Fighting games often get praised for their great graphics, smooth gameplay, and for including interesting guest characters. However, not many entries into the genre get acknowledged for their main narratives. Plenty of fighters have story modes of some kind, but usually, the actual plot is insignificant. In fact, these sorts of modes are typically just excuses for characters to battle one another.
Yet, that can't be said for every game in the genre. There are several titles that do actually provide a deep and compelling narrative experience. So much so that a few of them are worth playing just to witness their stories unfold. Here is a collection of some of those games in question.
Updated May 6, 2023 By Ben Jessey: A good story isn't essential when it comes to fighting games. Yet, that doesn't mean there aren't any in the genre. In fact, there are a bunch of fighting games with great stories out there.
We put the best ones on this list. However, we couldn't fit every fighter with a great narrative on it. So, now we've updated the piece to add several more. Each one deserves to be highlighted.
13 Def Jam: Fight For NY
Nobody is going to claim that Def Jam: Fight For NY has the deepest story ever told. Yet, it’s an entertaining tale that’s all about gang warfare.
Your customizable protagonist is a member of a crew known as D-Mob, which is a formally dominant gang that is trying to build itself back up. Your opposition is The Crow's gang, which is the currently dominant crew. Your attempts to overthrow them revolve around winning battles that are a mix of fighting and wrestling.
12 Persona 4 Arena
The Persona games are known for having compelling narratives. They're not, however, known for being fighting games. Yet, Persona 4 Arena brings the series' signature brand of storytelling to the fighter genre.
In it, the Investigation Team from Persona 4 get transported to the strange TV world to find out what happened to their allies. Meanwhile, characters from Persona 3 have their own situation going on that also leads them to the TV world. In this place, the two teams participate against one another in a tournament. But there is more going on than they initially realize.
11 WWE 2K22
WWE 2K22's story mode is called MyRise, and it's an apt title as it chronicles your rise in the WWE. You create the look and backstory of your character then you start your journey in the wrestling company.
You begin as a trainee but soon make your way to the main shows. Throughout it all, you participate in a litany of interesting short stories. Many of them are creative and well-written. And you sometimes dictate how they play out as you often get to make some choices that alter things.
10 Tekken 4
The Tekken series has never been the best in regards to storytelling, but the fourth game has some fascinating narratives. As is typical for a fighting game, each character has their own story to tell. The most engaging ones are those involving the Mishima family.
Heihachi Mishima wants to get his hands on the devil gene that both his son Kazuya and grandson Jin have within their bodies. They're not exactly on great terms, though, so he organizes another King Of Iron Fist Tournament to draw them out. How the drama all unfolds with these characters depends on who you're controlling. Yet, each of their tales provides some intrigue.
9 Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
Xenoverse 2 is a more polished title than its predecessor, but both provide similar stories. In X2, someone is messing with the Dragon Ball timeline. They're interfering with several of the major fights seen in the Dragon Ball Z anime. As a result, villains are beating the heroes and changing history.
To stop this, the Supreme Kai of Time acquires the help of your created character. You've got plenty of different options for the look and species of the main protagonist. Whoever you are, though, your goal is to intervene in the changed battles and correct history. It's an enjoyable narrative for fans of the anime as it lets you uniquely revisit classic battles.
8 Injustice: Gods Among Us
There has been some debate whether Injustice or Mortal Kombat is the better NetherRealm series. An area where they both excel is in their narratives. The first Injustice title sees Superman driven mad by the death of Lois Lane. As a result, he forms the One Earth Regime and rules over the world using fear and intimidation.
The only people with a chance of stopping him are an Insurgency, led by Batman, and a collection of heroes from another timeline. It's a clever premise that also serves as a captivating narrative. In fact, it's so good that it spawned a comic series and animated movie.
7 Soulcalibur 6
Soulcalibur 6 isn't just about one main narrative, as it includes several stories. There's a re-telling of earlier games, several character-focused tales, and a separate story mode featuring your own created character. As typically is the case with Soul Caliber, a lot of the adventure revolves around the Soul Edge and Soul Calibur swords.
There can be a lot to take in at times while playing through the game. But the storytelling is generally good, and plenty of interesting things happen. Plus, as it serves as a reboot of the series, it's a good starting place for newcomers.
6 Dragon Ball FighterZ
While there are plenty of great Dragon Ball Z games, not many deserve praise for their stories. It's not that their main narratives are bad - it's just that most of them simply re-tell the story from the iconic anime. Occasionally, the games deliver original tales, though, like in Dragon Ball FighterZ.
The main story in this one is all about a human soul that possesses the strongest fighters to take down the evil Android 21. However, things are a little more complicated than they initially seem, which is why there are three arcs that give you separate perspectives of the overall narrative.
5 BlazBlue: Continuum Shift
Good stories are not a rare sight in the BlazBlue series. Yet, the level of storytelling goes up a notch during Continuum Shift. Each of the title's character-driven tales provides plenty of intrigue. And they're filled with dramatic moments and even some character development, which isn't always present in the fighting genre.
While the main characters all have their own narratives, there is a true ending to the game in the extended version of the title. Thankfully, this conclusion lives up to everything that comes before it.
4 Mortal Kombat (2011)
In recent years, Mortal Kombat has put significantly more focus on its main story. Now each game has plenty of cutscenes and an interesting tale to tell. During MK9 (or simply Mortal Kombat), Raiden attempts to change the events of the first three games and stop Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm.
The storytelling isn't always stellar, but the fascinating premise and some strong vocal performances make up for it. Also, the game manages to cleverly incorporate several of the series most powerful characters into the plot without it feeling too forced.
3 WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2009
For many years, the WWE games included a season mode where you'd choose a wrestler and participate in various storylines for a calendar year. Smackdown Vs. Raw 2009, however, changes things with its Road To Wrestlemania mode. In it, there are six separate narratives. Each one lasts a few in-game months and focuses on one or a pair of specific wrestlers.
The mode sounds more restrictive, but it allows for better storytelling as each tale is designed with its protagonist in mind. So, there are no generic tales like some of those included in the earlier titles. For instance, The Undertaker is the protagonist in one of the weirdest storylines in the series, which is fitting for the supernatural dead man.
2 Mortal Kombat 10
Mortal Kombat 10 is set two years after a failed invasion by Shao Khan. Yet, this doesn't mean Earthrealm is safe, as it's attacked by Shinnok and his forces, which contain former Earthrealm warriors.
The classic Mortal Kombat characters are there to save the day. Alongside them is a few younger members. They're the children of classic Earthrealm heroes, such as Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, Jax, and Kenshi. The inclusion of this new generation of fighters and the aging of the others adds a uniqueness to the tale. Plus, there is some enjoyable dialogue and exciting moments.
1 Injustice 2
While Injustice 2 continues on from the previous game, they both work as self-contained adventures. In this one, Batman's Insurgency group has to take on a new villainous faction known as The Society and the all-powerful Brainiac. The might of these adversaries makes the Dark Knight consider freeing the evil Superman to get his help.
Remarkably, Injustice 2 manages to live up to the quality of the first game. That might be expected from a gameplay perspective, but NetherRealm also manages to deliver another narrative that is just as captivating as the first.