When it comes to games with great stories, names like Final Fantasy, The Witcher 3, Uncharted, God of War, and The Last of Us are just a few that may come to mind. As well written and beloved as some games' stories are, there are some with just as great of stories that for whatever reason are not as widely praised.
Maybe the gameplay far outweighs the story, or the intent of the game could be more focused toward an online or competitive community. Whatever the reason may be, there are a number of games whose stories deserve a little more attention, a little more credit, and at the very least, a second, fresher perspective on what it is that makes the story stand out.
9 Tekken Series
Tekken, like most fighting games, is one that seems to have a story simply out of necessity. Each character needs a bit of a backstory to explain why they want to win but Tekken has grown and blossomed into a world full of corporate espionage, corruption, and betrayal.
The story of Tekken has also had many clever twists and turns. This can be seen in Kazuya's shift from protagonist to antagonist, then Jin following the same path of destruction, eventually turning into a devil. So on and so forth, until now for whatever reason Akuma from Street Fighter shows up.
8 Phantasy Star 1 - 4
The MMORPG continuation of the original Phantasy Star series seems to dwarf its predecessors. It's a shame because Phantasy Star, along with its three sequels, weaves a beautiful narrative. Full of world building, and an interconnected story, Phantasy Star often feels as grand and expansive as Dune or Enders Game.
With some genuinely dark and intense moments, the world, story, and characters of the original four games grew until its enormous world and characters could only be contained within the massive MMORPG space of Phantasy Star Online.
7 Off
Aside from being underrated and underappreciated in general, OFF was one of the precursors to games like Undertale with an abstract, cerebral, and provocative narrative. The game features a cryptic and beautifully haunting story as you take control of the mysterious Batter in pursuit of “cleansing” each of the game's five zones.
Off feels like you're playing a David Lynch or Stanley Kubrick film, a dream-like world full of imaginative, and at times nightmarish creativity. Off is unique in the fact that the story has no concrete or commonly accepted interpretation, it's all up to you to decide.
6 Metroid Fusion
Sometimes a story is told best without many words. Games like Limbo, Gris, or even Out Of This World utilize visual and atmospheric storytelling in wonderful ways without much dialogue. Another great example of this is the Metroid series, particularly Metroid Fusion.
Fusion has a unique way of ramping up the tension and dread as you are warned about a dangerous parasite who is mimicking Samus and her abilities. As you try to avoid this Jason Voorhees-like stalker, the story is told in easily digested bits of dialogue between Samus and her A.I. companion.
5 Splatterhouse 2010
Although the combat was nothing special, what made Splatterhouse 2010 stand out was the literal and figurative fleshing out of Namco classic’s story. Voiced by the masterful Jim Cummings, the terror mask serves as your comedic, albeit dark and twisted companion.
Constantly wisecracking like the announcers in Madworld, periodically laced with bits of exposition, the companion of the terror mask was an inventive way to help tell the story. Plus, who wouldn’t want to hear the voice of Winnie The Pooh drop the F-bomb a couple of hundred times.
4 Darksiders Series
What appears to be a surface level fusion of Zelda and Devil May Cry, is actually a fun and fairly compelling fantasy story of angels, demons, and the constant struggle between heaven and hell. Darksiders has had four installments thus far, and each time the world grows larger and the mythology becomes more fascinating.
If you're looking for a stylish, end of the world, high fantasy tale similar to The Wheel of Time shaken with a dose of God of War, then you should give Darksiders a chance.
3 Luigi’s Mansion
To those who believe Mario games have no story, perhaps you aren’t picking up on all the details. Take for instance Luigi’s Mansion. Consider Luigi’s personality, his innate cowardice and timid nature, then think about all he goes through to find and save his brother. Everything you do in Luigi’s Mansion serves to tell the story of a man who will stop at nothing to help his brother, despite his own shortcomings.
Luigi’s Mansion isn’t a game about catching ghosts, it's about family, about overcoming your weaknesses. It's a game about facing your fears to help someone you love, and that's a powerful story. In essence, if you aren’t crying with Luigi by the end, did you even play the game?
2 Mortal Kombat Scorpion's Story
Fighting games are often browbeat for their inherent lack of story or poor effort to make a cohesive narrative, but over the years Mortal Kombat is one that has proven to be as rich in story and lore as Greek mythology. Originally nothing more than short blurbs, Mortal Kombat’s story has grown into Netherrealm Studios’ Silmarillion.
Look no further than Scorpion for an example of Mortal Kombat’s deep, long form storytelling. From a cliché story of revenge to becoming the personal assassin of the elder gods, Scorpions story will take you on a journey of triumph and tragedy like the story of Achilles.
1 Asura’s Wrath
Asura’s Wrath has been shown a lot of love since the time of its release for its excessive action, and over-the-top, Dragon Ball Z style retelling of ancient Hindu and Buddhist mythologies. But if you take a step back and look at the essence of Asura, it's a truly heartfelt story about a fathers love and sacrifice, never giving up, and fighting for what's right.
Simply deeming the game as over-the-top action is a grave disservice to its resonant storytelling. Like Asura, everyone at one time or another has struggled to claw their way out of a personal Naraka. Asura faces enormous, seemingly undefeatable foes, situations many can easily identify with. It's those struggles, those challenges, that Asura’s Wrath tells us to face head on, to “move forward nonetheless,” and it is those themes that make the story so compelling.