There are thousands of games out there and they span across all genres. They can be games that you pick up and play quickly, or you can get lost in them for hours, discovering lost secrets and hidden treasures. There is one thing in particular that can make games so memorable and that is a fantastic story line. These can pull you in and immerse you like no film or book ever could.
These are my Top 5 Story Driven Adventure Games, the ones that made me stick to my TV for hours, just begging for more of that sweet, sweet story.
5. The Wolf Among Us
Another incredible instalment from the Telltale Games franchise, The Wolf Among Us is a dark, noir style game that takes Bill Willingham’s Fables comic book series and turns it into something spectacular. You play as Bigby Wolf, the sheriff of Fabletown, a magical version of modern day New York City, populated by fairy tale creatures we all grew up with. As we’ve come to expect from previous Telltale games, it is the classic style of choices and consequences that form our own story. The game revolves around the shocking murder of one of Fabletown’s occupants whilst you, as the sheriff, are trying to maintain order amongst a tight knit community of fairy tale characters. Knowing that Fables are extraordinarily hard to kill, you know it must be one of the residents and it is up to you to find out who.
4. Alan Wake
Considering the game’s protagonist is a novelist, you would hope that it has a great story line, and luckily it really does. Alan Wake shows the way in which a writer can get consumed and lost in the very world he creates. Taking strong inspiration from the great Stephen King, Alan Wake sets off to the Pacific Northwest in search of peace, but instead finds horror. In the game, Alan literally uses light to fight off the shadows that want to consume him both figuratively and literally. Very early on, Alan’s wife goes missing and you must search around the lake town to find out is she dead? If so, who killed her? And can you trust anyone in this town who all seem to know more than they let on?
3. BioShock Infinite
BioShock Infinite had huge expectations following both its predecessors but good lord did it go above and beyond them. The beautiful floating world of Columbia masterfully personifies the perils that accompany American exceptionalism. You play as Booker DeWitt, a man who must go to this world and abduct Elizabeth, freeing himself from his debt. Sounds easy right? Wrong. Columbia is filled with danger around every corner and DeWitt’s choices from his past continuously come back to haunt him. BioShock Infinite tackles numerous important subjects ranging from socialism, racism and colonialism and has a deeper story than I ever could have imagined in a world filled with unforgettable characters. As you would expect from previous BioShock games there is a multitude of powers at your disposal, some more unexpected than others. I can also say that Infinite has the best ending to a video game I have ever played. It’s THAT good.
The BioShock Collection featuring the Infinite and the entire trilogy will be coming to Xbox One, PS4 and PC.
2. Mass Effect 2
The sequel to Bioware’s critically acclaimed Mass Effect sees you having to assemble a rag-tag crew from all points of the galaxy to save, well….the galaxy. What makes this game so memorable is the genuine bond you have with each and every character you take on. Each one has their own deep, detailed back-story that, god forbid, if one of them dies, makes you feel genuine remorse. Mass Effect 2 sees a classic misfit band of allies taking on the evil aliens in an all-out war with great sci-fi weapons and ships. Of course it also comes fully equipped with Bioware’s decision making system which lets you choose your speech, this helps make the game unique and personal to you, knowing you have made these difficult decisions and you have to deal with the consequences. Â
1. Red Dead RedemptionÂ
Like so many good Western films before it, Red Dead Redemption deals with the inevitable death of the Old West. You are John Marston, a man who longs for a normal home life but is shoved back into the saddle (pun intended) by the governing bodies that despise his criminal past. He is given the task of killing off his old posse of outlaws, successfully killing off the last remaining elements of the era that defined him. John meets numerous individuals, like him, who are struggling to come to terms with the inevitable transition into the 20th century. It’s a classic tale of bad turned good and that makes us love him.
Now it’s backward-compatible, what the hell are you waiting for? Buy it now!
So there we have it. Five games whose story will draw you in, make you beg for more and then spit you out on the other side. Do you agree with the choices? Let us know in the comments below.
