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[NightmareFarm]

IMO:

1 - Final Fantasy X. This game had the most emotional impact on me. May be biased though because I have emotional attachment from playing it all the time as a little kid. Either way it's staying on the top spot.

2 - Metal Gear Solid 2. Some bias as I also played it as a preteen but I rewatched the cutscene movie back in 2018(7 years after I beat the game) and it blew my mind with how quality the writing is, how complex the lore is and also how much it predicted.

3 - Horizon Zero Dawn. The "Operation Enduring Victory" twist halfway through the game blew my mind. It's an emotional rollercoaster and keeps teasing you with more and more mystery each quest.

4 - Tales of the Abyss. Very deep and intriguing lore/world building.

5 - inFAMOUS. I really like the way the acts of the game are structured and tie into the main plot, really like the mystery the political conspiracies, the world building, the dynamic between cole and zeke.

Honourable mentions: Devil May Cry 3, Tales of Berseria, Final Fantasy XII, Metal Gear Solid 3,

 

[Bonfires Down]

SOMA
TLOU
TLOU2
The Walking Dead
Bioshock Infinite

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

Xenogears
Xenosaga Trilogy
Xenoblade Chronicles Franchise
The Legend of Heroes Franchise
Chrono Trigger/Chrono Cross

 

[SeraphJan]

1. Silent Hill 2 - A subconscious struggle of a person's internal conflict of staying faithful to his dying wife VS his desire to have a free life ultimately led him to justify his murder by "setting her free", it guide player through his subconscious mind to feel his emotion. Maria represents his sexual desire, while the final boss represents his frustration and guilt against his dying wife.

2. Metal Gear Solid - The presentation is ahead of its time, it tells a epic story of conspiracy, betrayal and heroism

3. Final Fantasy Tactics - If Shakespeare knows how to make video game, this is the one

4. Suikoden 2 - It told a great story of how a grunt fight his way to become a leader, but then lost what was most important to him, combined with a lot of great reference to traditional Chinese history and myth. For example: Luca Blight actually reference to a real historic figure Xiang Yu. The forest night arrow ambush scene refers to the tactics Sun Tzu used against Pang Juan

5. Last Guardian - An emotional story about friendship and bond without words, a flawless example of "Show don't tell"

No particular order

 

[arkhamguy123]

Batman Arkham Trilogy - Batman fan since I was a toddler. Awesome fucking stories. Wish the new movie was more like this. Just perfect. Exciting. Emotional. Immersive. Well characterized. Perfect stories and games to me. Oh and I said trilogy but throw origins into here too that was great. Gonna just grandfather that in here.

Mass effect trilogy - fantastic. I’m also a sci fi geek so I was just in heaven here. So original. So interesting. Dark and mature but also so adventurous and fun. Perfect balance of the two. Also the first game to ever give me an emotional reaction. I got a lump in my throat playing 3 in 7th grade when my boy thane died.

Red Dead Redemption Duology (1&2) - Dan Houser is a gifted dialogue writer. Reminds me of Tarantino for games. These games stories basically surpass most high end tv shows and movies out there as far as story and characters go. Phenomenal. The building a new house scene in 2 gets me choked up sometimes.

The Last of Us 1 - just perfect. Did NOT like 2. That was a miss for me despite some brilliant parts but 1 will always be special to me. I was in 8th grade with my heart POUNDING playing the winter segment home alone. I was so scared for these characters. No game has really made me feel that way before (or since?). Completely engrossed me. Still my favorite naughty dog game and with Neil running the show now it’ll probably stay that way.

The Last Guardian - this game is my baby. My little underrated gem. Pretty niche. Not mainstream. Nobody really played or appreciated this one as much as I did I feel like. Unlike some other big budget games this one was the only one I feel like that could only be told as a game. It used the art form of video games pitch fucking perfectly to cultivate a strong emotional connection and sense of adventure and scale and scope in a way I don’t think I’ve seen or will see again for some time. Perfect storytelling

Honorable mentions - It Takes 2, God of War Norse Duology, Assassins Creed 1-4 (the ones Corey May wrote and throw in black flag) all of these just barley missed the top 5. All packed with great dialogue and stories to rival TV and movies, Great themes, real emotional beats, and a great sense of adventure.

 

[Touch fuzZy. get BizZay]

I like Planescape and Deus Ex 1 stories

Don't wanna do a big list for once

 

[JimmyRustler]

The whole Legacy of Kain saga remains, for me, to this day the most engrossing video game storyline.

Aside from that perhaps MGS1-3, Silent Hill (all of them), Mass Effect etc.

 

[freemandos]

It's dificult, but...:
Planescape Torment
Silent Hill 2
The Longest Journey
Deus Ex 1
Disco Elysium

 

[kikkis]

Maybe mass effect and jade empire. Can't say I have never been particularly impressed with video game stories.

 

[Guilty_AI]

VA-11 Hall A
Katawa Shoujo
Nier Automata
Undertale
MGS in general

 

[stn]

I'm probably forgetting something:

Deus-Ex 1
KOTOR 1
The Last of Us 1
Dragon Age: Origins
Shenmue 2
The Witcher 3

 

[Eimran]

1) Metal Gear Solid 3
2) The Last of Us
3) Red Dead Redemption 2
4) Mafia 2
5) LA Noire

Bonus: God of War 1, Def Jam fight for NY, Driver Parallel Lines, GTA Vice City, Dragon Quest VIII, Max Payne 3.

 

[Drizzlehell]

That's all the story I need.

 

[Metnut]

Thought about this a bit and i think the 5 that really stick out are:


Xenogears
RDR2
The Last of Us
Mass Effect (original trilogy)
Yakuza 0

 

[Madflavor]

I can't put them in order but here are my Top 5:

 

[ksdixon]

 

[EverydayBeast]

Mass effect 2 had an aggressive story, gather squad mates, defeat the bad collector villains, it’s amazing.

 

[cireza]

Steins Gate
Nier Automata
Outer Wilds
The Forgotten City
Catherine

 

[AlteredForms]

Bioshock Infinite

Infinite in my opinion is the best BioShock game and it's primarily because of the gameplay, the storyline on the other hand starts off interesting and ends in a train wreck. The final cutscene has to be one of the worst plot twists I've ever seen.

I can't put them in order but here are my Top 5:

 

[RAIDEN1]

I couldn't say Metal Gear Solid 2's story was particularly memorable....maybe because after a point I found it to be a slog just to reach the end...3 on the other hand yeah...it was something when I watched it many many years ago via a walkthrough....Part 4 was good too...and Mass Effect trilogy is probably the best sci-fi adventure series out there....

 

[brian0057]

Thief II: The Metal Age.
Silent Hill 2.
Signalis.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Metro: Exodus.

 

[Yumi]

Off the top of the dome:

Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone
Planescape Torment
Inside
Mass Effect 2
Final Fantasy 8