Top 10 Video Game Narratives and What Makes a Great Story-Driven Video Game

Top 10 Video Game Narratives

1.Rdr 2

An incredible story and one of the best games I have ever played. It relies on its rich characters and world building that offer interactivity and immersion unlike any other. The depth behind every NPC, missable quest and world only drag you in further and further.

2.The last of us 1 and 2

I can’t choose between both and as far as narrative is concerned, they rank equally to me. I prefer the second if we’re scrutinizing but the first one set the standard. In fact, it may have changed the course of how story driven games are even made. No one could expect a zombie game to be this good but when you have characters as good as this and with the right conflict, it gives us something incredible.

3.Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

A more recent example, this affected me deeply. This brought such a fresh form of narrative to a booming industry and left me flat. Incredible story that resonated so deeply with me that I could barely process it. I spent an hour after finishing the game just wondering whether anything could make me feel as deeply as this made me feel.

4.Batman: Arkham city

This may be a bit of biased entry on my side but it definitely deserves to be up there. It is a strong sequel to the previous entry and develops a lot more on Batman as a character while flexing his rogues gallery.

5.God of war: Ragnarok

Arguably better than its predecessor in my opinion. This takes every good part of God of War and takes it up a notch. A grander narrative being one. More characters, more conflict, more drama and more emotion. Truly, a masterpiece.

6.Uncharted 4

A cinematic addition to an already incredible series of games. While predictable at times, the narrative still offers enough to remain fresh and certainly tugs on the heartstrings enough to make it on this list.

7.Far cry 3

One of the OG games of the PS3 era when story driven games really found their stride. This brought a fresh perspective on what a video game could be to me as a kid and remains a strong entry on this list.

8.Cyberpunk 2077

While it suffered a lot of criticism on release, there is no doubting the story including the Phantom Liberty DLC is one of the best out there.

9.Witcher 3

A vast game with so much lore, one can never do it justice. Regardless, playing just this game with minimal context, it still stands out as one of the best ever.

10.Ghost of Tsushima

A thoroughly cinematic game with visuals that elevate the narrative and create an incredible experience.

What makes a story driven game great

Interactivity and Immersion

I have briefly gone into why I like each of the above games individually but overall, what makes a great story driven game. There are a lot of games out there I have left out that are equally great, and this is just my subjective point of view.

A unique feature that video games have offered over time that has differentiated them from other forms of media is how they use interactivity to create immersion. This is a key element in a good video game narrative.

There are many types of video games and a lot of them don’t rely on their story or narratives instead offering rich gameplay and visuals which are more than enough. However, there lies a whole other side to video games which prioritise story and narrative while also offering unique and immersive gameplay.

Worlds that feel Real

Games like the ones I have mentioned above are ones that truly stand out. If you notice, a lot of these games are set in fictional places spread across different eras and even myths. They create a fantastical world that is very distinct from reality yet they make us feel like we’re a part of their world. When I play RDR2, I feel like a cowboy in the 1800s trying to escape the law or when I play The Witcher 3, I feel like Geralt of Rivia having to hunt monsters while trying to find my daughter.

Characters and Emotional Depth

As you would expect, the story is pretty important for a good narrative. People long for escapes when they play video games but these escapes are always grounded in reality. Like I mentioned, despite the fantastical nature of the settings in all these video games, the characters are deeply human. Sure, they can seem powerful and indestructible at times, giving the player a sense of invincibility. But they can also be vulnerable and human at other times, giving the player the full experience.

Take Kratos from God of War. While in the earlier games, he served as the all powerful character going on a killing spree, the newer games gave him more depth. They made him a character that felt regret, remorse, someone who wanted to correct his mistakes so he could be a better father to his son. A God that was almost human.

The gameplay has to tie in to the story in a manner that constantly engages your player and keeps them hooked even as you transition to a cutscene. Take Uncharted or Ghost of Tsushima; the cutscenes are incredibly cinematic and then the transition into gameplay is so smooth you feel like you’re in a movie.

There are many smaller elements that also can weigh into making a good video game narrative but these are some important elements that stand out.