Highlights
- PS5 offers a wide range of games with fantastic stories, from shooters to RPGs, catering to different preferences.
- Finding games with strong narratives can be challenging, but these titles provide great stories across genres and playtimes.
- Each game mentioned, like Persona 3 Reload and The Medium, offers unique gameplay and captivating storylines that are worth experiencing.
There are quite a number of fantastic games with brilliant stories on the PS5 system. Ranging from third-person shooters to RPGs, there is something for everyone - especially those looking for a game with an in-depth story to get hooked on.
However, while not everyone looks for a strong narrative in their games, for those who do, it can be difficult to find something that sticks with you. These games all provide you with a great story across various genres and differ widely in playtime. Here are some of the best PlayStation 5 games with astounding storylines.
Updated March 23, 2024, by Jerel Levy: We are in a time where the hits just keep on coming. Some of the best titles available on PlayStation are releasing back to back, keeping you glued to your Dualsense for the next big adventure and beautiful storyline. From the hotly anticipated Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth to story classics like Disco Elysium, we've updated this list with even more must-play PlayStation games with the best storylines.
23 Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
A Genre Defining Adventure
When you think of games with a sensational story you won't be able to get out of your head after completing it, you will probably think of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for years to come. With improved gameplay and a story with twists and turns that even players of the original game won't see coming, Rebirth is a master class in video game story telling and character development.
Fleshing out iconic characters, competing in tons of mini-games, and watching a classic story unfold in a familiar yet new way all culminate in one of the best stories you can play on the PlayStation 5.
22 Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Ichiban Makes New Friends on A New Adventure
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
- Released
- January 26, 2024
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Ichiban Kasuga is almost too good to be true. As far as protagonists go, you won't find anyone more pure than this loveable guy, and his adventures always find him making new friends and proving what it means to be a good person. Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth takes Ichiban and friends on a journey of even bigger proportions, this time leaving Japan altogether as he takes a trip to Hawaii. New friends, new relationships, new problems and familiar faces make this games story one of a kind.
With tons of side content and mini-games that are well worth your time investment, Infinite Wealth will have something for everyone to enjoy. Still, with everything you can do, the story here is just as engaging as our introduction to Ichiban Kasuga in Like A Dragon.
21 Unicorn Overlord
Simple Yet Satisfying
Games don't need to tell epic tales to have a good story. Sometimes, something easy and fun to get into, surface level but entertaining is enough to be a good story. Predictable though it may be, Unicorn Overlord is a great example of a good story that still simple and easy to follow. Join Alain and his ever growing band of resistance fighters in the Liberation Army to save the nations being destroyed by Galerius.
10 Games To Play If You Like Unicorn Overlord
Here are several RPG games to play for those who are enjoying Unicorn Overlord.Aside from the main story, there are sidequests where you learn about even more characters and even party conversations between your recruits that are well worth seeing as you invest in this band of heroes. It doesn't hurt that the gameplay is excellent as well.
20 Persona 3 Reload
Revisit A Classic Persona Title
Originally launched in 2006, Persona 3 is more of a niche favorite in the Persona series. While Persona 4 and Persona 5 usually get all the praise, the re-emergence of Persona 3 in Persona 3 Reload brings several updates to bring the older title up to date with the likes of the Persona 5 style and setup. With gorgeous graphics, a unique way of calling Persona forth, and a story that starts off slow but builds to an intriguing climax, it's well worth your time.
Coupled with the fact the game is finally available on modern consoles for actually being able to play, and with three different versions of the game available, you'll notice several upgrades that show how much time and effort went into Reload. As usual, you'll take on the role of a protagonist you name as they transfer to a new high school, encounter strange occurrences as soon as they arrive, and uncover the story and mystery behind the events on Tatsumi Port Island.
19 Life Is Strange: True Colors
Every Choice Feels Heavy
Since 2015, the Life Is Strange series has provided some excellent narrative experiences. The self-contained True Colors is the series at its best due to its powerful storytelling and beautiful visuals. In the game, you play as a young woman named Alex Chen, who visits a small mining town to reunite with her older brother.
She's a very likable protagonist with the supernatural ability to feel other people's emotions. It ends up being a useful power as, after a disaster, she needs to use her skills to uncover the seemingly wholesome towns' dirty secrets.
18 The Medium
Frighteningly Intriguing
Even with its shorter length, The Medium's excellent pacing manages to squeeze a complex amount of detail into its horror mystery narrative and leave you with plenty of shocking and disturbing twists. The storytelling style is also unlike anything seen in previous horror games. The main character Marianne not only communicates with the dead but exists within their dimension at the same time via a splitscreen.
The Best Horror Games To Play With Friends
There are some great horror games with a focus on multiplayer offerings, and here are the best ones you can play with friends.The story begins with Marianne's loss of her foster father and builds on the secrets of her family history and the origin of her supernatural ability. Her answers appear to lie somewhere within a haunted resort called Niwa, a place with a dark past echoed by the ghosts whose memories you can access. While you encounter more friendly spirits, such as a sweet young girl named Sadness, the looming threat of a giant hostile entity known as the Maw is not far behind.
