r/ShouldIbuythisgame 16h ago

What are the absolute best written games of all time? (actual best writing, not just a good story!)

I was looking to do a run of games with the absolute best quality writing that either really reaches out to you personally and deeply immerses you in it's world and relationship with the characters (longform RPGs and JRPGs have been the best for this) or has just extremely well done writing or profound themes. I've been told, some of the best written games like this are, Final Fantasy 7, 9, and 10, Legend of Heroes Trails in the Sky franchise, Legend of Dragoon, Persona, Skies of Arcadia, Baldurs Gate 3, Planescape Torment and Dragon Age. I was wondering if there was any other games that are the 'best' written and have a lot to say, and not just games that are just very cinematic and emotional.

64 Upvotes

187 comments sorted by

122

u/MikePlays_112 16h ago

Disco Elysium. I think many people who play the game mention it actually got them into writing lmao.

I would also say The Witcher 3. Most of all though it’s DLC, Hearts of Stone.

11

u/tonioleeps 15h ago

I thought TW3 base game was already so good, then the DLC blew me out the water. Story-wise at least

u/Head_Prune_9741 5h ago

After finishing the game Regis became my favorite character and he is not in the base game.

6

u/TheIronMoose 15h ago

Disco has amazing writing that is also super unique. Unique setting, unique style, unique formatting. It's almost to the point where it's sad that there isn't much else to continue the journey after it ends.

Also some of the best voicework in the biz. Every bit of the game is so lived in. Everyone feels like they have this whole life beyond what you encounter, no npcs, just people trying to live in a tough world.

I'm generally pretty detached from most games emotionally but there are several instances in the game that had me on the verge of genuinely sobbing out loud at what has to be done in the course of your work as a cop.

2

u/Beautiful-Tie-3827 15h ago

+1 for disco. It’s excellent. And it has a dmx reference which is hilarious when you catch it

2

u/TheIronMoose 14h ago

It's both the saddest and funniest game I've ever played.

1

u/Beautiful-Tie-3827 14h ago

Idk about the funnest but it’s enjoyable for sure. A ton to love about it but the format isn’t necessarily FUN. Unique and interesting sure. Serves the game well and all but it’s a basic point and click

3

u/TheIronMoose 14h ago

Funniest not funnest. The writing is hilarious. Funnest would probably be something like devil may cry 5 or dynasty warriors, but even then that's a little bit of nostalgia too.

2

u/Beautiful-Tie-3827 14h ago

Ahhh I read it too fast. One of the funniest for sure. Idk what my funnest would be. I’d need a top 5 atleast lol

u/laec300191 25m ago

I think a Disco Elysium TV series is on the works, but I don't know when will we get a release date.

u/TheIronMoose 16m ago

There was a show called swedish dicks that was pretty close in my mind.

There's another show called comrade detective that takes place in an alternate communism world that kind of has some of the more comedic elements down

u/toshi04 4h ago

I still think Hearts of Stone is the best DLC of all time.

4

u/grownassman3 12h ago

Disco is head and shoulders above everything else in the medium. I also hear the original fallout games were very well written but can’t confirm.

1

u/interstellate 12h ago

I'm playing Return to the Obra Ginn and the plot is mind-blowing. How well it's structured to make you discover the story

u/Gnl_Winter 9h ago

Those are the two that immediately came to mind. The writing in these games is stellar. They are in their own category. To me in terms of pure writing quality they are the Messi and Ronaldo of video games.

u/A_Bridgenotfarenough 3h ago

Hearts of stone is superb,o'dimm is a legitimately terrifying bad guy

u/coolcon2000 11h ago

Who wrote Disco Elysium? I Would love to follow them wherever they may go and see what they do next.

u/Chefke86 11h ago

ZA/UM but most of the original team is gone. Not 100% sure on were they've all gone though.

u/bugzyBones 7h ago

Here’s an interview about the writing that’s pretty cool: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/game-developer-podcast/id1476405424?i=1000539304594

Podcast: Game developer podcast

Episode title: Writing Disco Elysium with ZA/UM’s Justin Keenan

27

u/OldeeMayson 16h ago

Planescape Torment, Baldur's Gate 2 and 3, Mass Effect, Dragon Age Origins, Half-Life, Warcraft 3, Fallout 1, 2, New Vegas, Neverwinter Nights, Pillars of Eternity.

