1,438 games
The best story-driven games on PC
Games that are above all about the story, with characters that stay with you and moments you will think about for a long time.
How to find games that really suit you: Select up to 5 games you have played and enjoyed. Playalike compares 20 traits such as combat, story and atmosphere and suggests games that hit exactly the same spot, even across genres.
-
1 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Open world
- Fantasy setting
- Lots to discover
An open fantasy world with outstanding side quests and choices that have lasting consequences.
-
2 Red Dead Redemption 2
- Open world
- Lavish presentation
- Lots to discover
An epic western about the downfall of an outlaw gang, set in an incredibly detailed open world.
-
3 BioShock
- Shooting and gunplay
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Dark, serious atmosphere
An atmospheric shooter set in the decaying underwater city of Rapture, blending Plasmid powers and weapons into creative combat. It is celebrated for its iconic Art Deco setting and a story with a legendary twist that questions free will.
-
4 Mass Effect 2
- Sci-fi setting
- Choices with consequences
- Shooting and gunplay
Commander Shepard assembles a crew of specialists for a suicide mission, blending cover-based shooting with unforgettable companions and choices that decide who lives and dies.
-
5 BioShock Infinite
- Shooting and gunplay
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Lavish presentation
A first-person shooter set in the floating city of Columbia, mixing fast combat with Vigors and skyline rails with a mind-bending tale of alternate realities. Companion Elizabeth and the stunning finale make it a standout narrative experience.
-
6 Mass Effect
- Sci-fi setting
- Choices with consequences
- Shooting and gunplay
As Commander Shepard, you lead your Normandy crew across the galaxy chasing a rogue Spectre in a landmark sci-fi RPG built around its dialogue wheel, companion bonds and choices that carry into the sequels. Combat is real-time cover shooting with pausable squad powers.
-
7 Undertale
- Choices with consequences
- Lots of humour
- Distinctive, stylised art style
A charming indie RPG where every fight can be resolved without violence, blending turn-based menus with bullet-hell dodging. Its quirky humor, memorable monsters and a story that remembers your choices made it a cult classic.
-
8 Life Is Strange
- Choices with consequences
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Distinctive, stylised art style
As photography student Max, you discover you can rewind time and dig into a disappearance in a sleepy coastal town, with your choices shaping friendships and fates. It's a heartfelt coming-of-age drama with an unforgettable indie soundtrack.
-
9 Mass Effect 3
- Sci-fi setting
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Shooting and gunplay
The emotional finale of Shepard's trilogy pairs tight cover-shooting and combinable squad powers with a galaxy-wide war effort, where choices carried across three games decide who lives, who dies, and which civilizations survive.
-
10 The Walking Dead
- Post-apocalyptic setting
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Choices with consequences
An episodic narrative adventure where Lee protects young Clementine through a zombie apocalypse, forced into agonizing timed moral decisions. The bond between the two makes it one of the most emotionally powerful games of its kind.
-
11 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
- Sci-fi setting
- Strong character progression
- A party of several characters
BioWare's classic Star Wars RPG lets you walk the light or dark side millennia before the films, backed by a crew of memorable companions and one of gaming's most famous plot twists.
-
12 Detroit: Become Human
- Choices with consequences
- Lavish presentation
- Sci-fi setting
A cinematic narrative adventure where you guide three androids through a near-future Detroit. The story branches dramatically with every choice, and characters can live or die depending on your decisions.
-
13 Disco Elysium
- Choices with consequences
- Distinctive, stylised art style
- Lots of humour
A detective RPG without combat, but with brilliant dialogue and a deeply conflicted protagonist.
-
14 The Wolf Among Us
- Distinctive, stylised art style
- Choices with consequences
- Dark, serious atmosphere
A moody noir murder mystery where you play Bigby Wolf, the reformed Big Bad Wolf turned sheriff, investigating killings among fairy-tale exiles in grimy New York. Your dialogue choices decide whether you're feared or trusted, all wrapped in a striking neon comic-book style.
