RPG with deepest stories

There are some great video games out there with stories as compelling as TV shows. Usually the best stories come in the form of narrative adventure games, like any number of Telltale games, Supermassive Games titles for horror fans, or Dispatch is a new example. While the stories and choice systems are great from these examples, the RPG genre could offer more immersion or better narrative devices.

RPGs in general are powerful in a number of ways, from branching stories to custom character creators. The following examples show why they stand above even the best narrative adventure games out there. In comparison, they offer players something far beyond what most games can provide.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Bloody And Full Of Heart

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt puts players in control of two characters, Geralt and Ciri, with the main story following Geralt as he searches for her in an open world. Players can make dialogue choices when moving from main interactions to side content, and these decisions actively change the change. As a supernatural warrior bred to fight monsters, the life of a Witcher is not easy, because decisions are not easy.

For example, sparing a monster to free children may seem like a good decision until it leads to the destruction of an entire village. The weight of these decisions and the internal struggle can help players immerse themselves more in the role, and if that wasn't enough, another CD Projekt Red game, Cyberpunk 2077may also be considered for the sci-fi crowd out there.

Baldur's Gate 3

Tell your story

Baldur's Gate 3 giving players complete control over their digital lives from minute one. They can create their character's appearance, race and class, or they can choose a pre-made character. From there, this tactical RPG will evolve based on what the players decide to do. Sticking to a rogue camp to kill a nearby village is one way to solve an early area problem before moving on, and that's just one example.

Players can recruit party members, each of whom will reveal more backstory the more players interact with them, which can also feed into the story. No matter what players do, they'll create a story unlike any other player out there, and swapping scenarios with friends is half the fun.

Fire emblem: Three houses

Branched friendships

Fire emblem: Three houses gives players a big choice up front, whether they want to follow one of three teams representing nations: Golden Deer, Blue Lions or Black Eagles. Players will then gain the leader of their team as an ally, along with other party members from that camp. This is where most of the choices stop, although players can bond with party members they think are the most commendable, so that's another factor to consider.

The rest of the game loop is a bit more linear as players will move from major battle to major battle, resting in between to talk to party members, in this tactical RPG. While the story isn't as broad as others, the three campaigns all feel distinct, giving players an ownership of this war-torn story more than others Fire emblem games and story-heavy games in general.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Never give up

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 doesn't have much in terms of choices other than the ending and which players want romance at camp, with a VERY limited pool. That said, the story expertly weaves humor and drama together to create a poignant tale of redemption. The titular Expedition 33 is determined to stop the age-based genocide of their brethren by defeating an entity known as The Paintress once and for all.

It's a brutal world they live in, where the future is robbed of them every year, giving the heroes more motivation to save the world than in most RPGs. Of course, the story wouldn't be as entertaining without some twists and turns along the way because the idea of ​​good vs. evil isn't so cut and dry.

Undertale

Not all monsters are scary

Undertale is unique to turn-based RPGs from a story and gameplay perspective that subverts the genre. In most turn-based RPGs, players will attack monsters, gain EXP, and then move on. Although it is an option, this path will lead to a more intractable story, which is considered a bad one because players will kill their enemies and prove monsters right about humans: they are evil.

However, players can also talk their way through random encounters and boss encounters, leading to a more altruistic ending. It's an RPG that makes players think about their actions as fans, and there's nothing else quite like it from a storytelling perspective.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

More story than RPG

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is almost entirely narrative based, but that's unlike most scenarios in gaming. Players will switch between different characters and time periods, all affected by a future war involving mechs, invaders and the extinction of humanity. Players must solve mysteries in chapters, one character at a time, which will all add up in the end.

There will be segments where players must fight, but these battles are not as intense as other tactical RPGs, as they are included more as narrative devices. The visuals are one reason why this Vanillaware game is so beloved by fans, but the final twist is another. Suffice it to say, most players won't see this one coming, which is what helps it stand out.

Disco Elysium

Roll the dice

Disco Elysium is another game that focuses solely on the story, and it may hardly seem like an RPG at first. That said, unlike most games with story choices, Disco Elysium uses statistics and dice rolls to influence the outcome of scenarios. For example, if players have high enough stats or skills for combat, and they choose to hit or shoot an NPC, the outcome is often what the players hope for.

Low combat stats and lack of all skills can make the scenario backfire. How players deal with a character or situation is completely statistically based and relies on the luck of dice rolls, much like playing an interactive board game set in a dystopian society. For detective game players, Disco Elysium will make players feel in control even when things go haywire.

The Banner Saga

Norse Oregon Trail

The Banner Saga told in three separate game episodes, each building on previous decisions. The game can effectively be described as a combination of Oregon Trail and Final Fantasy Tactics. The story is a pilgrimage about a group of settlers oppressed by the world and an encroaching darkness.

Players will have to make decisions between grid-based battles, which will affect the supply and how the characters will act. The combat is challenging, so players must be extra careful with their strategies. All gameplay decisions affect the overall story, which lacks joy even in the best cases. It's a dark journey, yet rewarding if the players decide to persevere and never give up.