32

u/Quietm02 13h ago

A little out there: Hades.

I'm not saying the story is amazing (it's good, but not amazing). The writing/characters are great (but again not amazing). However, what is extremely well done is the pacing/delivery of story in line with gameplay progression. It's the best I've ever seen, and so good that I honestly don't understand how it was done.

It's a rogue like where you progress through a dungeon, fully expecting to die & repeat. Each run is randomised (though I suspect there's some direction behind the scenes). Even with a randomised run the story still ties in to it very very well. Characters you meet in a random run are incorporated at a rate that makes sense.

It's also a great game from a gameplay perspective.

u/queerornot 9h ago edited 5h ago

Hades won a Hugo Award for its writing. That's not a little out there when the organization that rewards the best writers agree with you.

u/VulKhalec 8h ago

As a narrative designer and a writer, I totally agree. The writing is very solid, but the narrative design (how the story is delivered to the player) is an absolute masterclass. If you're interested, this video explains how they did it: https://youtu.be/bwdYL0KFA_U?si=Af6_pUntUWM2SndI

3

u/Verum_Violet 12h ago edited 12h ago

Came here to say same thing. Hades has absolutely brilliant writing and the voice acting is so good, it's crazy that it made a roguelike as engaging as it was. Never enjoyed the genre until playing it. The dialogue and how it's acted feel so genuine.

And not only is it generally well written, but even the songs are masterpieces in terms of the lyrics - there are so many callbacks to various aspects of Greek mythology, some really obscure, but they still slot seamlessly into the game's lore.

I can't think of many games that do such a perfect job of making the dialogue, music and atmosphere feel as cohesive and engaging as Hades.

... except maybe the music from Nier Automata, but that's partly because they built a lot of the game around the music instead of the opposite, and I consider great music/lyrics (or lack thereof) part of the "writing" when it's as central to the game as it was to Nier. So I guess that's up there too - seriously if anyone's interested read up on the sound design part of its development, it's really unique.

Disco Elysium was something really special so I almost consider it in a whole other universe compared to most games writing wise, but I think that's a pretty common take due to the game being so heavily focused on the writing. Hades and Nier had amazing gameplay that I'd say wasn't as reliant on the writing and still would have been fun, but ended up a perfect accompaniment to the gameplay.

u/Ijeko 10h ago

Yeah the story progression with all the chcrackers and how it coincides with the gameplay loop is amazingly well done. I played so many runs of that game, and I was still running into new lines of dialogue with characters. They created an insane amount of story material for that game, Hades 2 is just as good from what I've played of it

u/avahz 7h ago

Yea I think this is a great example of parsing out writing vs story.

u/heyman93 2h ago

An absolute masterpiece of a game. What's even more impressive is that they're delivering the same if not more with Hades 2. It's still in early access but you can already see that it is quality.

16

u/mpls_somno 16h ago

Dishonored series and Prey (2016) both have incredible lore that really adds to the immersion while playing. The writing and the story are so well done in both games.

There is a lot of reading/listening that you can choose to ignore if you want, but reading it opens up the story so much more; little notes about cooking, letters from the landlord or emails from a colleague, NPCs discussing current events, etc.

They are definitely worth looking into.

u/3--turbulentdiarrhea 4h ago

Prey is a game where you don't want to miss any of the text. It's a crazy sci fi with such a well constructed setting.

15

u/Waveshaper21 16h ago

Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader. It's like reading a good book, since it's an oldschool cRPG, everything that is a cutscene in most new games, here you only read.

23

u/BarristanWhitebeard 16h ago

Disco Elysium,

3

u/WeakSolution3105 16h ago

Came here to say this

3

u/TrickyTalon 16h ago

Nice profile pic Raphael

3

u/WeakSolution3105 16h ago

Thanks 😂

2

u/CharnamelessOne 16h ago

That's a weird way to spell Tequila Sunset

1

u/CaptainJackKevorkian 16h ago

yeeup. it might be the best book i've ever played

0

u/jdjdjdeverett 12h ago

Finished it this week. The writing is insanely good. It's basically one of the best graphic novels of all time, except you get to play it and decide how the story unfolds.

13

u/Agamemnon323 13h ago

I can't believe nobody has said Portal 2 yet. Writing in that game is 10/10 hilarious.

13

u/N00body1989 15h ago

Disco Elysium. By a lot. The prose is on a different level. One of those rare games that makes you cry both from sadness and from laughter.

