24 of the Best Video Game Storylines of All Time

‘‘OneShot’ has a heart-wrenching ending’

Even at their most pixelated, video games have always been narrative-driven. We’ve come a long way from the days when the premise of a video game was usually something along the lines of “two paddles hitting a ball back and forth” or “shoot a duck,” but even then, there was an implied backstory full of rich detail.

Like, why were you shooting ducks? Who are all these ducks for? What’s the deal with that dog? Why does it keep laughing at you? We’d like to see that dog try to shoot some ducks. Lack of opposable thumbs ass. What’s that dog’s problem?

Nowadays, though, that dog would have an entire cut scene exploring its laughter as a trauma response to picking up dead duck after dead duck. Is that better? 

Whether or not it is, storytelling in video games has reached such a level that Redditors had no problem listing their faves when user CTKShadow asked r/AskReddit, “Gamers of Reddit, what video game has the best storyline?”

Grim Fandango

Suikoden II

Call of Duty: Black Ops

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Outer Wilds

Death Stranding

Final Fantasy VI

Persona 5

Subnautica

Fallout: New Vegas

Deus Ex

OneShot

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky

Celeste

Ōkami

Assassin’s Creed II

Planescape: Torment

Control

What Remains of Edith Finch

Halo: Reach

BioShock

To the Moon

Disco Elysium

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