Summary
When gamers think aboutopen-world games, they usually think about them in terms of how big their map is and how much they let the player explore. Modern open-world games are often so focused on filling their maps with things to do. This can make for somereally immersive open-world games,but it can also mean that telling a compelling story takes a backseat.
Thankfully, that’s not always the case. These days, a lot of gamers expect their games not just to be fun to play but to tell a good story, too. The storytelling in many modern names rivals that of both TV shows and movies. Of course, whether a story is good or not is largely a matter of opinion, so the games featured here were both chosen and ranked largely according to their reputation as well as their general reception upon being released.
Updated 25, January 2025 By Robbie Mitchell:Great new open-world games are always being released, and there are always more around the corner. With Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 and the Death Stranding sequel just around the corner now felt like the perfect time to add the originals to this list. Likewise, this article was written just before S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 launched, so it has found a well-deserved spot. To qualify, each game has to be truly open-world, not just made up of large areas separated by loading screens (sorry Mass Effect), and were chosen primarily on the quality of their stories, not their open-world gameplay. Let us know in the comments if you think we missed any open-world games with awesome stories.
Death Strandingis a really weird game. This isn’t astounding when one considers it’s the brainchild of a post-Metal Gear Hideo Kojima. Kojima’s storytelling style has always been a bit self-indulgent, butDeath Strandingtakes it to another level. The game is basically a post-apocalyptic postman Sam simulator with a story that is so weird and complex that multiple playthroughs are required to get one’s head around it. Following the story requires picking up on subtle environmental storytelling, reading logs, and watching cutscenes so long they could be combined into multiple feature-length movies.
In other words, classic Kojima. For those willing to put the effort inDeath Strandingdoes have an excellent story, it just takes a lot of patience to follow. As such, some readers will be upset the game ranks so lowly on this list while others will claim it doesn’t belong here at all.Death Stranding’sglacial gameplay isn’t really conducive to telling a compelling story and the long treks between cut scenes make it feel like binge-watching a TV show with ads between each episode.Death Strandingis a love-it-or-hate type of game and the same goes for its story.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2was one of the biggest and most anticipated games of 2024 and outside some nasty bugs, it didn’t disappoint. With a massive open-world full of dynamic events and interesting locations to explore, millions of games instantly fell in love with the game. Still brutally unforgiving, it honors the earlier games in the series while modernizing the gameplay just enough to attract new fans.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2’swasteland setting and excellent combat are the main draws, but the game does have a pretty good story. If you’re able to follow it. Unfortunately, the game’s main plot requires the player to be at least somewhat familiar with the earlier games if they want to know what the heck is going on.
About midway through the game, the player is forced to make some major story decisions, but many first-time players will lack the context to know what they’re actually choosing. The story’s pacing can also feel a little off because, as is common with games with massive open worlds, the player is likely off exploring so much that the main plot loses any sense of urgency. The biggest problem, however, is the bugs. While many of the bugs have since been patched, at launch severe bugs wrecked the game’s main story by blocking certain paths, undoing major decisions, and generally making the story a pain to follow.S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2might be one of 2024’s best games, but these issues land it a low ranking.
It’s very hard to find fault withElden Ring. It’s easily one of the best open-world games ever made and a masterpiece of open-world game design. Some readers are bound to be upset seeing it at the bottom of this list, but there is reasoning behind this sacrilege. As great asElden Ring’sstory is, many casual players might not really have a clue as to what’s going on.
Of course, that’s by design. Much like with theDark Soulsgames, much ofElden Ring’sstory is hidden away in item descriptions and secret locations. FromSoftware likes to make its fans work to decipher what their games are really about. For those who can be bothered, the required effort makes the story all the more satisfying, andElden Ring’slore is brilliantly deep. However, the fact is, many players just won’t bother diving deeply into the game’s lore to make sense of its story (co-written by George R.R. Martin). If the developers had made the game’s story just a bit more accessible it would place much higher on this list, but then again, it wouldn’t be the same game.
TheMetal Gear Solidgames have been praised for their stories for decades. Sure, the overarching plot has gotten more than a bit convoluted, and Kojima’s story-telling style isn’t for everyone, but the man knows how to tell a good tale. Fans of the series had high hopes forMetal Gear Solid 5, and in many ways, it offeredthe best story in the series.
The central twist (which won’t be spoiled here) is well choreographed without being too obvious, and the game’s story brought back a host of fan-favorite characters, filling out their story nicely. New additions, like Quiet, were also well received. YetMetal Gear Solid 5has a major problem. As good as its story is, it doesn’t have a proper ending. Kojima famously fell out with Konami, and the game was released half-finished. There’s no real sense of closure, and the game just kind ofends.However good it might be, it’s impossible to give an unfinished story a higher ranking.
The developers ofKingdom Come: Deliveranceput historical accuracy and realism above almost everything else. Yet, it can be a bit janky, and yes, its combat comes with a steep learning curve, but there are very few games quite like it. While the excellent combat and historical setting are what attracted most players, the game also tells a pretty good story.
