Xbox One Games With The Best Storylines

Highlights

• The Xbox One faced initial challenges, but eventually proved itself with a strong library of games and memorable experiences that made it worth checking out.
• Games like
  
  
  
  Grand Theft Auto 5
  
  
  
  ,
  
  
  Halo: The Master Chief Collection
  
  
  , and Telltale’s
  
  
  The Walking Dead
  
  
  offer immersive narratives and compelling storytelling that keep players engaged.

The

Xbox One

was definitely a great console, although it faced some hurdles upon launch. Microsoft’s poor anti-consumer practices for this console led to the platform being absolutely smashed by the PlayStation 4 when the consoles launched, even with the company rolling back many quizzical practices like the limitations on game-sharing and the console needing to be online all the time.

However, over time, the Xbox One more than proved itself to be a great console with a decent library of games that made it worth checking out. There is a wealth of great games on this platform that are worth checking out, including

story

-driven experiences that will cause players to experience a myriad of complex emotions with their exemplary narratives that are memorable in every sense of the word.

Updated on November 21, 2023 by Ritwik Mitra:



The Xbox One is a great console that is littered with many story-heavy titles that are a blast to play through. Some people felt like the console was a bit lean when it came to exclusives, but the library itself is populated with numerous incredible titles that will send players on some entertaining journeys.

24


Tomb Raider

A Great Reboot That Documents Lara’s Transformation From A Damsel-In-Distress To A Fierce Heroine

The hyped around

Tomb Raider

may have died down again, but the hype surrounding this title’s reboot a decade ago was quite palpable. When 2013’s

Tomb Raider

was finally released, fans loved the great visuals, action-packed gameplay, and the reimagining of Lara’s character.

The end result was a game that felt amazing to play through, eliciting shades of classic

Tomb Raider

and

Uncharted

as well. While the next two games in the series were nowhere near as intriguing, fans of great action-adventure games will love what 2013’s

Tomb Raider

has to offer.

23


Grand Theft Auto 5

An Epic Crime-Laden Narrative Told Using The Perspectives Of Three Unique, Well-Written Protagonists

A game that has lasted for three console generations, the longevity of

Grand Theft Auto 5

can’t be stated enough. The game is an absolute gem, allowing players to explore the massive city of Los Santos and its surroundings while engaging in a story with three protagonists who have been written with great and meticulous care.

While there are times when the narrative can get a bit wild, most players won’t mind because of how well-constructed the set pieces are. Michael, Trevor, and Franklin have become embedded in the minds and hearts of millions of players who had the privilege of checking out one of the greatest video games ever made.

22


Halo: The Master Chief Collection

A Compliation Of

The Best

Halo Games, With Each Campaign Featuring Engrossing Stories And Memorable Characters

Halo


is one of the greatest sci-fi franchises of all time, with each game in the series being a blast to play through for its own reasons. However, there was a point when trying to experience the older

Halo

games was a challenge because of their dated design and lack of accessibility. All of this changed with the advent of

The Master Chief Collection

, an excellent collection of all three games with remastered assets and improved support for modern systems.

The games are a blast to play through, and players can now experience the history of the Halo series for themselves. Given how many players yearn for the good old days when it comes to this franchise, there’s no reason why players shouldn’t check out this collection for themselves. Microsoft has done a great job with these remasters, showing other studios how it’s done.

21


Telltale’s The Walking Dead

One Of The Most Emotional Video Game Narratives Of All Time

The Walking Dead


is one of the most popular franchises of all time, expanding to several mediums with great success. There are many video games based on it, including an excellent story-heavy adventure game made by Telltale Studios. This game is the reason why the studio ended up being so successful in the first place, allowing players to experience an emotional narrative full of numerous twists & turns.

The bond between Lee and Clementine is something magical that many games have tried to replicate since, seeing it as a winning formula to make an emotionally charged narrative that will keep players interested for quite some time. Players are bound to get invested in their struggles to survive, with the threat of both humans and zombies leading to many tense moments and an emotional conclusion.

