The Best Video Game Stories of All Time

There are some people in the gaming space who believe that narrative titles “aren’t that successful” or “aren’t needed” anymore. Those people can eff…I mean, they need to change their mindsets. So allow us to show you some of the best video game stories ever told.

#25 Fire Emblem Three Houses

This might seem like an odd game to start the list off with, but Fire Emblem Three Houses is the best-selling game in the franchise, and a large part of that is the FOUR branching storylines that happen within the title.

Set in the medieval yet magical world of Fodlan, you’ll play Professor Byleth and choose a group of young people to teach. That choice will drastically affect the story that plays out.

Between the support conversations and the main plotlines, you’ll soon see why fans loved this game so much and look forward to the next one that tries to top the tales of Dimitri, Edelgard, Claude, and Byleth. They’re that gripping at times.

#24 The Wolf Among Us

Another “oddity” in the grand scheme of this list, but worthy nonetheless, The Wolf Among Us was a proud creation of TellTale Games during its prime. It took us to a universe where fairy tale creatures lived in our world and yet were trying to stay hidden.

Having us play as Bigby, aka the “Big Bad Wolf,” to solve a series of deaths was brilliant, and that led to a complex and weaving narrative told over the course of several chapters.

Outside of a certain game, we’ll talk about later, this was Telltale’s best game, and that’s why fans want its sequel to arrive. And it will…eventually…

#23 Life is Strange

Sticking with “episodic titles,” the original Life is Strange was a five-part game that lets you play as someone who had the power to rewind time and used it to try and save their best friend. But as both the story and the series grew, so did the concepts and themes that were attached to them.

This is a deeply emotional franchise, and it’s one that tries to appeal to people from all walks of life, which isn’t always a guarantee in the gaming space.

It may not have hit the mainstream like others on this list, but that doesn’t mean that its story doesn’t prove why stories like it need to be told.

#22 Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Some might be mad that Nathan Drake’s final game is so low on this list, but if you really think about Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, it may have been an “end,” but it’s not one that was specifically needed. This story finally brought Nathan’s brother to life and led Drake on one last grand adventure that had all the set pieces, and action beats that you would expect from the franchise.

We honestly could’ve put the second entry here in its place, but we did want to praise Naughty Dog for not “going back on their word” by bringing back Nathan because it sold well. His tale is done, but his legacy might be living on through another…

#21 Horizon Zero Dawn

Oh, you want another PlayStation exclusive? Sure, we got another one of those: Horizon Zero Dawn! Guerrilla Games went all out for this new post-apocalyptic world that blended futuristic machines with old-school looks for its people, and it totally worked.

The story of Aloy is gripping from the word go, as she’s an outcast trying to prove herself to her people while also trying to save her world. When you combine this with the sequel that came out on PS5, you get a robust world with deep lore and an epic journey you’ll want to complete many times over.

Bring on the third entry, okay?

#20 Telltale’s The Walking Dead

As we enter the “Top 20,” we’ll return to an episodic style of gaming via Telltale’s The Walking Dead. 

This was the game series that sparked the legend of Telltale and eventually sparked its demise, but that’s another topic. What made this game so impactful wasn’t just its visuals or the choices you got to make but that the story of Clementine, among others, was as gripping as you would expect from this zombie-filled world.

There’s a reason that Clementine is revered today, and it’s because of how well she and her story were portrayed in these titles. She was an original character in this universe, and now, it’s impossible to not think of her when mentioning it. That’s good storytelling for you.

#19 What Remains of Edith Finch

There was a movement in the gaming space after a certain title came out that focused on creating “atmospheric narrative adventures,” and What Remains of Edith Finch is arguably the best of the lot. The awards it won should help prove that.

You play Edith Finch, who goes through a family home and is transported to the memories of her fallen family. Through these memories, you’ll slowly learn what happened to her family and why she’s all that remains. It’s a gripping tale about life, loss, and what the world really is.

This simple but elegant narrative game style captivated many, and many have tried to replicate its success…and mostly failed.

#18 Disco Elysium

Trying to stick Disco Elysium into one “style of story” or gameplay genre is hard because the game tried and succeeded in making it so much more than a singular entity.

You play as a detective on a city block where lots of things are happening. But from that point on, everything you do is up to you. You can talk to people, interrogate them, fight them, bribe them, and all sorts of other things based on what you want to do.

This is YOUR story, and how YOUR version of the detective ends up will depend on YOUR choices. That kind of freedom in a narrative is rare, and that’s why so many people have played the game repeatedly.

#17 Red Dead Redemption 2

If there’s one thing that Rockstar Games loves to do… it’s make people wait for a sequel. In the case of Red Dead Redemption 2, it was a sequel many years in the making, and it was worth every minute of that wait once it came out.

