Everyone loves a good story. What if you could be a part of the story instead of just listening to it? With these games, you can! Whether you're looking for a casual platformer or something more difficult, this list will help you out. Here are the 5 story-based games you NEED to know about.
Night In The Woods
Screenshot from Night In The Woods Gameplay
Night In The Woods is about Mae Borowski, who drops out of college and returns to her hometown of Possum Springs. With the intent of reconnecting with her old friends, she sets out and quickly discovers that her beloved hometown is not the same as she remembered it.
Night in the Woods is an exploration-heavy platformer, with a few minigames thrown in along the way. It provides a humorous, engaging narrative while also addressing topics such as mental illness, depression, the middle and lower class, and the fear of change.
The game is also choice based, meaning that you can play it over and over with different results. Mae's journey is one that hits close to home and keeps you wanting to know more. It's also set in the fall, with brightly colored leaves and some spooky Halloween vibes. With its compelling characters, memorable quotes, and many secrets to uncover, Night in the Woods will give you hours of enjoyable gameplay and a lot to think about when it's over.
Unravel
Unravel: Official Story Trailer
In Unravel, you play as Yarny, a tiny ball of yarn who unravels as he travels further. The player must use their problem-solving skills to help Yarny navigate his environment without running out of yarn! Unravel is an endearing platformer with a heartwarming story and a heavy focus on puzzles. The game is set in northern Scandinavia, ensuring gorgeous settings and environments for each and every level. As Yarny travels, he discovers memories of a long lost family. The story is told wordlessly, all tied together by Yarny like the red string of fate.
West Of Loathing
West of Loathing Launch Trailer
West Of Loathing is a slapstick RPG with tons of comedic value, sometimes stemming from the fact that all of the characters are stick-people. The player picks their own name and chooses from three character classes: Beanslinger, Cowpuncher, and Snake Oiler. The main character is traveling west and can choose a companion to go with them. The game relies on player choices, but there is an overarching narrative: everything was fine until "the cows came home". You can discover exactly what this means as the game goes on. Engage in battles, take "quests" from NPCs, and explore the west as a cowboy-hat-wearing stick-person! (And don't forget to enable Stupid Walking—you'll thank me later.)
Firewatch
Firewatch Trailer | Nintendo Switch
In Firewatch, you play as Henry, a man who takes a job as a fire lookout in Wyoming to escape his former life. The year is 1989, one year after the Yellowstone fires of 1988, and people are anxious about the possibility of more fires. Henry's only means of communication is a handheld radio connecting him with his supervisor, Delilah. When strange things start happening, Henry is faced with several choices that could impact the only relationship he has out in the wilderness.
Firewatch is a first-person game based on narrative and exploration. Players explore their breathtaking environment to discover clues and solve the mysterious happenings in the wilderness. Along the way, the player can choose dialogue options that influence Henry's relationship with Delilah. The beautiful graphics and the psychological elements really make this game worth the time and money you'll spend on it.
A Way Out
A Way Out Official Reveal Trailer
A Way Out is by far one of the most interesting story games I've ever experienced. It is a co-op game, so you'll need a friend to play. In the game, players are Leo and Vincent, two convicted prisoners who break out of prison together and are on the run from police. This is a third person game which relies mostly on cooperative problem solving and action sequences. Players must work together to complete tasks that help progress the narrative. Throughout the game, the player learns more about each character's story; how they ended up in prison, what their lives were like before, who is at home waiting for them to return, and so on. This game combines visual storytelling and deeply complex characters to create an overall enjoyable game. Vincent and Leo are two largely different characters who complement each other perfectly. The game is almost like a buddy-cop movie, except that the characters are criminals. A Way Out will keep your adrenaline pumping until the end—and then it might make you cry. (No spoilers!)
