The best game storylines, irrespective of heart-wrenching post-apocalyptic tales or morally complex RPGs, benefit the game player and games alike. Attributed to immersive storytelling, they deliver an outstanding gaming experience to gamers, giving a boost to the game’s engagement and revenue. This blog lists the top 15 best story video games you mustn’t miss out on playing in 2025.
The best story video games provide a well-suited blend of emotional connection, cognitive stimulation, immersive escapism, and entertainment. Be it The Last of Us, Red Dead Redemption 2, The Witcher 3, or Mass Effect 2, all of them enhance engagement and business revenue through their groundbreaking storytelling.
These narrative-driven video games offer a sense of purpose, improve emotional well-being, and keep players involved through plot twists, character arcs, and meaningful choices that personalize the gaming experience.
Unique and engaging stories not only entertain game players but also encourage word-of-mouth, long-term fan loyalty, and franchise expansion, ultimately contributing to the game’s success. Here are the top 15 best story video games you should know in 2025, irrespective of your need, whether you want to play or need to build one.
Whether you’re a game player looking for a story-driven game to play or an aspiring business owner willing to leverage game development services, it’s wise to know how story-driven games influence the game world. There are numerous, however, the following are a few of the best game storylines you should know before embarking on your journey to make the best out of it.
Release date: 2013
Platform: Originally on PS3; remastered for PS4 and PS5/PC
The story of “The Last of Us” revolves around a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by fungal infection, turning people into monstrous creatures. Joel, a smuggler, is tasked with escorting a young girl named Ellie, who is immune to a deadly fungus, across the country. This story, which starts with a boy’s job, evolves into an intense emotional bond. The story is an exploration of grief, love, and the cost of survival in a morally gray world.
The Last of Us is a masterclass in single-player pacing, putting you in the shoes of a grizzled gunrunner, providing an immersive gaming experience.
Why is it popular?
The Last of Us offers gamers a highly immersive experience through emotional storytelling, realistic environments, and intense character development, making it popular.
Release date: 2003
Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch, Android, macOS, iOS, Xbox, Xbox One.
The story of Star Wars is where you (the character) awaken with amnesia and get to know you’re linked to a galactic war between Jedi and Sith. The twist enters the story when the character’s past is revealed, and it encounters plenty of moral crossroads, shaping the galaxy’s fate according to its own choices between light and dark.
Among all the classic Star Wars elements, the excellent plot twist that alters the DNA of the story entirely is what separates the game from the rest.
Why is it popular?
The deep role-playing mechanics, impactful decisions, and expansive Star Wars lore add immersion to the game, making it popular among game lovers.
Release date: 2010
Platform: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, PC.
Have you ever imagined an outlaw could truly change his ways and escape his violent past? Yes, this is the story of Red Dead Redemption, one of the open-world games. John Marston, a retired outlaw, wishes to live in peace with his wife and son until federal agents pull him back into the lifestyle he was in previously to hunt his former gang members.
This is a historical epic concerning the inevitable march of progress, loss of freedom, and, eventually, redemption.
Why is it popular?
The game’s popularity is attributed to its authentic Wild West experience with a compelling narrative and open-world exploration.
Release date: 2018
Platform: PS5, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC
This is the second part of the Red Dead Redemption, one of the greatest video game stories ever. This is a AAA game that combines gunplay with one of the geographically appealing open-world maps of all time. Irrespective of the fate of its outlaw protagonist, Red Dead Redemption 2 sets the stage for a compelling sandbox story, combining to craft a larger, more cathartic story.
Why is it popular?
The vast open world with detailed environments, dynamic weather, and lifelike NPCs sets Red Dead Redemption 2 apart from the competition, making it a popular game among different types of gamers.
Release date: 2015
Platform: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PC.
In this game, Geralt of Rivia (a fictional character and the protagonist), who is a hunter, searches for his missing adopted daughter, Ciri. He searches for the girl while handling political intrigues and battling supernatural foes. This immersive game story spans ancient prophecies, war-torn kingdoms, and personal loss.
Why is it popular?
The expansive open world with rich lore, branching narratives, along with meaningful choices, makes the game interesting and popular amongst gamers of all types.
Release date: 2007
Platform: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, PC, Nintendo Switch.
BioShock is a first-person shooter video game backed with a story that follows Jack, the survivor of a plane crash in the underwater city of Rapture. The story revolves around a once-utopian underwater city turned dystopian nightmare after a plane crash. The disturbing audio logs and encounters with deranged inhabitants allow gamers to have a unique gaming experience.
Why is it popular?
The atmospheric environments, moral choices, and a gripping narrative enable BioShock to be immersive and thereby popular amongst gamers.
Release date: 2016
Platform: PS4, PS5, PC.
The story of Uncharted 4 revolves around its protagonist, Nathan Drake, a retired treasure hunter who is pulled back into adventuring by his long-presumed-dead brother, Samuel. Together with his friend Sully, they initiate a quest to find out the fabled pirate utopia of Libertalia and the lost treasure of Captain Henry Avery.
Their quest for pirate treasure tests Nathan’s loyalty and his moral compass. The story of Uncharted 4 is intensely personal, rich in character growth, and cinematic in scope.
Why is it popular?
Many elements like cinematic storytelling, thrilling set-pieces, and character-driven narratives make the game highly immersive and popular amongst gamers.
Release date: 2020
Platform: PS4, PS5, PC.
The story of Ghost of Tsushima revolves around the protagonist Jin Sakai, a samurai warrior, who is thrust into a desperate situation during the invasion of the Mongol Empire into Tsushima Island. Jin Sakai is required to sacrifice his tradition to save his homeland, turning into “The Ghost” following an unconventional method.