Set in 15th-century Bohemia, the game follows Henry, a humble blacksmith’s son who sets out on a classic revenge mission and journey of self-discovery after his entire village is wiped out. Most quests have branching dialogue trees and can end in multiple ways and a fair few main story quests are time-sensitive. Besides the entertaining main quest, many of the side quests are equally engaging and often feel like natural extensions of the main story. The only real downside is that, while entertaining, the game’s story is a bit too reliant on the player having an interest in history. History buffs will love the dedication to historical accuracy, but those uninterested in medieval European history might be left yawning.
Grand Theft Auto 5is one of the highest-selling games in history and has been released on three generations of consoles so far. While part of its success is clearly down to the excellent gameplay and the success ofGrand Theft Auto Online, the main game’s excellent story deserves some credit, too.
In an innovative move, the game gave players three ofGrand Theft Auto’s most iconic charactersand let fans control them. Michael, Trevor, and Franklin were all well-written protagonists with their own stories to tell. How Rockstar tied the three characters together and built up their shared relationship was a masterclass in storytelling.Grand Theft Auto 5’s plot was full of epic twists and turns, which peaked with its choice of three endings. Rockstar has long been known for its storytelling prowess, andGrand Theft Auto 5arguably boasts the best story in the series.
Days Goneis the sort of game people either love or hate. Close to greatness, those who enjoyed it consider it to be an under-appreciated gem. Others still think it was overhyped and suffered from repetitive gameplay, boring characters, and slow storytelling. While these criticisms aren’t unfounded, looking backDays Gone’sstory is much better than people gave it credit for.
It’s true that the story starts slowly, but things really pick up around the halfway mark as the game’s central mystery starts to unravel.
Likewise, the initially dull Deacon becomes much more interesting as the game progresses, helped enormously by Sam Witwer’s excellent voice work and the game’s build-up of reveals. Many of the secondary characters aren’t terribly interesting but the relationship between Deacon and Boozer is a hoot. Sadly, the best thing about the game’s story is its ending. Ending with a big reveal and one heck of a cliffhanger (neither of which we’ll spoil here) Days Gone sets up a sequel that could have been awesome. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like Bend Studio will ever be allowed to finish Deacon’s story.
InGhost of Tsushima, players are given control of Jin Sakai, a samurai on a mission to defend his homeland from Mongol invaders. When his samurai code proves ineffective against a ruthless enemy, Jin is forced to decide between his honor and adopting guerrilla tactics to beat an overwhelming enemy. Depending on the player’s choices, Jin can become “The Ghost,” setting him on a collision course with some of his closest allies.
Jin is easily one ofPlayStation’s greatest anti-heroes, and his story is one of both sacrifice and moral ambiguity. The game does a great job of delving into his relationships and the toll his crusade takes on them, and its story is enriched by how it focuses on the themes of loyalty and the burdens of leadership, as well as the emotional depth of Jin’s struggle. The only reason it doesn’t score higher is that, sometimes, the game’s open-world nature works against its storytelling. Jin is meant to be a man on a mission, but he can spend a surprising amount of time chasing foxes and helping random people out with mundane tasks, things that diminish the tale’s sense of urgency.
Sony has a great track record when it comes to its exclusives having good stories, and it wasn’t easy picking betweenMarvel’s Spider-Man 1and 2. In the end, despite the sequel improving on the original’s gameplay in several ways and being one of thePlayStation 5’s best open-world games, it feels like the original had a stronger story (if only just).Marvel’s Spider-Manskipped the usual origin story to give fans a fresh new take on the famous webhead.
He’s been Spider-Man for a few years, has already made a few enemies, and is working with an about-to-crack Doc Ock. The central narrative was compelling, and the sinister six made for intimidating enemies, with the Kingpin and Mister Negative acting as its highlights. The game also did a great job with the relationship between Peter and Mary Jane, even if her stealth sections were at a low point. The game was also great at introducing and setting up Miles Morales without distracting from Peter’s story. It’s not easy to tell an original superhero story, butMarvel’s Spider-Manmanaged it, something the sequel struggled to do with its introduction of the symbiote and venom (a story already featured in several previousSpider-Mangames).
7Horizon: Zero Dawn
A Post-Apocalyptic Adventure With A Compelling Protagonist
Much like withMarvel’s Spider-Man,it’s tough deciding whichHorizongame has the better story.Horizon: Zero Dawnwins because of all the heavy lifting Guerrilla Games had to do with its world-building and the fact that the sequel is so dependent on people having played the first entry. The game is set in a fresh apocalyptic setting, one in which machine-based animals have taken over the world.
During the tutorial, the game’s story introduces players to a young Aloy being taught how to survive and hunt. It then fast-forwards several years to her being an outcast and getting out on a journey of discovery. Along the way, she builds relationships, kills a lot of machines, and ends up saving humanity from a rogue AI called Hades. Oh, and she discovers she’s a clone.Horizon: Zero Dawn’s story could have become lost in incomprehensible techno-babble, but instead, Guerrilla’s writers managed to weave together a thrilling tale full of twists and turns. If there’s a complaint, it’s that all the side content slowed down the pacing, making it easy to lose track of what was going on at times. Being so sci-fi influenced also means the game’s story may not be for everyone, landing it a middling ranking. Those small complaints aside, it remains one of thebest free-roam games published by Sony.
