkest of times. Joel sees a chance in Ellie to make up for the loss of his own daughter, while Ellie finds a father figure in him, a father that she never had.
The game masterfully explores the moral dilemmas of survival. The characters commit violent acts to protect each other, forcing players to consider where the line between good and evil is drawn in a lawless world.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Genre: action RPG, fantasy
Release year: 2015
Developer: CD Projekt RED
Platforms: PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series, and Nintendo Switch
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Source
The story follows Geralt of Rivia as he searches for his adopted daughter, Ciri. Ciri is being pursued by the Wild Hunt—an Elven military unit of ghostly riders from another world. The Witcher’s searches lead him through the war-torn lands of Temeria, Novigrad, and the Skellige Isles, where political upheaval is laced with ancient magic.
The story centers around family ties that aren’t limited to blood relations. Geralt, Yennefer, and Triss form a complicated love triangle, made more complicated by the appearance of Ciri—the girl who became the Witcher’s adoptive daughter. Their relationships develop against a backdrop of the prophesied White Frost—the impending beginning of the end of the world.
The game masterfully adapts Andrzej Sapkowski’s world, preserving the spirit of the original books. Each quest tells its own story, often raising difficult moral questions.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Genre: turn-based RPG, fantasy
Release year: 2023
Developer: Larian Studios
Platforms: PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S
Baldur’s Gate 3. Source
The long-awaited third installment of the legendary series by Larian Studios was a triumph of modern RPG design. The story begins with the player and some other companions getting infected by the parasitic tadpoles of the illithids (mind flayers)—creatures capable of turning people into cold-blooded monsters. Searching for a cure, the party sets out on a dangerous journey that leads them to an ancient conspiracy that threatens to transform everyone into mind flayers.
Each companion has their own backstory and personal problems. Astarion—a high elven vampire spawn, who was controlled by a cruel master for centuries; Gale—a wizard who has a destructive magic Netherese Orb lodged in his chest; Shadowheart—a cleric and loyal servant of Shar, the goddess of darkness and loss. Their personal quests organically weave into the main story.
Cyberpunk 2077
Genre: action RPG, cyberpunk
Release year: 2020
Developer: CD Projekt RED
Platforms: PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series, and Nintendo Switch 2
Cyberpunk 2077. Source
The game tells the story of V—a mercenary who gets a biochip with the digital consciousness of the legendary Johnny Silverhand implanted in their head after a failed heist. Two psyches, forced to share one body, have to find a way to coexist while they try to save V’s life.
The central theme of the game is the fight for humanity in a world where technologies are erasing the boundaries between human and machine. V faces existential questions about what makes us human when a body can be swapped and memories re-recorded. The relationship with Johnny evolves from mutual hostility to understanding and even friendship.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Genre: action-adventure, superhero
Release year: 2023
Developer: Insomniac Games
Platforms: PC and PS5
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Source
The sequel to the successful original game by Insomniac Games expanded the Spider-Man universe.
The story explores the relationship between the two Spider-Men. Peter, an experienced defender of New York, is confronted with the consequences of his past decisions with the return of his friend Harry Osborn. Miles develops his own identity, learning how to balance his personal life with responsibilities.
The appearance of the Venom symbiote adds a psychological layer to the narrative. The influence of the alien organism on Peter is not only shown through changes in his abilities, but also through an emotional transformation. The game explores the dark side of power and how even the most noble intentions can lead to devastating consequences.
BioShock
Genre: first-person sci-fi shooter
Release year: 2007
Developer: 2K Boston
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360/One, PS3/PS4, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices
Bioshock. Source
This philosophical game makes the player assume the role of Jack, the sole survivor of a plane crash into the Atlantic Ocean in 1960. Discovering the underwater entrance to the city of Rapture, he finds himself in the center of a civil war between the city’s founder, Andrew Ryan, and the revolutionary Atlas. The dark truth of Jack’s own origins is gradually revealed.
The game explores Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism through the prism of science fiction. Rapture was created as an unregulated utopia free from government interference, where everyone could realize their full potential. But unlimited freedom led to moral degradation and chaos. The genetic modification substance ADAM turned inhabitants into manic monsters.
Silent Hill 2
Genre: survival horror, psychological horror
Release year: 2001
Developer: Team Silent (Konami)
Platforms: PC, PS2, Xbox
Silent Hill 2. Source
The game tells the story of James Sunderland, who arrives in the misty town of Silent Hill after receiving a letter from his wife Mary who died three years ago. In his search for answers, he immerses himself in this nightmarish realm, populated by monsters who are manifestations of his own subconscious.
The game raises the themes of guilt, grief, and suppressed memories. Every monster symbolizes a specific aspect of James Sunderland’s psychological state. Pyramid Head represents his desire to be punished, while Bubble Head Nurses are manifestations of his repressed sexual desires and fears. The city itself is a character that transforms to reflect the protagonist’s inner state.
Trends in game plots
Interactive storytelling
Modern developers are increasingly experimenting with ways to tell a story interactively. Games like Life Is Strange, Detroit: Become Human, and Until Dawn have shown that players are ready for complex narratives, where every decision has implications. These projects blur the line between movies and games, creating a new mode of interactive dramas.
Signature indie projects
Independent developers are increasingly creating games based on their own personal experience and unique world view. Projects like That Dragon, Cancer; Gris; and a Plague Tale show that games can be a means to express a personal story and address societal issues.
Each of the games we’ve described in this article has made its own unique contribution to the development of interactive storytelling, setting new standards and inspiring a myriad of successors. The future promises even more gripping stories, which will push the limits of what’s possible in interactive storytelling even further.
