I’ve been an avid gamer for as long as I can remember. For me, video games are absolutely amazing forms of telling stories and have some very complex and intricate systems going into them. Not only does a video game require extensive programming, but it also requires storytelling, music design, audio mixing, art and more. Video games are, in my opinion, a sort of ultimate mixture between the world of storytelling and visual arts. Of course, there are so many video games with excellent stories out there that are certainly great for inspo, so here are 10 video games to give you storytelling inspiration.
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1. Assassin’s Creed Origins
Assassin’s Creed Origins takes you back to ancient Egypt where you play as Medjay warrior, Bayek of Siwa. Origins has a powerful and personal plot behind it where Bayek seeks revenge after the tragic death of his son. The story also goes into the origins of the Brotherhood in the original Assassin’s Creed games. The setting being in ancient Egypt is absolutely fantastic, and Ubisoft does a great job of nailing historical accuracy in their maps and game’s designs.
Personally, I think that if you want to see an interesting story about perseverance, revenge, and growing as a person, then you should definitely check out Assassin’s Creed Origins.
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2. A Plague Tale: Innocence
A Plague Tale: Innocence is one of my personal favorite story-driven video games probably ever released. It also happens to be a very grim one, so it’s definitely not for the faint of heart. A Plague Tale follows the story of Amicia de Rune as she tries to protect her little brother Hugo when the Inquisition comes for her family. The story follows the bond between siblings in a harsh and unforgiving world in medieval France that has been gripped by the Black Plague.
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Innocence has a very tense mood and it captures the horror of the situation in a very impactful way. You get to see the growth of Amicia and Hugo’s relationship as they struggle to survive. The story is really worth playing through, as sad as it can feel sometimes.
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3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
This one is actually based off a book series by Andrzej Sapkowski and is probably one of the best examples of dark fantasy in a video game series. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, developed by CD Projekt Red, is a fantastic fantasy title with a lot of great elements like morally gray characters, choices that matter, and high stakes. The story of The Witcher 3 follows a monster hunter and Witcher named Geralt of Rivia as he searches for his adopted daughter, Ciri.
The Witcher 3 has a beautiful, living open world and the choices you make actually matter, but it also pitches you in a place where you question the morality of good and evil. The main story is great and the side quests are awesome as well. The narrative is deep and complex and it really does dark fantasy justice.
Buy The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Now:
4. Elden Ring
One of the best games ever made and one of my favorite games of all time, Elden Ring has really done a great job of telling a story in a disconnected fashion, prioritizing exploration as a means of telling the story. With world building help from George R. R. Martin, Elden Ring uses mystery, intrigue, and uncertainty to craft its beautiful story. The lore of Elden Ring alone is probably one of the best you can find in any video game. If you want to learn how to write lore of your own, check out this post!
Elden Ring tells a story of gods, revenge, power, loss, greed, and the darkness of a fallen world. Not only that, but Elden Ring’s narrative forces you to roam the Lands Between as you meet NPCs, take on quests, fight bosses, and more. It’s got a really unique approach to storytelling but once you figure it all out, it’s seriously amazing.
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5. BioShock
BioShock has been one of the best examples of a dystopian, post-capitalist society in video games out there. The first game is set in the underwater city of Rapture, while BioShock Infinite takes place in the floating city of Columbia. Although both are different, they are interesting and tell unique stories of their own.
The BioShock narrative is driven by the ideas of ethics and asks deep, philosophical questions about the idea of control and free will/choice. There’s lots of great storytelling techniques like plot twists and fantastic world building. The lore and themes of the two games are also very worth exploring.
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6. Mass Effect Trilogy
If you want a sci-fi RPG that’s 100% worth playing over and over, it’s the Mass Effect Trilogy. BioWare’s storytelling shines in this trilogy, and it’s truly a fantastic space opera story bundled into a package as a video game. The character-driven and narrative-driven games are based on player choice as you explore the galaxy and fight against the Reapers, an ancient alien race threatening everything.
The trilogy is all connected, so choices you make in one can affect the other if you choose to port the same character over the three. With romances, action, adventure, high stakes, and peril, you get to explore a richly world built story with amazing writing and dialogue. I honestly feel like Mass Effect lets you truly get the right experience of what a sci-fi RPG should be like.
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7. Detroit: Become Human
Detroit: Become Human is a fantastic narrative-driven game about a future where androids have become an essential and integrated part of human society. The game’s story explores many themes, including the impact of AI on society, the idea of what it means to be conscious, human rights, and more. You play from the perspective of three different characters: Kara, Connor, and Markus.
Much of Detroit: Become Human’s story is great and really lets you explore the ideas of identity and freedom, as well as what it means to be human. The game is point-and-click, with your decisions in the story being significant and having a genuine impact on the ending. It also has a high replayability value, which is great.
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8. Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto V, more commonly referred to as GTA V, is one of the best open-world games out there and does a great job at portraying a satirical version of American society with an interesting heist behind its plot. The game features three main characters: Michael, Franklin, and Trevor, and they are also some of the most iconic video game characters out there.
The GTA V story is complex and includes lots of humor, but you have a story full of crime, betrayal, and corruption. The open world includes free roam in case you want a break from the story, but the story itself is absolutely fantastic either way. There’s a lot of player driven activities and scripted events to keep the story fresh and exciting when combined with the action.
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9. Mafia: Definitive Edition
If you want another perspective on the crime-thriller genre, then Mafia Definitive Edition is a great choice to play as well. The story follows Tommy Angelo, a cab driver turned mafioso in the 1930s United States during the height of the Prohibition. If you enjoy mafia stories and want one set in a historical time period when the mafia was at its height, then you should definitely take a look at this title.
The narrative-driven game takes many perspectives on the life of mobsters, with a rich story and deep conflict. You get to explore the struggles of gang wars, how the mafia conducts racketeering operations, and it’s not too far off reality.
If you’re interested in mafia stories, I’d also check out this YouTube page called The NSTLKIA Channel. He posts great mafia and crime docs that are super well-made and REALLY worth watching!
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10. Telltale’s The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is a fantastic TV show and one of my favorites, and the Telltale video game series is also absolutely fantastic. The episodic adventure games are based on the comic book series and follows the story of Clementine, a young girl who must navigate a world that has become overrun by zombies in an apocalyptic scenario.
The story of the game is directed and driven by player choice, with each decision you make affecting the outcome of the story. The characters written in The Walking Dead are emotionally deep, complex, and intriguing. The games explore themes of survival and loss as well as the morally gray situation of living in a world where survival costs everything.
Buy The Walking Dead Now:
Of course, there are more games beyond just this list of ten that I’ve included. For the most part, if you use Steam, you can filter things to find story-driven games. Steam is available on PC though, but you can still easily find narrative-driven video games on your console’s storefront as well.
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