20


Ori And The Blind Forest

A Beautiful Metroidvania With One Of The Most Emotional Moments In Gaming History

It’s a testament to how good

Ori and the Blind Forest

is that it conveys an emotional tale without saying a single word. The game’s beautiful visuals and ethereal soundtrack lend to an amazing atmosphere that makes the game a blast to play through.

The story isn’t the biggest focus of this game, with gameplay playing a bigger role in the grand scheme of things. However, there’s no denying that the narrative of

Ori and the Blind Forest

is pretty engaging and will captivate players whenever it takes center stage.

19


What Remains Of Edith Finch

A Riveting Account Of The Finch Family And The Mystery Surrounding Them

What Remains of Edith Finch


is one of the many walking simulators that became really popular during the seventh generation of consoles. The title is beautiful to look at, with its slow-paced story being memorable to see unfold.

Discovering the history of the Finch family as the last surviving member makes for a mysterious and enlightening time indeed. It’s one of the best examples of immersive video game storytelling that fans should check out.

18


Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

A Fascinating Depiction Of A Warrior’s Journey Who Suffers From Psychosis

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice


is a game that can be quite uncomfortable to play through at times, given the main character’s psychosis and how it is depicted brilliantly in the video game medium. The developers worked with certified psychologists to do justice to the portrayal of this mental illness, and this shows.

The gameplay of this title may be pretty uninspired, but it’s the story that plays a central role here. Fans of great video game stories owe it to themselves to check

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

out.

17


Batman: Arkham Knight

A Fitting End To The Dark Knight’s Adventures With An Engrossing Plotline

Batman: Arkham Knight

serves as the final game in the

Arkham

trilogy that featured the Batmobile in an extended capacity. Some people were mixed about the Batmobile and its integration into the game, but there’s no denying that the rest of the mechanics in the game are solid.

Arkham Knight

‘s story is excellent, even if some people feel like the reveal of the villain’s true identity was pretty obvious. The trilogy definitely ended on a high note, even if getting the true ending was a test of the player’s patience.

16


Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

Another Great Chapter In B.J. Blazkowicz’s Fight Against The Nazis

Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus


is a great game that continues the excellence set by its sequel. The game’s focus on the story was enhanced considerably, even if some cutscenes did end up outstaying their welcome.

The New Colossus

looks gorgeous, with its gameplay being pretty engaging as well. Exploring BJ’s backstory made for a great time, even if the ending felt pretty rushed and underwhelming compared to the rest of the experience.

15


Oxenfree

A Mind-Bending Adventure That Deals With Supernatural Elements And Time Loops

Oxenfree


is a great indie game with its fair share of puzzles and brain twisters. However, the highlight of this game is undoubtedly the story, which is definitely in a class of its own.

Dealing with the concept of time loops is not an easy topic to breach in the slightest, so props should be given to

Oxenfree

for sporting a great narrative featuring this concept. The decisions players make in the game feel genuinely impactful and do a great job of personalizing the story for many players.

14


Mass Effect Legendary Edition

The Story Of Shepard And His Allies Against Universe-Conquering Alien Forces

Mass Effect Legendary Edition


serves as a great way for players to get into this amazing sci-fi trilogy and witness one of the most epic and awe-inspiring stories ever told in gaming. Commander Shepard is a legendary protagonist for all the right reasons, and this updated release adds to his legacy even more.

Even the ending of

Mass Effect 3

feels more natural and less rage-inducing, which is a huge achievement in and of itself. The trilogy is a ton of fun to enjoy and proves why these games continue to receive so much praise to this day.

13


Titanfall 2

A Surprisingly Heartwarming Campaign

The first

Titanfall

game had great mobility systems and fast-paced gameplay, but the lack of a single-player component hurt the experience quite a bit. This wasn’t the case in the sequel, which added one of the greatest single-player campaigns in an FPS title to date.

The fact that

Titanfall 2

didn’t sell well still hurts many fans of this amazing game. The story is genuinely incredible, with most players getting their money’s worth after going through this highly engaging narrative.