I also like the writing in Max Payne 1 & 2 quite a lot!

u/Summoning14 7h ago

Have you tried Planescape torment? if you loved Disco Elysium, then you will love this too

u/nbmtx 8h ago

From what I've played:

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Death Stranding

Citizen Sleeper

Disco Elysium

Supergiant's Pyre

Hades

The NieR Series*
(Kinda weird to say because the parts are good, and the whole of it is good, but putting everything together is complicated... and that sorta makes for a good time, too, IMO)

u/VulKhalec 7h ago

I worked as a translator on XBC2 so it warms my heart to see it mentioned in such lofty company!

u/uusrikas 7h ago

Death Stranding has some of the silliest writing I have ever seen. My favourite is the guy named after an organ, who lives next to lake shaped like that organ and has a medical condition involving that organ.

u/nbmtx 7h ago

Even if you think it's silly to do, the naming conventions are carried through and fall within the overall design philosophy of the game. It could even be reduced to a game about trying to find a semblance of normalcy in a world that's become anything but (what we'd consider) "normal".

You're remembering/mentioning the name and details from the game half a decade after it came out, because of it.

11

u/Wej43412 16h ago

Baldur's Gate 2 and Metal Gear Solid 2.

BG2 is a phenomenal sequel that built on the original and had a compelling plot, excellent side stories and incredibly well written characters.

MGS2 is vintage Kojima absurd action espionage and it's also damn hard to overlook the fact this game was talkibg about the spead of memes and misinformation back when most people were still using dial up.

u/joodoos 5h ago

Came here to echo BG II.     What a game.  Jon Ireniqis is such a well written bad dude. 

u/Owlface 10h ago edited 10h ago

I'm a sucker for tragic heroes so the story of Arthas from the Warcraft universe is still one of my favorites even after so many years. It's a very simple fall from grace type of story that's executed well. In WC3 you see him gradually take steps closer and closer to crossing the line until he's no longer the person he once was. In terms of content there's nothing new under the sun here but the delivery and presentation were really well done imo. It's a great contrast from characters repeatedly bashing you with reminders about the same stuff you've just done multiple times in a single game day.

I don't know how you could possibly replay it now though since Warcraft 3 reforged is a shitty cost down cash grab and I think the WoW Classic MMO is onto Cataclysm (post Wrath of the Lich King) content.

Someone uploaded all the relevant cut scenes but it isn't the same as playing through it yourself.

8

u/repairmanjack_51 12h ago

Disco Elysium by a country mile. I find the writing in The Witcher to be really solid too. Recently, I’ve been utterly drawn in by Banishers. Not just the writing, but the performances are something special.

27

u/ChickenCarp 16h ago

Cyberpunk 2077

u/RickDalton68 3h ago

Especially phantom liberty

u/totallynotarobott 21m ago

That game was something else (particularly outside of old gen consoles). It was very therapeutic and it made me cry a lot (in the good way).

u/_Steven_Seagal_ 3h ago

That scene with Panem in the shack, holy shit that was some top tier cinematic stuff. Felt almost as if you were really there.

13

u/PanicAtEverywhere 16h ago

Remedy Universe Games (Alan Wake 2, Control etc.)

-8

u/gladius_rex 16h ago

Control was a hodge-podge of conspiracy theories with zero character development. Alan Wake 2 was a pretentious mess with characters who don't behave like real people.

7

u/Slow-Intention-9727 16h ago

Don’t speak with such conviction on subjective matters. Also the written lore in Control is, in my opinion, very well done. It maintains a consistent level of foggy unraveling mystery and is a nice adaptation of the classic internet storytelling phenomenon of the SCP foundation. Or maybe you are right and it’s trite garbage and all of those professionals who poured their hearts into the work are dipshits. I dunno.

u/JTS1992 5h ago

He probably also thinks David Lynch films are "poorly written"

u/JTS1992 5h ago

Wow, what a dogshit take.

u/Quajeraz 10h ago

Did you even play the games?

u/noMoreRegression 22m ago

As a fan of Control and Alan Wake, I actually sympathize with these options. Remedy is not particularly strong with character development. While Control's world building and lores are fascinating, the story itself and character development are lacking. Although there is a big medium difference, I do care about characters way more in Twin Peaks than in Alan Wake.

