Top 5 story games you must play at least once in your life

There are two types of gamers in the world. First, who enjoy that quick adrenaline rush from playing first-person shooters and second, who play games for the stories that they tell. A great story can make you care about characters, keep you thinking about a particular scene and, in some cases, make it difficult to put the controller down. If you’re into storymode games, or plan on experiencing them, I have got you covered. 

So, without further ado,  here are five story-driven games that deserve at least one playthrough. Grab a cup of coffee and get comfortable. This is going to be a long read. 

Also read: Battlefield 6 made me fall in love with FPS games: Here’s how

Ghost of Yotei

If you enjoyed Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yotei offers another samurai story, but with a completely different protagonist and setting. The game follows Atsu, a lone mercenary who sets out across Ezo in search of the six outlaws responsible for killing her family. Set around 300 years after Ghost of Tsushima, it is a standalone story, so you do not need to play Jin Sakai’s adventure first. 

What makes Atsu’s journey worth experiencing is that the story is not only about revenge. As she travels across northern Japan, she meets new allies and slowly discovers that there is more to her journey than hunting down the people responsible for her family’s death. That gives the story a more personal side as it moves between revenge, relationships and redemption.

The world also plays a big role in telling Atsu’s story. The landscapes of Ezo are not simply there to make the game look pretty. They give the adventure a sense of scale while providing a backdrop for Atsu’s journey. If you enjoy games where the setting feels like a character of its own, Ghost of Yotei is worth playing. And with a new DLC on the way, this is the best time to experience this game if you haven’t already.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Nathan Drake’s story is one of those gaming adventures that is difficult to forget. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End brings his journey to a close, following the treasure hunter as he gets pulled into one final adventure after trying to leave his dangerous past behind.

The game works so well because it combines a cinematic story with the kind of gameplay you would expect from an action-adventure game. There are ancient ruins to explore, puzzles to solve, gunfights to survive and plenty of climbing. But underneath all of this is a story about Nathan trying to balance his love for adventure with the people he cares about.

The relationship between Nathan, Elena and his brother Sam gives the game much more emotional weight than you might expect from a treasure-hunting adventure. It also helps that the game constantly moves between huge action sequences and quieter moments between the characters. If you want a game that feels like playing through a big-budget adventure movie, Uncharted 4 deserves a spot on your list.

007 First Light

James Bond has been seen in countless films, but 007 First Light takes a different approach by showing players a younger version of the famous spy. Developed by IO Interactive, the game tells an original Bond origin story rather than adapting one of the films. You play as a 26-year-old Bond before he becomes the polished 007 that most people know. 

Bond starts his journey as a Royal Navy air crewman before being recruited into MI6’s elite 00 programme. The story follows his transformation from a talented but sometimes reckless recruit into a fully fledged spy. Along the way, players meet familiar characters such as M, Q and Moneypenny, alongside new characters created specifically for the game. 

What makes First Light interesting from a story perspective is seeing Bond before he has everything figured out. He is still learning how to handle himself, when to fight and when to rely on stealth or deception. The globe-trotting adventure also gives the story the scale you would expect from a Bond game, with espionage, driving, combat and gadgets all playing a role. 

The Last of Us

Few games have managed to make players care about their characters as much as The Last of Us. At its centre is Joel, a smuggler who is tasked with taking Ellie, a teenage girl who may hold the key to humanity’s future, across a post-apocalyptic United States.

The story could have easily focused only on zombies and survival. Instead, it spends much of its time exploring the relationship between Joel and Ellie. Their journey starts with the two characters barely knowing each other, but the experiences they go through slowly change that relationship.

The game also does not treat its world as a straightforward battle between good and evil. Different characters make difficult choices simply to survive, and those choices have consequences. That is what makes The Last of Us stand out as a story-driven game. Even after the credits roll, some of its decisions and character moments stay with you.

If you have somehow never played it, The Last of Us is one of those games that is worth experiencing at least once, even if you are usually more interested in gameplay than story.

Resident Evil 4

Resident Evil 4 proves that a great story does not always need to be complicated. Leon S. Kennedy is sent to a remote part of Spain to rescue Ashley Graham, the daughter of the US president. What starts as a rescue mission quickly turns into something much bigger as Leon discovers the strange parasite and cult behind the events.

The game’s story moves at a much faster pace than something like The Last of Us, but that does not make it any less memorable. There are mysterious villages, creepy castles, strange characters and some genuinely bizarre moments. It constantly throws something new at the player, which keeps the adventure moving.

The 2023 remake also gives the story a more grounded feel while expanding several characters and moments from the original. Leon himself feels more developed, while the relationship between him and Ashley gets more attention. The result is a game that manages to combine survival horror, action and a surprisingly engaging character-driven story.

If you are looking for a game that keeps you entertained from beginning to end rather than taking hours to build up its story, Resident Evil 4 is a very easy recommendation.

Also read: Didn’t get Battlefield 6? Here are 5 free FPS games you can play right now