A good story can make or break certain types of games. Find out which games on Steam did storytelling the best!
A good story can make or break certain types of games. Find out which games on Steam did storytelling the best!
Video games have the unique perk of being able to utilize player interaction to help convey a story. In comparison to the more common storytelling method, movies, video games provide a different mode of engagement for the user rather than just statically watching a screen for two hours. They allow the player to make choices that influence the story, developing a sense of attachment to the characters a movie simply would not be able to emulate.
This is the main reason I believe video games are rising in popularity in comparison to television. Back in the day, kids would always get yelled at for watching too much TV, but this has recently switched to playing too many video games. Even in non-story-rich games, users are able to make choices, interact with other humans, and dictate actions that cause real-world emotions to trigger. However, not all games utilize this unique ability to create a narrative that impacts the player. Due to this, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best story-rich games on Steam. Hopefully, these games will impact you on some level or at least provide an engaging piece of entertainment for a few hours. Without further ado, the list consists of:
While not all the games on this list will come from the ‘interactive’ genre, the first two certainly do. For those unaware, these types of games are more of a hybrid between a movie and a video game as you cannot control any of the characters but the choices you make do have a direct impact on what happens in the story. They remind me of the old Goosebumps novels that allowed you to make your own decisions by flipping to a certain page based on which action you decided to take.
As Dusk Falls explores two families from different decades and the impact one family's decisions may have on future generations. There are a ton of different characters to get attached to, all propelled by great writing. It is hard to go into much more detail without spoiling the plot, but the amount of choices within the game allow for many different experiences depending on the type of player you are. This is the greatest strength of interactive games, their replayability is some of the best found in the gaming world as a few different choices can lead to a completely new ending of the story.
“If you like Heavy Rain, Detroit, Until Dawn it's a no-brainer. It's got better writing than a lot of those games though. It's a really interesting game. Definitely something unique and different.” - MattFid on Steam
Another interactive style of game, Detroit: Become Human puts the choice in players hands as they navigate difficult moral and ethical decisions. The main premise of the game revolves around Androids becoming so sophisticated they can emulate and even surpass humans. You’ll get to control the choices of three different Androids, all with different motivations and goals which can impact how you decide their fates.
Since this is another interactive choice-based game, it can be hard to reveal anything else without spoiling the game. However, the thousands upon thousands of positive reviews can assure you of the fact that this story is worth wading through. It also has the added benefit of being able to replay the story in different ways to figure out alternate paths and endings. Considering this is a list of the best story-based games and Detroit: Become Human has won numerous awards for best narrative at multiple awards shows, I would certainly consider this game worthy of a download!
“Absolute masterpiece.
- Excellent writing
- Interesting and relatable characters that you will care about
- Choices actually matter (looking at you Telltale) and will have a deep impact on the outcomes
- Amazing soundtrack
- Incredible graphics and worldbuilding
The only problem of this game is that it ends, that's how you know a good game from a bad one.” - Mom’s Ravioli on Steam
What Remains of Edith Finch is a shorter game that relies heavily on its narrative to impact its players. It tells the story of the Finch family and what happened to them as they dealt with a familial curse that leads to untimely deaths of the family. You’ll get to explore all of the unfortunate ways that each family member met their demise. It is a heart wrenching tale of misery that is sure to impact the player.
In terms of gameplay, the game relies more on exploration than anything else. Progress is maintained by the guidance of Edith Finch, as her words fill the screen in a rather poetic way. The game is short enough that players could easily get through it in a single session, likely the best way to experience the narrative. In terms of a true story-driven game, What Remains of Edith Finch may just take the cake.
“This is a very small story, yet this is the most beautiful immersive story I've seen in my years of gaming. Everything is so beautiful and so well placed..... it might not take long to complete it but it's gonna be a story that you will remember. Thank you Giant Sparrow for this piece of art you gave us.” - RocknEbola on Steam
Those who have seen all of the Witcher television series or have read the books know how deep the lore goes in this universe. The books gave the video game series an excellent storyboard to spring from much like Game of Thrones did with their television series. Essentially, the story revolves around one of the last few remaining Witchers in the universe, an off-breed of humans that are capable of superman feats. They mainly will fight monsters around the universe for coin (*starts humming Toss a Coin to your Witcher*), but The Witcher 3 revolves around the Child of Prophecy similar to the most recent season of the television series.
In terms of gameplay, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an open world RPG comparable to Red Dead Redemption or Skyrim. There is a main storyline to follow if you are only interested in completing the game and experiencing the story. Alternatively, there are a ton of different side quests to complete to unlock new weapons, armor, etc. Overall, there is a good reason this game won Game of the Year!
“If you haven't played this game yet, you are definitely missing out. Arguably the best open world yet story and narrative driven fantasy RPG experiences of all time.” - stuxnet on Steam
To The Moon is a top-down 16 bit exploratory game that details the event of Johnny, the story's main character. Two doctors attempt to artificially fulfill the dying man’s wish using technology to simulate his wishes. You’ll get to explore Johnny’s past as to why his wish is to go to the moon, something much better experienced rather than read in an article. There is not much more to the game other than its story, hence the reason for making the list. It is rather short as well, allowing players to digest the story in a timely manner.
“Great game with a deep and rich story. The gameplay itself is more like an interactive movie, but the storytelling is so good that it's more than worth the price.” Zander1234 on Steam
Let us know in the comments which game on this list you feel has the best story!
Heading image courtesy of gamingbolt.com