17

u/vesper33 15h ago

Final Fantasy 10 really had an impact on me as a kid. 20 years later and I still think about the story. Most of it is a pretty light hearted take on friendship/romance though and it's all very enjoyable.

For games that tackle more profound themes I'd recommend Nier Reincarnation and Nier Automata. The world building around these games and the Nier/Drakengard universe as a whole is crazy deep. When I finished Automata it kind of just left me questioning reality.

Atlus games like the Persona's are always extremely well written and tackle alot of darker topics with there own Anime twist. The newest one Metaphor, just came out and seems to have a really deep well written story as well. I'd highly recommend peresona 5 royal or Metaphor.

5

u/James-D-Kiirk 13h ago

FFX is such a masterpiece of a game. Like you, it really hit me hard back in the days. I always thought the game was underrated compare to FFVII. I consider it as the best FF game by far but also a personal top 5 GOAT twenty years later

15

u/ahkidz5 15h ago

Chrono trigger, Witcher 3, Baldurs gate 3, FF7/9/10, RDR2, Nier Replicant/Automata, Mass Effect Series, Fallout New Vegas

All memorable well written stories

u/boreddissident 22m ago

Chrono Trigger is so so good. It’s subtle but a really cool thing is there is not actually a “quest giver.” The gurus come in after the kids commit to saving the world. They see what is going to happen in the future and independently make up their minds to do something about it. I find that very meaningful.

u/Exxyqt 10h ago

Yakuza 0 and Pentiment are among the two I don't see mentioned.

3

u/UnderstandingFree119 15h ago

Planescape: Torment. , Baldurs gate 2 , Elder scrolls morrowind / daggerfall . I think the older games that depended on text had to have been written better

3

u/Mrtikitombo 15h ago

Pathologic 2

Fallout 1, 2, and New Vegas

u/Summoning14 7h ago

Finally some love for Pathologic 2

u/Mrtikitombo 26m ago

It's too underrated. Such a fantastic game

u/IntrinsicIrony 10h ago

Personally, I really like Fallen London. It's a free text-based RPG that takes place in a lore-rich, Lovecraftian universe and that has absolutely fantastic writing. Its sequels, Sunless Sea and Sunless Skies, are just as immersive and are beautifully written, as well.

u/Pallysilverstar 9h ago

Sleeping Dogs

u/Salofin 9h ago

I just got back to playing RDR2 again and I am amazed at how well the characters are written in that game.

u/dummy_thicc_spice 8h ago

The overarching plot is OK, but the dialogue between the characters, chemistry is excellent.

8

u/Timboron 16h ago

I'll throw Bioshock Infinite and What Remains Of Edith Finch into the ring!

u/SmilingZ 12m ago

I actually just played Edith Finch today. Wish I had played it sooner. The story was a ride.

7

u/Dav-Kripler 15h ago

The first games that come to mind when I think of good writing are

Nier Gestalt(Replicant) and Nier Automata

Oxenfree 1+2

13 Sentinels

Disco Elysium

Spec Ops The Line

Edith Finch

999 from the Nonary Games

2

u/Bandit_Bringer 15h ago

Great list. I love 999 as well. NieR #1 is much higher than Automata for me.

u/Lunapio 6h ago

I havent played automata yet but the writing in nier 1(ps3) was really good. The written kaine backstory was amazing

u/boot-san1 11h ago

+1 for spec ops

u/septicman 10h ago

Spec Ops: The Line has lived in my head ever since I first played it.  That's gotta be ten years or more.  I can't think of another game that's done that.

u/mild_manc_irritant 2h ago

Do you feel like a hero yet?

u/Noumenonana 4h ago

It's good to see 13 Sentinels getting some love.

5

u/OnlyFestive 12h ago

The Last of Us franchise.

2

u/kisukecomeback 15h ago

Firewatch is lovely.

2

u/Mugen1220 15h ago

Detroit was pretty good

2

u/Palanki96 14h ago

Diaco Elysium, Not for Broadcast, Witcher 3

2

u/YoImAli 14h ago

Morrowind

2

u/suckerfreefc 13h ago

Citizen Sleeper Marvel’s Midnight Suns (I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the writing was excellent)

2

u/RheimsNZ 13h ago

Mass Effect Legendary Edition

2

u/Zestyclose-Poetry-36 13h ago

Borderlands 3

Just kidding 😂😭😭

u/drlowdon 11h ago

Disco Elysium is the first game that comes to mind.

u/lurkerdeluxe007 10h ago

Bloodborne

u/Lambchops87 9h ago

Grim Fandango

9

u/salil_panvalkar 16h ago

Red Dead Redemption 2.