12



Disco Elysium

A CRPG Written With Great Style And Panache

It’s amazing to see just how far

Disco Elysium

has come since its launch. While the game had made waves with its previews and marketing, the title exploded in popularity with word-of-mouth, once players got to experience this narrative masterpiece for themselves.

Disco Elysium

‘s themes are complex yet understandable, with its story taking many twists and turns as players uncover the identity of the main character. It’s an excellent title, and fans can’t wait to see if a sequel will ever appear for this remarkable game.

11


Kentucky Route Zero

A Mysterious, Charming Narrative Adventure Game

Episodic narrative adventures became quite commonplace after Telltale’s

The Walking Dead

turned into a smash hit. More and more studios started releasing their games in batches of episodes over some time to churn out games faster while also giving a steady stream of content in the process.

However, in terms of episodic adventures, there’s no other game that did a better job of portraying an intriguing story than

Kentucky Route Zero

. With the availability of this game on Xbox Game Pass, more people can experience the magic of this title for themselves!

10


Red Dead Redemption 2

Rockstar’s Magnum Opus With Some Of The Best Writing Ever Seen In A Video Game

Red Dead Redemption 2


was an emotional roller coaster. When it was announced it was awesome because that series deserved a sequel. Then it was announced as a prequel, which seemed silly for a game numbered as if it were a sequel. It was hard to let go of John Marston as the protagonist, which led many fans wary of their new protagonist, Arthur Morgan.

It turns out that one had to play the game in order to truly get it. Arthur Morgan’s arc is one of the best-written storylines in video game history and the characters he meets along the way feel like a real family. It’s a beautiful, rocky road.

9


Life Is Strange

Dontnod Entertainment’s Famous Adventure Game With A Focus On The Narrative

Games released in increments over the span of a year can be both good and bad. When companies don’t detail their plans for a release schedule, well, waiting between episodes can be difficult especially when it comes to

Life is Strange

.

In terms of gameplay and graphics, the game was pretty low-tier. Even the dialogue was a bit goofy. However, that goofiness played into the story as it was about awkward teens. Oh right, and time travel too.

8


NieR: Automata

A Unique Narrative That Compels Players To Uncover All Of The Game’s Endings

The first

Nier

was good and had its fans, but it was definitely one of those flawed masterpieces. After being dormant for almost a decade no one in their right mind thought a sequel was ever coming and that it would win Game of the Year rewards.

Simply put,

NieR: Automata

defied expectations. It is complex and the sort of story that needs to be analyzed and re-analyzed to fully appreciate it. That’s kind of the fun of it though just like a great mystery.

7


The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Ends

Geralt

‘s Journey On A High Note

For many gamers, this was their first

Witcher

game. The previous two had some bumpy launch windows, but thankfully this game ironed out those kinks to make one heck of an impression.

Many open-world RPGs try to build worlds with ever-evolving landscapes and plotlines, but they usually fall short of expectations. Somehow CD Projekt Red was able to turn the tables and make every quest count not to mention the two expansions added more to an otherwise harrowing tale filled with love, loss, and bloody monsters.

6


Tales From The Borderlands

An Excellent Story-Based Adventure Game Set In The Borderlands Universe

Borderlands


can be praised for many things, whether it’s the out-of-date humor and references, or the billion guns that can be looted and shot. The writing can be funny at times, and there are some memorable moments, but again, it’s not an engaging plot.

So like

NieR: Automata

, nobody could have possibly thought Telltale could do anything memorable with the franchise. Well, needless to say since it is on this list they did. It is easily one of the funniest games of all time and one of Telltale’s best games.

5


Valiant Hearts: The Great War

A Somber, Thought Provoking Story On The Realities Of War

Valiant Hearts


is a smaller game than even

Life is Strange

. Ubisoft used its UbiArt engine, the same one used for the

Rayman

reboot, to tell a tale during World War 1 that mattered.

Most storytellers try and stick to the heroic period of World War 2 as it is somewhat easier, but Ubisoft wanted a challenge. Thankfully they succeeded in weaving an epic tale that challenged one’s perspective on good and evil and ended up writing one of the most heartwarming and yet saddest video game endings on this list.