Sometimes, video games don’t tell their stories with chronological, linear narratives. Some ofthese stories can be rather complex, but how they’re told is often part of the gaming experience overall.
Video games with layered storytelling, on the other hand, withhold a significant amount of information, only to be drip-fed to players as they progress through the game.
This makes actually playing the game all the more enjoyable with every playthrough, where so many additional details can be uncovered.
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In case you’re craving some tingles with your game.
These games, in particular, thrive because of their layered storytelling, allowing players to uncover the intricacies of the plot as organically as possible. The narrative is almost always more memorable when done this way.
So, when diving into these games, just expect to play them more than once for the fullest, most enriching gameplay experience.
10The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Geralt’s Story Is Complicated
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
For many players,The Witcher 3: Wild Huntis actually their first exposure toThe Witcheras a whole. When you first start the game, things feel simple – that is, untilGeraltwakes up, and the player has to embark on the very journey that he’s on: looking forCiri.
From there, players begin learning not only everything aboutThe Witcher’sworld and its lore,but all the intricacies of Geralt’s story (andsubsequent love triangle). It’s not uncommon for new players to constantly pause and look up characters and events in the wiki page.
The game provides little context, relying on players to discover all the necessary information while playing for the first time.
Plus, there is more to discover on each subsequent playthrough, which is whydevelopers had to play a fresh new saveofThe Wild Huntin order to prepare for the next game.
If anything, this just makes fans all the more excited forThe Witcher 4,and howCiri’s new storyis going to be told.
9Pathologic
An Unsettling Horror Experience
Pathologic
When looking at thePathologicgames, everyone singsthe sequel’spraises, while, for some reason, claiming the first game isn’t good.
It’s great, as a matter of fact, and it’s so distinctly freaky. Sure, the gameplay was clunky, so just play the HD re-release, and you’ll see firsthand how the game works.
I would comparePathologicto an unsettling art piece in a museum, meant to disturb viewers and make them uncomfortable while exploring different creative directions.
The game revolves around you trying to cure the town of a plague, all while trying to manage your well-being from said plague, crippling hunger, and other hostiles.
The game does not hold your hand while trying to navigate this, making for anincredibly challenging endeavor.
You also control one of three different protagonists, whose stories all intertwine with each other to paint an even greater picture. This is a concept that novels can capture wonderfully, so it’s unique to see in a gaming setting.
8What Remains of Edith Finch
The Reminder of Vastness
What Remains of Edith Finch
Have you ever imagined how every single member of your family was going to die? Of course not; it’s not a thought we actively try to pursue.
However, in the case ofWhat Remains of Edith Finch,you don’t have to imagine: you witness every single one.
In the game, you don’t play asEdith Finch, butinstead as her son, who is reading a journal she wrote for him, detailing all the variouspremature lossesthe family had been cursed to endure.
You witness every single death through their eyes, and it ends up creating one of the most harrowing storytelling experiences in all of gaming.
10 Games Best Played In Their Native Language
Sometimes, things can get lost in translation, or are simply better in their mother tongue. These games are best played in their native language.
Seriously, the amount oftears that have been shed over this gamecannot be understated. It’s an excellent commentary on grief and how deeply it intertwines in families, especially when tragedy continues to strike.
By the time it comes down to you, the last living Finch, you only have what remains of all these stories – and what you do from there is up to you.
7The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Slowly Regain Your Memory (of the Plot)
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
There is something distinctly special aboutThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild– it’s easily the greatestLegend of Zeldagame of all time, and no, I will not take any counter-arguments about that.
The opening sequence whereLinkruns out of theShrine of Resurrectionto the open vastness of theGreat Plateaugives me chills every single time, and the soundtrack is just the cherry on top.
With that in mind, Link has no idea how he even got here or howHyruleended up being apost-apocalyptic world; the only thing he knows for sure is that he has to save it.
While you play through the game (in whatever method and order you want), you search for Link’s memories, piecing together what happened to thebeautiful land of Hyruleand everyone within it.
As NPCs and flashbacks fill you in on the gaps in your memory, you piece together the overall story like putting together puzzle pieces, with new details jumping out upon subsequent playthroughs.
The game is full ofStudio Ghibli vibes, absolutely stunning and soothing (evenASMR triggering) to players while they uncover the layers of the narrative.
6Bloodborne
Souls Games Are Notoriously Obtuse
Bloodborne
When thinking aboutSoulsgames, players tend to imagine the difficult bosses and mesmerizing gameplay before the actual story itself.
The narratives in these games are notoriously difficult to follow, requiring multiple, thorough playthroughs to understand the whole plot.
Bloodborneis an excellent example of this, as much of the lore is hidden in details, readables, and even other characters that players can easily skip past.
Simply going boss to boss means there is so much story that you’ll miss, especially since the game gives you as little information as possible when you finish character creation.