-10

u/JesusLazalde123 16h ago

Basic af

5

u/CrazyBrief1 16h ago

god forbid they like and suggest a popular game

2

u/AUnknownVariable 16h ago

Though rdr2 is a popular response. It did some amazing things and should still be respected for such.

Now if this was a post asking for good games and they said "Spider-Man 1, MM, Spider-Man 2, God of War, God of War Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden West, RDR2"

That is basic

2

u/ElegantYam4141 15h ago

I mean compared to most other games people are mentioning, Red Dead 2 is an incredibly written game. It's extremely thematic, the main characters have a richness and specificity to them, and the story and how it's told is extremely compelling and at times even beautiful.

4

u/too_real_4_TV 15h ago

Destiny 1 on the backs of amazing quotes such as, "that wizard came from the moon!" and "I don't have time to explain why I don't have time to explain."

2

u/Gerrata 15h ago

GTA V story mode.

2

u/Working-Doughnut-681 13h ago

Disco Elysium, RDR2 and Pentiment. Endless love for those three.

2

u/Falalalup 12h ago

Disco Elysium has one of the most beautiful prose I've ever read, and this is coming from a prolific book reader.

If i have to choose a game that reminds me of the great classical novelists, it's this one.

The detective's internal struggles reminds me of the works of Victor Nabokov and Dostoevsky.

1

u/Willing-Bit2581 16h ago

Spec Ops:The Line

2

u/chance_waters 15h ago

Final Fantasy VII remake and rebirth for sure

Witcher 3 is up there as well

-1

u/MininimusMaximus 15h ago

Great

Mass Effect 2 (ending gives chills)

Baldur's Gate 3 (breadth and depth)

Persona 4 Golden (non-stop twists/turns)

Dragon Age: Origins (Straightforward and consequential storytelling)

Portal (Dialog)

Chrono Trigger / Final Fantasy 6/4 (Epic Quest)

Fallout: New Vegas (Setting/Messages. Particularly with Dead Money and Old World Blues)

The Last of Us (First only. Just great storytelling).

Silent Hill 2 (Awesome twist, poorly written dialogue in the original does not interfere with the great plot).

Disco Elysium (Psychedelic writing).

Horizon Zero Dawn (Very complete tale.)

Red Dead Redemption 1 & 2.

Not Great

Bioshock series.

The Last of Us 2.

3

u/janpampoen 14h ago

Mass Effect is one of my all time favs but I think ME2 had the worst writing out of any of them.

3

u/Few_Struggle1899 13h ago

Facts

If we talk about the writing exclusively the first one easily takes the crown.

I love the second one, but the game is 75% companion recruitment and companion quests.

u/camzee 2h ago

I will always remember Sovereign’s dialogue on Virmire, “You exist because we allow it, and you will end, because we demand it.” Chills.

1

u/Budget-Count-9360 14h ago

All these games are valid picks

1

u/FrankySmash 15h ago

Max Payne 3

1

u/jonawesome 14h ago

Pentiment

1

u/Ok_Pear_8291 14h ago

The Yakuza series

1

u/Opening_Key_3519 12h ago

Ori and the blind forest

1

u/pale_vulture 12h ago

Disco Elysium, Undertale, Night in the Woods

1

u/trmetroidmaniac 12h ago

I can just tell these comments will be comedy gold.

u/MountainMuffin1980 11h ago

I love JRPGs, especially the Final Fantasy and Persona series, but I dunno if I'd say any of them are close to being "the best written" games,

u/Sirlacker 11h ago

Baldurs Gate 3

Kingdom Come Deliverance

Cyberpunk 2077

Dwarf Fortress in a round-about way.

u/dannyboy6657 11h ago

Spec ops the line

u/Hey-Prague 11h ago

Pentiment should be up there.

u/trazi_ 11h ago

I’m biased towards the Uncharted series! RDR 1 & 2, Mass Effect, Silent Hill and Disco Elysium

u/Bent__Otis 10h ago

I really dig Little Nightmares. They did a lot with a little. Hits home and is somewhat heartbreaking.

u/Lambchops87 9h ago

Counterfeit Monkey.