The very story explores the themes of honor, duty, and the cost of war as Jin confronts the Mongol invasion along with the challenges of his transformation.
Why is it popular?
The fluid combat, stunning visuals, and a world inspired by samurai cinema set this game apart from others, contributing to the game’s popularity.
Release date: 2011
Platform: PS3, Xbox 360, PC.
In Portal 2, game players navigate a series of puzzles with a portal gun, unleashing the dark humor and secrets of Aperture Science. You play as Chell (a silent protagonist and player character in the Portal video game series), a test subject trapped in a facility operated by a sarcastic AI named GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform And Disk Operating System).
In this game, as you solve increasingly complex puzzles, you find out the dark history of Aperture Science. Portal 2 is one of the best story video games, which is funny, eerie, and surprisingly emotional in its delivery.
Why is it popular?
The innovative gameplay mechanics, combined with witty writing and engaging characters, make the game highly immersive and thereby popular amongst game enthusiasts.
Release date: 2010
Platform: PS3, Xbox 360, PC; available in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition on modern platforms.
In Mass Effect 2, Commander Shepard is revived by Cerberus, a pro-human organization, after being presumed dead in the Normandy’s demise. He comes to know of a new threat: the Collectors, who are abducting human colonies. Now, Shepard assembles a team to confront the mysterious alien threat, with decisions that impact the galaxy’s fate.
This very story hinges on fostering trust and loyalty among crew members. Every decision you make has a huge impact on who lives, who dies, and the fate of the galaxy.
Why is it popular?
The strong character interactions, moral dilemmas, and a richly intense universe bring immersion to the game and make it highly popular among gamers.
Release date: 2018
Platform: PS4, PS5, PC.
God of War’s story follows Kratos, a Spartan warrior who becomes the God of War, as he battles different mythological pantheons and seeks redemption. After his wife’s death, Kratos, the former Greek god of war, lives in the Norse realm with his son, Atreus. Both of them journey to spread the ashes of Kratos’s late wife to fulfil her wishes.
Along the way, they clash with monsters and gods, and Kratos has to confront his violent past while teaching his son to be better.
Why is it popular?
Seamless storytelling with intense combat, no camera cuts, and deep emotional arcs make God of War one of the best story video games, which is widely popular among gamers.
Release date: 2015
Platform: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC, mobile devices.
This is one of the best video game stories that revolves around Max Caulfield, a teenage photography student who discovers she can rewind time, influencing relationships and uncovering dark secrets in her town. As she navigates school drama, friendships, and a looming natural disaster, her decisions start to ripple outward. The game’s story is an intimate, emotional exploration of adolescence, choice, and fate.
Why is it popular?
Episodic storytelling with emotional depth and player-driven choices makes the game immersive and popular among gamers around the world.
Release date: 2018
Platform: PS4, PC.
In this game, the story is set in a future where androids serve humans. It follows three android protagonists, including Connor, Kara, and Markus, as they gain sentience. This story intertw
ines in a narrative about the three androids seeking freedom, identity, civil rights, and what it means to be human, with branching paths shaped by your choices.
Why is it popular?
The branching narratives with multiple endings based on player decisions bring immersion to the game, making it popular.
Release date: 2017
Platform: PS4, PS5, PC.
The Horizon Zero Dawn narrates a story of Aloy, an outcast in the Nora tribe, who sets out to reveal the truth about her past, origins, and the catastrophe that led to the end of the old world and the origin of the post-apocalyptic world run by machines. The story is set in a future, overrun by robotic beasts that unravels mysteries of past civilizations, identity, and technological catastrophe.
Raised by Rost, another Nora outcast, Aloy finds out a hidden connection to the Old Ones and their Project Zero Dawn, an AI system called GAIA responsible for creating the machines and re-terraforming Earth after a global disaster.
Why is it popular?
An expansive open world with diverse ecosystems and dynamic combat makes this game popular and the first choice of gamers.
Release date: 2001
Platform: PS2, Xbox, PC; remake announced for modern platforms.
In Silent Hill 2, James Sunderland, the player character and protagonist, receives a letter from his deceased wife, drawing him to the eerie town of Silent Hill. He went to search for his deceased wife in the eerie town of Silent Hill, confronting psychological horrors and a descent into guilt, trauma, and self-deception.
The objective of this story is to guide James Sunderland through the titular town of Silent Hill in his search for his wife and battle with monsters.
Why is it popular?
Elements like symbolic storytelling, atmospheric tension, and haunting visuals bring immersion to the game and make it one of the preferred choices of gamers.
No matter whether you like emotional storytelling, branching narratives, or cinematic presentation, these are the best story video games that represent the pinnacle of narrative design. So, if you’re a game enthusiast on the lookout for a story-driven game to play, or the one to develop one, there are the best examples to follow.
Now that you know the benefits of story-driven video games, you may be thinking about building one. 300Mind is a leading mobile game development company, providing comprehensive game development services to businesses of all sizes. Forbidden Islands is among the many story video games built by our dexterous game developers, showcasing their expertise in this domain.
Be it mobile game development, PC game development, AR/VR game development, game art design services, or game animation services, we provide comprehensive assistance needed for game development, bringing your dream game to life.
There are many video games cited for having excellent storytelling, however, some popular choices include The Last of Us, Red Dead Redemption 2, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, God of War (2018), and many more. These are the best story video games and thereby praised for their immersive narratives, well-developed characters, and excellent world-building.
The best story-driven RPGs include Mass Effect 2, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Horizon Zero Dawn, and many more.
Story-driven games are likely to excel in player retention by giving them a sense of purpose beyond completing objectives. The emotional connections gamers form with characters and the intrigue of the plot propel them to engage with the story through to the end.
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