You play Arthur Morgan, who is part of the Van Der Linde gang. As the Wild West slowly gets tamed, choices must be made as you flee for your lives. The game acts as a prelude to the original game’s events, but everything about these characters and their tale is fleshed-out, beautifully acted, and will make you feel when things go wrong.

#16 Silent Hill 2

Easily the best horror game ever made, with the best horror game narrative ever conceived, Silent Hill 2 remains the peak of this horror franchise…no matter how hard they tried to escape it.

The tale of a man trying to find his late wife, only to wind up in Silent Hill and face monsters like Pyramid Head, might seem basic at first, but don’t be fooled. No one ends up in that town by accident, and the tale that unfolds is both terrifying and tragic.

Konami has tried for years to one-up this game but failed, which is why they’re giving it the remake treatment on PS5.

#15 Chrono Trigger

As we get higher on this list, it’s getting harder to rank the games. But we can’t forget the classics of a bygone era, and Chrono Trigger remains one of the best RPGs, and RPG stories, ever made.

There was so much to love from this SNES classic that it’s hard to list it all out. There are the characters that remain memorable to this day, the numerous paths the story can take based on your choices, which lead to numerous endings, and so on. Oh, and having that kind of “choice with the ending” was unheard of during the SNES days.

Many fans want Square Enix to do a full-on remake of this title because of the legendary status it has obtained.

#14 Marvel’s Spider-Man

From an old-school classic to a web-slinging adventure many still can’t get enough of, Marvel’s Spider-Man by Insomniac Games once again proved that superhero adventures can be more than just action-packed sequences.

What Insomniac did beautifully in this game was show the struggles of Peter Parker as he tried to balance his life as both a young man and a Spider-Man. Between the main plot, the side quests, the DLC, and the incredible voice acting cast starring Yuri Lowenthal, fans were engrossed in this world and enjoyed every entry after it.

Oh, and this isn’t the only superhero game on this list…there is another…

#13 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Yes, we know many of you like Geralt of Rivia, and so do we! The fact that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is #13 on our list should prove how many other great games we have coming up!

The “final story” of Geralt was one that many enjoyed for literally dozens, if not hundreds, of hours. CD Projekt Red put on a masterclass with the title, allowing fans to go on so many journeys through the main plot and its DLC that you could argue no game has topped its range in that metric.

The irony, of course, is that their next title didn’t live up to the hype, so they came back to this franchise. They have much to live up to.

#12 God of War

We’re specifically stating that we’re putting the PS4 version of God of War on this list because while the original set of games within the Greek Pantheon had a story, it was not exactly “gripping.”

But this time around, we see Kratos as an older and more stoic figure. He has a son now, and he lost another wife. His journey to reconcile what he did while traveling with his son and being a good father to him was a story no one knew we needed. Christopher Judge brought a new sound and feel to Kratos’ voice and personality, and it totally worked.

While some will say the “Ragnarok” that came after was better, we feel this one struck a chord that’s still sounding today.

#11 Baldur’s Gate 3

Just missing out on the top ten is the most recent release for this list, Baldur’s Gate 3. It has a TON of plot, and much of it is named Karlach. She’s…so great.

Love of Karlach aside, the game from Larian Studios took its time to build and refine its D&D world, and gave players a cast of characters to love, hate, fight, and everything in between. There’s a reason it won “Game of the Year” by many critics and sites in 2023. You can’t help but be engrossed in this world and want to talk with everyone you meet because of what might happen next.

You can play the story many different ways, and that makes it tons of fun. Just like Karlach…

#10 Undertale

Some of you might be mad that Undertale is at the #10 spot. We say that proves you didn’t play this title.

Toby Fox created something so special that it’s literally impossible to replicate without feeling like a knockoff. The game’s premise of “falling into a world of monsters” seems predictable, but it’s not. In fact, the game pays close attention to what you do and gives you the options to do things other RPGs won’t allow, including doing a run without killing ANYONE.

Just as important, it KNOWS if you try to “do better” on your next run. It pokes fun at tropes and makes you pay the price for your actions. Don’t like that explanation? Well, here’s a Sans shrug for you!

#9 BioShock

Would you kindly listen to this explanation of one of the best video games of the modern era? BioShock literally shocked the world with its wet and wild interpretation of an underwater dystopia and the beings that resided within it.

But what wowed people was how the narrative was woven into every part of the world, even as you were fighting the Big Daddies and deciding what to do with the girls they were protecting. The twist at the end remains one of the best that video games have ever offered and proves that you REALLY need to get to the end of the game and then reflect on all that came before to understand certain truths.