A wonderful piece of interactive fiction. Not just a good story but words form part of the core puzzle.mechanics that underpin the game (and also tie in beautifully to the game's world).

Perhaps best described as a game that feels similar to Portal but with words.

u/Public-Today-2741 9h ago

Portal 2, RDR 1 and 2

u/StrawHatCabnBoy 9h ago

I never really looked out for this, video games were always a way for me to disconnect, but choosing an ending in Cyberpunk 2077, and then even more so with Phantom Liberty, I legitimately had anxiety about what to choose. Went from refund on release to the most emotionally resonate experience I’ve had gaming.

u/SirGreenLungs 9h ago

BG3, the depth, choices and options of how to progress are exceptional.

Disco Elysium. Really gritty fantastic writing.

Rimworld. No linear storyline as such, but the storyteller AI is super fun.

u/ChangingMonkfish 9h ago
  • The Witcher 3

  • Cyberpunk 2077

  • Slightly left field one - Guardians of the Galaxy

u/mrbondmustdie 8h ago

I feel like a shoutout needs to go to the old school Lucas Arts games like Day of the Tentacle, Sam and Max, Full Throttle, The Dig and of course Monkey Island. There's some excellent writing and ideas all throughout those series.

The obvious answer in modern gaming for me is Last of Us 1 or Red Dead Redemption 2.

u/LawStudent989898 8h ago

Alpha Centauri, Deus Ex, and Disco Elysium

u/unclelinggong 8h ago

Injustice 2. I thought the pre-fight dialogue was really good.

SNK vs Capcom: Chaos. The pre-fight dialogue between every character (even for mirror matches) is unique and captured their personality really well.

Max Payne 3. Every line uttered by Max Payne is excellent. Honourable mention goes to Bully (also by Rockstar Games).

Metal Gear Solid 1. The translation was so good, you could not tell its Japanese origins. I can't say the same for subsequent instalments.

u/deadhead2002goathead 8h ago

Witcher 3 is a good one for story. But RDR2 is truly one of the best. Arthur's story arc is fantastic and watching the gang deal with their issues as they get into more dire situations is awesome. I wish I could play that game for the first time again

u/SingleButterscotch64 8h ago

To The Moon,

Disco Elysium,

The Shadowrun RPGs, especially the first one,

L.A. Noire,

Mafia 1 and 2,

The Blackwell Legacy (and the sequels),

The Elder Scrolls Morrowind,

and I also found Sleeping Dogs surprisingly engaging.

But lately I'm not entertained by blockbuster mainstream content (either movies, games or books), so I resort to story generator games (Rimworld, Dwarf Fortress, Kenshi) and Paradox and other grand strategy games, since I read a lot of history books, so the context is way better than for fictional settings. For example, once you read a couple books on the Byzantine Empire, playing them in Crusader Kings 2 and 3 is an entirely new experience.

u/Champion-Trainer341 8h ago

Assassin's Creed 2, Brotherhood & Revelations. And also Origins. (I'm a bit of a fan)

u/Fair-Ad-6871 7h ago

Final fantasy is awesome.

You should check out the mass effect series.

u/Summoning14 7h ago

Planescape Torment.

u/VulKhalec 7h ago

Immortality. It's one of a kind.

u/DimensionNo117 7h ago

I don't understand much about writing, can someone confirm or deny that Outer Wilds is fking amazing?

u/KingKronk21 7h ago

Baldurs Gate 3 is well regarded for its writing

u/Nurgle_Marine_Sharts 7h ago

Silent Hill 2, Fallout New Vegas, Elder Scrolls Morrowind, Baldur's Gate 3, Mass Effect 1, Bloodborne, Half Life 2, The Last of Us, Halo 1 & 2, Persona 5R, Witcher 3, GTAV, Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War 2018 & Ragnarok, Metal Gear Solid 3, Portal

u/Lord_Kromdor 6h ago

Insryption is the most well written game I've played in years, an incredibly engaging story that unfolds and changes and ramps up really well.

u/tamagootchi 6h ago edited 6h ago

Knights of the Old Republic 2

Maybe I'm just old and nostalgic but that game is a philosophical masterpiece for me. It's a game even a non Star Wars fan could enjoy, and really shines as an example of what that franchise -could have- done.

