Storytelling as a craft isn’t just for books or movies—it spans the creative spectrum. That includes video games. Some may deride video games for a lack of storytelling chops. In some cases, this criticism is deserved (then again, what storytelling industry doesn’t have its failure and flops?). But to discount the medium as a place for serious storytelling would be a mistake.
In fact, video games have been able to deliver some of the most engaging, impactful stories around. As an interactive media, we are able to form connections about characters or make decisions that influence the story in a way that can connect on a deeper level with us than if we read about it or saw it on a screen.
I grew up a gamer and encountered plenty of stories in video games that connected with me and set my imagination off and running. With that in mind, I wanted to discuss the five best stories in video games that I’ve personally played. Keep in mind, these might not be the best games I’ve ever played, but these are the ones that have my favorite stories (though I’m sure there would be some overlap).
Also, SPOILER ALERT for the following games…
Mass Effect 2
The second game in BioWare’s Mass Effect series was the pinnacle, in my opinion, where the combat finally reached the heights of the story that was being told. Mass Effect 2 weaves the player’s choices and relationships with its characters into the story as well as I’ve ever seen. The game sets you off on a galaxy-spanning adventure with a brilliant cast of characters, each one with interesting backgrounds and motivations.
You really come to care for your crewmates, which makes the ending of the game all the more brilliant. In short, it’s a suicide mission to save the galaxy, and you (the main character) have to decide how your crewmembers’ skills will be used to make the mission succeed. There’s real danger of having some (or all) of your crewmates die, and a real emotional impact when they do. I know it drove me to do everything I could to keep my crew alive during the final mission.
Beginning to end, Mass Effect 2 tells a fantastic story with real emotional stakes and a blockbuster ending. If only Mass Effect 3 hadn’t botched its ending, it might have made this list as well.
Batman: Arkham City
I guess I like sequels.
Batman: Arkham City is the second game in Rocksteady’s excellent Arkham trilogy. While the first game, Arkham Asylum was an engaging, atmospheric tale and the third, Arkham Knight, was a bombastic finale, neither story compares to Arkham City.
The game’s writers deftly weave a compelling narrative with an ensemble cast of entertaining characters (both heroic and villainous) from the Batman mythos. Set in Arkham City, a prison created by walling off a decrepit chunk of Gotham City, the game wastes no time jumping into the action. What’s most impressive is how the game drives the plot forward in unique and interesting ways, driving toward an incredible conclusion with a number of twists and turns along the way. The stories of open world games can often suffer because of their strength—they give the player so much to do! Without a propulsive story, players can easily get lost in more interesting side quests.
Arkham City strikes the perfect balance when integrating its side quests into the larger story, creating a game where you really do feel like the Dark Knight. And the ending (which I won’t spoil here)? One of the gutsiest, most surprising conclusions I’ve seen in a Triple A game.
Horizon Zero Dawn
Speaking of stories that don’t suffer for their open world design—2017’s Horizon Zero Dawn by Guerrilla Games. Set in a post-apocalyptic world that feels more like a reversion to the stone age (albeit one with robot dinosaurs), Horizon tells a compelling story with well-defined characters. The race to stop a world-ending plot may not seem all that impressive on its face, but it’s the interesting ways in which the game developers pull it off that makes for a really riveting narrative as you discover the mysteries of its world.
Aloy, a young hunter, is a fully realized character who slots in perfectly as the game’s protagonist. The world really opens up after the beginning of the game, allowing you to explore every inch of a huge world map, from snowy peaks to vast deserts, full of interesting characters, distinctive cultures, and deadly enemies.
Like Arkham City, Horizon Zero Dawn does an excellent job of making its many side quests feel part of a cohesive whole with the game’s story. It was both a world I wanted to explore and a story I wanted to see to its thrilling conclusion.
Shadow of the Colossus
A classic of the PlayStation 2 era, Shadow of the Colossus is understated, beautiful, and moving. This game is a masterclass in the power of minimalist storytelling, providing very little dialogue in favor of a strong emphasis on visual storytelling.
You play as a young man, Wander, who seeks the help of a mysterious spirit to resurrect the girl he loves. The only instruction you are given is that, in order to achieve this request, you must slay sixteen colossi scattered throughout the land. And so, you set out on your quest, with only your trusty steed to aid you. Each colossus is it own puzzle to solve—some are surprisingly small while others are at an epic scale.
What sticks out in my mind is the melancholy you feel after the titanic struggle to slay each colossus. Many are not aggressive, more akin to peaceful animals. Not to mention that after you defeat a colossus, you absorb black tendrils of energy which…seems unhealthy, to say the least. But your mission pushes you onward until you have destroyed all sixteen colossi and reach the game’s (surprising) conclusion.
They say brevity is the soul of wit, and if that’s truly the case, the Shadow of the Colossus is one of the best stories ever told.
Dishonored
Interestingly, Dishonored is the most linear game to make this list. Oh, you have a lot of freedom within the game’s many missions, but they all serve to drive the story forward in a singular direction—fortunately, it’s a great one!
You play as Corvo, the Empress’ Royal Protector in the fictional Victorian/Steampunk-inspired city of Dunwall. You are imprisoned after being framed for the murder of the Empress, but quickly escape and join a collection of loyalists seeking to overthrow the real culprits behind the Empress’ death who have seized control of the government.
The story is fantastic, with each episodic mission being in a unique and wonderfully designed part of the city. Each mission sees you being targeting a member of the cabal who killed the Empress and framed you for it. You can choose to kill these individuals, but the game offers alternative (and often, more satisfying) ways of neutralizing the threats. Moreover, your choices have an effect on Dunwall itself—the more chaos you cause through your actions, the worse off the city will become.
The story culminates with a third act twist that sends you barreling toward the game’s pulse-pounding conclusion. Dishonored is a tremendous game with an excellent story to tell—and its DLC and sequel even comes close to reaching the heights of their progenitor.
Honorable Mentions
There were a few games I considered for this list that just missed the cut…
Journey
Much like Shadow of the Colossus, Thatgamecompany’s indie adventure Journey is a wonderful example of the power of minimalist storytelling. There is no dialogue—the story is communicated through gameplay and some cutscenes. And man, is it effective. Journey is a beautiful and contemplative experience.
Portal
I’ll conclude with two games made by Valve Corporation. The first is 2007’s puzzle-platformer Portal. It’s rare to find a truly funny game, start to finish, but that is exactly what Portal is. And it’s not just humor—Portal has a great story full of clever puzzles, visual storytelling, and one of the most enjoyable antagonists ever.
Half-Life 2
Another sequel! The follow-up to the original Half-Life, Half-Life 2 crafts an incredible story with interesting worldbuilding and standout characters. Its episodic additions are excellent as well. So, why didn’t this make the top five? It came out in 2004 (2007 if we’re being generous and counting Episode Two) and ended on a cliffhanger—and nearly two decades later, Half-Life 3 still hasn’t been released! In fact, it’s become something of a meme. Is it unfair to ding a great game and story because its conclusion never came about? Maybe, but that’s just what I’m going to do.
Conclusion: The Best Stories in Video Games
I hope you’ve enjoyed my list and, if you like video games and haven’t played all of these, I hope I encouraged you to do so! What about you? What do you think are the best video game stories of all time? Let me know in the comments below!
It Takes Two was a sweet story. Two parents on the brink of divorce having to work together to get back to their daughter after being turned into miniature clay figures. Gameplay was also SO fun and required two players working together to accomplish tasks.