-
15 Firewatch
- Distinctive, stylised art style
- Lavish presentation
An intimate first-person narrative adventure in the Wyoming wilderness, built around witty, heartfelt radio conversations between Henry and Delilah. Its painterly look and a slowly creeping mystery make it memorable.
-
16 God of War Ragnarök
- Melee combat with weapons or fists
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Lavish presentation
Kratos and Atreus travel the Nine Realms of Norse myth as Ragnarök approaches. Weighty, precise melee combat meets a moving father-son story and blockbuster presentation.
-
17 Heavy Rain
- Choices with consequences
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Lavish presentation
A grim, cinematic thriller about the Origami Killer where you guide four characters, and every choice or failed quick-time sequence can decide who lives and how the story ends.
-
18 Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Lavish presentation
- Melee combat with weapons or fists
An intense psychological journey of a warrior through her psychosis, with remarkable sound design.
-
19 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Turn-based combat
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- A party of several characters
Turn-based RPG with real-time parrying and dodging, set in a melancholic Belle Époque–inspired fantasy world.
-
20 What Remains of Edith Finch
- Lavish presentation
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Distinctive, stylised art style
A moving narrative game where you wander the sprawling Finch family home and relive each relative's final moments through short vignettes, each with its own inventive gameplay twist. Melancholic, creative, and unforgettable in just a couple of hours.
-
21 Spec Ops: The Line
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Shooting and gunplay
- Action-packed real-time combat
A third-person cover shooter set in a sand-buried Dubai that gradually turns into a harrowing critique of war, guilt and the genre's own power fantasies. Its moral dilemmas and Captain Walker's psychological unraveling make it unforgettable.
-
22 The Last of Us Part I
- Lavish presentation
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Action-packed real-time combat
Joel and Ellie's emotional survival story in a devastated world.
-
23 The Walking Dead: Season Two
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Choices with consequences
- Distinctive, stylised art style
You play as Clementine, now forced to survive on her own in a brutal zombie apocalypse, and make tough moral calls that shape relationships and fates. It's a bleak, emotional narrative adventure with a comic-book look.
-
24 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords
- Sci-fi setting
- Strong character progression
- A party of several characters
A melancholic, philosophical Star Wars RPG that questions the very nature of the Force, the Jedi and the Sith. Mentor Kreia anchors it, companions can be swayed toward light or dark, and combat is tactical with pause-and-queue actions.
What matters with Story-driven games
Story-driven games work best when the plot and the people in it are the reason you keep playing, not just the backdrop for combat. The games on this list differ a lot in how much gameplay surrounds the story, so it helps to decide first how much action you want. If you prefer pure narrative with little or no fighting, Disco Elysium is a detective RPG with no combat at all, carried by brilliant dialogue and a deeply conflicted protagonist. Life Is Strange and The Walking Dead are similar in spirit: choice-heavy adventures where the drama comes from decisions, not reflexes.
If you want a big world to get lost in, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt stands out for side quests that are as well written as the main plot, and Red Dead Redemption 2 tells a slow, detailed story about an outlaw gang falling apart, which suits players who enjoy a deliberate pace. For something shorter and sharper, BioShock Infinite pairs fast first-person combat with a mind-bending finale.
Also think about commitment. The Mass Effect trilogy is best played in order, since choices carry over across all three games and shape the ending of Mass Effect 3. Undertale is a good pick if you like humor and want a game where every fight can be solved without violence. All of these are available on PC, so you can choose purely by mood and taste.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best story game on PC with choices that matter?
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and the Mass Effect trilogy are strong picks because decisions have lasting consequences. Detroit: Become Human branches dramatically, and characters can live or die depending on your choices.
Are there story-driven games without combat?
Disco Elysium is a detective RPG with no combat, built entirely on dialogue and skill checks. Life Is Strange and The Walking Dead also focus on choices and conversations rather than fighting.
Do I need to play the Mass Effect games in order?
It is recommended, because choices from Mass Effect carry into Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3. Playing them in order makes the finale of Mass Effect 3 far more meaningful.
Not quite your taste?
Tell us your favourite games and we'll find recommendations that fit you exactly.
