Top 10 Best Video Game Stories of the 8th Gen (So Far)
Okay 8th generation of gaming, that's a pretty good start! Welcome to http://WatchMojo.com and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 10 Best Video Game Stories of the 8th Generation (so far, of course).
Special thanks to our user “nathansharp28” for suggesting this topic using our interactive suggestion tool at http://WatchMojo.comSuggest
#10: “Injustice 2” (2017)
Arguably the surprise hit of 2017, “Injustice 2” is not only an incredible fighting game, but it features what is arguably one of the greatest narratives in the fighting genre’s history. The game follows Batman and Superman as they put their war on hold and reluctantly work together in order to bring down the invading Brainiac. While this may sound like typical comic book fare, it’s the execution that truly makes it shine, as it features interesting characters making complex decisions, and dramatic story elements with actual consequences, with DC’s roster of dynamic and diverse heroes and villains on full display. DCEU, take note.
#9: “Tales from the Borderlands” (2014) While Telltale’s engine was starting to show significant signs of aging in 2014, their writing and storytelling was better than ever, as their entry into the Borderlands universe was exciting, funny, and left a lasting impression. The story follows Rhys and a con woman, Fiona, as they team up and travel to an alien planet to break into its vault. The story is not only adventurous and exciting, but all of the characters are memorable, and the story explores universal themes of greed, friendship, and finding your own family. While we can argue about whether or not the cliff-hanger was a let-down, there’s no debating that the journey was full of intrigue and heart.
#8: “That Dragon, Cancer” (2016)
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OK, get ready to cry. This game was made by Amy and Ryan Green and is based on their experiences of learning that their twelve-month-old child has cancer. The game that follows serves as an interactive, imaginative movie with a few choices, as players are forced to make the same terrible and heartbreaking decisions regarding their sick child that the Greens had to make in their real lives. It places players directly into a confused and grieving parents’ shoes and forces them to acknowledge the emotional turmoil that comes with your child’s impending death. While the game itself wasn’t perfect, the story and experience is unforgettable.
#7: “NieR: Automata” (2017)
While this title shares the same world and takes place after the events of 2010’s “NieR,” its story stands on its own. The story takes place WAY in the future, in 11,945, when alien machines have invaded Earth. Humanity has retreated to the Moon and sends androids of their own down to Earth to fight in a proxy war. It’s not only a great twist on the old “invading army” trope, but the story is packed with emotion and hefty themes, like what it means to be human and what constitutes evil. While it can get confusing, it’s a totally bonkers and entertaining ride.
#6: “Firewatch” (2016)
This game follows Henry and Delilah, two fire lookouts who get caught up in a mystery surrounding a stalker and a group of missing teenagers. The story is taut, scary, tense, emotional, and funny all at once, and plays out exactly like a great book, as you can’t help but get caught up in its world and characters. The plot is intriguing and mysterious, the characters are well developed and instantly memorable, and the dialogue sparkles. While some players weren’t too keen on the somewhat anticlimactic ending, the rest of the experience was undoubtedly spellbinding and immersive.
#5: “Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End” (2016)
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In March 2014, Amy Hennig, the influential writer of the Legacy of Kain series and the first three “Uncharted” games, left her position at Naughty Dog. With Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley taking the helm for Uncharted 4, the series received a much-need shake-up. The game follows Nathan and his presumed-dead brother Sam as they hunt down the treasure of the pirate Henry Avery. The story exciting as hell, but it’s also deeply moving and thematically rich, exploring the corrupting nature of greed, the power of love, and the call for adventure in a mundane life. In short, it’s a great treasure hunt, but an even better character study.
#4: “Undertale” (2015)
Sometimes all it takes is one creative mind to upstage the entire AAA market. Toby Fox accomplished this feat with “Undertale,” a beautiful indie game about a human who falls into the Underground and must battle or befriend extremely unique and complex monsters in order to return to the surface. It sounds like your typical RPG, but that’s entirely the point, as “Undertale” plays with the conventions of the genre to satisfying and original results. The game rewards multiple playthroughs, lore research, and exploration, as its story is so rich and expansive in detail that it can’t be digested in one go-round.
#3: “Life Is Strange” (2015)
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“Life is Strange” is undoubtedly one of the most beautifully dark games in recent years. The story follows Max Caulfield, a photography student who has the incredible ability to rewind time, and she uses this newfound power throughout her adventures, which includes saving her childhood friend from being shot and solving the mystery of a missing student. While the dialogue can at time sound a bit awkward, the relationships built throughout the game, the dramatic and emotional heights that it reaches, and the difficult subject matter that it manages to handles makes this a gaming experience we won’t soon be forgetting.
#2: “Persona 5” (2017)
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Like most JRPGs, “Persona 5” is rife with imagination, but through its memorable characters and heavy thematic concepts, this fifth entry is the most memorable one yet. The game follows a high school student who is also the leader of the Phantom Thieves, a group of students who reform the hearts of corrupted adults by finding their “Treasure” in the palace that they’ve subconsciously created in the Metaverse (just go with it). Not only is the storyline imaginative and adventurous, but the relationships you invest in throughout the game pay off wonderfully, as each one is beautifully written and emotional. Characters and stories like these don’t come along every day. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “Final Fantasy XV” (2016) “Until Dawn” (2014) “Horizon Zero Dawn” (2017)
#1: “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” (2015)
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A Witcher known as Geralt of Rivia must find and protect his adopted daughter from the Wild Hunt: sounds simple enough, but this griping story isn’t the whole show, as the game encourages you to craft your own adventures and relationships. Yes, the main story is fun, but it’s in the side quests where the game truly shines, as each leaves a lasting impression due to your intimate connection to the rich characters and their conflicts. Not only are these stories mesmerizing, but the game is bursting with imaginative lore which would take hours to digest in its entirety, making the world of The Witcher a gorgeous, brutal, and intricate one to get lost in.