17 Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy
Laugh Out Loud With The Guardians
As you'd expect from the title, this game revolves around Marvel comic's hilarious band of misfits. Star-Lord is joined by Rocket, Gamora, Drax, and Groot as the team attempts to stop a mysterious force called The Promise. It's a tale filled with twists and turns, which you get partial control over as the game includes several important choices. Regardless of your decisions, you will still witness a mixture of brilliantly written laugh-out-loud and tear-jerking moments delivered by talented voice performances.
From a gameplay standpoint, you primarily control Star-Lord, but you can order your allies to use their special attacks on the litany of enemies you face. Outside of combat, their skills can be used to solve several environment puzzles. Both the gameplay and story are enjoyable to experience.
16 Horizon Forbidden West
Aloy Returns With A Fantastic Cast
The basic premise of the second Horizon game is that the protagonist, Aloy, has to travel into the Forbidden West region in hopes of stopping a dangerous blight. However, the title tells a multi-layered tale featuring a bunch of different sub-plots, many of which focus on the title's brilliant cast of characters.
When you're not watching the game's compelling cutscenes, you're usually participating in some third-person RPG action or exploring the giant open world. In combat, you take on a variety of different animal-like machines, and to defeat them, you must take advantage of their various weak points. It's a clever and unique combat system that complements the engaging narrative.
15 Control: Ultimate Edition
Become The Director Of The Federal Bureau Of Control
Control is a great game if you're a fan of a story with mystery and science-fiction elements. It takes place in New York, with you playing a character called Jesse, tasked with caring for a mysterious extra-terrestrial threat called 'the Hiss.' It's similar in style to the BioShock series but also introduces an amazing physics system, making it one of the most satisfying gaming experiences in recent years.
10 Best Action Games On PS5
Slash, dash, shoot, and dodge your way through these outstanding action games on PS5.The storytelling is a real highlight, and if you don't get lost, it has one of the strongest narratives on the PS5. The characters are great, too, and do a lot to cement the charm that oozes out of every part of this unusual game.
14 Yakuza: Like A Dragon
You'll Fall In Love With This Cast
Yakuza: Like A Dragon was one of the best RPGs of 2020, and the PS5 version is a fantastic experience for fans of the series and newcomers alike. Set in the underworld of Japan, one minute you'll be bashing heads, and the next, you'll be relaxing at the arcades or singing Karaoke.
It's a weird game, but in an era littered with bland, grey adventure games starring middle-aged white guys, Yakuza: Like A Dragon stands out amongst the crowd. Its characters are great, with Ichiban being arguably the best protagonist the series has seen so far. If you have never checked out a Yakuza game, you owe it to yourself to try out Like A Dragon.
13 Uncharted: Legacy Of Thieves Collection
This Series Is A PlayStation Classic For A Reason
The Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection bundles the final installments in the Uncharted series, and both games deliver poignant stories featuring incredible action. A Thief's End is a cinematic adventure with some of the best moments and character development. It takes you around the world in search of Henry Avery's treasure and explores the deeper ties into Nathan Drake's family, with his older brother Sam at the center of it all.
On top of new characters, Uncharted 4 introduces many new mechanics, allowing you to drive a car in more open-world areas and swing from a rope during combat and when scaling the landscape. The Lost Legacy sequel follows Drake's acquaintances Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross, who are later joined by Sam Drake on the hunt for the Tusk of Ganesh and are up against one of the series' most ruthless villains.
12 The Last Of Us Part 2
An Emotional Rollercoaster Of Storytelling
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The Last of Us Part 2 isn't technically a PS5 game, but after receiving a PS5 upgrade, it looks and plays as well as any native game on the system. It takes place just five years after the first game, presenting a new story featuring Ellie - but it moves the narrative in a completely unique direction, creating some incredibly emotional moments, both good and bad. It might not quite top the first game, but it is a worthy successor in every way.
PlayStation Plus Game Catalog: The 18 Best Games To Play, Ranked
With hundreds of games to choose from, PlayStation Plus can be as daunting as it is exciting. Here are a few of our favorites.The combat is certainly more refined, and the characterization of the various new people you'll meet on this journey is leaps and bounds above that seen in the original game. It remains a must-play game, not just for its story but for everything that surrounds it.
Get it for PS4 on Amazon here!
11 Marvel's Spider-Man
A Fun Story For Comic Book Fans
Marvel's Spider-Man received a remaster alongside the release of Miles Morales, and it's every bit as good on PS5 as it was when it originally launched back in 2018. It has one of the best versions of Peter Parker across any media and has a great story full of twists and turns as you swing and web your way to the game's ending. It also has one of the best traversal systems in any game, well, ever.
Insomniac Games lets you loose in an incredibly well-made New York City, complete with landmarks like the Empire State Building and Central Park. The PS5 version is equipped with instant load times and makes great use of the next-generation Dualsense controller. Its story may be a little cheesy at times, but it is a comic book game, so would you really expect anything else?
Get it as part of the Miles Morales Ultimate Edition on Amazon here!