#8 Half-Life 2

No, Valve is not likely to release the truth third entry in this franchise—you must accept that! Half-Life 2, however, will live forever in gamers’ hearts as one of the best gaming experiences ever and a masterclass in seamlessly blending narrative cutscenes and gameplay in a way that future titles wouldn’t replicate.

The story of Gordon Freeman and his attempt to save the world from an alien invasion is as fun as it is deep. That’s why many are mad that Valve never gave them another entry. The title is iconic, and if you were to list the games that fans ‘want the most’, a true sequel to this game would be near the top.

#7 Final Fantasy VII

To be clear, we’re specifically talking about the original PS1 classic. We will acknowledge that the PS4 and PS5 remake saga entries are great, but their story is incomplete, and many still prefer the original.

Final Fantasy VII was the title that took Square Enix to new heights. Everything about it was meant to be bigger, better, and more legendary than the six entries that came before it, which is saying something.

Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Sephiroth, Red XIII, and everyone you meet on your journey has been immortalized in gaming history because of the story they were a part of. Shocking twists that haunt the memories of those who played it, mixed with iconic clashes and boss fights that many still enjoy, prove why this game is hard to top.

#6 Metal Gear Solid Franchise

We’re not counting the “other title” that Kojima didn’t make in this, okay?

The story of Solid Snake, Big Boss, and the various characters in their lives is easily one of the most complex and intricate video game sagas ever told. Crafted from the mind of Hideo Kojima, and told across the span of many console generations, the Metal Gear Solid Franchise strived to do things differently from all that came before.

A focus on stealth? Check. A narrative where each game was a small piece in a bigger puzzle? Check. Iconic characters, music, and moments that would live forever? Triple check! On their own, the games and their narratives would be great. But combined, they’re legendary.

#5 Persona 5

Sometimes, it takes a whole for a franchise to find its “true footing,” and while Atlus had been making their then cult-classic RPG saga for a while, it was Persona 5 that took it to new heights.

Everything about this game felt fresh and fun. The visual style was unique in every way that mattered. The Phantom Thieves were a group of characters you could relate with, and the over-the-top story felt grand and very anime.

The game was so great that they expanded the narrative in “Royale” fashion and have been trying to remake their previous entries to live up to the high bar this game set. Not to mention doing LOTS of spinoffs from this singular entry.

#4 Batman Arkham City

See? Told you there would be another superhero journey on this list. While Rocksteady “made its name” by putting Batman in Arkham Asylum, it was Batman Arkham City that expanded on everything they did and more, and they’ve failed to top the grandness of what they made. Just ask the Suicide Squad if you don’t believe us.

Batman inserts himself in the prison sector of Gotham and races against the clock to unravel multiple conspiracies, take down dangerous criminals, and get out alive.

The legendary Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill and more gave the performance of a lifetime bringing this tale to life, and it exceeded expectations in every way that mattered.

#3 Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic

While its remake is in eternal limbo, the original Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic from Bioware stands as one of the best singular RPGs ever crafted.

Their take on a galaxy far, far away is to be praised, and it still stands out as one of the best narratives that franchise has ever had. You play an “amnesiac” on a ship under attack and soon get wrapped up in a fight to save the galaxy from numerous dangers. Along the way, you’ll make new allies, unravel the secrets of your past, and make decisions that’ll lead you down the light or dark side of the force.

No matter your path, you’re in for one heck of a ride, and this game gave Bioware the confidence to do their own thing next time…

#2 Mass Effect Trilogy

They don’t get much better than this. We could’ve singled out the second entry as the “standout” of the bunch, but in truth, outside of the ending, everything about the Mass Effect Trilogy is RPG storytelling at its finest.

The journey of Commander Shepherd, in male or female forms, is one for the ages as they fight alongside their allies to stop the invasion of the Reapers. What might start as a standard RPG adventure dives into deep themes about life, sentience, our purpose in the universe, and whether the “cycle of fate” can truly be broken.

Bioware poured their hearts and souls into this franchise, and its characters alone make it one of the best trilogies ever. If you haven’t played these titles yet? You’ve really missed out.

#1 The Last of Us

Most people agree that The Last of Us is the best video story ever told. Don’t get us wrong, we love all the stories that we’ve talked about so far, but makes this game so gripping is the emotional story between Joel and Ellie.

After all, on the surface, this is “just another post-apocalyptic world story.” But it’s the world that Naughty Dog crafted, mixed with incredible performances from Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, that made it special.

The ending alone could get it to #1, as it’s a very atypical kind of video game ending, which led to the…divisive sequel that was recently re-released. But no matter what, this game proves why story is just as important as gameplay…if not more so.