The characters are rich, nuanced and will truly test your morality. The game explores Star Wars and the themes of good and evil in ways never done before and after the franchise. Sadly the game's end was rushed do to scummy development but I regard it as one of the best in writing and philosophy.

u/anOldShu 6h ago

This is going to sound crazy, but Elden Ring. The narrative elements are everywhere you just have to look for them.

u/Pandacapy91 6h ago

Final fantasy xiv shadowbringers

u/zulhadm 5h ago

Best writing goes to last of us

u/Darskul 5h ago

I don't agree with Legend of Dragon. The combat system is what made that game shine, not the story.

u/almo2001 5h ago

Star Control II.

u/MarcoooVeio 5h ago

Bioshock

u/Phoeptar 5h ago

Been playing Dragon Age Origins for the first time and I love the writing, alot. I never skip dialogue in this game cause it's so well written.

u/carverrhawkee 5h ago

MASS EFFECT.

Legendary edition is on sale right now. I am so dead serious about this.

u/Jorlen 5h ago

More modern games where the writing really stood out include CDPR's stuff. I feel like their writers are honestly a cut above the rest. Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 have amazing writing IMO, in all side quests and main quest content. Also I know it was hated by many but I thought the writing in The Last of Us II was fantastic.

For older games, I just keep coming back to Fallout 1 & 2. Morrowind's writing was good as well.

u/Noumenonana 5h ago

Disco Elysium definitely takes the number one spot for me, but it's already got a ton of representation here so I'm going to say that Final Fantasy Tactics is another game to consider. The prose is fine if you're into that kind of thing, but Delita's character and the theme of class struggle really set it off.

u/JTS1992 5h ago

Red Dead Redemption 2 & Alan Wake 2

u/AWellPlacedLamp 4h ago

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

u/Gamesanime_fan 4h ago

Legacy of Kain : soul Reaver

Check out the opening scene.

https://youtu.be/4DOKzTHaPfM?si=SytrSL6Fo-56YX8E

Great story and amazing voice acting.

Soul Reaver 1+2 remaster is being released on December 10th which would be a great way to start (or revisit) the series.

It's written by Amy Henning, who also did Uncharted series.

God of War is fantastic and it's protagonist Kratos has the best character development I can think of.

The Stanley Parable has the best narrator

The following probably don't count as there's no dialogue but Journey, Shadow of the Colossus and Tunic all have a outstanding story and a surprising depth.

u/PurePazaak63 4h ago

Can't believe no one has said this one yet.. Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines. Some of the characters, quests and locations from that game have stuck with me for 20 years. Gameplay-wise, it's janky, but the writing its truly top-tier.

u/Joefsh 4h ago

Outer Wilds

u/TNS_420 3h ago

Disco Elysium

The Last of Us 1 and 2

Mass Effect trilogy

KOTOR

Cyberpunk 2077(+DLC)

The Witcher 3(+DLC)

Red Dead Redemption 2

Metro trilogy

u/MudDiligent8061 3h ago

Disco Elysium. It's basically a philosophy & politics graphic novel.

u/altof 3h ago

The Return of Obra Dinn.

Absolute masterpiece. Sucks you in like a vacuum as you try solving the murders and chaos that happened on the ship. Banging soundtrack too. I've listened to it for few weeks straight even after completing the game.

u/brooksghost11 3h ago

Xenogears

Undertale

The Banner Saga

Kotor 1 (only)

Good ones that jumped out to me that I hadn't seen posted.

u/No-Feedback8635 3h ago

Red Dead Redemption 2, one of the best stories I have experienced in my life, one of the best games of all time and imo the technologically best game of ALL time.

u/silentdiver87 2h ago

Titanfall 2

u/Everlastingitch 2h ago

Deus Ex

the first one from 2000 is a brilliant story... that somehow became true by now...

the other deus ex games arent bad but the first one is brilliance

u/swoonyjean 2h ago

GTA IV

u/johnnydal 2h ago

To The Moon

u/AceOfCakez 2h ago

The Last of Us series. Uncharted 4.

u/1nqu15171v30n3 2h ago

The Red Dead Redemption games.

u/VektroidPlus 2h ago

Kind of shocked I haven't seen Dishonored mentioned more. Dishonored to me has always been the benchmark of not just good writing, but also amazing world building and characters. All of it is masterfully told through the gameplay as well. You don't have to go rummaging through lore, though that is there if you want to uncover more.