10 Marvel's Spider-Man 2
The Sequel Takes Spider-Man To New Superhero Heights
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
- Released
- October 20, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Insomniac Games
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
If anything is going to outrank Spider-Man, it would be more Spider-Man. This continuation of the story from both the hit 2018 and the Mile Morales side game manages to intertwine the stories from both while moving forward with both new and familiar problems. It does it with expertise, too, making for one of the most filled-out and emotionally engaging stories available on the PS5.
The sequel begins with the arrival of Kraven the Hunter, who has taken to Manhatten to hunt the most dangerous game, man super villians. His hunt eventually leads to the release of Venom, the alien symbiote with a violent hunger. It all weaves around side plots about Mr. Negative, the terminally ill Harry Osborn, and several other well-known villains from Marvel lore. Get ready for one wild ride with this one.
9 Final Fantasy 7 Remake
A Classic Returns
A remake of one of the greatest RPGs of all time, the Final Fantasy 7 remake makes great use of the additional power offered by the PS5 with performance and graphics-based modes, alongside quicker loading times and Dualsense features. This chapter covers the original story up to the escape from Midgard but includes a lot of extra content and story not seen in the original.
Every Numbered Final Fantasy Game Ranked From Shortest To Longest
Square Enix's Final Fantasy is known for lengthy RPGs, but which of the numbered entries are the shortest and longest?It's the best action RPG available on the PS5, and the exclusive DLC episode is as high a quality as the base game itself. If you're looking for a story to get lost in, look no further than Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
8 A Plague Tale: Innocence
Be Prepared To Shed Some Tears
A Plague Tale: Innocence
- Released
- May 14, 2019
- Developer(s)
- Asobo Studio
- Genre(s)
- Action , Adventure , Stealth
A Plague Tale: Innocence is an emotive dive into the relationship between a brother and sister, and it has some fantastic writing and thrilling gameplay that will keep you on the edge of your seat for the entirety of your time with it. You spend your time avoiding the Inquisition, as well as the horde of rats that follow your every step, all whilst searching for the cure to Hugo, Amicia's brother, who has been ill since birth.
The game's focus on stealth gameplay and player awareness makes it a great proposition if you're looking for a slower experience, with the power balance between you and the antagonists of the game being heavily weighted against you. A Plague Tale: Innocence is a great game; just make sure you have some tissues beside you while playing it.
7 Disco Elysium - The Final Cut
Every Decision Is Vital
Disco Elysium offers you an unprecedented level of choice in how you play it - every single action or decision you make has a big impact on how the rest of the game plays out. You play as a detective tasked with solving a murder while trying to put together his fractured memory. All of this occurs in a world torn apart by a war years before, which has left things in a pretty terrible state.
Surprisingly for an RPG, Disco Elysium has no combat; instead, it focuses on decision-making and having you respond appropriately to events that take place within the world. It's a lot of reading, but The Final Cut includes a brilliantly performed narrator for every bit of dialogue. Disco Elysium has one of the best stories in modern gaming and is a refreshing addition to the PS5 lineup.
6 Hades
There's More To The Underworld Than You Thought
Hades is a tough roguelite and one of the best the genre has ever seen. For a roguelite, it has a surprisingly deep narrative, with layers of story to untangle and all the relationships between the game's numerous characters. The visual style is gorgeous, too, with each of the Underworld's locales having unique and rich environments for you to explore - there is even the chance to rest between areas and take it all in.
On top of the near-limitless levels of content to find and unlock, it will take you ten complete runs if you intend to find Hades' real final ending - this isn't a small game by any means. The focus on Greek mythology is brilliantly done too, with characters such as Hades, Zagreus, and Aphrodite all being brought to life in this fantastic take on one of gaming's fastest-growing genres.
5 Stray
Not All Cats Have Nine Lives
A game doesn’t need an expansive cast or intense dialogue to tell a powerful story. When done correctly, something beautiful can be found in nothing more than a lost cat. Stray takes that concept and refines it into something truly memorable. You play as a cat in a world where humans no longer exist. After falling down some ruins, you find yourself deep in an underground city, where the robotic servants of the now-gone people continue to live and operate. Your only goal is to get back to the surface.
Where Stray really shines is in the environment you explore throughout the story. Concepts blend seamlessly, creating an awe-inspiring backdrop of steam, rust, and neon lights. Your goal may be simple, but you’ll see a vibrant and living world telling its own story along the way.
4 Diablo 4
Lillith Will Give You Nightmares
With a narrative campaign that stands on its own, Diablo 4 eases you into its established world and lore, soon leaving you enthralled even if you haven't touched any of the previous games in the series. The vivid exploration of dark and disturbing atmospheric settings during main and side quests, the gorgeous cinematics, excellent writing, and powerful voice acting certainly don't disappoint.
18 Best Splitscreen Multiplayer Games For The PS5
The much-needed return of splitscreen couch co-op on the PS5.You may be called a Wanderer in Diablo 4, but you're not a hapless character that's defenseless. You can choose from several classes, like Druid or Necromancer, and then further level up to gain new gear and be your best against enemies. Sanctuary is also a pretty wide space filled with many allies, in addition to the threat of Lilith and her followers that are wreaking havoc on the land.