The game itself isbased on European folklore, told in the style ofBram Stoker’s Draculaas if it was written byH.P. Lovecraft– to say it’s layered is to put it lightly, and it could take players several replays before they finally have a solid grasp on the lore.
And when they finally do have a grasp on the lore, it just makes them all the more excited for whatElden Ring: Nightreinmight bring to the table forBloodbornefans.
5Death Stranding
A Truly Unique Story Experience
Death Stranding
Hideo Kojimais notorious for his convoluted and intensely packed stories, withMetal Gear Solidhaving perhapsthe most complex narrativein all of gaming. Thankfully, he refined his storytelling more by the timeDeath Strandingwas released.
That doesn’t meanDeath Strandingis a linear, easy game to understand; don’t get it confused – the narrative is just as unique and layered in this game as in Kojima’s other works.
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The doctor will see you now.
You play asSam,working shifts as a freelance delivery boyin a science fiction setting. That’s about as simple as I could describe it, because his story starts to take some wild turns from there, all while still being incredibly powerful and impactful.
The best way to experienceDeath Strandingand its story is to go in as blind as possible. Genuinely, the twists and turns and abstractness of it all are part of what makes playing the game so memorable, even if it leaves players pondering for hours after the credits roll.
4Silent Hill 2
Remember Your Guilt
Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 2really has it all when it comes to the ultimate horror gaming experience, with theSilent Hill 2 Remakesurpassing that original experience in every possible way.
It’s a game that gets better as you replay it and discover more details – and let it be known there are so many hidden details thatthe theories practically write themselves.
Bloober Teammore than understood the assignment; they perfected it, and they toldJames Sunderland’sstory in such a way that it’s actually better to play the game already knowing the spoilers.
Of course, there’s something special about experiencing the plot twist blind, but so many moreEaster Eggsjump out at you if you already know what happened.
TheSilent Hillgames are shrouded in metaphor and symbolic meanings, all the way down to the monsters and how they’re designed. These manifestations could represent various fears, emotions, or even situations that have a massive impact on the narrative and how it’s interpreted.
Uniquely,Silent Hill 2tells its story through misdirection, seemingly telling one story while telling another one (the true story) entirely, and it’s not until you finally uncover the truth that you finally understand what the real story is, as well as the rawness it instills.
A Tragedy Drip Fed in One Room
Sometimes, the answer is standing right in front of you, and that’s exactly the case inDevotion,which has you playingFeng Yu, the patriarch of theDu Family, as he relives all his worst mistakes for his family.
It’s clear from the beginning,despite the ordinary feelof it all, something very bad happened to the Dus.
As you progress through the game, the symbolism and scares seem out of place and bizarre, and it’s not until you learn the truth of what happened that these moments gain a much deeper meaning. It just so happens that it’s a swift punch to your gut.
It tells a distinctly unique story, one that warns against blind faith and religious devotion, one that shows a family falling apart due to the lies and deceit of one woman.
Not only that, but it manages to be a commentary on how prevalent of an issue cults were in1980s Taiwan, told in a way that onlyRed Candle Gameswas able to pull off.
Seriously, experience the game for yourself. I guarantee you’ve never seen anything like it, and it’s going to cement itself in your memories forever.
2Outer Wilds
Save the Universe Through Repetition
Outer Wilds
Normally, Groundhog Day-esque scenariosinvolvingreliving the same day repeatedlysounds exhausting and draining in every possible way. Not forOuter Wilds, though, because every loop is like a new adventure.
You have22 minutesto explore the universe and discover all the details that are required to save it.Each new retrylets players progress using the information they’ve gathered prior, problem-solving in literal layers.
It’s a unique take on theMetroidbrainia, to say the least, and it’s such a memorable experience that players are practically foaming at the mouth waiting for the sequel.
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No alarms required to attend these schools, just a console.
Many have heard that the definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again while expecting different results.
Yet, this game actually manifests different results. Basically, if you liked the3-Day MechanicinThe Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask,you’ll like this.
1Baldur’s Gate 3
The Story is Told Through You
Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur’s Gate 3tells a distinctly epic story, set in the world ofDungeons & Dragonswhile being the RPG that players have been craving for decades. The thing with this story, however, is you determine every aspect of it.
Not only that, but there is so much more to the story than what you originally think it would be. At first, it just seems like a simple quest to save yourself from a mind-flayer tadpole, but as you uncover the deeper plot attached to it, the story completely shifts into something new. Just saying, there’s power in context.
Every little decision you make influences the story in ways you didn’t anticipate, including during character creation – choosingThe Dark Urgeopens up an entirely new perspective of the story (and it’s far more enriching, personally).
It wasGame of the Yearfor a reason, and it’s the story that you peel away, layer by layer, where you’re faced with a web of lies and entanglements that you never could have anticipated.
Bhaalspawn, Baldur’s Gate, and the Cycle of Abuse
The Dark Urge in Baldur’s Gate 3 is the most fitting for the Cycle of Abuse narrative.