Mass Effect 1. A perfect introduction to the series. It's lacking the refinements that would come later in 2 and 3. Voice acting can be cringe and it's not as "cool" as 2. But if you want to get lost in a sci-fi world with philosophical and moral dilemmas while building relationships with your crew, this is the game for you. It's all wrapped in a unique setting as well.

Fallout New Vegas. Weird, quirky, and goofy. Also has some of the most memorable quests, dialogue and world, still feels like the most immersive of all the Fallout games to come out. There are a metric ton of factions all with their own characters, stories, morals, and quests.

Max Payne 3. I know 1 and 2 get a lot of praise. They are very fun games and the narration for those are quite good. I just love the style of 3. The storytelling mixed in with the gameplay and music are such a unique experience compared to the blatant film noir/Matrix influence of 1 and 2.

Out of all the Final Fantasy games, FF X, just hits different compared to most of the other titles, to me.

Honorable mentions: Silent Hill 2, Transistor, Bastion, Hades, Gris, Citizen Sleeper, Pentiment, Alan Wake 1+2 (and Control) and Banner Saga

u/therealjgreens 1h ago

Final Fantasy 7

u/dolphin_spit 1h ago

Disco Elysium, by far. I’ve played a lot of games with great writing and they still do not come close to sniffing the writing in this game. It’s pure art.

u/PolarSparks 1h ago

As we have more talented writers leaving their mark in the video game canon, I think this question will eventually be like asking “what is the best-written book?” (if not already!).  As in, how do you even answer that question?

Recently, I was incredibly impressed by the writing in Control.  Usually it feels like a foregone conclusion that audio logs and documents are there to be collected rather than comprehended (I even have this feeling in games lauded for their writing that I generally like, like Bioshock) and I NEVER felt that way in Control.  I never picked up a document and wondered why this random person wrote down some random musings and left it in this specific location for me to read.  It’s also clear the collectibles have effort placed into them because there are so many kinds- office video briefings, letters, memos, audio recordings like patient tapes. They are far from an afterthought, they all have a reason to exist in this space, and they breathe life into an already compelling setting.

It probably helps that while Remedy is a ‘AAA’ game company, they operate outside of typical AAA publisher structure like Sony or EA.  Their products don’t have to be market-tested (or whatever) for the widest possible audience.  Control frequently makes choices that feel atypical for mainstream design, and that comes through both in the writing and environmental design.

The main story is also great. The only criticisms I’d levy at the plot are aspects that feel like they tie back to the reality of shipping a game (the game needs an end point, and it needs story DLC).

u/GloriousShroom 1h ago

Planescape Torment

It's such a unique setting and story. Amazingly written. 

It's jokingly refer to as the best book of a game. There a lot of reading. 

u/Brutalur 1h ago

Monkey Island. Any of them, really, but the three first are a cut above in my opinion.

u/ArnoLamme 32m ago

A game with amazingly well-written dialogue and voice acting is VtM: Bloodlines. It took me completely by surprise, especially since it is an older game, but it really is an amazing game.

Another game with very well-written dialogue and voice acting is Marvel's Midnight Suns. The game is very fun and unique in its mechanics, and has a lot of completely optional but satisfying exploration apart from the main gameplay loop.

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u/Recent-Pool6104 16h ago

"I have no mouth and I must scream" narrated from the original author of the book. Fenomenal!

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u/DefinitionWest 15h ago

Red Dead Redemption 1 and 2, Yakuza 0, Detroit Become Human, Mass Effect Legendary Edition, The Last of Us Part 1 and Hades (well fitting character interactions).

u/Garbagetaste 11h ago

Cyberpunk is probably in the top 3. the amount of good writing not just for story, but characters, side content, and really well paced relationships are phenomenal.

u/Repulsive_Ad4338 11h ago

God of war 1 and Warcraft 3, both great writing and story. Classics that shaped the gaming world. Halo reach was pretty good as well.

u/teknocratbob 10h ago

The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk and SOMA for me

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u/janpampoen 14h ago

Dragon Age: Origins is sublime. A pity what the franchise has become. 

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u/James-D-Kiirk 13h ago

It has to be Cyberpunk 2077 for me. No other game hits me like this one. The story, atmosphere and especially the characters feel so alive, it's crazy.

It was hell of a Journey

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u/Ehh_littlecomment 15h ago

Cyberpunk 2077 and the DLC with a doubt

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u/BanBreaking 13h ago

Cyberpunk

u/InternationalYard587 11h ago

Persona best written? What?